NAB 2025 Recap
The 2025 NAB Show showcased a media and entertainment sector at a crossroads: people are anxious about the economy and grappling with an audience that’s splintered in every direction. In every meeting and at every seminar people were checking phones to see where their portfolios were. Sighs and head shaking were the norm. Sure, some of this boils down to the usual short-term vs. long-term debates—how to deal with today’s volatile market while also positioning for tomorrow’s new consumer habits. But strip away the slide decks and shiny vendor demos, and you find a blunt truth: everyone’s circling around three interlinked shifts—technological advancement, audience fragmentation, and persistent economic pressure—trying to figure out how to stay relevant (and, let’s be honest, solvent). But… there was an excitement this year that hasn’t been seen for a while and that seems to come from the fact that people can see a path forward even through the chaos.
Key Highlights:
1. Technological Advancements:
- AI integration is becoming the backbone of media operations, enhancing production, editing and scheduling. The focus is on real-world efficiency and value, with a clear demand for ROI.
- Hybrid cloud solutions are now the standard, balancing speed with reliability. The evolution towards seamless orchestration across on-prem and various public clouds is critical for operational agility and cost savings.
- Creator economy and short-form content is here to stay. Collaboration between traditional media companies and digital-first creators will drive new content formats and revenue channels.
2. Industry Trends:
- Pragmatic adaptation and strategic alliances were common themes. Companies are focusing on practical efficiency and diversified monetization tactics to navigate economic pressures.
- Sports tech and broadcasting remains the gold-standard for real-time streaming tech and viewer loyalty. Innovations in immersive viewing experiences and next-level analytics continue to command top dollar.
- ATSC 3.0 shows promise as a fresh revenue stream. Broadcasters are preparing for the FCC’s anticipated move to sunset ATSC 1.0.
Cautious Excitement
The mood was excited yet cautious, with leaders embracing transformation with eyes wide open. The days of reckless budgets are over (and have been for a while). Instead, it’s all about practical efficiency, flexible revenue streams, and the willingness to adapt—a mindset your 40-year-old self might recognize from those career pivots that demanded hustle and reinvention. In the end, the real winners in this industry reset will be those who can juggle the complexities of converging technologies, ever-shifting audience tastes, and fierce economic realities—without losing sight of where true value is created. Change is here to stay so get comfortable being uncomfortable.
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About the Author
Todd Parkin (Vice President of Growth & Managing Director of Media) is a seasoned media executive with a remarkable track record of driving innovation and rethinking business models in the fast-moving media landscape. Read more.