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Read our latest daily deep dives, hot takes, and exciting updates about the entertainment world. Check out the latest insight from your favourite analyst, or search by coverage areas - music, entertainment and fandom, creator economy, audio and social.

Culture shock: What 10,500 labels reveal about the Global South's genre story

Mark Mulligan

30 Oct 2026

Business Strategy Streaming Global

At MIDiA, we have been pointing to the rise of the Global South for many years, so it is good to see that the message is catching on. And it’s not a moment too late, considering that Global South markets have been the main drivers of subscriber growth throughout this decade.

5 min read

Cover image for Culture shock: What 10,500 labels reveal about the Global South's genre story

The problem with democratisation

Mark Mulligan

29 Oct 2026

Clients only

Letter from the MD Streaming Apple Google

The demise of gatekeepers was part of the internet’s founding mythology – but, in reality, we quickly learned that they were going nowhere. However, the human ones were cast aside as algorithms took their place.

3 min read

Cover image for The problem with democratisation

Taste, space, and scale: working to keep humans at the centre of culture

Laura Fisher

29 Oct 2026

Business Strategy Music Scenes

A scene needs taste, somewhere to put it, and money to keep it going. At ADE last week, the sessions I was part of kept returning to one question: how do you scale all three without losing what made them worth having? “Beyond the Feed” with Bessie-Mae Armitage, Quentin Chambers, and Michail Stan...

5 min read

Cover image for Taste, space, and scale: working to keep humans at the centre of culture

Meta’s Q3 earnings point to turbulence ahead in the social marketplace

Hanna Kahlert

28 Oct 2026

Business Strategy Social media Social

Meta’s Q3 earnings revealed strong revenue growth coming from its core business and “major milestones… toward delivering personal superintelligence for everyone”. Beneath that is a more turbulent picture, however: low user growth, potential ad saturation of its existing audiences, and costly...

5 min read

Cover image for Meta’s Q3 earnings point to turbulence ahead in the social marketplace

The key to unlocking fandom begins with these fan archetypes

Olivia Jones

22 Oct 2026

Clients only

Fandom Artists Engagement

Fandom is not “one-size-fits-all”, but rather an amalgamation of different engagement types and levels of activity. In last year’s Defining entertainment superfans report, MIDiA began to demystify engagement by creating four core fan archetypes according to how fans engage with their favourite...

4 min read

Cover image for The key to unlocking fandom begins with these fan archetypes

Will the next social media competitor be social at all?

Hanna Kahlert

21 Oct 2026

Business Strategy Social media Creators

With Meta in the regulatory hotseat and western “social” apps becoming increasingly entertainment-first, a natural question arises: is the opportunity ripe for a new competitor? Few saw TikTok coming, but the short-form video app –boosted by the Covid pandemic – has reshaped the social media...

4 min read

Cover image for Will the next social media competitor be social at all?

From creator to capitalist: The creator economy is investing in itself

Hannah Walker

21 Oct 2026

Business Strategy Creators Creator economy

The most successful creators no longer look like online personalities. They now operate as fully-fledged media businesses with capital, networks, and business expertise – and they’re using these attributes to help nurture the next generation.

3 min read

Cover image for From creator to capitalist: The creator economy is investing in itself

The road to 2033: Forecasting ARPU has never been more difficult nor more important

Mark Mulligan

15 Oct 2026

Clients only

Business Strategy Global Music

This client-only series takes a deeper look at the key themes shaping MIDiA’s 2026–2033 global music forecasts report and what they mean for the future of the music business. The growing maturity of the streaming music market brings with it increased sophistication and need for attention to deta...

4 min read

Cover image for The road to 2033: Forecasting ARPU has never been more difficult nor more important

When the math stops mathing: Fandom signals in the agentic AI era

Tatiana Cirisano

15 Oct 2026

Fandom Streaming Consumer behaviour

Artists understand their audiences largely through their actions. Following, liking, subscribing, opening an email, buying merch, buying a ticket, waiting in line – each of these efforts creates attachment and signals a different level of commitment.

4 min read

Cover image for When the math stops mathing: Fandom signals in the agentic AI era

First they laugh, then they follow: Comedy’s vertical TV opportunity

Hannah Walker

14 Oct 2026

Business Strategy Audience Insight Social media

With its skits, anecdotes, and punchlines, comedy lends itself well to short-form video. Now that streaming services have built the vertical feed infrastructure, they can leverage original, premium, short-form comedy to draw in new audiences for vertical TV.

4 min read

Cover image for First they laugh, then they follow: Comedy’s vertical TV opportunity

Narrative audio: the case for industry investment

Laura Fisher

8 Oct 2026

Marketing Strategy Cultural trends Entertainment

Narrative audio is on an upward curve. Several forces are converging to sustain it: writers and performers of real standing choosing the format, a hunger for lean-in listening, and technology that is reimagining what an audio story can sound like.

4 min read

Cover image for Narrative audio: the case for industry investment

Beyond the stream: Live’s innovation moment

Leon Farrell

8 Oct 2026

Clients only

Fandom Business Strategy Artists

Is live music approaching a golden era of innovation? At a concert, the merchandise queue asks a slightly absurd question: how much of the show would you miss for merch? A committed fan is ready to spend, yet the experience makes them choose between buying and watching.

6 min read

Cover image for Beyond the stream: Live’s innovation moment

Are AI glasses Meta’s new game changer, or next stumbling block?

Hanna Kahlert

7 Oct 2026

Business Strategy Social media Social

Much controversy surrounds the continued spread of Meta’s AI glasses. With cameras that can record entire interactions, an AI virtual assistant to analyse them live, and small speakers to unobtrusively share those findings with the wearer, its uses are potentially both promising and predatory.

4 min read

Cover image for Are AI glasses Meta’s new game changer, or next stumbling block?

From newsroom to newsfeed: Why news broadcasters and content creators should partner to reach young people

Hannah Walker

7 Oct 2026

Business Strategy Fandom Social media

As the attention economy fractures traditional media consumption habits, Public Service Broadcasters (PSBs) risk losing reach among young viewers. According to Ofcom , three-quarters of 16–24-year-olds report that they get their news from social media platforms.

3 min read

Cover image for From newsroom to newsfeed: Why news broadcasters and content creators should partner to reach young people

The Audio Academy Festival 2026: Where community and audio combine

Laura Fisher

2 Oct 2026

Podcasts Radio Discovery

Last year I attended the Radio Academy Festival, and while I was there, the organisation announced it would become the Audio Academy. Returning to the first festival under the new name felt significant.

3 min read

Cover image for The Audio Academy Festival 2026: Where community and audio combine

K-pop as culture: Fandom learnings from BTS and KCON LA

Olivia Jones

1 Oct 2026

Fandom Cultural trends Music

K-pop is known as a genre built around fandom-focused live experiences, whether that’s concerts or fan-run events, and it’s been a busy few months for K-pop fans in the US. In August, I attended CJ ENM’s three-day K-pop convention KCON LA, as well as two dates on BTS’s massive ARIRANG world ...

4 min read

Cover image for K-pop as culture: Fandom learnings from BTS and KCON LA

Audiences are craving connection – could livestreaming be the answer?

Hannah Walker

30 Sep 2026

Marketing Strategy YouTube TikTok

This year has shown a clear audience appetite for live, shared viewing experiences. The finale of the UK’s The Traitors attracted a live audience of 9.4 million viewers in January. An international audience flooded to watch sporting events like the Super Bowl and World Cup, with both events genera...

3 min read

Cover image for Audiences are craving connection – could livestreaming be the answer?

To understand where AI will go, look at where it came from

Mark Mulligan

30 Sep 2026

Clients only

Letter from the MD consumer Creators Content

AI, in its widest sense, is a massive unknown. While whistleblowers claim it is already out of control, others suggest this is AI company scaremongering to help justify their huge valuations. Both can be true.

3 min read

Cover image for To understand where AI will go, look at where it came from

Music is losing in the attention economy

Kriss Thakrar

24 Sep 2026

Clients only

Audience Insight Cultural trends Attention economy

Young people are spending fewer hours listening to music, and in particular, music is occupying a smaller share of teenager's time than it used to. The decline in weekly hours spent listening to music sits in contrast with nearly every other entertainment format increasing its time with younger audi...

4 min read

Cover image for Music is losing in the attention economy

Could YouTube be a new home for TV talent?

Hannah Walker

23 Sep 2026

Product Strategy YouTube Creators

The power dynamic between media personalities and media distributors is shifting – a change that has picked up pace over the last few years. Traditional media companies are cautiously opening their doors to creator talent, recognising them for the lucrative opportunity that they represent.

3 min read

Cover image for Could YouTube be a new home for TV talent?

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