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
11/12/2025
Dalet, a leading provider of cloud-native, end-to-end media workflow solutions, ...
01/12/2025
L3Harris and PentenAmio formalise their teaming agreement at MilCIS 2025, streng...
01/12/2025
Artemis II is NASA's first crewed flight test of the Space Launch System rocket and Orion spacecraft. The crew, from left: Commander Reid Wiseman, Pilot Vic...
01/12/2025
IRVINE, Calif. Wooden Camera has introduced its new Accessory Collection for the Canon EOS C50. The new lineup includes a low-profile, gimbal-ready cage, expand...
01/12/2025
WASHINGTON The Federal Communications Commission has released a tentative agenda for its Dec. 18 Open Commission Meeting that will include a vote on a report an...
01/12/2025
In most years, a graph of annual local TV ad spending is about as predictable as an electrocardiogram of a reasonably healthy patient in a doctor's office. ...
01/12/2025
Many industries have seen big-ticket hardware turn into software. Switchers, though, demand a combination of real-time performance and sheer bandwidth that has ...
01/12/2025
GENEVA Shanghai will host the next quadrennial Radiocommunication Assembly (RA-27) and World Radiocommunication Conference (WRC-27), Oct. 11-Nov. 12, 2027. This...
01/12/2025
NEW YORK Just in time for Giving Tuesday tomorrow (Dec. 2), the Broadcasters Foundation of America is seeking out donations to help television and radio industr...
01/12/2025
STOCKHOLM, Sweden Net Insight CEO Crister Fritzson has informed the company's board that he will retire from the video transport and media cloud technology ...
01/12/2025
01 Dec 2025
Kyivstar and Ukrainian Ministry of Digital Transformation Select Go...
01/12/2025
The prequel to the global hit Sky Original mob crime saga, Gomorrah' is a s...
01/12/2025
Featuring Florence Welch, Red Hot Chilli Peppers' Flea, designer Bella Freud...
01/12/2025
Back to All News
A Down to Earth, All Too Relatable Hero: Cashero' Teaser ...
01/12/2025
In the rush to deliver content to every screen, many broadcasters overlook one of the most crucial steps in the workflow: format and frame rate conversion. Get ...
01/12/2025
Fox Corporation Chief Financial Officer Steve Tomsic to Participate in Upcoming ...
01/12/2025
Arvato Systems' Virtual Private Cloud (VPC) Receives BSI C5 Certification (T...
01/12/2025
Summary This short video gives you an summary of the changes in under two minutes.
--...
01/12/2025
As the festive season approaches, RT Supporting the Arts is proud to showcase a...
01/12/2025
Researchers worldwide rely on open-source technologies as the foundation of their work. To equip the community with the latest advancements in digital and physi...
01/12/2025
Festive specials of Christmas in Kilmainham presented by Marty Whelan, High Road Low Road, Callan Kicks the Year and Keys to My Life
Ring in the New Year with ...
01/12/2025
Architect and television presenter Hugh Wallace, best known to RT audiences as a long-serving judge on Home of the Year, has died at the age of 68.
In a state...
28/11/2025
Nadia Fall attends the 2025 Sundance Film Festival premiere of Brides at the Egyptian Theatre on January 24, 2025, in Park City, Utah. (Photo by Donyale West/...
28/11/2025
It's easy to ignore those little red update available badges. But when it ...
28/11/2025
WASHINGTON Federal Communications Commission has released a tentative agenda for the December Open Commission Meeting scheduled for Thursday, December 18, 2025 ...
28/11/2025
The Professional Fighters League is looking to super-serve fans of mixed martial...
28/11/2025
Fubo has released in beta on select Roku devices a new feature that lets users display up to four simultaneous streams at once....
28/11/2025
The WNBA playoffs and Week 4 of the NFL regular season highlight the list of live sports events airing on television this weekend....
28/11/2025
The 32nd class of honorees to the B+C Hall of Fame took to the stage at New York's Ziegfeld Ballroom on September 26 for a gala induction event. Click below...
28/11/2025
We hold in our hands the very last Next Text for Next TV, the weekly back-and-fo...
28/11/2025
DirecTV said it made a deal with EchoStar to buy EchoStar's video businesses, including satellite-TV provider Dish TV and virtual MVPD Sling TV, for $1 plus...
28/11/2025
The Broadcasting+Cable Hall of Fame, the premier industry event paying tribute to the influencers, innovators and shining lights of broadcast, cable and streami...
28/11/2025
Friday 28 November 2025
Sky Sports x Slawn drop limited-edition football jersey...
28/11/2025
Rohde & Schwarz shows resilience in a challenging environment, revenue exceeds t...
28/11/2025
Unwrapped: The Toy Show Appeal - airing this Sunday on RT One and RT Player- s...
27/11/2025
LONDON Vizrt has added several AI-driven advanced features offering improved speed, intelligence and accuracy in the newest version of its media asset managemen...
27/11/2025
Prime Video has launched AI-powered video season recaps in a beta version for select English-language Prime Original series in the U.S., a move Amazon is callin...
27/11/2025
Back to All News
Netflix's Raat Akeli Hai: The Bansal Murders Marks a Grand...
27/11/2025
27 Nov 2025
GSMA brings M360 Eurasia 2026 to Samarkand in partnership with VEON...
27/11/2025
Tahar Rahim and Izuka Hoyle star in the gripping six-part Sky Original from Acad...
27/11/2025
Thursday 27 November 2025
Sky Arts Reveals the Nation's Greatest Basslines - and Queen Reign Supreme
The UK's most iconic basslines have been revealed...
27/11/2025
Back to All News
Stranger Things 5': Prepare for One Last Adventure With O...
27/11/2025
The media industry has a paradox at its core. It's an industry built on light, color and imagination, yet behind the scenes, it's powered by one of the ...
27/11/2025
Rating reflects rating progress across areas including policies, diversity & inclusion, health & safety and Net Zero leadership
Winchester, UK, 27 November 202...
27/11/2025
What are the industry standards for Retail Media? Kathryn explains that certification is based on the IAB Europe Retail Media Measurement Standards and the IAB ...
27/11/2025
World champion boxer and Irish sporting icon Katie Taylor will be in studio this...
27/11/2025
Roblox, one of the world's most popular online gaming platforms for primary ...
27/11/2025
Black Friday is leveling up. Get ready to score one of the biggest deals of the season - 50% off the first three months of a new GeForce NOW Ultimate membership...
26/11/2025
SVG Sit-Down: Prime Video EP Mike Muriano Previews Massive Black Friday Slate Fe...
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
