Hey streamers 👋
On Thursday, I moderated The Streaming Dilemma: Growth, Profitability and Survival at the BroadcastPro Summit in Dubai.
Growth and profitability made sense to me. But “survival” didn’t quite describe what I was seeing from the platforms joining me.
Many of us expected streaming to replace traditional TV. Today, viewers move between television, streaming services and social video. Regional platforms are changing their offers, trying new partnerships and finding different reasons for people to subscribe and stay.
To me, that looks like evolution.
The pressure is real. But these companies also know the audiences, languages and cultures they serve. The question is how they turn that understanding into a business that works.
I also listened closely to the other panels, with broadcasters, producers, technology providers and advertising professionals. The discussions covered the cost of streaming, the value of AI, local sports, Arabic content and how to keep viewers coming back.
If you couldn’t be there, this edition brings you the main discussions, selected quotes and what I took from them.
Read on to learn about:
Hear from the people behind OSN+, STARZPLAY, Viu, Smashi and Yango Play about what’s working and what they’re trying next.
See how tech providers are helping broadcasters solve everyday streaming challenges.
Find out where AI is helping media teams, and what they still need to figure out.
Explore how local sports can build a following that lasts beyond match day.
Hear what producers and platforms think Arabic content needs to reach more viewers.
Understand why TV still matters, and how bundles, advertising and new ways to discover content fit into the picture.