Industry

On April 1, the #MTM SPECIAL Future Video 2025 once again took place at the House of Communication in Munich. Organized by the team of Medientage München, the day-long conference provided a premier platform for experts from the fields of digital video, TV & streaming, production, creation, technology, advertising, regulation, and media policy.

Sophie Pastowski, Director, Media & Entertainment at Deloitte, delivered the opening keynote “Eyes on German Viewers”. She shared key findings from Deloitte’s latest Media Consumer Survey, which included responses from 2,000 German consumers interviewed in August 2024.

"Linear TV is more resilient than expected," Pastowski claimed, noting that while streaming is gaining popularity, the majority of viewers still watch linear TV. Only 19% of consumers use non-linear TV more than 50% of the time, meaning 80% still primarily watch linear TV. "It will take a few more years," she stated.
Her second key insight was that "SVOD is reaching its growth limits." Following a surge during the pandemic, 64% of Germans now use SVOD services, with an average of 2.5 subscriptions per household. She also pointed out that frequent canceling and re-subscribing is common, particularly among younger users. Older viewers, on the other hand, remain resistant to paid content, preferring free public TV VOD services, while SVOD is most popular among middle-aged consumers.
Another notable finding was the limited willingness to pay for live sports. While 50% of Germans are willing to pay for live sports content, only 3% are prepared to spend more than EUR 50 per month. Additionally, AI in TV and video continues to be met with skepticism by German consumers.
Pastowski's recommendations emphasized not to write off linear TV, to recognize the growth limitations of SVOD subscriptions, and to focus on churn management. She also suggested learning from the telecommunications industry when developing strategies to maintain subscribers.

Panel Discussion: A Positive Outlook for Streaming

A discussion followed with panelists Sabine Anger (SVP, Streaming, Central & Northern Europe, Paramount), Marco Hellberg (MD, M7 - CANAL+), and Evelyn Rothblum (Chief Transformation Officer, Sky Deutschland). While acknowledging the challenges in the German market, all three panelists had a more optimistic view of the future growth potential for streaming services.

"We also remain optimistic that streaming will continue to grow," said Rothblum, underlining Sky’s strategy as an aggregator. Hellberg emphasized the value of partnerships and bundling with telcos to prevent customer churn—an approach supported by the other panelists. Anger raised concerns over Germany’s consumer protection regulations, pointing out that subscribers can cancel on a monthly basis, even after a 12-month contract, unlike in the UK.
In addition to inspiring panels and keynotes, the event also featured hands-on masterclasses. Industry professionals provided valuable tips on essential topics such as artificial intelligence and moving images, AdTech, and content monetization.

A major topic of discussion was how to reach younger audiences and how viewing habits are changing. "A 90-minute format is a challenge for younger viewers," said Felix von Mengden, head of the TV channel Kabel Eins. Alexander Knetig, Head of Digital Distribution at ARTE, also highlighted an ongoing issue: the lack of international standards for measuring audience reach.

The #MTM SPECIAL Future Video 2025 has once again established itself as one of the key platforms for advancing the video industry. With high-caliber speakers, practical workshops, and forward-looking discussions, the event set crucial impulses for the future of moving images.

written by our correspondent Lühr-Martin Lemkau in Munich