In a world where attention spans are shrinking and content is constantly competing for a few fleeting seconds of focus, one question continues to surface across industries and platforms:

“No one has patience anymore – how can content really stand out?”

To explore this pressing issue, we asked industry experts — thought leaders, creators, and innovators — to share their perspectives. Their insights shed light on how storytelling, authenticity, and strategic thinking can still break through the noise and capture real engagement in an impatient digital age.

Let’s see what they had to say.

Denis Oštir
Editor-In-Chief, VIDAA

There are four areas content creators need to focus on.

Firstly, focus on quality over quantity. We’re at an inflection point where customers are no longer impressed by the sheer number of titles or channels. Why do we know this? Even though we now have more apps, content, and channels than ever before, customer habits have not changed. They watch the same shows and the same channels.

Secondly, focus on discoverability. Give up on the concept of walled gardens and focus on integrating your content into unified user interfaces that are able to curate content individually to only engaged audiences.

Thirdly, redefine your monetization priorities. Licensing is a thing of the past. In this day and age, everyone needs to take a risk. Understand that a one-size-fits-all model for all your content is not right. Customers want freedom. Some want bundles, some don’t mind a ton of ads, some want to pay a transactional fee. And they all matter.

And lastly, forget about the US. Looking for inspiration in the US does not make sense. That market is a different beast and can not be replicated anywhere else in the world. But bottom line – we’re still in the golden age of (quality) content.

Denis Oštir is participating in the panel TV Ads vs. TV Digital Ads, 10:00 – 10:45, June 10th

Christian Grece
European Television and On-demand Audiovisual Markets Analyst, European Audiovisual Observatory

Even in this age of abundance, grabbing the viewers’ attention remains the most difficult task for any form of entertainment.
In a world of endless choice and constant social media scrolling, our attention spans have become extremely short, so content must be engaging and instantly attention-grabbing.

The first few seconds are therefore more important than ever; stories must be surprising, create instant tension or immerse viewers in new worlds in order to compel them to continue watching. Works must connect with viewers on an emotional level. The most effective way for films or TV series to appeal to viewers’ tastes, humour and sentiments is to be authentic and tell relatable stories.However, as in the analogue age, television series and films must either entertain, educate or inform viewers to remain relevant in a world where the ways of storytelling can be reinvented with fewer barriers to creativity than before.

Christain Grece is participating in the panel Do We Have the Necessary Conditions to Succeed?, 10:00 – 10:50, June 11th

Maria Rua Aguete
Executive Director, Technology Fellow, Omdia

In today’s overwhelming content ecosystem, discovery is the new battleground. The challenge isn’t just creating great content—it’s ensuring it finds its way to the right audience at the right time. Success hinges on mastering the art of discoverability through strategic content positioning and distribution.

The key is to think like your audience searches. This means optimizing content across multiple touchpoints: crafting compelling thumbnails that stop the scroll, developing smart metadata strategies, and creating titles that balance intrigue with clarity. In a world where everyone’s fighting for attention, making content discoverable is like hosting the perfect party – you need the right mix of ingredients to get people through the door and keep them there! We are all drowning in endless scrolling options. The secret sauce? It’s about creating those ‘can’t-scroll-past-this’ moments. Whether it’s an irresistible thumbnail that makes thumbs stop mid-scroll, or a title that tickles curiosity just right – these are your content’s party invitations. But here’s the real magic: once you’ve got their attention, you need to deliver something worth staying for. Create content that feels like finding hidden treasure – unexpected, delightful, and worth sharing with friends. It’s about crafting those ‘did you see this?’ moments that viewers can’t help but forward to their group chats. In today’s TV landscape, the best content isn’t just watched – it’s discovered, shared, and talked about. Hence the importance as well of social media platforms like YouTube and Tiktok to promote that content and reach younger audiences.

Ivan Ljubičić
Managing Director, Mediavision, NEM Dubrovnik, NEM Zagreb, Pickbox NOW & Pickbox TV

To stand out in a world with little patience, content must be delivered to the right audience in the right way—quickly, clearly, and with purpose.

When all teams are aligned and work together, content becomes not just noise, but a meaningful connection. Also, copy-pasting what others do probably won’t work because maybe you are pushing wrong content to your audience, maybe you don’t have the right content, maybe there are too many messages from you or maybe you don’t have enough budget.

Jan Frelek
CCO, Backscreen

With time budget it is like with money budget – whoever secures it first, leaves no budget for another. So ask yourself the question: how to secure the eyeballs first?

There is no single answer as the viewing habits vary across generations. But let’s just focus on Gen Z and its mobile-first lifestyle. Their eyes are with TikTok and Instagram. However fancy content you may have on your platform, their eyes are elsewhere. So ask yourself the question: how to convert them to your platform? To give yourself a chance with your fancy content for Gen Z, your platform must cater to the way these people consume content. The TikTok way. Short form, vertical, flow swiping. And only from there you may pitch your long forms. To make it you need both: proper content formats and proper platform which Gen Z would love. With these prerequisites you give yourself the chance to stand out with better content to the one on Instagram or TikTok. Make sure it’s not too late to play this game.

Jan Frelek is participating in the panel Streamers are Becoming Operators and Operators are Becoming Streamers, 16:25 – 17:15, June 11th. 

Frank Spotnitz
CEO, Executive Producer, Big Light Productions

This question really hits home for me, not least because I plead guilty to being one of those people who has lost patience. When I sit down to watch something, after only a couple of minutes I’m in or out – a show has either won my confidence or lost it, in which case I’m clicking onto the next thing, or the next. What am I looking for?

First and foremost, I want emotional engagement – the storyteller has found some way to make me care about what I’m watching. That’s hard to do in the space of only a couple minutes, but after that the challenge only grows. A great storyteller is a kind of sorcerer, casting a spell over their audience. Once I’m engaged emotionally, I’m looking to be surprised. Delighted. Wondering what’s going to happen next. I want to be swept along by the narrative, taken into an imaginary world where I lose all sense of time. Greatness isn’t easy, and it’s a lot to ask of the artists who make television. But I’m guessing it was great television that inspired each and every one of us to get into this business. And that continues to inspire us. We should welcome the challenge.

Frank Spotnitz is participating in the panel How Inflation Affects Already Expensive Content, 12:25 – 13:10, June 10th. 

Peter Wassong
Head of TV Content Europe, Deutsche Telekom AG

This question touches on different aspects of the TV ecosystem. However, when it comes to content discovery, we must acknowledge that the TV and streaming market in 2025 is more saturated than ever. On the one hand, audiences are spoilt for choice, but on the other, they are losing oversight.

We are all probably familiar with the situation on a Saturday evening when searching for the right entertainment takes longer than watching the show eventually found. It is therefore crucial that searching and recommendations, ideally across all content sources, are easy and intuitive. And effective! The rise of artificial intelligence will be a huge step forward in this context, shifting recommendations from a one-size-fits-all model to hyper-personalised experiences. This experience will be supported by thousands of metadata points, as well as real-time learning from user interactions and contextual data. Ideally, this will have a positive commercial impact, resulting in higher retention and deeper viewer loyalty, as well as increased advertising revenues, depending on the business model.

Petter Wassong is participating in the panel Streamers are Becoming Operators and Operators are Becoming Streamers, 16:25 – 17:15, June 11th. 

Bob McCourt
Chief Operating Officer of Commercial and International, Fremantle

In today’s attention economy, content must be more than just attention-grabbing – it must be unforgettable. Our answer to “how can content really stand out?” lies in one word: brand. When audiences scroll past thousands of videos and shows daily – it is the iconic, emotionally resonant, and culturally embedded ones that cut through the noise.

From American Idol to Jamie Oliver, Fremantle’s success has been driven by investing in powerful entertainment brands with longevity and emotional depth. Got Talent, for example, doesn’t just entertain – it has built a global community across 75 local versions and continues to thrive on both linear television and digital platforms. Our content isn’t built for a moment; it’s built to last. We can also find iconic brands in scripted programming – whether this be our hit Homicide: Life on the Street, one of the most acclaimed police dramas in television history, thanks to it providing the ultimate escapism. The appetite for the show remains to this day, and we recently partnered with NBCUniversal to remaster the show for audiences of Sky in the UK, Bell in Canada, and SBS in Australia. Iconic scripted brands are also born out of strong IP – as we have seen with the international hit, My Brilliant Friend. Thanks to its incredible book IP, the show sold globally. Building a brand isn’t easy, but with the right elements, the payoff is enormous.

Bob McCourt is participating in the keynote Q&A, The Power of Global TV brands, 11:30 – 11:50, June 11th.

Müge Akar
Head of Global Sales, ATV

Today’s audiences have shorter attention spans and endless options, so content must grab viewers instantly to stand out. As a Turkish drama seller rooted in FREE TV, I see that while long-form storytelling remains powerful, it needs to be paired with fast, emotional hooks right from the start. Viewers want to feel connected immediately.
Turkish dramas excel in authentic characters and rich emotions, which create deep audience loyalty. To meet modern expectations, we must package the content smartly in order to promote—offering trailers and bite-sized clips for different platforms and viewer habits.
Beyond the screen, engaging audiences through social media, behind-the-scenes access, and fan interaction builds lasting interest. Finally, using data to understand what resonates allows creators to fine-tune stories and marketing, making every moment count.
In today’s competitive landscape, content must combine emotional depth with quick engagement and multi-platform presence to truly stand out.

Adrian Ježina
President of the Management Board, Telemach Croatia

In today’s fast-paced world, grabbing and holding attention is more challenging than ever. At Telemach Hrvatska, we believe content stands out by being relevant, engaging, and instantly accessible. That’s why we’ve built EON TV as a premium platform that offers exactly that – top-tier entertainment, sports, and cultural content, all in one place and available across all screens.

Our users don’t want to search endlessly – they want the best content now. EON TV delivers with personalized recommendations, intuitive UX, and features like 7-day catch-up and interactive Sports Mode with live statistics, ensuring they never miss what matters most. But beyond technology, it’s about quality. We invest in exclusive and premium TV content that speaks to diverse tastes, because relevance is what drives loyalty.

As a fast-growing telco and true market challenger, we constantly innovate to meet the evolving needs of modern viewers. With EON TV, we don’t just follow trends – we anticipate them, ensuring our users get more than just content. They get an experience that’s worth their time.

Adrian Ježina is participating in the panel, Piracy and Profit Loss: Effective Antipiracy Strategies in TV Industry, 15:00 – 15:50, June 11th.