New forecasts from Ampere Analysis predict that global content spend will increase by just 0.4% year-on-year to reach $248bn in 2025. This follows a 2% growth in content investment in 2024, in line with Ampere’s expectations, that was driven by increased ad spend on the US Presidential Election, the Summer Olympics, and the resolution of the 2023 Hollywood strikes. 

In 2025, spending by VoD services is set to increase by 6% to $95bn, making these companies the leading contributors to the global content landscape, surpassing commercial broadcasters for the first time. Streamers’ successful subscriber growth in 2024, thanks to password-sharing restrictions and newly-acquired rights to key sporting events, has positioned them to invest heavily in content this year. Overall, ad-funded and subscription-based services will account for 39% of total global spend in 2025.

In comparison, US commercial broadcasters are pulling back spending after a year of increased investment fuelled by the Presidential Election and the Summer Olympics. But beyond these one-off events, the decline in content spend reflects a broader trend seen over the past five years, as broadcasters face ongoing advertising revenue challenges linked to linear viewing declines. Outside the US, commercial broadcasters continue to demonstrate greater resilience, maintaining their content investment throughout 2025.  But overall, a subdued advertising market will see commercial broadcasters’ overall share of global spend fall to 37%, down from 39% in 2024. 

The continued growth of VoD spend, combined with the more cautious outlook of linear broadcasters, highlights the shifting role of traditional television as viewer demand increasingly turns to digital platforms and streaming.