PwC’s Global Entertainment & Media Outlook 2026–2030 projects that global entertainment and media (E&M) revenues could reach about US$4.2 trillion by 2030, with an average annual growth rate (CAGR) of roughly 3.4%. The expansion is expected to be driven by the further development of digital ecosystems, AI-powered advertising, and rising consumer demand for live and immersive experiences.
Advertising as the main growth engine
According to the report, advertising will remain the most dynamic of the 12 E&M segments examined. Advertising may grow at a 5.6% CAGR and is forecast to outpace consumer spending growth (about 2.5% CAGR) as soon as 2026. Advertising revenues exceeded US$1 trillion in 2025 and are expected to reach US$1.4 trillion by 2030.
A major driver is AI-enabled real-time hyper-personalization, which allows more precise targeting, higher ad values and greater campaign effectiveness. Retail media and connected TV (CTV) are among the fastest-growing digital ad formats, and the global internet advertising market grew by 12.2% in 2025.
Madar Norbert, PwC Hungary’s retail and media specialist, notes that for the Hungarian market the key question by 2026 will not be whether digital ad spend grows but who can capture it. He emphasizes that Hungarian premium media can compete only by focusing on data and quality content.
Connectivity and traditional revenue sources
Connectivity services (internet access and data) continue to generate the largest single revenues in many markets but are expected to grow more moderately, from US$1.3 trillion in 2025 to US$1.5 trillion in 2030 — a 2.3% CAGR.
Traditional TV is under pressure: television revenues fell by 2.7% to US$360.5 billion in 2025.
Streaming and OTT: advertising gains importance
OTT video service revenues are forecast to grow at about 6.1% annually, although subscriber saturation in mature markets may slow expansion. This could accelerate consolidation, bundled offerings and partnership models. Streaming platforms are increasingly introducing ad-supported tiers: currently 19.4% of OTT revenue comes from advertising, a share expected to rise to 22.6% by 2030.
The rise of live and experiential consumption
Demand for shared, real-world experiences — cinema, live music, out-of-home advertising (OOH) and trade shows — is strengthening. These segments together already represent about a US$294 billion market and are forecast to grow at roughly 5.2% per year through 2030.
Global music, radio and podcast revenues could rise from US$125.5 billion in 2025 to US$145.1 billion in 2030. Streaming remains the largest revenue source at US$56.6 billion, while live music could exceed US$41.5 billion. Exhibitor spend at trade shows is expected to increase from US$38 billion in 2025 to about US$44.6 billion by 2030.
Kerekes Antal, partner at PwC Hungary, says that major festivals, international concerts and marquee sports events are becoming more valuable media properties. In Hungary the post-2026 growth is likely to be driven more by price and concentration than volume: higher ticket prices are sustaining revenue growth even as attendance stabilizes or declines.
Cinema revenues and ticketing
Post-pandemic recovery is expected to continue: global box office receipts could reach US$39.5 billion by 2030 at a 3.5% CAGR. Regional differences are notable: Asia-Pacific leads with a projected 4.3% annual growth rate, while EMEA and North America expand more slowly. Revenue gains are mainly driven by higher ticket prices, whereas global ticket sales volume is projected to grow only about 1% per year.
In Hungary, too, box office revenue growth is driven primarily by price increases while attendance is flat or slightly declining.
Online betting emerges as a major segment
Regulated online sports betting and gaming are among the fastest-growing E&M segments and have already overtaken the cinema market in size. In the ten countries analysed, gross gaming revenue (GGR) from regulated online gambling more than doubled between 2021 and 2025; GGR is projected to reach US$119.7 billion by 2030.
PwC experts observe that after 2023 Hungary’s online betting market has not only become more liberalized but has also evolved into a real-time monetization platform around sports content: mobile apps, live streams, odds, push notifications and in-play betting combine into a continuous digital experience.
Madar Norbert adds that winners will be those who treat online betting and digital media as an integrated ecosystem rather than separate markets.
Methodology and scope
The PwC Global Entertainment & Media Outlook 2026–2030 covers 53 countries and 12 E&M segments, including traditional television, OTT video, mixed reality, connectivity and data, newspapers and books, OOH advertising, B2B markets, video games and esports, cinema, music/radio/podcasts, internet advertising and — as a new category — online betting. The forecasts draw on multiple external data sources.
Overall, the report indicates that technological advances, particularly in artificial intelligence, together with shifting consumer preferences toward experiences and data-driven advertising will shape the next growth cycle in the E&M industry.
