The Media Odyssey

A lively breakdown of recent results from Apple, Microsoft, Meta and a Comcast detour. They dig into iPhone-driven growth and Apple’s ad opportunity. They unpack Microsoft’s AI-fueled cloud gains and investor anxiety over big AI spending. They explore Meta’s ad strength, Reality Labs losses, and how AI is reshaping ad targeting and product speed.

Shira Lazar, founder of What's Trending and creator-economy pioneer, leads Creators 4 Mental Health and the Creator Bill of Rights initiative. She shares her origin as an early vlogger and building a multi-platform brand. Conversations center on creator mental-health crises, the industry’s lack of basic protections, building infrastructure like care programs and legal recognition, and mapping the creator ecosystem.

Google has surged past Apple in market value, revealing a shift in tech dominance. This growth showcases the power of advertising and platform economics over traditional hardware. Meanwhile, HBO Max finally launches in Europe, marking a crucial milestone for Warner Bros. Discovery amidst stiff competition. The timing of this release raises questions about pricing strategies and promotional efforts, particularly with the allure of sports rights to boost subscriptions. Both developments highlight an evolving media landscape and the strategic maneuvers companies must adopt to stay relevant.

Netflix's quarterly results revealed strong financials but raised questions about its engagement growth. The discussion centers on fluctuating viewing hours and the significance of its 325 million subscriber disclosure. The hosts analyze Netflix's potential acquisition of Warner Bros., highlighting the need to shift narrative and bolster value. They also tackle the nascent advertising business, assessing revenue and competition dynamics. Lastly, there's insight into regional growth opportunities, the impact of theatrical releases on franchises, and the evolving role of social features in user retention.

CES isn’t about gadgets anymore, but who controls the interface between audiences, data, and distribution.Welcome back to The Media Odyssey Podcast! From CES, Evan Shapiro and Alan Wolk, Co-Founder and Lead Analyst of TVREV, unpack what this year’s show revealed about the future of media, entertainment, and technology while expanding on their predictions for 2026. Beyond the hype of AI demos and hardware announcements, the conversation centers on power shifts: who owns how we get information, who controls discovery, and which companies are quietly positioning themselves as the new gatekeepers.Rather than signaling a breakout moment, CES reinforces a familiar reality.  Platforms are consolidating influence, AI is moving into the background, and media companies face shrinking control over how audiences find and engage with content.Key Takeaways:1. Media Is Entering a Prolonged Era of “Feudal Fragmentation”Alan predicts that the monoculture is gone for the foreseeable future, replaced by thousands of disconnected content bubbles with their own truths, celebrities, and norms. This fragmentation isn’t new, but it will deepen through the rest of the decade, making shared cultural moments increasingly rare.2. There Is No Longer a Single Source of Truth and That Has ConsequencesThe loss of mass media gatekeepers means audiences now operate from entirely different realities. News can be fully ignored, expertise is routinely dismissed, and misinformation thrives because there is no longer a common reference point for facts.3. The End of Expertise Is Both Dangerous and LiberatingTraditional experts and institutional authority are losing power, but this also enables creators and outsiders to build massive media businesses without permission. The upside is democratization, the downside is the erosion of trust in skill, craft, and knowledge.4. Power in Media Is Decentralizing Away from HollywoodAlan predicts that media power will continue to disperse geographically and structurally. New creator-led studios are emerging in Texas, Brazil, Nigeria, and beyond, attracting talent away from traditional Hollywood centers as production costs fall.5. Niche Audiences Will Become the Foundation of Sustainable Media BusinessesThe era of building new mega-brands is over. Instead, companies and creators will build profitable businesses around passionate, well-defined niche communities. Even if those audiences are invisible to the mainstream.6. Discovery and Serendipity Are Breaking DownAlgorithmic feeds increasingly show audiences more of what they already like, making it harder for genuinely new ideas to surface. Alan predicts fewer breakout cultural movements and more recycling of familiar formats, sounds, and franchises.7. Sports Remains the Last True MonocultureLive sports still cut across bubbles and deliver shared, simultaneous experiences. Alan predicts sports will retain outsized importance for advertisers and platforms, even as niche sports slowly grow and fragment over time.Thank you, Alan Wolk for joining the pod! https://www.linkedin.com/in/alanwolk/ Interested in sponsorship? https://forms.gle/2LCWfX2HBNT8mtpx8Connect with us on Linkedin:Evan Shapiro - https://www.linkedin.com/in/eshap-media-cartographer/Marion Ranchet - https://www.linkedin.com/in/marionranchet/The Media Odyssey Podcast - https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-media-odyssey-podcast (00:00) - Introduction and Guest Introduction (00:45) - First Impressions of CES (01:38) - Predictions for the Media Industry (02:19) - Descent into Feudal Media (02:50) - The Concept of Monoculture (06:43) - Fragmentation of Media and Advertising Challenges (19:57) - Rise of Decentralized Media Power (22:13) - The Downside of Algorithmic Recommendations (23:32) - The Loss of Serendipity in Media Discovery (24:24) - Challenges in Finding Quality Content (25:31) - The Role of Curators in Media Discovery (29:21) - The Rise of Niche Audiences (32:05) - The Continued Importance of Sports (37:14) - The Future of Media and AI's Role (39:24) - Advice for Navigating the Changing Media Landscape

Media faces another challenging year with layoffs and fragile advertising markets. Success will hinge less on content volume and more on discoverability and distribution strategies. The generative AI bubble is expected to correct, impacting valuations and practices. Political advertising is projected to surge in connected TV, demanding better targeting. Watch for new European media CEOs leading transformative efforts while M&A activity heats up amidst regulatory scrutiny. Ad-free viewing is predicted to decline as integrated advertising becomes ubiquitous.

Simon Farnsworth, CTO at ITV, and Adde Granberg, CTO at Sveriges Television, discuss the transformation of public broadcasting in a digital-first world. They emphasize the shift from 'doing digital' to 'being digital,' highlighting the importance of cloud and AI in scaling production. The conversation reveals how outdated mindsets hinder broadcasting's evolution, advocating for collaboration with platforms like YouTube and TikTok. Both guests illustrate how innovative technologies, such as 5G and generative AI, can revolutionize content creation while reducing costs and environmental impact.

Dhar Mann, an entrepreneur and founder of Dhar Mann Studios, shares his journey of overcoming personal struggles to revolutionize independent media. He discusses the significance of structuring stories as hero journeys for emotional impact and how data-driven production enhances creativity. Dhar reveals his approach to scaling a vertically integrated studio while promoting authentic storytelling. He emphasizes the necessity for creators to embrace their struggles, turning them into unique narratives, and discusses future expansions into nonfiction and podcasts.

Raney Aronson-Rath is the Executive Producer of Frontline and Editor-in-Chief of Documentaries at GBH, known for spearheading its digital transformation. In this discussion, she emphasizes that public media must adapt by utilizing platforms like YouTube to thrive and attract younger audiences. Raney highlights how YouTube extends reach without replacing traditional broadcasting. She also outlines Frontline's innovative strategies, including simultaneous releases and a focus on global distribution to ensure impactful storytelling amidst a struggling media landscape.

The hosts assess their 2025 predictions, shining a light on YouTube's rise as the top TV channel and Netflix's bold partnerships, including deals with TF1 and Spotify. They explore how creators are now central to mainstream culture and reflect on the stagnation in the CTV landscape. The duo dives into the dual nature of AI’s influence, delivering backend improvements while hype drives valuations. They also address the challenges ahead in the job market and share career advice for those facing layoffs.