How the Creator Economy Is Changing Traditional Entertainment's Discovery, Distribution, and Supply
The creator economy has moved from a peripheral niche to a core pillar of traditional entertainment. Studios and streaming platforms are hiring fan creators as in‑house editors, acquiring creator‑led YouTube networks, and treating creators as equal distribution partners. This three‑pronged shift reshapes discovery, supply and distribution, allowing legacy media to tap the scale and authenticity of creator audiences.
Podcasting’s Next Growth Frontier: Tackling the Unconverted
MIDiA’s 2025 audio consumer profile shows a sizable share of the global population—about 25% in the U.S.—still never listens to podcasts. The industry has focused on engaged listeners, but growth may hinge on converting the “unconverted” audience. MIDiA plans to...
Beyond the Song: Why Artists Need Transmedia Storytelling
Artists are turning to transmedia storytelling to turn music into multi‑platform brands, as shown by BTS’s ARIRANG campaign that linked Spotify, Instagram and Google fan activities. Record labels are backing the trend, with Warner Music striking an exclusive Netflix documentary...
From Feeds to Events: How Content Creators Are Reshaping TV Strategy
The line between creator‑driven channels and traditional streaming TV is blurring as both adopt event‑driven tactics. Mark Rober’s 12‑video‑a‑year model shows low‑frequency, high‑impact releases can generate water‑cooler buzz on YouTube, while the Sidemen combine daily short‑form clips with premium, Hollywood‑style...
The Boiler Room Reckoning: Why Scapegoating Won’t Fix Live Music’s Funding Problem
Boiler Room’s 2025 sale to Superstruct and the departure of founder‑CEO Blaise Bellville sparked a fan backlash that highlighted a deeper funding dilemma in live music. The controversy coincided with growing awareness that four corporations—Live Nation, Superstruct, AEG and CTS...
The New Rules of Music’s Growth Engine: Insights From MIDiA’s Merch and Ticket Buyer Survey
MIDiA Research’s latest merch and ticket‑buyer survey reveals that expanded rights—label participation in merchandise and live‑event revenue—are emerging as the music industry’s primary growth engine. The category posted a 21% year‑over‑year increase, outpacing traditional streaming gains. Labels are capitalising on...
The Dos and Don’ts of Community: What Digital Entertainment Can Learn From the Live Sector
Social media has shifted from a private outlet to a passive entertainment platform, making discovery the dominant driver of digital consumption, especially for Gen Z. The article argues that this hyper‑consolidation lowers content quality and willingness to pay, while emerging regulations...
Global Recorded Music Revenues up 9.4% in 2025
Global recorded music revenues surged 9.4% in 2025, reaching $39.5 billion, rebounding from a modest 2024. The growth was driven primarily by streaming services and an expanding fan‑economy ecosystem. MIDiA Research’s latest dataset details the sector’s performance across regions and formats....
Attention versus Fandom: Why Entertainment Needs a New Framework for Understanding Engagement
The article argues that the entertainment sector must move beyond a single‑dimensional attention economy and adopt a three‑tier framework—disposable, habitual, and devotional attention—to differentiate fleeting clicks from true fandom. It highlights how micro‑drama apps like ReelShort chase disposable attention, while...
The Sidemen Formula: Why TV Formats Belong on Creator Channels
The article argues that broadcasters should embed traditional TV formats within creator channels rather than merely licensing talent. By leveraging creators’ repeatable engagement formulas, formats like Family Fortunes can be re‑imagined for social‑first audiences, as demonstrated by the Sidemen partnership...
AI Is Booming for Social Platforms – but so Is Regulation
Social platforms are experiencing a revenue surge, with YouTube reporting $60 billion and Reddit posting a 70 % YoY increase in Q4. At the same time, regulators worldwide are moving to restrict under‑16 access, as Australia bans it and the EU, US,...
The Music Industry’s Boiling Frog Moment
The article likens today’s music industry to a boiled‑frog scenario, where streaming platforms and social media have gradually reshaped power dynamics. Labels and artists now chase audience slices sold by platforms, forcing relentless content output to appease algorithms. This shift...