iWorld
Consumer spending on video grew 9% in APAC in 2020
New Delhi: Consumer spending on video in the Asia Pacific (APAC) region grew nine per cent in 2020 to reach $58.3 billion in aggregate, according to a new analysis and research released by Media Partners Asia.
The report projects growth to rise a further six per cent CAGR to $79.3 billion, led by the fast-expanding online SVoD sector. MPA forecasts that the online SVoD consumer spending revenue is likely to grow at 15 per cent CAGR over 2020-25 to reach $31.6 billion by 2025. This will represent a 40 per cent market share while consumer spends on pay-TV will grow at two per cent CAGR to reach $47.8 billion, representing a 60 per cent market share.
The findings were released on the first day of MPA’s APOS Summit which was held virtually this year.
All the markets increased spending on SVoD services with strong activity in peak pandemic periods during the first half of 2020, and robust spending in the second half of 2020 due to new launches from major players.
China remains the largest market in APAC for consumer spending on video with $27.6 billion in revenue, led by SVoD and IPTV services. Japan comes in second with $9.2 billion with SVoD representing more than a third of consumer spend, while India is third with $6.5 billion with pay-TV contributing having greater than 90 per cent market share, it stated.
Korea with $5.7 billion in revenue in 2020 and Australia with $2.9 billion remain formidable markets; Malaysia led southeast Asia with $962 million in revenue with pay-TV contributing more than 90 per cent of market share.
“Consumer spending on entertainment and sports through video platforms was robust in 2020 due to growth of SVoD in a peak pandemic year along with new competition and consumer choice in many Asian markets,” said MPA executive director Vivek Couto. “
While SVoD growth will decelerate in 2021, MPA sees "a bright future for the SVoD sector and the stacking of various services across sports, entertainment and deeply integrated local services.”
According to Couto, China, Japan, India, and Korea will lead the way as the market for SVoD slowly deepens in the key markets across southeast Asia, led by Indonesia, the Philippines, and Thailand. Pay-TV will remain vital in Korea (led by IPTV), India, Malaysia, and the Philippines, he added.
iWorld
Why Peaky Blinders is one of television’s biggest hits that still deserves more attention
Six seasons, multiple awards and the release of Peaky Blinders: The Immortal Man bring the Shelby saga back into the spotlight
In the crowded universe of streaming content, only a handful of shows manage to leave a lasting cultural footprint. Peaky Blinders is overwhelmingly considered one of the biggest global hits of the past decade. Yet many viewers still haven’t fully explored the dark, gripping world of the Shelby family.
Originally produced for the UK’s BBC and later finding a massive global audience through Netflix, the series quietly grew from a British period drama into a worldwide streaming phenomenon.
Created by Steven Knight, the show follows the rise of the Shelby crime family in post-First World War Birmingham. What begins as a gritty street-gang story gradually expands into a sweeping narrative about ambition, politics, power and survival.
At the centre of the saga is Thomas Shelby, portrayed with extraordinary depth by Cillian Murphy. The casting of Murphy is widely regarded as perfect for the role. With piercing eyes, restrained dialogue and an almost hypnotic screen presence, he transforms Shelby into one of the most unforgettable characters in modern screen storytelling.
Murphy’s brilliance lies in his restraint. He rarely shouts or performs theatrically. Instead, a quiet stare, a calculated pause or a subtle shift in expression conveys the emotional storms within the character. Beneath the ruthless gang leader is a war veteran carrying trauma, guilt and loneliness. Murphy captures this complexity with remarkable precision, making Thomas Shelby both terrifying and deeply human.
Beyond its central performance, Peaky Blinders stands out for its unfiltered portrayal of reality. The show does not romanticise crime. Instead, it exposes the harsh social conditions of early 20th-century Britain, from poverty and class struggle to political extremism and the psychological scars left by war.
The series also presents powerful female characters who hold their own within the Shelby empire. Polly Gray, played by Helen McCrory, is the strategic backbone of the family and one of the most formidable figures in the story. Women in the series shape decisions, influence power structures and challenge the rigid social norms of the time.
Across six seasons, the narrative grows dramatically in scale. What begins in the smoky streets of Birmingham evolves into a story involving political conspiracies, fascism and international criminal networks.
The series has also earned significant critical acclaim. It won the BAFTA Television Award for Best Drama Series in 2018 and multiple National Television Awards for Best Drama, cementing its reputation as one of Britain’s most celebrated modern shows.
Another defining feature of the series is its iconic music. The show’s opening theme, Red Right Hand by Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds, became instantly recognisable and widely associated with the Shelby universe. Combined with a powerful soundtrack featuring artists such as Arctic Monkeys and Radiohead, the music helped shape the show’s dark, stylish identity and became hugely popular among fans.
And the Shelby story is not over yet.
In fact, its legacy is unfolding right now. The long-awaited feature-length continuation, Peaky Blinders: The Immortal Man, was released on March 6, 2026, bringing the Shelby universe from streaming screens to cinemas and giving fans a new chapter in the saga.
For viewers who have not yet stepped into this world, the timing could not be better.
Six gripping seasons are ready to binge on Netflix. A new film has just arrived in theatres. And at the heart of it all stands one of the most magnetic performances in modern drama by Cillian Murphy.
So if Peaky Blinders has been sitting on your watchlist for years, this weekend is your moment.
So, by order of the Peaky fookin’ Blinders, consider this your cue to finally step into the ruthless world of Thomas Shelby. Pour yourself a drink, clear your schedule and press the play button. Because when the Peaky Blinders give an order, you listen.
