VOD Pro+ Reports

The rise of generative AI – particularly ChatGPT and other large language models – poses fundamental questions about Google and Meta’s ad-driven business models. If users bypass search engines in favour of AI assistants, and brands follow the audience, could this open the digital ad market to new players?

This report investigates whether OTT streamers like Netflix, Prime Video, Disney+, ITVX, and regional broadcasters can seize this moment especially as most now offer AVOD or hybrid tiers.

We examine Google’s ad revenue since 2020, changes post-LLM launch in November 2022, and what might happen next. We also explore whether brands are shifting budgets, what it would take to democratise streaming ad inventory for SMEs, and if Meta’s platform diversity makes it more resilient in the short term.

Global in scope (US, UK, Europe, APAC, LatAm, MENA), this report offers actionable insights, future scenarios, and a clear roadmap for streamers ready to monetise attention as the AI era unfolds.

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One of the most striking things about our OTT Question Time Live conferences is how much appetite there is for sharing knowledge, insights, and hard-won lessons — even (perhaps especially) among senior industry figures. I guess it’s a truism that while companies compete, people collaborate.

With that spirit in mind, I wanted to create a more structured way to capture the thinking of key decision-makers across the streaming landscape. That was the genesis of our first OTT Leaders’ Sentiment Survey, which we ran last month.

About a third — 48 — of the senior executives we approached (most of whom have been working in the industry for 15+ years) anonymously completed a detailed questionnaire about both their own organisations and the wider market.

They shared their views on where they think the industry is headed, which growth areas excite them most, the biggest challenges they face, and how they’re adapting. We asked about priorities across content, commercial models, technology, product, operations, and strategy — and, crucially, how confident they feel about the months ahead.

What emerged is a fascinating snapshot of a sector at an inflection point (isn’t it always?): mature in some respects, still evolving in others, and grappling with pressures that vary by market position.

Some respondents were cautiously optimistic, others were bracing for consolidation, but nearly all focused on profitability, resilience, and sharpening their competitive edge.

The full report (available for purchase on its own or as part of our VOD Pro+ premium channel) unpacks these findings, highlights key sentiment trends, and offers commentary on what they might signal for the near future. Whether you’re a broadcaster, streamer, tech provider, or advisor, you’ll find insights here to help refine your thinking and spark meaningful conversations.

A free-to-download executive summary is also available.

Many streaming platforms price their subscriptions around features like video quality, downloads, and concurrent streams rather household size. But with single-person households now making up around 30% of homes in the UK, USA, Canada, and much of Western Europe, is this model still fit for purpose?

This report explores whether OTT services are unintentionally penalising people who live alone — offering no pricing relief despite lower usage and fewer users. It compares subscription strategies across major streamers with pricing in music, gaming, news, social media, and utilities — many of which do offer single-person discounts or usage-based models.

We analyse the potential revenue trade-offs of introducing solo-friendly plans versus the subscriber gains, reduced churn, and improved brand perception they might deliver.

With strategic recommendations and international benchmarks, this report is essential reading for streaming execs rethinking their pricing model or wondering whether their competitors might get there first.

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AVOD is now a core part of many streamers’ business models offering a way to reduce churn (“Don’t unsubscribe! Downgrade to our ad tier instead!”) while opening up new revenue streams. But is the European ad market big enough for everyone? And do streamers even have the infrastructure to run successful ad businesses?

This new report explores the viability and limitations of AVOD across five distinct markets: the UK, Nordics, France, Germany and the rest of Europe. It analyses advertising revenues, infrastructure readiness, advertiser demand, and the strategic role of AVOD in each region. It also asks why even the biggest streamers—Amazon, Disney, Netflix—are limiting ad loads, and what that implies about future growth.

Essential reading for commercial, product, and strategy leaders across Europe’s broadcast and streaming sectors, this report is available for purchase or to VOD Pro+ subscribers. Already a VOD Pro+ subscriber? Login here. Once you’ve logged in, the report will appear below.

What would happen if your streaming platform went down tomorrow – not from sabotage but from a sudden, unexpected failure in the cloud, your CDN, or your own architecture? This report explores the real-world resilience strategies of Netflix, Amazon Prime Video, and Disney+, using them as a blueprint for what good looks like. We then map those lessons to what broadcasters and independent streamers can learn and apply.

We break down the three most common points of failure: global/systemic events, cloud/platform dependencies, and organisation-specific weaknesses. For each, we offer clear, practical mitigation strategies and a visual resilience framework designed for non-technical executives.

Whether you’re planning your disaster recovery roadmap or simply want to protect revenue and reputation, this is a must-read guide to business continuity in streaming. The report includes visuals, insights, and a glossary for every key technical term.

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What if Netflix or BBC iPlayer could run entirely without human input? This report explores that provocative question in depth, using today’s AI capabilities as a starting point — and projecting how every major function of a streaming service could evolve over the next 1, 2, and 5 years.

From encoding and metadata to scheduling, pricing, commissioning, CRM, content delivery, UX, and advertising, we map how AI is already reshaping the glass-to-glass OTT process and how close we are to autonomous operations.

Drawing on real-world examples, visionary use cases, and strategic implications, this is a must-read for streaming leaders preparing for a future where AI isn’t just an assistant but a fully-fledged operator. With practical insights and a clear framework, the report also explores what remains uniquely human and where oversight, creativity, and governance will still be required in a world of algorithmic automation.

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