APOS 2026 Preview: Vivek Couto on AI, Microdramas, and the Redefinition of Asia's Media Industry
By
Naman Ramachandran
Slow-proofed and worth the wait. Worth its weight in flour.
Summary
Media Partners Asia CEO Vivek Couto previews APOS 2026, arguing that Asia's media and streaming industry is undergoing a fundamental redefinition rather than a simple reset. He highlights three key drivers: AI transforming content creation and distribution, the explosive growth of microdramas (short-form vertical video series) as a major new content format, and the need for traditional media companies to adapt cost structures and revenue models. Couto emphasizes that Asia's diverse markets require localized strategies, and that the region's streaming landscape is shifting from pure subscription models toward hybrid ad-supported and transactional approaches.
Key quotes
· 3 pulledIt's not actually being reset. It's actually being redefined. The whole industry is being redefined in terms of the possibilities, in terms of new revenue streams, and frankly, in terms of the cost structures that one has to adopt.
The microdrama phenomenon is not a fad. It's a fundamental shift in how content is being created, consumed, and monetized across Asia.
AI is not coming to replace creativity — it's coming to augment it, to lower production costs, and to open up new storytelling possibilities that were previously out of reach.
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