Global Scans · Media & Entertainment · Weekly Summary

• [New] As smartphones, platform tools, AI, and low-cost production reduce barriers to entry, livestreaming and short-form user-generated content (UGC) videos will shift media further away from centrally controlled distribution and towards a more democratised environment. PwC
• [New] Advertising continues to remain a powerhouse driving the global entertainment and media industry's revenues - and it will play an increasingly greater role as AI-powered hyper-personalization transforms engagement with end-users. PwC
• [New] The UK Government has announced that it plans to introduce a total ban on access to social media for children under 16. Mishcon de Reya LLP
• [New] Australia says it will double fines on social media companies that fail to keep children off their platforms, accusing Big Tech of dodging the spirit of its under-16 ban. Al Jazeera
• [New] The federal government will double the penalty for breaches of Australia's youth social media ban to $99m, arguing tech companies are not doing enough to keep children off harmful social media sites. The Guardian
• [New] Global social media ad spend is projected to reach $338.75 billion by 2026, with U.S. spending accounting for $126 billion. DataRefs
• [New] Social media advertising is projected to reach $338.75 billion in 2026. DataRefs
• [New] Prime Minister Keir Starmer has today announced a Australian-style ban for Teenagers under the age of 16 from accessing high-risk social media apps while safer platforms will be subjected to restrictions. Inforrm's Blog
• [New] The streaming segment's profitability and growth are crucial as it is expected to offset the decline of Disney's traditional media businesses. Trefis
• [New] As AI democratizes production and localization, audiences around the world should expect a broader range of stories - and a major rebalancing of who sets the trends in entertainment. TWiT.tv
• [New] The opposing forces of platform centralization and content decentralization will continue to shape the media and entertainment industry, as they have since the birth of the World Wide Web. PwC
• [New] Media, and technology trends and predictions 2026' report for the Reuters Institute, publishers expect traffic from search engines to decline by 43% over the next three years. Vuelio -
• [New] The adoption of immersive technologies in entertainment and tourism could generate an additional 5 billion pounds in revenue by 2030 as users seek novel forms of engagement. Market Data Forecast
• [New] A new social media fee on large platforms is projected to generate $200 million annually, while a 0.2% tax on digital asset transactions and services is expected to raise $60 million. ISACo
• [New] As big media brands such as Schibsted in the Nordics, the Daily Mail and the Independent in the UK, and the Washington Post and many others in the US set up their own 'creator labs', the dividing line between conventional and alternative news media will only become more blurred. Reuters Institute for the Study of Journalism
• [New] One of the biggest emerging questions about the UK's social media ban is how it will be enforced. BBC News
• [New] Under-16s will lose access to social media platforms including Facebook, Instagram, X, TikTok, Snapchat, and YouTube, while the minimum age for chatbots that imitate romantic interactions will be raised to 18. Wired
• [New] Networks like Walmart Connect, Amazon Ads, Kroger Precision Marketing and others run on verified purchase data - what shoppers bought, when, and where - and Forrester forecasts global retail media spending will grow 70%, from $184 billion in 2025 to $312 billion by 2030. Snipp Interactive
• [New] Traditional media will continue to trend downward, even being surpassed by online advertising by 2028. Ignite Visibility
• [New] Skills in demand: For 59% of PR professionals, storytelling and content creation will be the number one in-demand skill of 2026, followed by media relations at 44%. Sprout Social
• [New] The long-term outlook: 59% of professionals expect AI and automation to be the single most critical factor in industry growth over the next five years, outpacing media relations and traditional strategic planning. Sprout Social
• [New] AI reported Bitdefender's 2026 Global Scam Intelligence findings, warning that online scams now operate across social media, messaging apps, SMS, advertising and calls with business-like budgets. Digital Forensics Magazine
• [New] White House displeasure over the prospect of an under-16 social media ban will not deter the UK from cracking down on tech platforms. The Guardian

Last updated: 29 June 2026