Between Permanent Crisis and Future Vision:
The Munich Media Days 2025

published October 2025
by Björn Jensen

The 39th Munich Media Days revealed an industry in transition - caught between economic uncertainty and the sweeping challenges of technological transformation. Topics surrounding artificial intelligence dominated the debates. While some panels largely reiterated familiar positions, discussions on media consumption, shifting consumer values, AI ethics, and issues of trust and sustainability stood out as particularly engaging.

For three days, experts from media, technology, and politics discussed the future of an industry that has been in a prolonged state of crisis for years - its periodic calls for optimism often sounding like whistling in the dark. Panels and workshops featured prominent guests exploring current trends, while numerous companies, start-ups, and research institutions showcased their latest products and services.

According to many attendees, a number of panels offered few truly new insights. Familiar arguments were revisited, and debates followed well-worn lines. Yet the sessions where universities and research institutes presented new studies - on media usage, AI applications, and trust in technology - sparked lively discussion about how media production and consumption might evolve over the next decade.

One of the defining themes was the economic situation of media production. The market remains in crisis: both broadcasters and streaming platforms have sharply reduced their commissioning volumes. Overall production levels now stand at only 75 percent of “Peak TV” output, with a global decline of production of 17 percent across genres as compared to last year.

Debate continues over a potential levy for streaming services. While German Minister of State for Culture Wolfram Weimer expressed optimism about presenting a solution in the coming weeks, indications suggest the outcome may take the form of a voluntary investment commitment rather than a mandatory tax.

Alongside these major industry issues, smaller creative projects drew considerable attention. The Nuremberg-based company isento presented a robotics kit for schools, allowing students to 3D-print a life-sized robot torso they can interact with. The project aims to introduce young people to robotics, programming, and design through play - an impressive example of practical media education.

Another highlight was the “Umadum” Ferris wheel sessions, where small groups met in gondolas for focused discussions on specific topics. In David Marsh’s “Scary Content” session, participants explored the future of horror films in Germany. The conclusion: horror is inexpensive to produce, enjoys a loyal fanbase - especially in Germany - but remains undervalued by broadcasters, streamers, and funding bodies.

On the technology front, John Murphy, Design Director at BBC Sport, demonstrated how virtual production is revolutionizing sports broadcasting - using studio sets that merge physical presence with LED walls and virtual content. He showcased examples from the UEFA Euro 2024 and the Paris Olympics, and unveiled a fully virtual studio designed for the UEFA Women’s Euro 2025 in Lucerne. His presentation underscored how digital production can not only cut costs but also open new creative horizons.

In the panel “2035 – The Media World in the Next Decade,” Richard Gutjahr and Thomas Knüver presented their new book. Starting from the observation that society is increasingly shaped by fear, they pointed to telling examples: over 50 percent of German podcasts now belong to the true-crime genre - a symptom, they argued, of a collective longing for control in uncertain times. At the same time, they noted a revival of analog media: vinyl records and printed books are enjoying a comeback, driven by the desire for tactility and authenticity. Drawing parallels between pop culture, sports, and religion, they identified rituals, community, and identification as the real success factors of modern media. Their conclusion: while 2010 was about attention and 2020 about engagement, the next decade will revolve around trust.

Changing values and consumer behavior were the focus of the “Purpose, Performance, Confidence” panel. The debate centered on the idea that every advertising euro either supports diversity - or undermines it. A study presented at the session showed that consumers increasingly demand credibility. Traditional guiding principles such as religion, environmentalism, self-fulfillment, and family have lost traction. Trends like package-free shopping and plastic-bag avoidance have declined, while demand for plant-based meat products has risen by 28 percent and for organic goods by 15 percent. Overall, 80 percent of consumers said they expect more authentic and credible communication from brands.

Media consultant Michael Praetorius captivated audiences with his workshop “AI in the Studio,” demonstrating real-time AI applications in everyday production. He introduced techniques for reverse prompting and showcased tools like Suno AI, Eleven Labs, and Adobe Podcast, which can alter voices and synchronize rewritten scripts with pre-recorded video footage. The live results - produced within minutes - were impressive. Yet Praetorius also warned of AI’s ethical challenges, stressing the need for journalistic integrity and ethical guidelines in its use.

One of the most animated sessions was the Film Industry Forum, featuring representatives from Bavaria Studios, Constantin Film, Sky Deutschland, and the Producers Alliance. The discussion centered on the future of fictional production. A Sky executive defended the company’s decision to withdraw from in-house fiction projects, citing lack of profitability, and announced a stronger focus on non-fiction formats. Bavaria Studios emphasized its versatility, arguing that its mix of fictional and non-fictional production, branded entertainment, and advertising services positions it well for the future. Constantin Film’s representative described the current production environment as particularly challenging, but proudly noted the success of Bully Herbig’s “The Canoe of Manitu”, which has now sold 4.7 million cinema tickets.

At the AI Summit, journalist Karen Hao delivered a powerful speech warning against the rise of “Empires of AI” - global tech corporations that not only monopolize content but also control information itself. She cited striking examples from Kenya, where workers moderate content for large firms under psychologically taxing conditions.

Hao also highlighted the immense resource consumption of data centers: in some regions, they already compete with local populations for water and energy. Only about three percent of users, she noted, are willing to pay for AI services like ChatGPT - a signal that could foreshadow a coming “AI bubble.”

In contrast, Marie Kilg from Deutsche Welle emphasized the opportunities inherent in responsible AI use. She demonstrated how her organization leverages AI solutions without dependency on specific providers - using open standards and internal servers to ensure data sovereignty.

A particularly practical initiative was presented by the newly founded AI Competence Center Bavaria( KI.M), which offers free support for AI solution development. The center provides programmers, tests applications on isolated servers to ensure data security, and publishes all project code in an open repository - a model designed to help smaller firms adopt AI technologies more easily.

In the closing panel, “XR & AI – Brave New Glass Age?”, René Kasperek explored the future of augmented reality through AR glasses. He predicted growing importance for augmented and mixed reality applications in the years ahead - especially when combined with generative AI, a field only beginning to reveal its potential. However, he cautioned that these devices could enable unprecedented data collection about the physical world, raising major privacy concerns. Notably, Kasperek pointed out, recent Galaxy and Meta keynotes failed to mention the words privacy, security, encryption, or data protection even once.

In summary, three central themes defined the Munich Media Days 2025: The growing power and market dominance of major tech companies, the disruptive role of AI in media production and distribution and the ongoing search for strategies among media organizations grappling with declining revenues and intensifying platform competition.