Four top media analysts reveal their data-backed assessments of 2025, as well as their predictions for 2026 and beyond.
From unprecedentedly large consolidatory moves to the nebulous implications of YouTube and AI on the M&E industry, these experts scrutinise the factors behind the largest disruptions of 2025 and lay out the best strategies for media organisations to invest in the future.
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FIFA World Cup: A cyber criminal’s cash cow
Alongside financially motivated cybercrime, politically motivated hacktivists are also likely to target organisations linked to the tournament through distributed denial-of-service attacks, website defacements, and disinformation campaigns.
AI and sports piracy: “It's whack-a-mole, except now the mole is running an algorithm”
Illegal sports streams in Britain have more than doubled to 3.6bn in the past three years, according to a recent report from the Campaign for Fairer Gambling. But is there any correlation between the increase in piracy and advances in tech? Is AI more effective as the sword or the shield? Anna Tobin reports.
From screens to spaces: The rise of immersive experiences in live events
From AR-powered sports coverage to immersive theatre and AI-driven fan engagement, broadcasters, organisers, and rights holders are rethinking how live experiences are created and extended beyond the event itself.
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SVOD vs AVOD: The reinvention of live sports viewing
The live sports landscape is the crown jewel of entertainment, and as it evolves, streaming platforms are driving its next phase of growth.
Content Everywhere: The long and the short of it
Short-form video platforms such as TikTok, Instagram Reels, and YouTube Shorts have transformed how audiences consume content. According to recent data from YouGov, rather than replacing traditional viewing, short-form clips are becoming an important step in the viewing journey, helping audiences discover shows and inspiring them to tune in.
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