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Peacock Plans Get Another Price Hike — Here Are the Best Subscription Deals and Free Trial Hacks

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On Aug. 18, Peacock implemented its fourth price hike in four years, increasing subscription rates across all plans and tiers. So, whether you still need to see Curry Barker’s Obsession or are eager to binge all 51 seasons of SNL ahead of its fall 2026 return, we’re hooking you up with the little-known ways to save big on Peacock — or even get it for free.

Does Peacock Have a Free Trial?

Yes and no. While the service doesn’t offer a free trial directly, fans can enjoy free Peacock access through partner subscriptions, including DirecTV, Instacart+ and Walmart+. More on each option below.

Best Peacock Deals 2026: Get Peacock Free With DirecTV

Starting with the standout promotion, customers who sign up for one of DirecTV’s signature packages — Entertainment, Choice, Ultimate or Premier — can claim two months of the Movies Extra Pack + Peacock at no cost. Plus, DirecTV offers a five-day free trial for any plan, meaning new members can stream Peacock (and everything else the packages have to offer) at no cost during the trial period.

Here’s exactly how to claim the offer: Select your preferred signature package, then opt to add “Movies Extra Pack + Peacock Premium” where it instructs you to pick your add-ons. As indicated, you’ll automatically get two months of the Movies Extra Pack + Peacock included in your subscription (click here to see everything the add-on offers on top of Peacock). After two months, unless cancelled at any time, DirecTV’s Movies Extra Pack + Peacock will renew monthly at the then-prevailing rate.

Best Peacock Deals 2026: Get Peacock Free With Instacart+, Walmart+

Streamers can also get free Peacock access through partner subscriptions, including Instacart+ and Walmart+, which both include Peacock Premium in their membership. Since Instacart+ offers a 14-day free trial, members can stream Peacock at absolutely no cost during that two week period. Alternatively, Walmart+ offers a 30-day trial for $1, giving nearly free access to Peacock for one month.

Best Peacock Deals 2026: Peacock Student Discount, Young Adult Discount (Age 18-24)

For younger audiences, the NBCUniversal streamer not only offers a year-long student discount, but it also extends the same 54 percent price drop to users ages 18 to 24, officially called the Peacock Young Adult Discount. After 12 months, the plan auto-renews at the then-current annual rate. This accounts for an even larger savings than before Peacock’s Aug. 18 price hike because the student rate did not increase alongside Peacock’s standalone packages.

Best Peacock Deals 2026: Apple TV and Peacock Bundle

On Oct. 20, 2025, the Apple TV and Peacock Bundle launched, meaning customers can now bundle the two services and save. Bundle options include Apple TV and Peacock Premium ($14.99 per month), and Apple TV and Peacock Premium Plus ($19.99 per month). Since Apple TV is currently $12.99 per month on its own, these bundles represent a discount of 40-plus percent. As with the student discount, this accounts for an even larger savings than before Peacock’s Aug. 18 price hike because these bundle prices did not increase alongside Peacock’s standalone packages.

This bundle is a smart choice for Formula 1 fans as the 2026 season marks the start of F1 and Apple TV’s five-year streaming deal, where Apple TV is the exclusive U.S. home for every practice, qualifying, sprint and race.

Best Peacock Deals 2026: Mastercard

Save on a Peacock Subscription Through Mastercard

Mastercard users can also save on a Peacock subscription.

Right now, eligible World or World Elite Mastercard holders can get a statement credit of $3 per month if they pay for Peacock Premium or Premium Plus with their card. The offer expires Dec. 2027.

Best Peacock Deals 2026: Annual Subscription vs. Monthly

At the back half of 2025, Peacock added a lower-priced Select tier, now $8.99 per month (up from $7.99), which includes current seasons of NBC and Bravo shows and select shows from the broader NBCUniversal library. This is in addition to the more popular ad-supported Premium tier, now $12.99 monthly (up from $10.99), and the ad-free Peacock Premium Plus package, now $19.99 per month (up from $16.99). For the best bang for your buck, opt for the annual plans (now between $89.99 and $199.99), which offer 12 months for the price of 10. See below for more on each plan.

Peacock Plans: Premium vs. Premium Plus

Both Peacock Premium and Premium Plus packages include access to over 80,000 hours of movies and TV show episodes, including brand-new and Oscar-winning films; next-day access to NBC and Bravo series such as Love Island, Vanderpump Rules and the entire Real Housewives franchise; and both new and past seasons of Peacock original series.

Peacock Premium also has over 50 channels and live sports, including MLB Sunday Leadoff, Premier League, Sunday Night Football and WWE. It was also the streaming home of the Women’s World Cup and the U.S. Gymnastics Championship.

Peacock’s Premium Plus tier includes all of the above, plus your local NBC channel live, no ads (except on select live TV shows) and the ability to download select titles to watch offline later.

Additional Details on Instacart+

Get Peacock for Free Through Instacart

Want to get Peacock for free? If you’re looking to cut the cord and expand your binge-watching library while saving time on grocery shopping, Instacart is offering one of the best free deals on Peacock.

The ad-supported Peacock Premium plan (reg. $12.99 per month or $129.99 annually) is included for free with Instacart+ memberships, which offers unlimited free delivery on orders over $35, lower service fees, 5 percent credit back on eligible pickup orders and other perks for $9.99 per month or $99 per year with annual billing. Instacart says the service pays for itself if you order twice per month.

Instacart+ users get free access to Peacock’s ad-supported Premium plan for as long as their membership is in effect and the offer is available. The deal doesn’t apply to existing Peacock accounts, and you cannot use the offer to upgrade to Peacock’s Premium Plus, which has fewer ads.

Additional Details on Walmart+

August 20, 2026
Neutrogena Comments on Hayden Panettiere’s Death Amid Backlash and Says ‘We Made Her Feel Unsupported’; Actor Said the Company Nearly Fired Her for Talking About Postpartum

Neutrogena, the popular cosmetics and skin care brand, has issued a statement following the death of Hayden Panettiere, who served as a spokesperson and brand ambassador for the company for nearly a decade during the height of her career. Panettiere’s death ignited widespread backlash against Neutrogena across social media due to comments the actor made about the company wanting to fire her because she had spoken up about her battle with postpartum depression.

“We are deeply saddened by Hayden Panettiere’s passing,” Neutrogena said in a post on Instagram. “For more than a decade, Hayden was a valued member of our Neutrogena community. We are proud to have partnered with her and understand that we made her feel unsupported during a very difficult time. This is not what Neutrogena stands for or who we want to be.”

The company statement continued: “Hayden’s courage in sharing her challenges helped inspire important conversations and awareness. We are making a significant investment to a long-standing community health partner to help give more women access to the support they need, including care for postpartum depression. We will share more details with this community when plans are in place.”

Panettiere alleged in her 2026 memoir, “This Is Me: A Reckoning,” and in several interviews promoting the book that Neutrogena tried to end their longterm partnership because she spoke publicly about the postpartum depression she endured after the birth of her child, Kaya. Panettiere explained on the “On Purpose” podcast that Neutrogena said discussing such a matter publicly violated their “morals clause.”

“Of all the things, too, that they would fire me over, this was the last thing I thought they would fire me over,” Panettiere said. “When I got that call that Neutrogena wanted to fire me over that, and my representative at the time said, ‘That’s illegal. You can’t do that.’ And even though she saved the day, that year, I knew that that was going to be it. I was not going to be invited back the next year.”

Panettiere’s death inspired calls on social media for a boycott against Neutrogena. The death is currently under investigation, with the DEA recently joining the probe. Police have said there were “not any signs of foul play or suspicious circumstances.”

August 20, 2026
L.A. Mayor Karen Bass Throws Her Support Behind Paramount-Warner Bros. Discovery Settlement

Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass has changed her tone on the proposed merger between Paramount and Warner Bros. Discovery.

The mayor, who is running for reelection this year, previously opposed the $111 billion deal unless it avoided loss of jobs. But in a news conference on Thursday, Bass urged Paramount Skydance and California attorney general Rob Bonta to come to a quick settlement on the antitrust lawsuit from 12 state regulators that is currently challenging the transaction.

“While there are varying perspectives on the proposed transaction, today we are united around one clear message: It is time for all parties to come to the table. The continued uncertainty is not good for workers, not good for productions and not good for the future of this industry,“ Bass said in a press conference.

Bass added, “Too many productions are at a standstill, which means Angelenos are out of a job and they’re not getting paid. As mayor, I cannot stand by as the job security of thousands of hardworking union members is being put at risk. That is why we are calling on Paramount, Attorney General Rob Bonta and all relevant parties to come together, engage directly and in good faith and work urgently to find common ground and keep our vital industry in Los Angeles.”

The remarks arrived one day after a report from the L.A. Department of Economic Opportunity and CVL Economics estimated that thousands of corporate, creative and production jobs will be at risk if the merger goes through. The report also pegged potential lost waves at $1.26 billion and lost economic value at $2.78 billion.

Her statements prompted a sharp rebuke from the Writers Guild of America West union, which is opposed to the merger and has filed its own lawsuit to stop it. “We are disappointed that Mayor Bass has chosen to join Paramount’s pressure campaign on public enforcers, to push through a merger that is being rightfully challenged as illegal and will lead to job losses in the entertainment industry,“ the union said in a statement on Thursday. “Her statement comes on the heels of a county report estimating thousands of jobs will be lost if the merger proceeds.“

The union continued, “Industry workers deserve a mayor who believes in upholding the law and protecting the working people of Los Angeles, not serving the interests of powerful corporations.”

Bass‘ remarks arrive as several major entertainment organizations have similarly called for a hasty settlement. Cinema United, the movie theater trade organization, once vociferously opposed to the merger, backed off on Tuesday and called for a settlement to avoid industry uncertainty. The previous week two unions, the Directors Guild of America and IATSE, also asked both sides of the antitrust lawsuit to come together and hash out a deal before the scheduled trial date of March 2027.

IATSE‘s political division in California previously endorsed Bass in her run for mayor, citing her frequent communication with the union and efforts to boost production in L.A.

August 20, 2026
L.A. Mayor Karen Bass Weighs In on Paramount-Warner Bros. Merger, Urges California AG Rob Bonta to Settle Antitrust Case: ‘This Is Not About Taking Sides’

Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass urged California attorney general Rob Bonta and Paramount to resolve their differences and work “urgently” to find a resolution to the 12-state antitrust lawsuit that is blocking Paramount’s takeover of Warner Bros. Discovery.

“While there are varying perspectives on the proposed transaction, today we are united around one clear message: It is time for all parties to come to the table,” Bass said at a press conference Thursday.

She continued, “The continued uncertainty is not good for workers, not good for productions and not good for the future of this industry. Too many productions in L.A. are now at a standstill, which means Angelenos are out of a job and they’re not getting paid.”

Bass, a Democrat, said that any settlement among the parties “must include meaningful and enforceable commitments to keep Paramount and Warner Brothers Discovery in L.A. as well as maintaining jobs, productions and investments in L.A. and California.”

“This is not about taking sides,” the mayor said. “This is about fighting for Los Angeles, standing up for our union workers, keeping Paramount here, and protecting the future of this industry. L.A. has been home to the entertainment industry for generations, and we intend to do everything we can to keep it here.”

At Thursday’s press conference, Bass said, “As mayor, I cannot stand by while the job security of thousands of hardworking union members is being put at risk. That is why we are calling on Paramount, attorney general Rob Bonta, and all relevant parties to come together, engage directly and in good faith, and work urgently to find common ground and keep our vital industry in Los Angeles at a time when film and television production is already facing significant challenges.”

Not mentioned by Bass in her remarks: a report issued Wednesday by Los Angeles County that estimates the Paramount-Warner Bros. Discovery merger could eliminate about 4,500 film and TV jobs over three years. The report said the combination of the two companies would accelerate the downturn in L.A. production, which has already cost 52,000 jobs over the last four years.

Bass joins fellow Democrat Xavier Becerra, who is the frontrunner in the race for California governor. Becerra recently said a settlement between Paramount and the state AGs would be the best outcome in the current legal standoff. “I hope it settles” before the case goes to trial, Becerra said at a Politico conference on Aug. 11. “It is easier to stand in a conference room and settle than it is to stand in a courtroom.”

The 12 states, led by Bonta, sued in federal court in July to block Paramount’s takeover of Warner Bros. Discovery. The states allege the proposed merger will illegally reduce competition in the markets for theatrical and blockbuster films, as well as basic cable TV. Paramount agreed to pause the WBD merger until after the case goes to trial, which is scheduled for March 2, 2027. But Paramount wants to resolve the legal matter as soon as possible, not least of which is because it will being incurring a $7 million daily “ticking fee” payable to Warner Bros. Discovery shareholders starting Oct. 1 until the merger closes.

Last week, in a statement, Paramount CEO David Ellison said his company has “offered commitments and concessions and remain open to working constructively with the state AGs to find a path forward in the interest of our employees and the creative community in California and across the world.” Bonta, meanwhile, has said that the only acceptable terms of a settlement would be “structural” remedies (like divestitures or keeping certain business operations separate) rather than “behavioral” ones, such as Paramount’s pledge to release more than 30 movies to theaters with a 45-day window.

Bass on Thursday said time was of the essence to find a path to allow Paramount and Warner Bros. to merge. “We cannot afford prolonged uncertainty that delays investment, puts production on hold, and creates greater instability for thousands of workers and families,” she said. “Any resolution must put workers and the long-term health of our entertainment industry at the center.”

Bass said, “It is not by accident that L.A. is the entertainment capital. We have unparalleled talent, unlimited creativity, a skilled workforce, and the highest amount of production space in the world. Today, we are speaking up to project to protect this legacy.”

The Writers Guild of America, which also has sued to block the Paramount-Warner Bros. merger, slammed Bass’s comments. The union accusing the mayor of joining “Paramount’s pressure campaign on public enforcers.”

“We are disappointed that Mayor Bass has chosen to join Paramount’s pressure campaign on public enforcers, to push through a merger that is being rightfully challenged as illegal and will lead to job losses in the entertainment industry,” the WGA said in a statement. “Her statement comes on the heels of a county report estimating thousands of jobs will be lost if the merger proceeds. Industry workers deserve a mayor who believes in upholding the law and protecting the working people of Los Angeles, not serving the interests of powerful corporations.”

The WGA statement continued: “Paramount has created a false choice for entertainment industry workers: The company argues that enforcing antitrust law hurts us by creating uncertainty, which is of their own making as the company attempts to dominate the industry. We reject the claim that beleaguered industry workers must choose the possibility of a job today, in exchange for the certainty of job losses tomorrow.”

Variety has reached out to Bass’ office for comment.

Meanwhile, Paramount filed a motion with the court on Monday seeking to force the states and the WGA to post a $1.88 billion bond to cover the company’s losses related to the WBD merger delay. Bonta’s office said Paramount was seeking a “do-over” on its agreement to delay the Warner Bros. Discovery merger until after the antitrust trial.

August 20, 2026
What’s Next for Bitcoin After Historic Rally? Experts Weigh In
In brief

Bitcoin climbed above $72,000 Thursday after gaining nearly 15% since Monday.

Analysts pointed to Treasury bond purchases, policy headlines, and a massive short squeeze as drivers of the rally.

With much of the short squeeze exhausted, analysts are watching spot demand, technical levels, and Treasury yields.
Bitcoin’s rally above $72,000 wiped out billions of dollars in bearish bets, but analysts say it will need fresh buyers to keep climbing.

Bitcoin reached its highest price since June on Thursday after gaining nearly 15% since Monday, with more than $3 billion in crypto short positions liquidated. That’s the largest liquidation of short positions on Bitcoin since at least 2021. What’s more, spot Bitcoin ETFs pulled in $517 million Wednesday, their largest single-day inflow since May.

Myriad: Bitcoin price next move? Click to make your prediction.

Julio Moreno, head of research at CryptoQuant, attributed the rally to the U.S. Treasury buying long-dated government bonds, which markets interpreted as increasing liquidity, and President Donald Trump suggesting that the U.S. government could purchase Bitcoin.

“The rally may be sustainable if spot demand growth continues after the initial impact of these macro events,” Moreno told Decrypt. “Officially we are still in a bear market, so a price pull back is possible, more so after this sudden increase.”

Moreno said he is watching Bitcoin’s 365-day moving average, currently around $83,000, along with CryptoQuant’s profit-and-loss index and bull score, neither of which has turned bullish.

“To confirm that a bull market has started, I’m watching CryptoQuant’s P&L Index, specifically if it crosses its 365-day moving average to the upside, which it has still not crossed,” Moreno said. “Moreover, CryptoQuant’s bull score continues in bearish mode, so I’m waiting for it to switch into bull territory.”

Nansen Senior Research Analyst Nicolai Sondergaard said Bitcoin’s technical picture has improved after reclaiming its 200-day simple moving average around $69,000. Bitcoin also sits about 8% above its 20- and 50-day moving averages, while its MACD, a momentum indicator used to track changes in price trends, has turned bullish.

“The key line is the 200-day SMA near $69,000 and holding above it keeps the breakout valid, while a close back below would signal a failed move,” Sondergaard told Decrypt. “Above, the recent high ~$72,824 is immediate resistance.”

However, Sondergaard warned that much of the rally was driven by liquidations rather than sustained buying, leaving Bitcoin vulnerable once the short squeeze runs out. Positioning remains mixed, he said, though whales and public figures on Hyperliquid are net long by $27.9 million and $33.9 million, respectively.

“The largest risk is that this was a short-squeeze spike, not fresh sustained buying,” he said. “Once forced covering exhausts, thin follow-through can reverse quickly.”

Sondergaard said trader positioning remains mixed and warned that “any reversal in that narrative or a broader risk-off move could stall the rally fast.”

Adam McCarthy, a researcher at crypto trading firm Lo:Tech, also attributed the move to the Treasury’s expanded buyback program and the short squeeze. More than half of Wednesday’s gain occurred within a single hour as traders were forced out of a one-sided short position, he said.

“The Treasury’s buyback expansion gave the market a reason to reprice, but more than half of Wednesday’s gain came in one hour when a one-sided short position was forced out,” McCarthy told Decrypt. “That fuel is spent, so the next leg has to be bought rather than squeezed.”

McCarthy said he is watching the 30-year Treasury yield, particularly whether it moves back toward 5.3%, and crypto funding rates for signs of sustained buying.

“In crypto, whether funding starts showing a real long premium, because that’s what actual buying looks like,” he said.

McCarthy warned that the short positions that helped drive Bitcoin higher have largely been cleared.

“The short base is largely cleared and nothing has replaced it, so the move that got us here can’t repeat,” McCarthy said. “And if dealers are short gamma at $70k as we think, the hedging that exaggerated the way up exaggerates the way down.”

Bitwise Research Analyst Ishmael Asad was more bullish, calling the rally the strongest indication yet that Bitcoin has bottomed. He pointed to the Treasury’s expanded bond buybacks, the SEC’s proposed Regulation Crypto Assets framework, and this week’s White House crypto summit as catalysts.

“After this steep leg up, I wouldn’t expect the rally to continue at the same pace from here,” Asad told Decrypt. “But I would take this move as the strongest confirmation we’ve seen yet that the bottom is in.”

Asad said much of the potential downside, including the failure to pass the Clarity Act this year and possible rate hikes, has already been priced in. Still, he said a return to a bull market would require additional catalysts.

“The market will likely move sideways or higher in the coming months as we look towards the next milestones, like a potential Senate vote on Clarity in September,” he said.

CoinShares Head of Research James Butterfill also expects conditions to remain favorable, but said Bitcoin is more likely to trade within a range than enter a sustained breakout.

“The rally is primarily a macro story rather than a crypto specific one,” Butterfill told Decrypt. According to Butterfill, recent inflation and employment data have weakened expectations for further Federal Reserve tightening, while large Bitcoin holders have stopped selling and begun accumulating again.

“We expect the constructive backdrop to persist, but we would characterize the market as range-bound for now rather than in a sustained breakout, as accumulation by large holders is not yet at a scale that would imply one,” he said.

Digital asset investment products have also attracted about $1.3 billion so far this week. Still, Butterfill expects Bitcoin to remain range-bound because accumulation by large holders is not yet strong enough to support a sustained breakout.

Myriad: Bitcoin price on Sunday? Click to make your prediction.

Bitcoin’s move above its 200-day moving average has improved the technical picture, Butterfill said, with $80,000 now a key level to watch.

“On the upside, the US $80,000 area remains the important boundary, and a decisive move through it would likely require clearer confirmation from the Federal Reserve that policy risks have shifted away from further tightening,” he said.

Monetary policy, he added, remains the biggest risk, noting that persistent inflation could force the Federal Reserve to keep policy tighter for longer, reversing the liquidity conditions supporting Bitcoin’s rally.

“With accumulation by large holders still modest in scale, the market lacks the depth of conviction that typically underpins a durable breakout,” Butterfill said.

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August 20, 2026
TV Vet Chuck Saftler to Depart Disney and FX After Nearly 33 Years

Longtime TV exec Chuck Saftler, who helped build FX into the powerhouse it is — having joined the company in 1993, prior to its before its June 1994 launch date — is departing the company after nearly 33 years. The well-regarded Saftler most recently served as head of acquisitions for Disney networks including ABC, Freeform, FX and Nat Geo.

Before that, he headed business operations for ABC, Freeform and FX Networks, while leading library and acquisitions for the group’s networks. He was also FX Networks president of programming strategy.

“After more than 32 years with Disney, I have made the decision to step down from my role as I consider a new professional chapter,” Saftler wrote in a memo to staffers on Thursday. “It’s hard to put into words what these three decades have meant to me. I had the extraordinary opportunity to help build FX from its earliest days and then to take on new leadership roles across Disney Entertainment Television. I’m incredibly proud of what we built, the stories we told and, most of all, the people I had the privilege of doing it with.”

Saftler first helped launch FX when it was focused on live, original programming under the “TV made fresh daily” banner. Soon, the network shifted gears and focused on acquisitions of popular dramas like “The X-Files,” and then turned to the original programming arena. Meanwhile, Saftler built up the network’s acquired film and TV libraries. He also helped launch the Fox Movie Channel, where he was general manager.

During the 2000s, Saftler focused much of his attention on buying the network window to theatrical features, as well as off-network series. In 2013, he struck a landmark $750 million cable syndication and VOD deal to bring “The Simpsons” library to FXX — while also building out a platform for viewers to find “Every Simpsons Ever.” That deal eventually led to the franchise finding a home on Disney+.

Before FX, Saftler was an executive with KTLA Los Angeles. Earlier in his career, as an exec with Columbia Pictures TV, he helped devise the blueprint for the TV syndication of “Seinfeld” and “Married … With Children.”

Beyond TV, Saftler is known for his love of live music — and his professional photography skills, documenting some of the biggest concerts and artists in the business.

Deadline was first with the news.

August 20, 2026
U.S. CFTC chief puts staff on notice to create crypto regulations if Clarity Act fails

“To achieve this, I’ve directed the CFTC staff to begin exploring rules to codify a CFTC market structure for crypto assets using the agency’s existing authorities,” Selig said, promising the agency will be in a position to move swiftly. And he said he’s also steered staff toward work with developers to build regulations to “offer their protocols in a legal and compliant manner in the United States, future-proofing developer protections once and for all.”

The CFTC’s sister agency, the Securities and Exchange Commission, just this week proposed its first major crypto rule, known as Regulation Crypto Assets, to allow crypto startups and fundraising with fewer regulatory hurdles. And the two agencies had previously jointly issued a policy stance defining the different kinds of digital assets and what regulatory buckets they should fall into, though it wasn’t set as a formal rule.

But SEC Chair Paul Atkins was quick to point out at an event with President Donald Trump on Wednesday that “the most important priority is for Congress to send the Clarity Act to your desk for your signature,” and he’s routinely argued that the new law would be the way to assure permanence for crypto policy.

The CFTC chief agreed on Thursday, saying, “Passing Clarity is the surest way that we can prevent another Gary Gensler from running a rogue campaign of lawfare against the individuals and companies in this room today.”

August 20, 2026
The Cryptocurrency Market Is Recovering: There Are Some Important Developments and Warnings Regarding the Recent Bitcoin Hack

Coldcard has released a new firmware update to enhance the security of its hardware wallets. The company stated that some recovery phrases created in previous software versions may pose a potential security risk, and advised affected users to create a new recovery phrase and transfer their assets to the new wallet.

As you know, a security vulnerability in the Coldcard hardware wallet recently resulted in the theft of over $70 million worth of Bitcoin from users’ wallets.

Coldcard has released version 5.6.1 for the Mk4 and Mk5 models, and 1.5.1Q for the Q model. The update is the result of a comprehensive security review lasting approximately three weeks, following the emergency security patch released on July 31st.

With the new firmware, every new recovery string created on Coldcard devices must now include at least one user-provided source of physical entropy.

Users will be able to do this using one of the following options: at least 65 irregular keystrokes, 50 physical dice rolls, or 128 physical coin tosses.

This user-generated randomness will be combined with new entropy derived from the device’s STM32 TRNG hardware and the SE1 and SE2 secure elements. Coldcard stated that this change aims to make the recovery string generation process more resilient to potential attacks.

The update doesn’t just change how recovery statements are generated. The new version also enables real-time and incremental PSBT verification before the signing process.

In addition, security measures for USB connections and firmware update processes have been strengthened, and the Delta Mode isolation mechanism has been improved.

The update addresses several issues related to backing up active wallets, while also implementing more robust random number generators and making error checks more rigorous. Various security and accuracy improvements are included in the update, along with changes to the SIGHASH defaults.

The most important warning in Coldcard’s announcement concerns the current recovery statements.

The company specifically emphasized that installing the new firmware does not eliminate a potential security issue in recovery strings created using previously affected software versions.

Users affected by the security alert must first update their devices to the new firmware version, then create and verify an entirely new recovery string, and transfer their existing Bitcoin assets to the newly created wallet.

Coldcard also strongly advised all Mk4, Mk5, and Q users to update their devices as soon as possible and verify the digital signature of the downloaded firmware file.

*This is not investment advice.

August 20, 2026
Judge Plans October Hearing In ABC’s First Amendment Lawsuit Against The FCC, But Says It Will Be Sooner If Agency Takes Action On Licenses

UPDATE: A federal judge orders a hearing in ABC‘s First Amendment lawsuit against the FCC for sometime during the week of October 5.

But U.S. District Judge Loren L. AliKhan signaled that there would a hearing sooner than that if the FCC took action on its review of ABC station licenses.

The network is seeking a temporary restraining order to halt the FCC’s early renewal proceedings for broadcast licenses for the network’s eight owned stations. ABC claims in its lawsuit that the FCC’s regulatory action is Trump administration retaliation over its content, including late-night host Jimmy Kimmel and ABC News reporting.

The FCC has yet to take action, but in its lawsuit ABC suggested that the agency was close to issuing a hearing designation order, which would put the license renewals up to an administrative judicial process. The network said that such an action would in and of itself punitive, as it will bog down the station renewals for an extended period of uncertainty.

The judge wrote in her order that if the FCC were to issue such a hearing designation order, she would hold a hearing on the TRO the next business day.

The judge also set a briefing schedule for next month, with the FCC’s defense due on Sept. 3, ABC’s reply on Sept. 17 and the agency’s response by Sept. 24.

The judge’s schedule aligns with that proposed by the FCC; ABC had requested a hearing as soon as Friday. But given the judge’s order, the FCC may hold off on any action as it would face an earlier hearing and as it seeks to dismiss the lawsuit.

PREVIOUSLY: ABC is proposing a hearing as soon as Friday on its request for a temporary restraining order in its First Amendment lawsuit against the FCC, while the agency signaled that it plans to challenge the litigation as premature.

The plans were laid out on Thursday on in a joint status report from the parties, as requested by the federal judge in the case, Loren L. AliKhan.

The network sued the FCC on Tuesday, claiming that the agency’s order for an early renewal of its eight station broadcast licenses was highly unusual and part of a pattern of using regulatory threat to retaliate on content and news coverage the Trump administration disfavors. In the immediate term, they are asking for a temporary restraining order to halt the renewal proceedings, characterizing them as a threat that chills the network’s free speech rights.

In the filing, ABC’s legal team proposed a hearing for Friday or next week, on Aug. 24 and 25, and the FCC said that its lawyers would be available on those dates.

In the meantime, the FCC’s lawyers, calling ABC’s schedule “highly expedited,” proposed a briefing schedule for next month, and also wrote that they planned to file a motion to dismiss. They argued that the D.C. Circuit Court of Appeals, not the district court, had jurisdiction, and that the network had to allow the regulatory process to play out.

The agency’s legal team claimed that the network was trying to “circumvent an administrative proceeding followed by judicial review in a court of appeals.”

They wrote, “Although framed as a First Amendment retaliation claim, Plaintiffs’ chief concern appears to be the Commission’s exercise of its statutory authority to ensure that broadcast licensees operate in the public interest, and its conduct of an administrative process that could include (but has not yet been determined to require) a hearing on Plaintiffs’ license qualifications and, depending on the results of any such hearing, hypothetical future license revocations.”

In its lawsuit, ABC’s legal team indicated that they were taking action in anticipation of the FCC designating the license renewals for an administrative hearing, a potentially lengthy process that only added to the uncertainty of whether the stations’ licenses would be revoked.

In the latest filing, its legal team wrote that they have “raised a textbook First Amendment retaliation claim. Courts in this District have already recognized that such claims belong in federal court, not before the very agency accused of engaging in First Amendment retaliation.”

The network’s legal team argued that they have already “documented the irreparable harm [ABC is] suffering, and Defendants’ proposed solution would further exacerbate those harms.”

The network also referred to the potential of the FCC designating the license renewal for a hearing as “sanctions.” The FCC said that it would give the court 48 hours notice before doing so.

“Defendants effectively seek permission to impose draconian sanctions with only 48 hours’ notice, while continuing to hang the threat of those sanctions over Plaintiffs’ heads and remaining free to engage in other forms of retaliation,” the network’s lawyers wrote in the filing.

The FCC said that a hearing designation order would not be a “sanction,” but “would simply set in place a further administrative process in which Plaintiffs would have the opportunity to make their case.”

August 20, 2026
Why ‘A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms’ Broke One of ‘Game of Thrones’ Biggest Musical Rules

A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms wastes no time letting its viewers know this isn’t just another Game of Thrones show.

In the opening scene, we meet our protagonist, Ser Duncan the Tall, his eyes full of determination as he’s about to set out on his hero’s journey, seeking out glory larger than this world might expect of a simple hedge knight.

The franchise’s iconic theme song is starting to play, the loud warrior drums about to give way to that ubiquitous melody. And then, suddenly, Ser Dunk is bent over a tree, shit exploding from his backside just after the track halts.

Music plays a key role here, as the show used the old theme as a sort of sacred cow to be sacrificed, further giving way for something else to come.

“Some of the intention on that was to say we’re doing a different thing musically here,” A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms composer Dan Romer says. “There are a lot of intentions here, but one was to say, ‘That was the old music of Game of Thrones. This is the music of A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms.’ “

Music has long been a crucial part of Game of Thrones’ world-building, and that’s no different for the latest offshoot, a much smaller-stakes affair than what we’ve gotten used to in our time in Westeros, the fictional continent on which GoT is set. This story doesn’t focus on the violent politics of jockeying for the Iron Throne or the world-ending threats beyond the wall in the North. Instead, it hones in on the small folk who are often caught in the cross fire or merely bearing witness to what the Great Houses are doing.

Romer says that when he first started working on the series, showrunner Ira Parker and his team had been editing a lot of it to spaghetti Western cowboy music. They liked the overall vibe it created but knew the sounds of low tremolo guitars and more modern drum kits wouldn’t work in this Middle Ages setting.

“The assignment sort of became, ‘Let’s make a Venn diagram where we have cowboy music on the left and music that could exist in Westeros on the right. What is this in-between spot?’ ” Romer says. “It was a small amount of sounds, which was exciting. It’s really exciting to have a limited palette and to kind of have bumpers around your creativity.”

Peter Claffey (left) and Dexter Sol Ansell as Dunk and Egg in HBO’s A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms.

Steffan Hill/HBO

The result was a bit more intimate, with swelling strings that alternate between sounding orchestral or like bluegrass fiddles, and guitars, both lute-like (with strings that are plucked), and like Willie Nelson’s infamous nylon-string classical acoustic guitar Trigger that he strums with a flatpick. “Quieter Accommodations,” arguably the most whimsical song in the Game of Thrones canon, pairs acoustic guitar with a whistle fit for a cowboy cooking his dinner by the fireside.

“Getting the emotion of whimsy was one of the main goals of this score,” Romer says. “The whistle has been around for as long as humanity. We don’t use it a lot in the score, but it does go back to that idea of being both Western and Westeros. Whistling, I think, in any genre of music becomes fair game.”

The score reflects a warmer Westeros. Some songs, like “The Luck Is Ours Alone,” are dainty and beautiful and more hopeful than one may expect out of such a violent world. Romer avoided being too referential in his score, wanting a “complete clean slate harmonically and melodically,” he says. The main theme was used only twice — once for the first- episode gag and a second time in a climactic closing moment in episode four.

“We tried to keep it to those two spots, then otherwise, let’s just see how much of a left turn we can take in the same world,” Romer says. “Obviously, it’d be hard to do like an EDM score in a Game of Thrones property, but we felt that we could take the direction of the score pretty far.”

Romer says the most challenging part of developing the music was finding the proper melody for Duncan, recalling that he sat with Parker extensively to find what felt right.

“Ira was very insistent that he didn’t want it to be something expected, and when I happened upon the first six notes, then he was like, ‘OK, I love that. Now what would you do next if this was a traditional piece of score?’ ” Romer recalls. “So I did the next six notes, and he said, ‘That’s what I don’t want. What’s the opposite of that?’ So I started doing some funny things with timing and tonality, and then we found that second phrase. The melody got to a pretty close place in that first session, and then throughout the process for the first two episodes, it got honed in.”

Beyond Romer’s soundtrack, A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms further broke the GoT mold using a couple of needle drops: Kenny Dorham’s jazzy “Alone Together” and Tennessee Ernie Ford’s country-western classic “Sixteen Tons.” Those modern tracks certainly break any rules established by the Venn diagram that defined Romer’s score, but he says it still stuck the landing.

“I found out about the needle drops when I was already making the music, and I was so pumped when I saw it,” Romer says. “We’d discussed replacing the jazz needle drop at the beginning of episode six with score, but there’s nothing in this world that could hit this emotion the way it was being hit [with the needle drop]. It’s a fantastic beginning to the episode, and I’m really glad we did it.”

While the official soundtrack was of course a major lift, Romer’s diegetic background music was quite the undertaking as well. Romer says he wrote more than a dozen fiddle pieces to play across the season’s six episodes, and, by his own estimate, about half the music he made for the show was for the background scenes.

“That’s what helps create the world,” he says.

Romer and the Knight of the Seven Kingdoms team took more than their share of creative swings in developing the show. Their decisions added a refreshing layer to a franchise some argue was in need of a restart. But did he have any fears of ticking off one of the biggest and most devout fan bases in pop culture by changing its sonic identity too much?

“Of course there’s a bit of that. The original Game of Thrones score is just so incredible, but the fact that we were doing something so different from the original score made me feel a lot more comfortable and excited to experiment in that world,” Romer says. “A good franchise can experiment with different kinds of music. They can experiment with different kinds of cinematography, different kinds of storytelling. As long as it’s done with thought and care for the original material, it can be really great.”

This story first appeared in an August stand-alone issue of The Hollywood Reporter magazine. To receive the magazine, click here to subscribe.

August 20, 2026