As broadcasters, creators, producers and technology leaders convened on the second day of CABSAT 2026, discussions and demonstrations highlighted how changing audience behaviour is reshaping the media landscape. From platform-native formats and AI-enabled production to streaming economics and regional co-production, the second day of CABSAT 2026 highlighted how media organisations are adapting content, technology and commercial models to reach increasingly fragmented audiences.
Taking place at Dubai Exhibition Centre (DEC), Expo City Dubai, until October 7, 2026, the 33rd edition of CABSAT serves as a comprehensive sourcing and networking platform for the media, broadcast, content creation and Pro AV industries. Organised in strategic partnership with Dubai Studio City, the event connects over 450 exhibitors and 700 brands from more than 120 countries with regional buyers, decision-makers and creative professionals, creating a platform for knowledge exchange, business development and cross-sector collaboration.
Many of the themes shaping activity across the exhibition floor were established during the opening day’s Contentverse Director’s Cut, where media leaders examined changing viewing habits, streaming economics, content monetisation and the shift towards multi-platform distribution
From one broadcast feed to a multi-platform content system
Speaking at the summit, Elie Habib, CEO of OSN+ and Anghami, said the streaming industry is shifting towards sustainable growth and profitability, with stronger retention, disciplined customer acquisition and greater efficiency becoming critical. Following the OSN+ and Anghami combination, he noted significant profitability gains in 2026 and continued momentum for regional streaming. As Habib put it: “You have to grow in a better way than simply buying your growth. You need to improve retention; otherwise, the cost of acquiring a user versus the revenue you get from that user becomes negative.”
For his part, Amit Malhotra, Head of International Business at JioStar, said streaming competition is shifting from content volume to audience attention and experience, with personalization, discovery and technology becoming increasingly important. He highlighted JioHotstar’s scale in India, reaching around 500 million monthly active users and 300 million subscribers, and outlined JioStar’s plans to take its India-built streaming capabilities global through Prism and further international expansion. As he put it: “Content can bring you in. Content is not the only thing that’s going to keep getting you back. It’s the experience today that really matters.” Conversations continued off-stage as broadcast-grade podcast studio ‘Off the Record’ welcomed Contentverse speakers and other guests to share their thoughts on the latest industry developments.
As well as provoking discussions, changing audience and distribution requirements are also influencing technologies showcased at CABSAT’s 33rd edition. LiveU is presenting the Q Era, demonstrating how its IP-video EcoSystem supports broadcasters as they modernize live production, improve operational efficiency, and strengthen transmission resilience. The company is also highlighting its latest IP-video solutions built for resilient IP contribution, AI-driven workflow automation, and digital-first operations.
Mustafa Yavuz Bahadiroglu, LiveU Sales Director, MENA said: “At CABSAT 2026, we’re showing broadcasters what’s possible when connectivity technology anticipates their needs rather than just responding to them, from intelligent, resilient bonding to story-centric workflows that follow the story from field to final edit, cutting the manual work in between.”
Another example is ND SATCOM, which is putting a lot of focus on government communications into practice with SKYWAN 5G, its solution for secure and resilient satellite communications in international government markets. SKYWAN 5G is designed for secure and resilient satellite communication networks, enabling reliable connectivity across distributed sites and demanding operational environments.
Technology moves closer to the creative process:
Onsite, CABSAT 2026 highlights how technology is bridging the gap between creative development and technical infrastructure. Through exhibits spanning cutting-edge solutions in production, post-production, cloud workflows, broadcast engineering, content management, immersive technology and Pro AV, the event underscores the role of technology decisions in changing storytelling speed, production quality, distribution flexibility and audience experience.
For broadcasters and production companies, the focus is on interoperable environments that maintain the reliability of conventional broadcast while enabling faster, software-led workflows. For creators and rights owners, however, these solutions offer the opportunity to extend intellectual property across platforms, reach new audiences and develop more flexible commercial models around content.
Collaborations to shape the future of regional content:
The Co-Production Salon, held in partnership with H-consult, further underlined the growing importance of collaboration in developing and taking regional content to wider markets. Bringing together producers, content creators, commissioners, financiers and investors, the platform created opportunities to explore projects, financing models and international partnerships.
Heba Korayem, Founder of the Co-Production Salon said: “Our participation at CABSAT this year has been highly successful, with strong footfall and continued momentum. At the Co-Production Salon, we are bringing producers and platforms together with the technology, equipment and expertise they need under one roof. CABSAT provides an important opportunity to connect with the right partners, explore new solutions and help bring projects to life.”
Taking place after the show closes for its second day, the BroadcastPro Manufacturer Awards 2026 will recognise technologies and solutions supporting the broadcast and media-production sector.
Across Day Two, the message was clear: the next phase of media growth will depend not only on the quality of content, but on how effectively organisations can adapt that content across platforms, markets and business models. CABSAT 2026 is supported by its associating partners, the Arab States Broadcasting Union (ASBU), the Asia-Pacific Broadcasting Union (ABU) and TUYAD, reinforcing the event’s connections with the regional and international broadcast and media technology communities.
With its combination of content leadership, technology innovation and industry collaboration, CABSAT 2026 continues to provide a platform for the region’s media ecosystem to explore those opportunities, with the final day set to bring further conversations across content, broadcast, media technology and Pro AV.
About CABSAT:
With a history spanning more than 30 years, CABSAT is the region’s unified sourcing platform for media technology, content creation, broadcast and Pro AV. The event connects broadcasters, content creators and producers, technology providers, systems integrators and industry decision-makers from across the MEASA region and international markets.
CABSAT spans the complete content and technology lifecycle, from production, broadcast engineering and cloud/IP workflows to immersive technologies, distribution and content monetisation. Through its exhibition, industry content and networking opportunities, CABSAT provides a platform for technology discovery, knowledge exchange, international collaboration and business across the global media ecosystem.
About inD:
inD is a leading B2B Live Events Group in South Asia, the Middle East and Africa. With a portfolio of more than 40 major B2B brands, inD serves a range of high-growth market categories including Healthcare, Energy, Aviation, Food, Technology, Information Security, HR and Education.
Headquartered in Dubai, with more than 1,000 Colleagues across the region, inD is a partnership between the Informa Group PLC, the world’s leading B2B Live Events Group, and DWTC, the region’s leading business enabler and global events powerhouse.
As a subsidiary of Informa PLC, a publicly listed company on the London Stock Exchange, inD combines international scale and expertise with leadership in large-scale B2B event intellectual property to deliver world-class events that spark innovation, stimulate trade and drive economic growth.
