Samira Bakhtiar, general manager of media & entertainment, games, and sports at Amazon Web Services (AWS), highlights why diversification is becoming mission critical for media companies
By Contributor
Published: December 11, 2024 Updated: December 12, 2024
Samira Bakhtiar, general manager of media & entertainment, games, and sports at Amazon Web Services (AWS), highlights why diversification is becoming mission critical for media companies
target=_blank title=Share on LinkedIn class=share-linkedin>
Video streaming has upended traditional viewing habits and spawned multi-billion-dollar companies in just a few decades. Audiences have higher expectations for content quality and accessibility than ever before and increased appetites for personalised entertainment experiences across an expanding array of platforms and devices. Coupled with recent advancements like generative artificial intelligence (AI), that demand is prompting companies to broaden intellectual properties (IP) into new verticals and adopt new tools to expand their reach, relevance and revenue. As a result, we're seeing multiple disruptions taking place that are setting the stage for an industry-wide convergence that will unlock new forms of entertainment.
Samira Bakhtiar, general manager of media & entertainment, games, and sports at AWS Shifting viewer trends Across online video, games, music, and features, global consultancy firm Omdia predicted the entertainment industry would surpass $1 trillion in value in 2024, with 35 per cent of that revenue coming from online video and 25 per cent coming from gaming. While those numbers seem staggering, consider that 5.75 billion people have mobile devices, frequently consuming content on-the-go. Additionally, 3.5 billion people play video games each week globally, whether it's immersing themselves in virtual worlds for hours or spending a few minutes decoding a five-letter word.
It's no longer sufficient to be great at just one type of media - versatility is imperative. That means broadcasters are now also streamers, games companies are now broadcasting and streaming companies, and live events companies are now building gamified experiential activations. The lines are blurring as media companies look to capture their target audience's attention and seize monetisation opportunities.
However, this abundance of entertainment options is also contributing to shorter attention spans as viewers navigate different devices, platforms, and channels. Shorter attention spans can lead to fragmented experiences as audiences jump from one piece of content to the next. This makes it difficult for entertainment companies to understand and cater to their respective audiences.
Technology transformation The problem with diversification is that it can introduce technical and logistical challenges. To meet audience demands, M&E technology teams need to be able to quickly spin up a new game studio or game servers; or become a movie streaming business; or stream live election night coverage for the first time. That's no small feat. True reinvention means embracing change, from the tech stacks to the right cloud solutions, so that customers can grow and scale to engage audiences in new ways.
Convergence in play Epic Games, a leading interactive entertainment company and developer of Unreal Engine, is an example of a company driving this convergence. Epic operates Fortnite, one of the most-played video games in the world, and IP convergence is key to Fortnite s experiences, as brands and artists enter the digital world. After a live Snoop Dogg concert was recently streamed in-game to ten million players, the artist is being featured in the game for a limited time, introducing a new generation of fans to his music. The public concert was held in New York City's Times Square backed by fantastical visuals synchronised across the massive iconic digital displays, which also notably screened the live 2004 series finale for popular broadcast series Friends.
Epic's Fortnite cross-over events are mutually beneficial; the game's audience grows as new content or experiences are added and collaborating brands get to highlight their IP to a massive global audience in a new way. Having the right tech stack in place to support these initiatives is essential, which is where the cloud comes into play. It provides the necessary agility to scale, centralises digital assets so that they can be repurposed more efficiently, and provides an easier path to leveraging advanced tools, like AI.
It's clear the entertainment industry is undergoing a seismic shift, in which reinvention creates new opportunity for those willing to embrace it. As it does, the cloud is unlocking new avenues to captivate audiences across video, gaming, music, and film in ways we never imagined. As audiences demand more interactive experiences, traditional companies that diversify and explore new partnerships will reap the benefits.
Most recent headlines
02/01/2026
Share Share by:
Copy link
Facebook
X
Whatsapp
Pinterest
Flipboard...
02/01/2026
Share Share by:
Copy link
Facebook
X
Whatsapp
Pinterest
Flipboard...
02/01/2026
Sequins, chat shows, live sporting action, ground-breaking docuseries and brand-new Irish drama to kick off 2026
New Year, New Content Coming Soon across RT
...
01/01/2026
Latin Grammy Cultural Foundation Announces 2026 Noel Schajris Scholarship The scholarship will cover tuition and housing for one Berklee College of Music stud...
01/01/2026
New year, new games, all with RTX 5080-powered cloud energy. GeForce NOW is kicking off 2026 by looking back at an unforgettable year of wins and wildly high fr...
31/12/2025
Back to All News
NFL Christmas Gameday on Netflix Scores Again With the Lions-V...
30/12/2025
As the College Football Playoff Enters the Quarterfinals, ESPN Blows Out Its Meg...
30/12/2025
SVG's Best of 2025: Original ArticlesTake a look back at all our coverage of big-time productions, game-changing technologies, and state-of-the-art new faci...
30/12/2025
MELBOURNE, Fla., Dec. 30, 2025 - L3Harris Technologies (NYSE: LHX) will release its fourth quarter 2025 financial results before the market opens on Thursday, J...
30/12/2025
Share Share by:
Copy link
Facebook
X
Whatsapp
Pinterest
Flipboard...
30/12/2025
Your live countdown to 2026 with Inhaler, David Gray, Lyra, Garron Noone, Sharon...
30/12/2025
It marked the first civilian operational authorization for a HAPS flight in Europe, led by Space42's subsidiary, Mira Aerospace
The flight demonstrated HAP...
29/12/2025
San Francisco 49ers Strike Gold With Halftime Laser SpectacularStunning display caps $200 million renovation of Levi's Stadium techBy Dan Daley, Audio Edito...
29/12/2025
The Cup's Around the Corner: An Inside Look at Broadcast Preparations for th...
29/12/2025
SVG's Best of 2025: Longform VideoWatch the standout keynote conversations, deep dives, and panel discussions from the year for free on SVG PLAY!By Brandon ...
29/12/2025
From crisper Lossless audio and immersive music videos in beta to new Audiobooks+ plans, custom transitions between tracks, and in-app Messages, we keep levelin...
29/12/2025
Share Share by:
Copy link
Facebook
X
Whatsapp
Pinterest
Flipboard...
27/12/2025
Share Share by:
Copy link
Facebook
X
Whatsapp
Pinterest
Flipboard...
26/12/2025
Share Share by:
Copy link
Facebook
X
Whatsapp
Pinterest
Flipboard...
26/12/2025
Share Share by:
Copy link
Facebook
X
Whatsapp
Pinterest
Flipboard...
25/12/2025
Holiday lights are twinkling, hot cocoa's on the stove and gamers are settling in for a well-earned break.
Whether staying in or heading on a winter getawa...
24/12/2025
What is AI good for? Posted by MTI Film on December 24, 2025
What is AI good for?
What is AI good for?
It's been three years since ChatGPT first cap...
24/12/2025
Share Share by:
Copy link
Facebook
X
Whatsapp
Pinterest
Flipboard...
24/12/2025
Share Share by:
Copy link
Facebook
X
Whatsapp
Pinterest
Flipboard...
24/12/2025
Share Share by:
Copy link
Facebook
X
Whatsapp
Pinterest
Flipboard...
24/12/2025
Share Share by:
Copy link
Facebook
X
Whatsapp
Pinterest
Flipboard...
24/12/2025
Share Share by:
Copy link
Facebook
X
Whatsapp
Pinterest
Flipboard...
24/12/2025
RT has unveiled an exclusive first look at the new Dancing with the Stars promo...
24/12/2025
Back to All News
The Boyfriend' Season 2 Unveils Heartwarming Trailer, Key...
24/12/2025
Back to All News
Love, Fights, and Everything in Between: Badly in Love' Returns for Season 2
Entertainment
24 December 2025
GlobalJapan
Link copied t...
24/12/2025
Scripps Research study links sleep variability with sleep apnea and hypertension How consumers' digital activity trackers could enable personalized health s...
23/12/2025
How guilas Cibae as Dominican Winter League Games Are Locally Produced for Glob...
23/12/2025
BitFire's Jim Akimchuk on Supplying Scalability and Customization in the Clo...
23/12/2025
CAMB.AI Enables European Athletics to Offer Multi-Language SupportPlan is to eventually offer translation into all languages spoken in EuropeBy Ken Kerschbaumer...
23/12/2025
Analysis: As sports media values trend negative, scarcity and quality are king By Callum McCarthy, Editor-at-Large
Monday, December 22, 2025 - 14:08
Print ...
23/12/2025
ESPN, Disney, and NBA Return to the Animated Altcast Fray With Second Edition of...
23/12/2025
End the Year on a High Note and Donate to the Sports Broadcasting Fund Today!By Ken Kerschbaumer, Editorial Director
Tuesday, December 23, 2025 - 12:25 pm
P...
23/12/2025
The year is winding down, the weather outside is frightful, and it's the perfect time to escape into a story that warms the heart. For listeners looking for...
23/12/2025
A Zeus motor is hot fire tested at L3Harris' Camden, Arkansas, solid rocket ...
23/12/2025
Share Share by:
Copy link
Facebook
X
Whatsapp
Pinterest
Flipboard...
23/12/2025
Share Share by:
Copy link
Facebook
X
Whatsapp
Pinterest
Flipboard...
23/12/2025
Lightware will exhibit several major product innovations at ISE 2026, including the new USB-C BOOSTER-V1, Google Meet. integration for various Taurus UCX models...
23/12/2025
Share Share by:
Copy link
Facebook
X
Whatsapp
Pinterest
Flipboard...
23/12/2025
Share Share by:
Copy link
Facebook
X
Whatsapp
Pinterest
Flipboard...
23/12/2025
Share Share by:
Copy link
Facebook
X
Whatsapp
Pinterest
Flipboard...
23/12/2025
Share Share by:
Copy link
Facebook
X
Whatsapp
Pinterest
Flipboard...
23/12/2025
Share Share by:
Copy link
Facebook
X
Whatsapp
Pinterest
Flipboard...
23/12/2025
Taking the Stage at Carnegie Hall-On a Global Scale Boston Conservatory Orchestra students reflect on their epic concert marking the 80th session of the UN Gene...
23/12/2025
Back to All News
Netflix's The Great Flood and Culinary Class Wars 2 Top Gl...
Samira Bakhtiar, general manager of media & entertainment, games, and sports at Amazon Web Services (AWS), highlights why diversification is becoming mission critical for media companies
