With TV industry events increasingly leaning into the creator economy, next week’s Digital Content Forum will see new and established players take stock as the entertainment business faces a reset.
The London event is in its fourth edition and has established itself as a space for digital-first creators and studios. As MIPCOM attendees witnessed earlier this month, the traditional media giants are also pushing hard into the creator economy as legacy business models start to look stretched and YouTube viewing becomes the norm.
“They’re really leaning into this test-and-learn sensibility we see in the digital-first market, and starting to understand what acting like a creator means for an established media business,” says DCF founder Justin Crosby. “Fox Entertainment was really good example of that when they invested in Holywater. You’ve seen ITV Studios with Zoom 55, which they’ve launched a year ago, and Hearst, with the launch of [YouTube-focused division] Hearst Canvas.”
The news and docs space is also undergoing rapid change, with newly appointed SWNS Media CEO, and Barcroft Media founder, Sam Barcroft running a session on the future of news at the DCF.
“News is a new area we’ll be highlighting this time with Sky, ITN and The Sun and you’ve got legacy companies building digital-first studios,” Crosby said. “They are starting to play in the world of documentary as well, and to test different video formats for news, which is really important for the whole aspect of truth and authentic reporting and storytelling.”
Steven Bartlett’s creator business secured an eight-figure investment this week and the ‘Diary Of A CEO’ podcaster said he wants “to build the Disney of the creator economy”. Georgie Holt from his Flight Story business will be speaking at DCF. The Sidemen’s business has also staffed up and received an injection of capital in recent weeks and Victor Bengtsson, Managing Director of the Sidemen’s entertainment operations will also be in town. A session homing in on the rise of the creator collective will have speakers from YouTube, The Fellas Studio, recently acquired by Global, and Upload, the management agency for Beta Squad.
Elsewhere, former BBC Studios exec Matt Ford will be speaking publicly for the first time since joining Sony Pictures earlier this year where he was handed a remit to “engage with UK content creators, create digital originals and build creator partnerships.”
Digital formats will be in focus with The Wit giving a global view of what’s working and where, and Deadline will host a session on the world of micro-dramas analyzing whether the hype around vertical drama matches the reality.
“The event is really a meeting point between the established TV industry and the digital-first space,” Crosby said. “And there are lots of opportunities for traditional TV companies to look at digital formats and creators. And that’s the point and that’s really our overall theme.”
