YouTube Dominates Mipcom as Broadcasters Chase Phone Viewers
YouTube ran the conversation at Mipcom in Cannes.
Sellers, broadcasters and streamers kept returning to its role at the centre of how programmes are developed, distributed and marketed. The annual content market and conference, which gathers leading players from Europe and beyond, ran from 12 to 15 October at the Palais des Festivals, according to organisers. Mipcom The market closed on 15 October after a four-day run of screenings, conferences and meetings.
Media analyst Evan Shapiro, billed as a media cartographer, set the tone in a Wednesday-morning session on changing audiences. Television was not replaced one-for-one by streaming, he said. Streaming and social video have instead added viewing time and deepened how fans connect with shows. Variety
Every human with a phone is a channel, Shapiro told delegates. He described the result as personalised television, watched on phones and on living-room sets.
NBCUniversal gave the most concrete example. Matt Schnaars, its president of platform distribution and partnerships, said embracing social platforms starting with YouTube pushes viewers back to live viewing in a way that adds to the audience. Peacock, the company's streaming service, shares its weekly exclusive college football games on YouTube.
It has also struck a distribution pact to be bundled as part of a YouTube TV premium tier. Schnaars appeared alongside Justin Connolly, YouTube's vice-president and global head of media and sport, in a scheduled YouTube x NBCUniversal session.
BBC Studios is building the same bridge from the other side. Chief content officer Kate Phillips said the organisation runs 34 channels on YouTube and plans to reach 50 by the end of 2028. Executives from Germany's RTL Deutschland also detailed their own YouTube partnership in a dedicated session.
Organisers gave that shift more room. YouTube expanded its presence at Mipcom Cannes 2026 as a core growth partner for the global media ecosystem. Streaming, FAST channels — free services supported by advertising — YouTube and other digital video all took a larger role in the 2026 programme.
Stars still cut through the business talk. Christie Brinkley attended a hand-print ceremony on 12 October in Cannes. She also presented The Christie Brinkley Story, in which she reflects on her life in her own words alongside footage from her career. Baywatch star Brooks Nader also appeared at the market.
For viewers at home, this means familiar names turning up where you already scroll. A clip on YouTube, a football game shared beyond the app, a BBC channel built for phones. Each is designed to lead you back to the full broadcast or stream.
