A time of seismic change – Mipcom  2025

Main discussions at Mipcom this year centred on the major change in the industry.

Over 10,000 eager buyers, sellers, producers, distributors and advertisers from 107 countries descended on Mipcom this year, including representatives from the major US studios and production houses who also made the trip. This further corroborates the significance of Mipcom at Cannes as the world’s largest market for television and streaming content.

The loudest noise was around how the industry is undergoing seismic change, and to quote one Los Angeles based M&A Professional there are ‘winners and losers’.  Perhaps a harsh observation but it seems to be prevailing in Media.

The themes of the main discussions:

We are experiencing a period of consolidation in the industry. The biggest current high profile ‘talked about’ possible deal is the reported takeover of Warner Bros. Discovery by Paramount.  The Skydance acquisition of Paramount is only a few weeks old which leads one to wonder about the scale of their ambition. David Zaslav, CEO of Warner Bros. Discovery commented ‘It’s an exciting time as we become global, global in terms of production and global in terms of streaming’. The Board of Directors at Warners followed up this week by saying they have ‘initiated a review of strategic alternatives to maximize shareholder value’. There is now a global marketplace for consumers and producers alike, in other words the world has got smaller.  The market likes this strategy, and shares in Warners hit a three-year high this week.

Content is now shown from all around the world. Consequently, production in Asia, Latin America and Africa has allowed workforces and skills to rapidly develop in these regions.

There is a huge rise in ‘micro drama’. Micro dramas are serialised streaming programs that usually comprise of one- or two-minute episodes. These present a complete contrast to high-cost traditional television programs.

The advertising alliance partnership between Amazon and Netfix. The two companies have joined up to allow Amazon Ads to sell some of Netflix’s adverting in US, UK, France, Spain, Mexico, Canada, Japan, Italy, Brazil, It Germany and Australia. This will no doubt lead to similar deals happening in Europe for companies to gain reach and efficiency with advertising. Again, we are in a period of consolidation.

The usual meeting venues, Café Roma, New York, New York and Le Californie, were packed throughout the three-day event, so let’s hope those meetings lead on to ever greater productions globally and that the changes afoot lead to more winners than losers.

And finally, for the faint hearted, the weather was fabulous.

Related content

• MEDIA
• ARTICLES