Hot Trends and Predictions for 2025
The media and entertainment industry is undergoing steady evolution, shaped by technological innovations, shifting viewer preferences, and the pursuit of diversified revenue models. Agile Content’s Chief Product Officer, André Rosado, shares his insights on the industry’s most significant trends in 2024, their impact, and what we can expect in the coming years.
The Rise of Ad-Supported Streaming Models
One of the standout trends of 2024 has been the growing popularity of ad-supported streaming models such as FAST (Free Ad-Supported Television) and AVoD (Ad-Supported Video-on-Demand). These models are gaining traction due to consumer cost sensitivity, platform diversification, and the increasing availability of content on ad-supported platforms.
Ad-supported streaming offers platforms a valuable opportunity to diversify their monetization strategies, particularly in low-ARPU (Average Revenue Per User) markets. As these models become more sophisticated, they are reshaping the industry by creating new revenue streams and appealing to price-sensitive audiences, while also attracting advertisers eager to target specific viewer segments.
Meanwhile, platforms are increasingly exploring hybrid approaches that blend linear, live, and on-demand content, signaling a convergence of formerly distinct models like SVoD, AVoD, and FAST. Faultline highlights that the OTT landscape is moving toward greater consolidation, as standalone platforms are progressively integrated into larger ecosystems.
With the lines between linear and on-demand streaming continuing to blur, the FAST market exemplifies this trend of aggregation and hybridization. These shifts reflect changing viewer preferences and the adaptability of platform strategies, marking a significant evolution in how streaming services respond to an ever-changing market landscape.
Enhancing Content Repurposing for Broader Reach
Efficient content repurposing has become a game-changer for M&E businesses, especially in emerging markets. Turning Video-on-Demand (VOD) content into linear channels has proven to be an effective way to maximize existing libraries and engage broader audiences.
“The ability to localize content and make it more accessible through automatic subtitling and AI-driven metadata enrichment is helping organizations save costs while improving audience engagement,” says Rosado. This trend is especially valuable for broadcasters with extensive long-tail libraries, where VOD-to-linear approaches enhance content discovery and monetization.
The Multi-CDN Paradigm: Ensuring Reliability and Cost-Efficiency
The adoption of Multi-CDN (Content Delivery Network) strategies has been another significant trend. Telcos and broadcasters are increasingly employing multiple caching networks to ensure service reliability, track quality of service (QoS) data, and optimize costs. This approach is particularly relevant for live streaming, where unpredictable customer demand requires dynamic capacity management.
Rosado highlights that the seamless activation of new caching layers has been a key challenge, but recent advancements in CDN control plane and switching technologies are addressing this. “Multi-CDN strategies are not only cost-efficient but also play a vital role in enhancing content security and tackling piracy concerns,” he adds.
As live events and interactive streaming grow in popularity, edge computing has gained traction in the M&E industry. By processing data closer to the end user, edge computing reduces latency and ensures real-time, buffer-free experiences.
“This technology is crucial for live events and bandwidth-intensive services,” Rosado notes. Beyond latency reduction, edge computing is also supporting the integration of next-generation services such as 5G-MEC and IoT-driven streaming, further improving scalability, sustainability, and energy efficiency.
Looking Ahead: 2025 and Beyond
Looking to the future, Rosado predicts that the trends of 2024 will continue to evolve and expand. Ad-supported streaming is set to benefit from deeper personalization, with AI-driven targeting enabling service providers to tailor ads to individual viewer preferences. Similarly, advancements in content repurposing technologies will streamline workflows and support faster time-to-market to serve localized content.
“We’ll see more integration of automation across repurposing workflows, allowing for personalized content scheduling, metadata enrichment, and subtitling,” he explains.
Edge computing will become further embedded in live event infrastructure, aligning with sustainability goals and enabling next-generation viewer experiences. Meanwhile, Multi-CDN strategies will increasingly focus on content security, employing advanced tokenization and AI/ML models to combat piracy and enhance user experience.
New Trends on the Horizon
In 2025, Rosado anticipates the rise of advanced personalization, with AI and machine learning driving tailored content delivery and targeted advertising. Automatic content tagging will unlock new possibilities, such as smart bookmarks and enhanced content markers.
The industry’s overarching focus, however, will remain on cost-efficiency. “With cloud-based platforms now predominant, the next step is automating functions in both editorial and network operations while enriching TV solutions to secure viewer engagement and maximize monetization,” Rosado concludes.
Final Thoughts
As the Media & Entertainment industry navigates an era of rapid transformation, these trends underscore the importance of innovation and adaptability. From ad-supported streaming to edge computing and Multi-CDN strategies, the technologies shaping 2024 and beyond promise to redefine how content is delivered, consumed, and monetized. With a strong and innovative team driving these advancements, Agile Content is well-equipped to help telcos, ISPs, and broadcasters thrive in this dynamic landscape.
