Streaming has transcended its role as a mere distribution channel; it is now shifting how audiences view linear broadcasting. Media companies are pivoting toward platform-based strategies that seamlessly integrate traditional broadcasting with FAST channels and hybrid monetization.

The industry’s shift toward scale is punctuated by the recent landmark news of Paramount Skydance’s $110 billion agreement to acquire Warner Bros. Discovery. By uniting media titans like HBO, CBS and CNN, this merger underscores a critical priority: building the scale necessary to innovate in distribution and content discovery within a fragmented market.

For traditional broadcasters, this evolution demands a delicate balance. Success requires modernizing workflows to support targeted advertising and cross-platform audience behaviors without discarding proven revenue models. Reinvention is not about starting over: it’s about optimizing infrastructure for how audiences watch today.

These pivotal shifts will dominate the conversation at NAB Show this year, where industry leaders gather to navigate Hollywood’s next chapter. As planning cycles close, now is the time to align strategy with a platform-centric world.

Road to NAB Show 2026: Business of Media and Entertainment

Returning for its second year, the Media and Entertainment Theater, in partnership with Hollywood’s trusted industry source, The Ankler, will host two days of high-level programming on April 19–20 at NAB Show.

The event gathers influential dealmakers, visionary executives and creative leaders to explore the intersection of storytelling and business strategy. These signature sessions will feature The Ankler’s unrivaled reporting and insider analysis, providing deep dives into the shifting power dynamics and distribution trends transforming the industry today.

Sessions include:

• The Future of News in a Platform-First World
• The Evolving Paradigm of Broadcast News
• Inside the Microdrama Boom