Consolidation, content wars, and new technologies are driving trends behind consolidation and M&A in the TV, film, and entertainment industry. Media giants are busy building out their platforms, thereby creating challenges and opportunities for fast-growing entrepreneurial companies.
In the early 1980s, there were around 50 dominant media corporations in the US. Today, you could argue that there are about a handful. At least of the old guard.
AT&T, Comcast, Disney, News Corp, and ViacomCBS have spent years building up and building out their conglomerates covering traditional media, including newspapers, magazines, book publishers, motion picture studios, radio, and television stations.
However, they face stiff competition from incumbents across new media formats. Say online film and series, and most will immediately think of Netflix, online music, Spotify, and online videos, likely YouTube.
As customers are increasingly migrating to digital solutions, media companies are turning to M&A to keep up and retain market shares and build out their offerings.
One example is Netflix’s acquisition of a computer game company and releasing five video games free to play for its customers.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Partner, BDO in UK
Peter is an Audit Partner in BDO in UK's Tech and Media team.
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