In each of our first two annual AlixPartners Media & Entertainment Industry Predictions Reports, we wrote that this industry is a poster child of creative destruction.
Make it three out of three.
The streaming industry continues to grapple with structural challenges as television searches for a long-term successor to the cable model. Platforms with disparate strategies are starting to converge into one-stop shops for short-form, long-form, live, and creator content, with YouTube and Netflix ahead. AI’s unprecedented rise has upended the search industry, fragmenting a market dominated by Google across AI agents that share answers rather than provide links. Gaming, like most industries, is also undergoing an AI revolution. As M&A activity heats up across media and entertainment, AI capabilities will be at the top of company acquisition wish lists.
These swirling forces combine to make our annual Predictions Report a fun challenge. But that’s part of the intrigue—studying the market to anticipate what will happen next in an industry marked by unpredictability. We’ll keep doing our best to peek into our crystal ball and shine a light on where media and entertainment businesses will head in the year to come.
Our third annual AlixPartners Media & Entertainment Report is split across the following six chapters. Click through to learn more:
2026 Media & Entertainment Industry Predictions Report
The media and entertainment world is shifting faster than ever—from streaming platforms merging short-form, long-form, and live content, to AI upending search and gaming, and M&A activity reshaping the landscape. Our annual Predictions Report dives into these trends, exploring who’s leading the charge, what’s next, and how businesses can stay ahead in a market defined by change. Click through to see where the industry is headed—and where opportunity lies.
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The Amp Podcast - Amplified - What’s behind the rise of broadcaster–streamer partnerships?
Mark Endemaño speaks with Ampere Analysis on the Amp Podcast about the rise of broadcaster and streamer partnerships. From Disney+ and ITV in the UK to Netflix and TF1 in France, they explore what has triggered this new wave of collaboration, why it matters now, and how it could reshape the future of the media landscape.
Grace Lee on AI, Advertising, and the Future of Entertainment
From personalized ad experiences to smarter brand partnerships, AI is changing the rules of engagement in entertainment. At the FT Live Business of Entertainment Summit, Grace Lee, Partner and Managing Director and U.S. Media Co-Lead at AlixPartners, shared her perspective on how data-driven advertising models can help studios and creators drive both audience connection and profitability.
Watch this supercut for key takeaways from her panel conversation, “Smart Screens, Smarter Ads.”
Meet the experts
