Five years since Covid-19 first arrived, TVBEurope hears from leading figures from across the media and entertainment industry to find out what has changed in the intervening period
By Matthew Corrigan
Published: March 24, 2025 Updated: March 25, 2025
Five years since Covid-19 first arrived, TVBEurope hears from leading figures from across the media and entertainment industry to find out what has changed in the intervening period
target=_blank title=Share on LinkedIn class=share-linkedin>
Five years ago this week, everything stopped. Countries across the globe quickly enacted plans to effectively close their doors in an attempt to defend against an advancing threat Covid-19. For weeks, the news had carried stories of a new and unknown virus tracking around the world. There was a real Eve of the War feeling abroad. We all knew it was coming, but nobody could possibly grasp the extent of the carnage it would bring.
March 23rd 2020 was unseasonably warm in the UK. That evening, as the Prime Minister began to address the nation, there was a palpable air of disbelief among the populace. Moments later, reality dawned. The first stay-at-home order was announced and the country was in lockdown.
What followed brought many changes: we all adapted to new ways of working, socialising, and living. The media and entertainment business was thrown into turmoil. Thankfully, the pandemic is now receding into the memory. But as we reach the fifth anniversary of our first Covid lockdown, TVBEurope has asked leading figures from throughout the industry to share their thoughts, answering a single question in their own words.
How has the media and entertainment industry changed since the Covid-19 crisis?
Michael Lantz, CEO, Accedo Today I think most industry insiders will reflect on the macro-economic challenges over the past few years which have impacted the industry a lot. Instead, I would like to reflect on how the average consumer has changed. Prior to Covid, streaming premium video was still largely an early adopter market. Now, just a few years later, streaming has penetrated almost all consumer segments and countries. Had it not been for Covid and consumers, desperate for entertainment, quickly embracing new technologies and user experiences the development would likely have been three to four years slower. We've seen record growth of mass market adoption of any technology, with Covid playing a significant role.
Andr Rosado, head of product, AgileTV The crisis reshaped the media and entertainment industry, accelerating shifts that were already in motion, while introducing new consumption patterns and business models, especially on the Ad-supported paradigm. As audiences turned to digital platforms in record numbers, companies had to rethink how content was produced, distributed and monetised. The result? A transformed landscape where flexibility, efficiency and diversification became the keys to success.
With lockdowns keeping people at home, streaming services saw explosive growth, solidifying on-demand consumption as the new norm. Binge-watching soared and the so-called streaming wars intensified as platforms fought for audience attention. Yet, live sports remained a major draw, with tech giants like Amazon and Apple investing heavily in sports rights to secure their place in the competitive streaming market.
Cost pressures pushed telco and media companies to optimise operations. Cloud-based workflows and automation became essential for content production and delivery, generating cost savings and enabling faster deployments, changes that are now permanent fixtures in the industry. Broadcasters and OTT providers embraced these tools to streamline everything from video editing to distribution, ensuring scalability and resilience in an increasingly competitive landscape.
ITV's Emmerdale enacted social distancing protocols As subscription fatigue set in, streaming platforms leaned into ad-supported tiers. Services like Netflix and Disney+ introduced lower-cost, ad-based options to attract price-sensitive audiences while diversifying revenue streams. This shift reflects a broader industry trend: finding new ways to monetise content without alienating consumers.
The proliferation of OTT platforms led to content fragmentation, pushing consumers to juggle multiple subscriptions and UI experiences. Now, the industry is shifting towards re-bundling, where partnerships and content aggregation efforts on the telcos and ISPs services mimic traditional cable, offering convenience without sacrificing choice. Telcos are experimenting with bundled packages that combine streaming services, mobile plans and even consumer utilities services
Social media platforms like TikTok thrived during the pandemic, driving a surge in short-form video consumption. Traditional media players adapted, producing snackable content to engage audiences in this fast-paced digital landscape. Even legacy broadcasters are now leveraging vertical video and AI-driven recommendations to stay relevant.
The pandemic didn't just disrupt the media. It accelerated its evolution. Streaming dominance, ad-supported models, cloud-driven efficiency and shifting content formats are shaping a future where adaptability is key.
Ben Grafchik, vice president of business development at BitFire The Covid-19 crisis forced instant change for broadcasters. Suddenly, the standard playbook - pack a truck full of gear, roll into a venue, and throw 30 people at the problem - wasn't an option. The industry had to adapt fast, and that meant embracing remote production in ways that had always been talked about but rarely implemented at scale.
At BitFire, we understood that this shift was more than a temporary workaround; it was the next step in the evolution of live production. Our IP-based transmission network helped broad
Europe Stories
05/01/2027
Worlds first 802.15.4ab-UWB chip verified by Calterah and Rohde & Schwarz to be ...
04/08/2026
Dalet, a leading technology and service provider for media-rich organizations, t...
04/07/2026
April 7 2026, 19:00 (PDT) Detective Conan: Fallen Angel of the Highway Opens in...
01/06/2026
January 6 2026, 05:30 (PST) Dolby Sets the New Standard for Premium Entertainment at CES 2026
Throughout the week, Dolby brings to life the latest innovatio...
18/05/2026
Last night, the Spotify Podcast Awards in Mexico returned to the country's capital. Now in its second year, the evening honors creators whose voices are hel...
18/05/2026
ZEN-Core synth goes mobile
Roland's powerful ZEN-Core software synthesizer has just been introduced to the iPad, offering a convenient entry point into ...
18/05/2026
Versatile new limiter plug-in announced
Based in Sheffield, UK, fedDSP offer a range of plug-ins that span the music production, live sound and high-end med...
18/05/2026
A new use for convolution?
Viiri Audio's debut plug-in aims to do something a little different with convolution processing, allowing users to adjust all...
18/05/2026
18 May 2026
Dubai and New York, May 18, 2026 - VEON Ltd. (NASDAQ: VEON), a glob...
18/05/2026
Monday 18 May 2026
Sky News offers ad-free podcasts and bonus episodes for just...
18/05/2026
Comscore March 2026 Consumer AI Chatbot Usage Rankings Show Claude Gaining Share OpenAI's ChatGPT maintains lead while Anthropic's Claude continues to c...
16/05/2026
Helps to deliver a clean, balanced midrange
Developed alongside Newfangled Audio, the latest plug-in in Eventide's software collection has been designed...
16/05/2026
Brings onboard stem rendering to RANE System One
Engine DJ have just released Engine DJ 5.0, a free update for their Engine DJ OS embedded hardware and Engi...
15/05/2026
Last night, the Spotify Podcast Awards in Mexico returned to the country's capital. Now in its second year, the evening honors creators whose voices are hel...
15/05/2026
Rebranded show announced
Ahead of their 2026 return, Music Expo have announced that they have now officially changed their name to the MONO Music Conference...
15/05/2026
Fuzz pedal joins UK companys line-up
UK-based pedal makers Buzzing Bugs Audio Devices have recently unveiled their latest creation, the Bolster. Said to pay...
15/05/2026
Join Calrec at MPTS 2026 | May 13-14 | Stand A40 | Olympia, London We're looking forward to meeting up with customers and partners at this year's Media ...
15/05/2026
The six-part series is a co-commission with BritBox and Sony Pictures Television...
15/05/2026
Against that backdrop, IAB UK has added retail media to its Gold Standard. Jan Pitt, Commercial Director at ABC, spoke with Liv McCullagh, Retail Media Lead at ...
15/05/2026
Further to RT 's statement released yesterday and in the interest of full transparency, with the full permission of Derek Mooney, we are now publishing the ...
14/05/2026
At Spotify, we're focused on making every listening experience feel intentio...
14/05/2026
Spotify recently welcomed songwriters, artists, executives, and music students t...
14/05/2026
New articulations, ostinatos, Motion Scoring Articulation Sets & more
Sonuscore's flagship cinematic string library has just been treated to a significa...
14/05/2026
World-class studio opens on T rkiye's Aegean coast
P r Recording & Residence have announced their official opening, introducing a new world-class reside...
14/05/2026
Now supports channel layouts up to 9.1.6
Nugen Audio have just released an update for their AI-powered dialogue intelligibility and compliance tool. Set to ...
14/05/2026
New recordings & one-key chord tool
UVI have just announced the release of Orchestral Suite 2, a ground-up redesign of their all-in-one symphonic orchestra ...
14/05/2026
Two new arrivals & expanded factory content
Rob Papen's all-encompassing plug-in and virtual instrument collection has just been treated to another upda...
14/05/2026
Embed QR codes into DAW sessions
FSK Audio's latest plug-in doesn't process audio, but serves as an organisational tool that allows QR codes to be e...
14/05/2026
Rohde & Schwarz transforms spectrum complexity into situational awareness and ef...
14/05/2026
Rohde & Schwarz and Quantum Systems join forces to redefine EW and C-UAS-enabled...
14/05/2026
Rohde & Schwarz showcases STANAG aligned ARDRONIS Counter UAS capability at NATO...
14/05/2026
Code of Silence has won the BAFTA for Best Drama Series at Sunday night's ceremony at the Royal Festival Hall.
The series, starring Rose Ayling-Ellis and w...
14/05/2026
Vivid Broadcast was embracing remote production long before it became the industry norm. Now, with Calrec's True Control 2.0-enabled Argo M and Type R conso...
14/05/2026
Comscore Reports First Quarter 2026 ResultsRESTON, Va., May 14, 2026 Comscore, Inc. (Nasdaq: SCOR), a trusted partner for planning, transacting and evaluating...
14/05/2026
RT is today publishing the earnings of its top 10 highest-earning presenters for 2025, ahead of the publication of RT 's Annual Report 2025 later this year...
14/05/2026
What can I watch on UKTV and stream on U this week?
This week on UKTV and the free streaming service U, viewers can watch a range of new and returning programm...
14/05/2026
The high-stakes chase thriller from Oscar- and BAFTA-nominated writer Matt Charm...
14/05/2026
Back From The Brink airs Sunday 17 May and Sunday 24 May at 6.30pm on RT One an...
13/05/2026
13 May 2026
VEON Delivers Strong Start to 2026 1Q26: Revenue 17.0%, EBITDA 17...
13/05/2026
Thousands of props donated from Skys longest-running original seriesWednesday 13 May 2026
How a neon windmill from A League of Their Own ended up in a dogs'...
13/05/2026
SAN JOSE, Calif. - May 13, 2026 - Harmonic (NASDAQ: HLIT) today announced that I...
13/05/2026
A definitive portrait of one of Ireland's most influential musicians
New TV documentary airs Monday 18 May on RT One and RT Player at 9.35pm
Watch the...
12/05/2026
Spotify is where fans and artists come together, turning discovery into somethin...
12/05/2026
Features patented Marco-MMC clocking technology
Black Lion Audio's latest release combines the company's expertise in clocking with their renowned p...
12/05/2026
New Track Panel, sequencer upgrades & more
Following their recent public beta release, Reason Studios have announced the full release of Reason 14. With the...
12/05/2026
Rohde & Schwarz presents its advanced solutions for power electronics testing at...
12/05/2026
aconnic AG (ISIN: DE000A0LBKW6), Munich, has developed a modified fund raising p...
12/05/2026
FOX Announces Schedule for 2026-27 Season FOX'S POWERFUL NEW SERIES PIPELINE FUELS A BREAKOUT SEASON WITH RETURNING HITS AND BOLD NEW STORYTELLING ACROSS ...
12/05/2026
Customer demand for data continues to grow in the first quarter of 2026 at Magya...
Five years since Covid-19 first arrived, TVBEurope hears from leading figures from across the media and entertainment industry to find out what has changed in the intervening period
