Media outlook 2020: 10 key trends to watch
Access this insight with a Premium plan. Contact our sales team to get started.
In this report we identify the top 10 trends in media to watch out for in 2020. This includes trends across OTT streaming, linear TV, emerging 5G use cases, AI, VR and gaming.
In the US, the streaming war is set to intensify among media incumbents. Personalisation of the user experience will be a key differentiator for players in this space. At the same time, inflated licensing spend will become the norm in 2020.
Pay TV will suffer from accelerating cord-cutting in the US. In most markets, IPTV will increase its share of pay TV and this will cast a shadow on the set-top box. Hybrid TV will finally reach the US, with targeted advertising being the main benefit.
AI and 5G will also make their impact felt in the media sector. AI will see pervasive use across the media workflow from creation and capture to playback, while 5G enabled remote and enhanced production will be used more in outdoor venues. However, VR will continue to be on hold, but recent developments by Facebook could help change this.
Meanwhile, gaming will move to the cloud but consoles will remain relevant. 5G will also benefit cloud gaming through latency mitigation.
Report details
Media outlook 2020: 10 key trends to watch
Report details
Media outlook 2020: 10 key trends to watch
Related research
Industry Checkpoint: consumer digital services, Q3 2026
This edition of the Industry Checkpoint series focuses on consumer digital services, highlighting how the market has changed in the last six months and its implications. The report considers three major developments: AI deployments shifting increasingly from talk to action across digital services, powered by the rise of AI agents; the intensifying efforts by digital gaming providers to improve monetisation and expand access, strengthening the rise of cloud gaming; and falling barriers to content creation in extended reality, helping accelerate content development.
Industry Checkpoint: consumer eSIM, Q3 2026
This edition of the Industry Checkpoint series focuses on consumer eSIM, highlighting momentum behind travel eSIM; new players launching eSIM-only MVNO services; operator efforts to expand eSIM use cases beyond smartphones; and operators using eSIM to target inbound travellers, including enriching connectivity with benefits that improve the wider visitor experience.
Telefónica Spain: Advancing digital home strategy through digital gaming
Operator strategies continue to evolve in the digital era as the telecoms industry seeks to capture new growth opportunities in the consumer and enterprise markets. Assessing innovation and achievements is more important than ever before. GSMA Intelligence's operator case studies provide a concise and consistent way to shine a light on and analyse operators' strategies and business models, as well as how they are launching new services. This edition looks at how gaming is part of Telefónica’s Digital Home strategy, combining connectivity with entertainment and other digital services to deepen customer relationships.
Authors
How to access this report
Annual subscription: Subscribe to our research modules for comprehensive access to more than 200 reports per year.
Enquire about subscriptionContact our research team
Get in touch with us to find out more about our research topics and analysis.
Contact our research teamMedia
To cite our research, please see our citation policy in our Terms of Use, or contact our Media team for more information.
Learn more- 200 reports a year
- 50 million data points
- Over 350 metrics
How can we support you?
Get in touch
Contact the GSMA Intelligence support team for help with your account, subscriptions, or access to reports and insights.
Newsletter
Subscribe to the GSMA Intelligence newsletter for the latest industry news and insights, delivered to your inbox.
