The European Media Freedom Act (EMFA) sets out the best practices to ensure the independence of Public Service Media providers (PSMs), though it is toothless. 

PSMs play a unique democracy-sustaining role in the digital age by providing the population with balanced news coverage, thus combatting misinformation.

The UK’s BBC is the blueprint for the EMFA and the comparison with Czechia and France demonstrates how political forces challenge independence.

Netflix revenue grew 17% YoY in Q3, although operating income was well below expectations (-10%), hit by a $619 million tax expense in Brazil. Once again improvement in advertising revenues was noted but without any substantial detail.

UK advertising tier growth is primarily being driven by movement from more expensive ad-free tiers. This has challenged ARPU: advertising revenue does not appear to be balancing the loss from subscriptions.

With ownership of Warner Bros. Discovery likely to change, management did not specifically rule out M&A. However, it is not clear whether Netflix would be best served by the IP such a purchase would provide.

At the International Broadcasting Convention (IBC) 2025, vendors and broadcasters showcased plenty of incremental improvements to production using AI—but the show also previewed significant future disruption to traditional production methods.

Distribution is a focus for innovation: Formula 1 demonstrates a compelling personalised product and delivery that takes superfans beyond what can be offered in a single broadcast.

Broadcasters are adapting to a rapidly changing technical landscape at a time of increased pressure on audience trust and the geopolitical climate.

The PSBs’ ability to fulfil their public service objectives is becoming compromised by declining TV audiences, mainly due to the rise of online platforms and the decline in funding levels.

Part of the solution lies in collaboration between the PSBs themselves, potentially through shared tech stacks across players.

Collaboration with third-party online platforms is also required. The Media Act is introducing prominence requirements for connected TVs, but extending this regulatory regime to video-sharing and AI platforms needs much more developed thought to clearly articulate its aims and begin to iron out its practical challenges.

Although original programming is now cutting through—a validation of expansion in output—licensed content remains the backbone of Prime Video’s offering, c.80% of all viewing since March 2024.

Viewership of UK originals fluctuates significantly with reliance on standout titles, whereas US content, including high-volume dramas, maintains a steady audience.

Football coverage has been a draw for viewers: the Premier League, now lost, brought in older, male audiences. After an underwhelming initial phase of the last Champions League, Prime Video’s top pick of fixtures proved beneficial in the knockout round.

Revenue growth in mature markets is now price-driven and therefore lumpier. While the US leans on bundling, European scale requires wholesale distribution with pay-TV incumbents. Fledgling streamer to streamer/PSB deals are more of a distribution nudge than a step towards the US model.

Profit momentum is real but fragile: H2 content/sports ramps will test margins; the Versant/Discovery Global carve-outs are about protecting multiples while ring-fencing legacy decline.

Engagement is the key battleground: live sport is increasingly important although streamers remain reticent on rights spending. While sport boosts acquisition and ad reach, ROI hinges on price discipline and shoulder programming. Europe remains a tougher nut to crack.
 

Prime Video UK viewing has increased by 30% year-on-year. Although this growth is from a smaller base than its main rivals, it now matches Disney+ in total engagement.

Viewing behaviour now reflects a service that is more than just an add-on: those who use it alongside Netflix do so for its breadth, particularly in film, whilst non-Netflix viewers are drawn to its major UK hits and football coverage.

Supplementing consistent viewing to football and scripted box sets, its ability to attract mass audiences to its hit original shows now rivals some broadcasters.

Netflix improved on its Q2 revenue and profit forecasts, driven by successful implementation of price rises and USD weakness. There continues to be little substantive information offered about the advertising business

Most of Netflix’s engagement growth is derived from its existing heavy users. Lighter users, who are more susceptible to churn, appear to be most under pressure from YouTube

In the UK, new Netflix original content no longer appears to be driving new subscriptions. This means it can be better used to shape engagement in a way that optimises monetisation

Fixing an allocation quirk at BT pushed UK broadband revenue back into growth in Q1, albeit a very modest 0.8%, thanks to continued altnet growth and a very weak underlying market.

Broadband pricing is dipping down overall, but there is not yet evidence of pricing cuts targeted in altnet areas, a massive missed opportunity in our view.

The market will remain under pressure in the short term, but in the longer term altnet pressure will fall under all realistic consolidation scenarios.
 

In a soft market for both consumer and B2B, service revenue trends continue to be dominated by in-contract price increase dynamics.

VodafoneThree’s launch signalled a cautious tone about prospects for mobile growth, presumably allowing for a degree of integration disruption.

VodafoneThree and VMO2 traded 79 MHz of usable spectrum, leaving VodafoneThree in a strong position spectrum-wise, albeit with some challenges given that its merger conditions reduce flexibility in its coverage approach.