Top Trends of 2026 - Part 2

Hi ZipLawyer! Welcome to Part 2 of our series on the Top Trends of 2026 and how they impact Law Firms.

Today we're covering:

📺 Media: Streaming rises
🪨 Mining: Momentum is back
🏠 Real Estate: Recover time?

Media

Media and entertainment will enter another cycle of disruption in 2026, as attention continues to drift away from traditional television and towards streaming and mobile first formats. Viewers are watching more content than ever, but how and where they watch is changing fast. Legacy broadcasters are being forced to reinvent themselves, while artificial intelligence begins to reshape how films are made and how advertising is created.

Why it’s happening

📺 Streaming reshapes viewing habits: Streaming continues to pull away from traditional TV, especially among younger audiences. While people are still watching hours of content each day, far less of it is scheduled broadcast television. Legacy broadcasters are responding pragmatically, cutting unusual deals with streaming platforms and licensing linear content in a bid to stay visible in an increasingly fragmented attention economy.

🎬 Media models fracture and adapt: Mounting pressure on old revenue models is forcing media groups to break themselves apart. Cable businesses are being carved off from faster growing streaming and studio arms, while familiar franchises are leaned on heavily to steady subscriber numbers and reduce risk. At the same time, Hollywood faces new competition from smartphone first micro dramas, signalling a deeper shift in how stories are produced, packaged and consumed.

🤖 AI and scale redefine advertising: Artificial intelligence is moving decisively into creative and commercial territory, from film production to fully automated advertising campaigns. While this threatens traditional agencies, overall ad spending is holding up, helped by major global sporting events that still command mass audiences. Even in a tech driven media world, reach, spectacle and scale remain powerful commercial assets.

How does this impact Law Firms?