Keep up with video in 5 minutes

Grab your coffee and spend the next 5 minutes catching up with the biggest moves happening in the video streaming industry.

Monetization

Spotify keeps adding users, but ad revenue is still the main driver
Spotify gained 15 million users last quarter, bringing the total to 670 million. Most of the growth came from the ad-supported tier. It’s clear that user growth is happening, but converting that into strong margins is still a challenge.

Canal+ is expanding into Nigeria’s Pay TV market
The French media group is entering Nigeria with a focus on affordable local packages. With Pay TV subscriptions slowing in other regions, Canal+ is shifting toward untapped markets where demand is still growing.

Netflix makes up half of all SVOD viewing in the UK
Ofcom data shows that 60% of UK households have Netflix, and Netflix accounts for 50% of total SVOD watch time. This means people aren’t just subscribing, they’re watching a lot, which helps with retention and ad strategy.

YouTube loosens its rules on profanity in monetized videos
YouTube is now allowing light profanity in the first few seconds of videos to be eligible for ads. This change gives creators more flexibility and also increases the volume of monetizable content for advertisers.

Automation tools are expected to grow across playout systems
A new market report says the playout automation space could grow steadily through 2034. Broadcasters are investing more in software that handles scheduling, transitions, and playback without manual input.

Amazon backs Fable’s AI-generated content platform
Amazon is investing in Showrunner, a platform that creates scripted shows using AI. This is part of a growing trend where companies are looking at AI not just for editing, but for end-to-end video creation.

Peacock increases revenue, but still posts a loss
NBCUniversal’s streaming platform hit $1.2 billion in revenue for the quarter. While it still isn’t profitable, losses have narrowed. Growth is coming mostly from advertising.

Comcast benefits from selling part of Hulu
By selling more of its Hulu stake, Comcast is freeing up cash and refocusing on broadband and aggregation. The deal also reflects a slow shift away from owning streaming platforms directly.

Roku beats revenue expectations again
Strong ad demand and continued platform growth helped Roku post better-than-expected revenue in Q2. Their ad business is becoming a steady source of income as more advertisers move into CTV.

Video analytics market to grow to $21.7 billion by 2027
A new report says the global video analytics market is growing at 22.7% CAGR. This includes tools for behavior tracking, playback optimization, ad performance, and stream health monitoring.

Building Better

More traditional media companies are pulling back from cable
Paramount, Fox, Disney, and CBS are all reportedly reducing their investment in cable distribution. As cord-cutting grows, media companies are shifting focus toward streaming platforms and FAST channels.

China is rapidly growing its AI video ecosyste
Chinese platforms are investing in automated video production, moderation, and personalization. The focus is on speed and scale, especially for social and commerce-focused video.

AI video generation is now live on X
Grok Imagine, the AI video generator tied to X (formerly Twitter), is now available for select users. It’s one of the first large-scale rollouts of consumer-facing AI video.

Creating a Better Viewing Experience

Deepfake videos are becoming easier to make
Grok, the AI chatbot from X, can now generate realistic video responses. Tools like this are getting better fast, which raises concerns around fake content and misinformation, especially on platforms without strict content checks.

Google Search now includes real-time video input
Search results can now consider video input, PDFs, and images. For video platforms, this means metadata and structure are more important than ever, not just for search ranking, but also for AI visibility.

Brazil is cracking down on OTT piracy again
The Brazilian government launched a new anti-piracy campaign targeting streaming services. As enforcement improves globally, platforms will need better watermarking and takedown systems in place.

AI-powered streaming platforms are launching publicly
A service called Showrunner has gone live in alpha. It uses generative AI to build entire shows, from script to visuals without human input. This kind of product could eventually compete with traditional content formats.

OTT is now the default for viewers in South Korea
A new report shows over 20 million monthly active users are using OTT platforms in Korea, outpacing cable. For platforms expanding internationally, this is a clear sign that default viewing habits have already changed.

Amazon’s ad business grew 22% in Q2
They made $15.7 billion in ad revenue, mostly from retail media and streaming. With CTV inventory expanding, Amazon is well-positioned to compete with YouTube and Roku in performance-driven ad targeting.

Instagram is making it harder to go Live
The platform is increasing the follower threshold needed to unlock live streaming. This move is likely intended to limit spam and ensure better content quality for advertisers.

What’s Next in Streaming Tech

YouTube is testing AI age verification tools
YouTube is using AI to determine user age without requiring a login. The goal is to improve parental controls and restrict mature content, without adding friction for regular users.

AI personalization is already being deployed at scale
McKinsey’s new report says AI-based recommendations are no longer in the “future plans” phase. Most major platforms are already using them to drive watch time, retention, and ad targeting.

Instagram is limiting who can livestream again
Only accounts with enough followers and a clean record will be able to use Live going forward. Platforms are continuing to prioritize safety and ad-friendly content, even if that means reducing reach.

AI video market could see big growth across sectors
Adobe, OpenAI, and others are investing heavily in AI video platforms, not just for consumer content, but also for advertising, education, and internal communications.

$200M investment in streaming data infrastructure
A US-based firm is investing heavily in streaming data pipelines across Asia. It’s a signal that large-scale video infrastructure is still expanding, especially in fast-growth regions.

Rumble is rethinking how short-form content should be monetized
Their new approach focuses on attention economics, prioritizing creator payouts based on engagement, not just reach. It’s a different take from TikTok and YouTube, and could appeal to niche creators.

What’s New at FastPix

DRM is now live across the FastPix platform and Player, giving you built-in content protection without the hassle of extra tools or setup.

Cloud Playout is in beta, you can now run and schedule 24/7 channels without spinning up servers or wrestling with manual workflows.

FastPix Video Data is now available for mobile, making it easy to drop real-time analytics and event tracking straight into your app.