As YouTube positions itself as next-gen platform for all content, media giants map strategies against the onslaught

At the BroadCast WorldWide 2025 conference, media power players, including YouTube, Disney+ and Coupang Play, outlined their strategies, with YouTube aiming to become a next-generation platform spanning podcasts and TV.

The four-day showcase of Korean content and media industry trends, hosted by the Culture Ministry and organized by the Korea Creative Content Agency and Coex, kicked off Tuesday in southern Seoul.

Fede Goldenberg, YouTube’s global head of TV & film advertising-based video-on-demand partnerships, said that going forward YouTube looks to position itself as a next-generation medium covering everything from podcasts to TV.

“YouTube is the No. 1 podcasting platform,” Goldenberg said during a keynote session on Wednesday. "Recently, we surpassed Spotify to become the No. 1 platform in podcast consumption."

He noted that audiences are increasingly watching video podcasts on connected TVs, calling the format “the evolution of the talk show and interview shows and late night,” emphasizing YouTube’s growing role in the podcasting ecosystem.

Goldenberg also revealed the company is leaning further into serialized programming to echo the strategies of traditional TV and streamers.

“We’re starting to organize more and more creator content and broadcasts and serialize content the same way as traditional TV,” he said.

In particular, he cited Korean Broadcasting System's recent move to make classic dramas available in their entirety on YouTube.

“KBS has hundreds of different shows across their catalogue and they are uploading most of the full episodes on their channels,” Goldenberg said.

He said the trend is significant, as it shows that many programmers with extensive catalogs are starting to realize that beyond licensing and syndicating content for TV and free ad-supported streaming TV, uploading to YouTube offers substantial value for both awareness and formalization.

Disney+ likewise spotlighted its global strategy going forward, stressing its focus on select tentpole projects with cross-border potential.

“Of course, our primary goal is to first win the greatest love in Korea, but we are also paying close attention to selecting tentpole projects that can have a strong impact globally, particularly in Asia," said Choi Yeo-nu, director of local content at The Walt Disney Co. Korea.

"We want to focus on quality over quantity. Rather than simply producing a large number of titles, our aim is to create a few works that can truly resonate across many regions,” she said.

Coupang Play, the Korean streamer behind hits such as “SNL Korea” and “Boyhood,” leaned into its identity as a disruptor.

“We want to step outside the traditional mold a bit and take on projects with more courage and innovation. I think works like 'Boyhood,' 'Family Matters' and 'Anna' were all born from that mindset,” said Charlie Moon, head of content business at Coupang Play.

Moon added, “We ask ourselves: What are the things we couldn’t do on broadcast TV but could try on streaming? ... We aren’t bound by rigid formats, so we’re aiming for ideas that are clever, daring, even a little cheeky and provocative.”

Beyond the panels, BCWW 2025 offered a robust market floor, interactive pavilions and business-matching sessions. At the OTT Pavilion, Korean broadcasters and streamers including MBC, Wavve, Tving and Coupang Play spotlighted their sports offerings with immersive, hands-on fan experiences.

The content showcase, alongside market and networking events, featured a fresh batch of content, including SBS’ "Queen Mantis," KBS’ "Walking On Thin Ice" and "Raphael," a KOCCA-backed Mateo AI Studio project highlighting artificial intelligence in video production. International buyers also engaged in on-site dealmaking, scouting for fresh and export-ready titles.

The four-day event closes Friday.