Irish Entertainment & Media industry set to grow 3.1% annually to 2030 - says PwC Entertainment & Media Outlook 2026 - 2030

The Irish Entertainment & Media (E&M) industry is set to grow at an annual rate of 3.1% Compound Annual Growth Rate (CAGR) to 2030 reaching €8.2bn, up from €7bn in 2025. Growth is expected to be driven primarily by service connectivity, internet advertising and video-on-demand (VOD), as organisations adapt to changing consumer expectations and increasingly interconnected digital ecosystems. 

Globally, the Entertainment & Media industry is expected to grow at 3.4% CAGR in the period. This boost will see the industry’s global revenues reach €3.6trn in 2030, up from €3trn in 2025. Globally and in Ireland, the industry is entering a new phase of growth. While consumers continue to embrace digital services, success will increasingly be determined by organisations' ability to leverage data, AI and partnerships to deliver more personalised, connected and valuable experiences. 

This is according to PwC’s latest Global Entertainment & Media Outlook 2026-2030, the 27th annual analysis and forecast of E&M spending by consumers and advertisers across 53 countries and territories and published in Ireland today. The Outlook includes Ireland’s E&M industry including sectors such as cinema; connectivity service; internet advertising; music, radio and podcasts; newspapers, consumer magazines and books; out-of-home (OOH) advertising; video-on-demand (VOD); traditional TV and video games.

Ireland's projected E&M growth rate of 3.1% CAGR remains slightly below the global forecast of 3.4%, reflecting continued pressure on traditional media formats here in Ireland and a maturing digital marketplace.  

Speaking at the launch, Amy Ball, Partner, PwC Ireland Entertainment & Media Practice, said: 

“Advertising continues to remain a powerhouse driving the global entertainment and media industry’s revenues and it will play an increasingly important role in Ireland as AI-powered hyper-personalisation transforms how organisations engage with customers. As competition intensifies and consumer expectations evolve, businesses must think beyond standalone products and services. Success will increasingly depend on building connected ecosystems, creating value through partnerships and delivering experiences that customers cannot easily find elsewhere.”  

The three key growth drivers in Ireland are: 

Service connectivity accounts for 39% of Irish Entertainment and Media revenues 

Service connectivity in Ireland, which includes fixed and mobile internet, is forecast to grow at a 2.2% CAGR through 2030, slightly below the 2.3% global CAGR. This points to continued but modest expansion over the forecast period with service connectivity in Ireland accounting for 39% of Irish E&M revenues.

Internet Advertising: Revenues to reach €1.9bn by 2030 with an annual growth rate of 7.6% 

Internet advertising in Ireland is expected to grow at a 7.6% CAGR between 2025 and 2030, reaching approximately €1.9bn by 2030, and slightly ahead of the 7.2% global CAGR to 2030.

AI-powered personalisation is also enabling more targeted advertising, helping organisations reach customers with more relevant content and offers. 

Video on Demand (VOD) continues to diversify screen-based revenue with an annual growth rate of 5.1%

Ireland’s VOD market is forecast to grow at a 5.1% CAGR between 2025 and 2030, reaching €428mn by 2030. This is below the 6.1% global CAGR to 2030.  

In Ireland, subscription VOD (SVOD) was the largest revenue stream in 2025, generating €280mn, followed by advertising VOD (AVOD) at €30mn and Transactional VOD (TVOD), including one off purchases or rentals of films or series from digital platforms, at €25mn. VOD subscription engagement remained strong, with 2.4mn subscriptions recorded in 2025. By 2030, growth in Ireland is expected to be led primarily by SVOD, which is forecast to reach €358mn, and AVOD which is projected to generate €46mn.

Other areas of interest for Ireland include: 

1. 5G subscriptions overtake 4G subscriptions in 2025

Ireland’s mobile market is undergoing a decisive generational shift. 5G subscriptions are expected to rise from 6 million in 2025 to 11 million in 2030, representing a 13.5% CAGR, while 4G subscriptions are expected to fall from 5 million to 1 million over the same period, a -25.8% CAGR. This indicates that overall mobile connectivity is not simply expanding; usage is rapidly migrating from legacy 4G networks to 5G, with 5G becoming the dominant subscription technology through the forecast period.

2. In person experiences continue to drive growth (cinema box office, live music ticket sales, trade shows)

Ireland's in-person experiences category, combining box office, live music ticket sales and trade shows, generated €310mn in 2025 and is forecast to reach €362mn by 2030, representing a 3.2% CAGR. This is broadly in line with the overall Irish entertainment and media market growth of 3.1%. Despite a decline of 1.1% in 2025, the medium-term outlook remains positive: box office and trade shows are expected to grow at 4.4% and 4.3%, respectively, while live music ticket sales are expected to expand more moderately at 1.8%. This indicates resilient demand for physical experiences, with cinema recovery and trade-show activity providing most of the category's growth momentum.

3. Video on Demand (VOD) subscriptions are maturing but revenue per subscription is rising

Ireland’s VOD market is entering a more mature phase. Subscriptions are expected to increase from 2.4 million in 2025 to 2.7 million in 2030, representing a 2.5% CAGR, while annual revenue per subscription is expected to rise from €116.10 to €131.58 at a similar 2.5% CAGR. As subscriber numbers are expected to grow more slowly in the years ahead, it suggests that future growth will come from strengthening relationships with existing subscribers and increasing the value of each subscription, rather than relying on rapid growth in customer numbers.  

Naomi Ryan, Director, PwC Ireland Entertainment & Media Practice, concluded: “While digital channels continue to drive growth across Ireland's entertainment and media sector, the data also highlights the enduring importance of consumer engagement. Demand for streaming services remains strong, live experiences continue to perform well, and 5G is accelerating how audiences access content. As markets mature, future growth will increasingly come from building deeper customer relationships, delivering more relevant experiences and creating greater value for existing audiences.”

ends 

About PwC Global Entertainment & Media Outlook 2026-30

The PwC Global Entertainment & Media Outlook 2026-30 is an annual report covering the industry, and this year, covers a total of 53 countries and territories. Twelve E&M segments are covered, including: traditional TV; OTT video; mixed reality; service connectivity and data consumption; newspapers, consumer magazines and books; OOH; business-to-business; video games and esports; cinema; music, radio and podcasts; internet advertising; and online betting, this year a new category explored. Forecasts for segments are developed using a number of third-party data sets. You can learn more about the full report and methodology at https://www.pwc.com/.