Asia Video Content Spend to Reach $15B by 2026

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Entertainment Desk

In Short: Media Partners Asia suggests that firms that build value will be those that spend capital wisely, reduce costs, and protect unique content that sets them apart.

According to Media Partners Asia’s 'Asia Video Content Dynamics 2026' report, spending on video content in seven major Asian markets is forecast to reach $15.1 billion by 2026, driven by growth in streaming and local film production.

Myat Pan Phyu, an analyst at Media Partners Asia, noted that despite tighter commissioning in Southeast Asia, demand for premium VOD content remains strong in India, Korea, and Southeast Asia. Streaming now leads content investment in India, and local films are performing well at the box office across the region.

Stephen Laslocky, vice president at Media Partners Asia, emphasized that while Asia’s video industries are not lacking in audiences or creative talent, they struggle to convert these assets into sustainable returns. He highlighted the importance of restructuring, adopting new technologies like AI, and strategic collaboration to outperform competitors.

The report reveals that streaming and local film account for nearly all new spending, with television budgets shrinking. Television still commands about 60% of the total spend, while online video and film each take 30% and 10%, respectively.

In 2025, online video claimed 46% of the country’s content investment, surpassing TV at 42% for the first time. Media businesses in the region have large audiences and creative talent, but this reach is not consistently translating into healthy profits.

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Popular on Variety “The viewership data shows demand is intact. Premium VOD engagement continues to grow across India, Korea and Southeast Asia, streaming now leads content investment in India, and local stories are winning at the box office from Hanoi to Jakarta and Mumbai. This is a story of reallocation rather than retreat as capital moves toward streaming and local film, where both audiences and returns are growing,” said Myat Pan Phyu, an analyst at MPA.
“Asia’s video industries are not short of audiences or creative capability. They are short of structures that convert both into sustainable returns. As the margin for error narrows, management quality will become decisive. Companies that rationalize legacy costs through restructuring and the adoption of new technologies such as AI, collaborate where independent investment no longer makes sense and protect the content that gives viewers a reason to stay will increasingly outperform, and the valuation gap between winners and losers will widen,” said Stephen Laslocky, vice president at MPA.
In MPA’s view, the firms that build value will be the ones that spend capital wisely, trim costs and defend the content that genuinely sets them apart.

Sources

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