Media Technology

The professional AV and broadcast industries are in the throes of transformation. Market forces are shifting, traditional revenue streams are under pressure, and the demand for cutting-edge production technology has never been higher.

AI is not the future. It’s the here and now. In the latest episode of Future Sessions, Carl Hibbert, Research Director at Futuresource Consulting, sits down with Simon Forrest, Principal Technology Consultant, to unpack the breakthroughs and expose the roadblocks shaping AI’s trajectory across entertainment and consumer electronics industries in 2025.

Student device ownership is shifting, and the latest Student Journey report from Futuresource Consulting pinpoints the critical trends shaping how university students choose, use and invest in their education technology. 

In a special Future Sessions episode, launching 1st April 2025, Futuresource Consulting’s Helen Matthews, Senior Market Analyst, and Joyce Wang, Lead Analyst, will preview the key themes that are likely to define this year’s NAB Show.

With more than 35,000 delegates from across the global education community in attendance, Bett 2025 was a vibrant hub of ideas and inspiration. As Bett UK’s research partner, we were out in force, with the Futuresource EdTech team contributing to the show’s momentum, exploring the exhibits and reporting from the bustling show floor. 

The professional video camera market achieved global revenues of $2.1 billion in 2024. While that’s an 8% year-on-year decline, a new industry bulletin from Futuresource Consulting identifies some key strategic opportunities that are beginning to emerge in 2025.

As research partners of Bett UK 2025, Futuresource Consulting has captured all the action in a comprehensive 130-page show report. This detailed, expert-driven analysis is free to download and packed with invaluable analysis for any business operating in education.

As one of the world's most comprehensive AI regulations, the European Union's Artificial Intelligence Act (the EU AI Act) officially came into force in August 2024, regulating activities across the full AI lifecycle to ensure fair and ethical usage, safeguard fundamental rights and create a transparent AI ecosystem.

The professional mixer console market is heading for rapid expansion, driven by technological advancements and the resurgence of live events. According to a new report from Futuresource Consulting, the technology companies that innovate and adapt will be at the forefront of growth. 

Despite recent slowdowns after the pandemic-induced boom, content creator populations are stabilising and growing in 2024, according to Futuresource Consulting’s new Content Creator Survey and Sizing report. This has been prompted by new users continuing to be inspired and driven to join the space, particularly as the accessibility of content creation tools and platforms only increases.

Futuresource Consulting is excited to share its latest show report from Amsterdam’s International Broadcasting Convention, IBC 2024, which saw a remarkable attendance of 45,085, marking a 4.69% increase from 2023. The IBC 2024 Show Report provides a detailed look at the trends and innovations shaping the future of broadcasting. 

The global professional PTZ camera market endured a third consecutive year of volume and value contraction in 2023, according to a new industry report from Futuresource Consulting. However, the specialist research firm also predicts a positive outlook, with a return to growth as the market moves forward.

The system and box camera markets faced economic turmoil in FY2023, with broadcasters across North America, Europe and APAC facing pressure from high levels of inflation. This turbulence resulted in the widespread postponement of investment in high-cost broadcast equipment such as system cameras. Alongside this challenge, pro PTZs have also cannibalised demand, placing an additional burden on the professional video space.

While cloud products and services are available to a wide range of industries, the broadcast media and entertainment (M&E) industry has proven to be a challenging vertical to address. However, there are advantages for both vendors and end users who are willing to undertake the technical complexity of migrating file-based and live production workflows into the cloud.

The European pro camcorder market continues to face direct competition from convergent devices such as mirrorless and DSLR cameras used in pro video. And as videographers are now increasingly working across multiple video applications, rather than in dedicated fragmented realms, the fight for market share has intensified. However, according to a new industry report from Futuresource Consulting, the dynamic between the convergent products themselves is now changing.

Virtual production using LED volume’s has gained a firm foothold in feature films and high-end episodic series. According to Futuresource Consulting's new publication on Virtual Production & XR, there was a global installed base of 200 LED in-camera visual effects (ICVFX) volume at the end of 2023. And despite receiving a large amount of exaggerated hype, the technology should not be dismissed as a fad or gimmick.

After enjoying unprecedented growth during the pandemic, the global professional pan-tilt-zoom (PTZ) camera market has become increasingly competitive. Futuresource Consulting’s new report shows the global pro PTZ market declined in value YoY in FY2022 for the first time since the pandemic, as the urgency to equip spaces with video technologies subsided.

After a spell of limited innovation during the pandemic, professional pan-tilt-zoom (PTZ) cameras are entering a new technological era. Futuresource Consulting’s brand-new report reveals that AI and automation are the powerhouses behind many of the new-generation products entering the market, with auto-tracking, facial recognition, and automated camera switching being some key product features.