Adam Middleton, Head of Digital and Branded Content at Fremantle UK shares his 2026 digital-first predictions.
What’s the single biggest shift you expect to see in digital-first production and publishing in 2026?
Brands will double down in the digital video space. Not just through where their ad spend goes, but in the funding of new IP and ‘brand worlds’ that are built around digital content. This of course isn’t a new phenomenon by any stretch, but we’ll see production companies treated as partners, not just suppliers. Production companies who embrace the digital world will do more than just make content, but add value in the understanding of audiences and how to build a creative strategy around entertainment.
Which platform behaviour or algorithm change do you think will matter most next year, and why?
Creators and publishers will be seeing continued growth in CTV viewership of their YouTube content, which’ll have an effect on the creative development. Lean back viewing (such as the output of the Forebros and their 2 hour long golf majors), creators making their own appointments to watch for their loyal communities (think Sidemen Sundays) and a rise in structured formats over multiple episodes (like Niko’s recent travel adventure), means content on YouTube is starting to look more and more like what many still typically define as TV.
Where will your company’s biggest increase in revenue come from in 2026 – CPMs, brand spend, partnerships, new revenue models or something else?
From a digital-first perspective, we’re looking to open our doors wider to brand partnerships in 2026, accelerating the growth of this strategically vital area. I use the word partnerships deliberately – our ambition is to collaborate with advertisers and creators to develop new IP together and build on the wealth of existing IP we have at Fremantle.
What creative formats or genres do you think will break out next year?
I think we’ll see a new wave of ‘creator’, with TV personalities, athletes and brands becoming the new wave of entertainment providers on digital channels. We’ll see them team up with production companies that know how to build, scale and exploit IP, creating ideas with longevity.
How do you expect the relationship between traditional broadcasters/ distributors and digital-native studios to evolve in 2026?
Bridges, not walls. Traditional broadcasters will, I hope, double down on their digital ecosystems as TV ad spend continues to decline. This is where the relationship with studios focusing on digital-first content is key. I’m not convinced 2026 is the year this evolves massively though – I think there’s a way to go with the broadcasters, but I’m quietly optimistic.
What’s one data point, trend, or move from 2025 that people are underestimating – and what does it signal?
We saw an explosion of collab publishing on YouTube in 2025 and I expect to see more of this next year. It’ll have huge benefits for brands, creators and producers who are going D2C with the launch of new channels in the future.
If you could give one piece of advice to producers or creators preparing for 2026’s digital-first landscape, what would it be?
At Fremantle, I’ll be building on what the company has been doing for years; creating ideas that have room to grow and this is the key to always have in mind. Consider building ideas with longevity that can open up a variety of opportunities. YouTube especially needs to be seen as a platform for content to be built into IP that can last.
Anything else to add?!
I don’t expect huge change in 2026, but steady growth in the right direction. I also believe collaboration will be key, and that’s something I’m very passionate about. As I said earlier; it’s about bridges, not walls.
