Asian Video Content Spend Will Reach $15.1 Billion in 2026
Media operators should expect budget shifts from traditional television toward streaming and local film content.
Updated on Sept. 24, 2026 in Media
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Total video content spending across seven Asian markets will reach $15.1 billion in 2026, marking continued growth from the $14.8 billion spent in 2025. This forecast highlights a broader regional trend where capital is increasingly reallocated from traditional television budgets toward streaming and local film projects.
Why it matters
Media firms are struggling to convert high creative output into sustainable financial returns as viewership habits shift toward online platforms. Companies must balance the high demand for premium on-demand content against the structural decline of traditional broadcast revenue.
Total video investment reached $14.8 billion in 2025, with television accounting for 60%, online video for 30%, and film for 10%. Korea and India dominated the landscape, representing 80% of all regional investment.
The players
Reliance
A massive Indian conglomerate with significant interests in telecommunications, retail, and media through its entertainment subsidiaries.
Disney
A global mass media and entertainment company that manages major content production studios and streaming platforms.
Vidio
An Indonesian streaming platform that operates as a leading provider of digital video content and local media.
The details
Operators are trimming production costs and sharpening their focus on proprietary, high-value content to defend market share. In markets like India, online video has already overtaken television, capturing 46% of content investment compared to 42% for traditional broadcasts. This transition is forcing a pivot toward streaming profitability, evidenced by platforms like Vidio achieving EBITDA-positive status in late 2025.
Timeline
2024: Reliance's Viacom18 and Disney's Star India finalized their merger.
2025: Total video content spending reached $14.8 billion.
Q4 2025: Vidio achieved EBITDA-positive status.
2026: Total spending is projected to reach $15.1 billion.
2031: Total spending is projected to reach $15.4 billion.
Market Landscape
The regional pivot reflects a shift toward consolidation, mirroring the strategy behind the 2024 merger of Reliance's Viacom18 and Disney's Star India. These structural moves are necessary as firms react to declining television advertising revenue and the high costs of digital customer acquisition.
Operators should monitor local content investment ratios as a primary indicator of market health in Asia. Expect further cost-trimming as firms transition from aggressive user acquisition to prioritizing sustainable EBITDA.
The takeaway
The move toward streaming dominance over traditional broadcast is accelerating, forcing a change in how content budgets are managed. Operators should track the conversion rate of subscribers to revenue as a key metric for determining future investment viability in these markets.
Further reading
For additional context on industry trends, see our Media section.
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