Content is King: 5 Takeaways from NATPE/RealScreen

Major players in the entertainment world converged on Miami recently for the National Association of Television Programming Executives (NATPE) convention. This event overlapped with RealScreen—the must-attend gathering for unscripted television and documentary filmmakers. Tel Air Producer @Tiffany Terrell and I immersed ourselves in a full week of showbiz, networking, and industry seminars, gleaning insights into the current landscape as we head toward 2025.

Tel Air Interests has been attending the NATPE convention since the mid-1970s, and we’ve witnessed a great deal of change. The once-massive audience has scaled down to roughly 2,000 attendees and is no longer as programming-centric as it once was. Instead of purely buying and selling content on the spot, the focus has shifted to meeting with industry leaders and initiating conversations that can lead to later agreements.

Throughout the week, we spoke with numerous professionals involved in various aspects of television production and distribution. This gave Tiffany and me direct access to top executives, enabling us to hear their thoughts on the industry’s present challenges and future directions. Here are our five key takeaways:

1. Content Is Still King

No matter the economic conditions or technological advances, content remains the heart of success. A solid story is (and always will be) the number one rule of showbiz. If you have compelling content, you’re already one step ahead in capturing both audiences and buyers.

2. AI Is Ready for Its Close-Up

Artificial Intelligence is moving from buzzword to real-world application in 2025 as companies look to incorporate AI into their mainstream operations. Beyond financial, legal, and IT sectors, AI’s rapid commercialization will drive innovation and create new avenues for content creation and audience engagement.

3. FAST Channels on the Rise

A major talking point this year was the surge in Free Ad-Supported Streaming Television (FAST) channels, which provide both live and on-demand content at no cost to viewers. From monetizing existing content libraries to building niche programming blocks, FAST channels offer producers fresh opportunities. Tony Robbins even launched his own FAST channel to a packed house—free TV supported by ads proves that everything old can indeed become new again.

4. Sustainable Streaming Profitability

Could 2025 be the turning point for streamers finally moving from losses to profitability? Growth is poised to come from ad sales, price hikes, innovative bundling, and tighter control of operating expenses. For producers, this means navigating a landscape where scale and disciplined spending may dictate who gets funded—and who doesn’t.

5. Sports as the Glue

Sports kept the cable bundle alive for decades, and now it’s essential content for every streaming platform. But it’s not just live games—sports documentaries and betting-focused shows ensure year-round fan engagement. Biggest trend to watch in 2025? Women’s sports. With expanding fan bases, they’re rapidly becoming core programming for streaming services

After a week on the convention floors, Tel Air Interests remains bullish on all forms of media content as we march into 2025 and beyond. It’s still a producer’s market as long as we remember that content—above all else—reigns supreme.