The Big Shift: Creator Economy, AI, Vertical Video & FAST

BBC Creator Lab has unveiled a new initiative for digital and social content creators around the upcoming RHS Chelsea Flower Show.

Live sports and event programming were the primary drivers of new SVOD subscriptions in the U.S. last year, new Ampere Analysis data indicates, delivering peaks for Prime Video, Disney+, Hulu, Paramount+, Max, and Netflix.

In December, streaming platforms secured 47.5% of all viewership in the U.S., breaking the previous record set in July, according to Nielsen’s The Gauge, driven by the NFL and Stranger Things.

Sports streaming platform DAZN has aligned with Polymarket to bring prediction trading to its users, beginning in the U.S.

Fanvue, a London-based creator economy subscription platform with 17 million monthly active users, has completed a $22 million Series A investment round.

GoQuest Media and Rains Pictures are touting the initial success of the YouTube-first Turkish drama series Arafta, with 1 million subs reached on the platform in 43 days.

Channel 4 says its streaming platform is the fastest-growing among adults in the U.K., with more than half of its viewers aged 16-34 choosing streaming over linear last year.

HOLYWATER, which operates the My Drama vertical series platform, among other services, has raised $22 million, led by Horizon Capital with the participation of Endeavor Catalyst and Wheelhouse, to power further expansion of its microdrama business.

Reemah Sakaan, most recently global CEO at BritBox International, has been named president of U.K. broadcaster 5, succeeding Sarah Rose, who stepped down at the end of last year to move to The Royal Foundation.

UKTV recorded its best performance in 2025, driving gains across VOD, linear and social, as well as in its share of commercial TV audiences.