PwC: Romania's media and entertainment market to reach EUR 5.22bn driven by streaming

Internet advertising and digital film and music streaming services are expected to be the fastest-growing segments of Romania's media and entertainment industry, which is projected to reach EUR 5.22 billion this year, up about 2% from 2025, according to a consultancy report.The market is expected to maintain annual growth of around 2% over the medium term, reaching EUR 5.66 billion by 2030, according to the latest edition of the PwC Global Telecommunications, Entertainment & Media Outlook 2026-2030."Romania's media and entertainment market is following the same direction as global markets, with increasingly digital consumption, growing online advertising and artificial intelligence reshaping content creation, distribution and monetisation. Advertising remains a key revenue driver, supported by hyper-personalisation, while digital consumption is fuelled by the expansion of 5G and fibre-optic networks. In an increasingly competitive environment, companies that rethink their offerings through affordable packages for price-conscious consumers and premium personalised experiences will gain an advantage," Doina Birsan, Partner and Technology, Media and Telecommunications Leader at PwC Romania, said in a press release.The report analysed ten segments of Romania's media and entertainment industry, identifying music, radio and podcasts, over-the-top (OTT) streaming services such as Netflix and Disney+, and internet advertising as the fastest-growing markets between 2025 and 2030.The music, radio and podcast segment is expected to post the strongest growth, averaging almost 12% annually, with revenues increasing from EUR 154 million in 2025 to EUR 269 million in 2030, driven primarily by music streaming.Romania's OTT streaming market is forecast to expand by around 7% per year, rising from EUR 276 million in 2025 to EUR 389 million in 2030. Subscription video-on-demand (SVOD) platforms such as Netflix, Disney+ and Prime Video are expected to remain dominant, while advertising-supported video-on-demand (AVOD) services will continue to grow from a relatively small base. OTT subscriptions exceeded 3.3 million in 2025.Internet advertising is projected to remain one of the industry's strongest performers, with revenues expected to increase from EUR 287 million in 2025 to EUR 393 million by 2030, representing average annual growth of around 6.5%. Online video advertising is forecast to record the fastest expansion, supported by growing consumption of content on connected televisions, while Google continues to dominate the market through its advertising platforms.The report also forecasts steady growth in video games and esports, the film industry, and digital outdoor advertising, while traditional television is expected to remain broadly stable. Mobile and fixed telecommunications revenues are projected to remain largely unchanged through 2030, although 5G penetration is expected to grow by more than 20% annually, becoming the dominant mobile technology as fibre-optic networks continue to expand.According to the PwC Global Entertainment & Media Outlook 2026-2030, the global media and entertainment market is expected to grow at an average annual rate of 3.4%, reaching USD 4.2 trillion by 2030, with USD 600 billion in new revenues generated mainly by digital segments.AI-driven advertising is projected to surpass USD 1.4 trillion by 2030 after exceeding the USD 1 trillion threshold for the first time in 2025, as advertisers increasingly target consumers across digital platforms where they access content and make purchasing decisions.