Audiences today do not simply choose what to watch. Increasingly, those choices are shaped by algorithms, conversations on social media, and content that is difficult to ignore, even when it provokes negative reactions. For broadcasters, streaming platforms, and advertisers, these viewing habits raise new questions about how to attract audiences, maintain their interest, and turn that attention into business value.
These changes will be at the center of this year’s NEM Zagreb 2026, which will bring together representatives of the television and video industry from Central and Eastern Europe on December 7 and 8 at the Esplanade Zagreb hotel. Organizers have revealed the first program topics and confirmed Timothy Oh, General Manager and Chief Marketing Officer at COL Group International, as the first keynote speaker.
Oh will address the changes shaping the international media business, bringing a global perspective on the development of television, streaming, and the broader video market. Alongside his keynote presentation, five panels have been announced, connecting different aspects of the industry with questions of audiences, technology, and business models.
Why Do We Watch Content We Don’t Even Like?
One of the program’s topics explores a phenomenon that is becoming increasingly common in digital culture: audiences continue watching certain content even when they criticize it or react negatively to it. The panel Fear of Missing Out will examine how controversies, fear of missing out, and online conversations influence viewership and the commercial value of content.
A different perspective on audience behavior will be offered by Algorithms and Stories We Believe: Living in Your Feed. Recommendation systems increasingly determine which news, stories, and videos reach individual users. The panel will address the consequences of this personalization, particularly its impact on shared cultural experiences, the flow of information, and the way audiences perceive content.
Television Advertising Between Mass Reach and Precision Targeting
Of particular relevance to the advertising industry is the panel The New TV Advertising Mix: Reach, Targeting and Results, dedicated to the development of Addressable TV technology.
Television has traditionally relied on its ability to reach large audiences simultaneously. New technologies create opportunities for more precise audience targeting and performance measurement, and the relationship between these capabilities will be at the center of the discussion.
Participants will examine how Addressable TV can complement existing television advertising models, the challenges associated with its implementation, and its potential for wider adoption across Central and Eastern European markets.
Content Creators Are Taking on New Roles
Changes are taking place not only in distribution and advertising but also in the structure of the video industry itself. Content creators are increasingly moving beyond their original roles and becoming involved in production, format development, and intellectual property management.
The panel Video Industry 2.0: Who’s Becoming What? will explore how the boundaries between independent creators and established media companies are changing, and what this shift in roles means for future business models.
The fifth panel, The Year in Video: Looking Back, Moving Forward, will provide an overview of the trends that defined 2026 and consider their potential implications for the period ahead.
Zagreb as a Meeting Point for the Regional Video Industry
In addition to its conference program, NEM Zagreb continues to bring together broadcasters, streaming platforms, production companies, content creators, brands, and agencies from Central and Eastern Europe.
The two-day event will provide an opportunity to exchange experiences, discuss business challenges, and connect companies involved in different stages of video content creation, distribution, and monetization.
NEM Zagreb 2026 will take place on December 7 and 8 at the Esplanade Zagreb hotel. Additional information about the event is available on the official website.
