The media market has been fairly consistent over the past several years, with the same players, few choices, and tried-and-true tactics. But 2026 will bring meaningful market disruption — creators will come of age, consumers will regularly turn to LLMs, and media conglomerates will be forced to restructure. This leaves room for emerging players to make their market moves. As big media’s centralized power diffuses, advertisers will navigate a less familiar marketplace — one with more competition, more channels, and more choice. This report makes five media and advertising predictions for 2026.