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We’re operating in a new media reality — one defined by rapid shifts in audience behavior, content delivery and digital monetization. Audiences have more content at their fingertips than ever, but their attention has limits and their preferences are evolving. As traditional monetization models fall behind, media leaders face growing urgency to reimagine how they engage and grow.
This isn’t a theoretical shift. Once-reliable revenue streams are under pressure as three trends reshape the industry: algorithm-led discovery, short-form content and audio-first experiences. Today, content should reach audiences where they are and in the formats they favor. The path forward is clear. Modernize monetization strategies and design for a platform-first world.
Understand what’s really driving the shift in media behavior
Despite changes in media consumption habits, the appetite for news, sports and entertainment remains strong.
What’s changed is how, when and where audiences engage.
- Short-form video reshapes attention windows
These platforms dominate digital attention spans, with the average user spending over 2.5 hours per day on apps such as YouTube and Instagram. This contrasts sharply with legacy formats. Traditional television viewing has dropped to an equivalent 2.5 hours per day, the lowest in decades, according to eMarketer. Many people lack the patience to sit through hours of single-focus content and crave the flexibility and immediacy of short-form formats. This shift has broadened the window for consumer engagement, unlocking new touchpoints throughout the day to reach individuals through targeted, bite-size content in a constant cycle. - Audio-first content expands reach throughout the day
A quarter of Americans listen to podcasts weekly, often while multitasking. Spotify has leaned into this shift, investing US $100 million in podcasting and seeing exponential market cap growth. Audio platforms offer unique, low-friction opportunities to extend brand presence and monetize in new ways — especially when integrated with subscription bundles or dynamic ad targeting. - Algorithms redefine discovery and content economics
Recommendation engines are not just determining what gets viewed — they’re shaping what gets produced.- 80% percent of Netflix viewing is driven by algorithmic recommendations.
- 30% to 50% of a TikTok user's first 1,000 views on the platform are based on recommendations.
For media companies, this means first-party data isn’t just a marketing asset — it’s a prerequisite for content visibility and monetization. Studios are shifting greenlight decisions to align with algorithmic signals, not just creative instincts.
Recognize how behavioral changes can drive monetization
Today’s audiences seek immediacy, personalization and accessibility. These changing consumer habits have direct implications for revenue models, programming strategy and brand equity. Consider the following.
- Advertising evolves toward data-driven, digital and short form ecosystems
Traditional advertising outlets have lost ground to digital platforms like Google and Meta, which offer scale and data-driven precision. Today, most advertising revenue growth sits with technology companies. At the same time, however, the ability to leverage content to gather the user data required for effective advertising may be positioned with platforms that provide content.
Companies like The New York Times have kept increased viewership — focusing on podcasts with The Daily, acquiring sports content with The Athletic and building a digital game business. These strategic plays have grown their subscriber base and expanded their ad ecosystem by riding these new media trends. In parallel, legacy advertising agencies are building out their tech capabilities or acquiring them. Omnicom’s merger with IPG is expected to drive growth through new offerings with their combined data and tech platforms. We’re also seeing the rise of ad-supported subscription video on demand (SVOD) tiers, as advertisers shift spend toward subscriber-rich environments to offset the decline of linear TV. This integration between technology and advertising is a trend PwC is seeing across entertainment and media. - Sports and news formats shift to bite-sized engagement
Sports and news are still being consumed, just differently. Younger fans no longer tune in for full games — they’re watching highlight clips and creator commentary. The NBA, among others, has leaned into short-form and social-first content to engage Gen Z. News consumption is following a similar path, with TikTok and podcasts becoming primary news sources, especially for Gen Z. Rights holders and news brands should rethink packaging, licensing and distribution strategies to remain relevant and drive value. - Influencers and creators are shaping entertainment monetization
Streaming and social media now drive discovery, distribution and monetization of entertainment and music content. Consumers expect content to find them — often via creators they trust. Taylor Swift’s direct-to-fan album releases and McDonald’s micro-influencer campaigns show how powerful these channels have become. Media companies are seeing the benefit of grass-roots influencer-based campaigns. Artists, athletes, influencers and companies are increasingly building brand equity in new media forms and business partnerships can be monetized.
Move from passive distribution to platform-native monetization
To stay competitive, media companies should evolve their core offerings to match where and how modern consumers engage. The New York Times — which transformed from a print institution into a mobile and podcast-driven digital brand — shows the power of reimagining legacy products through a strategic lens. Spotify made early M&A bets by acquiring Anchor and Gimlet to dominate podcasting before music listening declined. Amazon, recognizing the cultural capital of creator-driven content, partnered with MrBeast (Jimmy Donaldson) to stay relevant with younger audiences. But what else can be done?
- Embed digital-native thinking directly into content and content promotion. This means allocating marketing spend toward social-first campaigns, investing in short-form and mobile-native formats, and building interactive content designed for audience engagement. Studios and networks alike should recruit digital-native talent, build viral content teams and expand their influencer partnerships and digital activations over traditional, prime-time commercials. Joint ventures and M&A — such as Amazon’s acquisition of MGM or NBCUniversal’s Stay Tuned on Snapchat — offer proven models for how to tap into next-gen content ecosystems.
- Turn first-party customer data into a revenue engine. As third-party cookies disappear, first-party data — watch history, genre preferences, engagement patterns — becomes essential for optimizing personalized algorithms and ad targeting. Media companies can use this customer data to personalize content, optimize ad targeting and create more effective, dynamic pricing models. With the right governance and analytics tools, they can transform this growing cache of customer data and insights from a back-end asset into a front-line growth driver. This data can also unlock new B2B revenue streams, both by offering aggregated audience insights to advertisers or partnering through secure data-sharing environments.
- Make audio a core growth channel, not a side bet
With podcast consumption growing and smart devices making audio more accessible, the format offers a low-friction, high-intimacy way to reach audiences throughout the day. Consider investing in exclusive podcast content, exploring dynamic ad insertion for personalized monetization and bundling audio with digital subscriptions. Follow Spotify’s lead — consider developing or acquiring creator-led platforms and cultivating audio-native talent that can turn audio from a secondary channel into a strategic growth driver.
The companies that can fully integrate these shifts — unifying film, audio, products and data into a seamless, always-on experience — will likely be the ones that unlock the greatest value and engagement. Failing to pivot risks not only cultural irrelevance but real financial consequences. As audiences fragment and attention becomes harder to hold, advertising dollars and market share drift elsewhere.
Leaders aren’t just modernizing content — they’re redesigning monetization. By reconfiguring offerings into short-form video, podcasts, audiobooks and commerce-ready experiences, they unlock data-driven insights that can power engagement and elevate return on spend. The next generation of media will likely be led by those that develop a data-driven content ecosystem that boosts viewership with a back-end infrastructure that capitalizes on revenue opportunities.
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Lori Driscoll
Technology, Media and Telecommunications US and Global Consulting Leader, PwC US
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