What the “LIVE” Series Is
Rakuten TV Enterprise — the business‑to‑business arm of Rakuten’s streaming platform — has launched LIVE, a new European event series designed to convene senior leaders from the connected TV (CTV) and streaming media ecosystem. (cineuropa.org)
- The series aims to create a recurring forum where executives, technologists, advertising leaders, broadcasters and platform operators can exchange insights, build collaborations, and anticipate market trends in the rapidly evolving CTV and streaming landscape. (NewscastStudio)
- Connected TV refers to TV sets and devices that stream video content via the internet, blurring the line between traditional broadcast TV and internet video platforms. (Rakuten TV operates across many European markets with a mix of subscription, ad‑supported and hybrid streaming offers.) (Wikipedia)
Launch Event — LIVE Madrid (17 March 2026)
The inaugural LIVE event is scheduled for 17 March 2026 at the Hotel Mandarin Oriental Ritz in Madrid, Spain — bringing together 150+ senior decision‑makers from platforms, production companies, media agencies, advertisers, studios, broadcasters and more. (Advanced Television)
Featured Sessions & Speakers
Speakers and segments at LIVE Madrid include: (Advanced Television)
- Cédric Dufour, CEO & President of Rakuten TV — will deliver the opening keynote on the evolution of Europe’s CTV market and the role of technology and advertising models in driving future growth. (Advanced Television)
- Miguel López‑Valverde, Regional Minister for Digitalisation of the Community of Madrid — offers a government perspective on digital transformation and strengthening the audiovisual sector. (Advanced Television)
- Carla Redondo Galbarriatu, Director General for Regulation of Digitalisation and Audiovisual Communication Services (Spanish Ministry for Digital Transformation) — discusses regulatory and audiovisual policy developments. (Advanced Television)
The event also hosts the first session of a newly formed CTV Advisory Board, bringing together senior representatives from media, advertising and platform sectors to analyze market trends, advertising evolution and business challenges. (Advanced Television)
What the Series Offers
LIVE isn’t just a single event — it’s a European circuit designed to continue throughout 2026 with additional editions planned in: (cineuropa.org)
- London (UK) — June
- Munich (Germany) — later in the year
- Milan (Italy) — scheduled after Munich
These follow‑up events aim to maintain momentum around CTV industry collaboration and spotlight regional trends, business models and technology innovation in connected TV and streaming. (cineuropa.org)
Why It Matters — Context & Industry Insight
Commentary from industry observers and case context helps explain why LIVE could be significant:
Market Evolution
Connected TV is maturing rapidly in Europe as streaming shifts from subscription‑only models toward ad‑led growth and hybrid formats — especially as advertisers seek new, data‑driven ways to reach audiences on big screens. (NewscastStudio)
This mirrors broader trends that platforms like Rakuten TV have been addressing through enterprise CTV services, which include technology for advertising, FAST channels (free ad‑supported streaming), monetisation and syndication for third‑party content providers, telcos and TV operators. (Movistar Plus+)
Case Example: Partner Success
A recent case study tied to Rakuten TV Enterprise shows how a global news channel (NTD News) expanded significantly in competitive European markets by leveraging CTV platform partnerships — using tailored campaigns and multi‑channel placements to boost exposure, engagement and monetisation across the UK and Ireland. (enterprise.rakuten.tv)
This type of growth highlights why industry collaboration and insight exchange — like that LIVE aims to foster — matters for content owners and advertisers alike. (enterprise.rakuten.tv)
What Industry Voices Are Saying
While direct quotes from the event launch underline the ambition:
- Cédric Dufour said LIVE is intended to be “a space where the industry can come together to exchange perspectives, anticipate change and build stronger collaboration across the ecosystem.” (NewscastStudio)
- Organisers emphasize that, in a media market shaped by streaming consolidation and changing advertising models, a dedicated European forum can help stakeholders stay ahead of shifts and drive innovation together. (Señal News)
Industry analysts broadly view initiatives like this as valuable because CTV growth is not just about technology — it’s also about business models, data strategies and regulatory alignment across markets. (General trend context based on broader industry reporting.) (info.3vision.tv)
Summary — What You Need to Know
- What: A new European event series (“LIVE”) by Rakuten TV Enterprise for senior connected TV and streaming executives. (cineuropa.org)
- Where & When: Launch event on 17 March 2026 in Madrid, Spain, followed by editions in London, Munich and Milan. (cineuropa.org)
- Focus: Keynotes, networking, a strategic CTV Advisory Board, and discussions on advertising, technology and market evolution. (Advanced Television)
- Why it matters: Aims to create a structured, Europe‑wide space for media leaders to align on trends and advance the connected TV ecosystem. (NewscastStudio)
Here’s a case‑study and commentary‑focused briefing on the launch of the “LIVE” event series by Rakuten TV Enterprise, which brings together Europe’s connected‑TV (CTV) and streaming media leaders — including
What the LIVE Series Is
Rakuten TV Enterprise has launched a new European event series called LIVE. The initiative is designed to bring together senior executives, technologists, advertisers, broadcasters, production companies and other decision‑makers across the connected‑TV and streaming ecosystem. (cineuropa.org)
- The inaugural LIVE event took place on 17 March 2026 in Madrid, with more than 150 industry leaders from platforms, studios, media agencies and more. (cineuropa.org)
- Additional editions are planned in London (9 June 2026), Munich and Milan later in the year, creating a multi‑city European forum for discussions about streaming innovation, advertising models and market strategy. (cineuropa.org)
The purpose is to encourage networking and strategic exchange as connected TV shifts toward advertising‑led and hybrid revenue models and as platforms compete for audience time. (Broadband TV News)
Case Studies: How Rakuten TV’s CTV Platform Is Driving Change
Although the LIVE series itself is new, existing connected‑TV and advertising campaigns run through Rakuten TV Enterprise illustrate the ecosystem this event series is supporting. Two real case studies highlight how CTV strategies are playing out:
Case Study A — NTD News Expansion in Europe
- NTD News, a U.S‑based international news channel, used Rakuten TV’s platform to launch and scale its presence within the UK and Irish markets — competitive regions with many established broadcasters.
- By combining video ads and prominent placements, the campaign delivered about 3 million impressions in early markets, helping NTD News gain visibility and strengthen engagement against major local competitors. (enterprise.rakuten.tv)
What this shows: Partnering with a CTV platform like Rakuten’s can help niche content providers break into markets where traditional broadcasters and streaming services already dominate.
Case Study B — Škoda’s Advertising Strategy
- Carmaker Škoda France focused on CTV advertising attention metrics to promote its electric SUV line, partnering with Rakuten Advertising’s programmatic solutions.
- Using connected‑TV placements across targeted audiences, Škoda sought to increase brand awareness and attention — a key metric as advertisers try to stand out amid saturated media environments. (enterprise.rakuten.tv)
What this shows: Advertisers are increasingly measuring not just views but viewer attention on major screens — and CTV platforms offer new ways to optimise campaigns for that outcome.
Industry Commentary & Reactions
While direct quotes about the LIVE launch are limited in press releases, broader industry sentiment and context around CTV underscores why events like LIVE matter:
Market Momentum
- Connected TV continues to grow rapidly in Europe as smart TV adoption grows and advertisers seek to shift from linear TV to digital formats that still reach big screens. Research commissioned by Rakuten shows that a majority of households in major EU markets now own smart TVs — a trend that validates investment in CTV advertising tools. (enterprise.rakuten.tv)
Strategic Importance of CTV Events
Analysts and industry insiders are increasingly describing connected TV leadership events as more critical than ever:
- Commentators highlight that CTV differs from traditional broadcast or app‑only streaming: it blends audience scale with data‑driven targeting, creating both opportunities and complexity for content owners and advertisers.
- Forums like LIVE are expected to help companies align around monetisation strategies, debate regulatory and data challenges, and share case learnings from campaigns like those seen with NTD News and Škoda. (Synthesis based on trends from industry reporting.) (enterprise.rakuten.tv)
Why LIVE Matters
The LIVE event series functions as more than a conference — it’s part of a broader shift toward:
- Collaborative strategy building among CTV platforms, advertisers, and content owners facing rapid market evolution.
- Sharing concrete business insights (like how campaigns drive impressions or attention) beyond pure technology demos.
- Understanding regulatory and policy trends alongside commercial opportunities, as seen in discussions featuring public sector speakers at the Madrid launch. (cineuropa.org)
In other words, LIVE isn’t just about technology, it’s about business models and partnerships — exactly the elements illustrated by Rakuten’s existing case successes.
Summary — What You Should Know
What: Rakuten TV Enterprise’s LIVE is a new European series uniting CTV and streaming leaders. (cineuropa.org)
Where: Began in Madrid, with follow‑ups planned in London, Munich and Milan. (cineuropa.org)
Why it matters: Offers space for strategy exchange and networking across the CTV ecosystem as markets shift from traditional broadcasting to connected, data‑driven screens. (Broadband TV News)
Real examples: NTD News’s market entry and Škoda’s CTV ad strategy highlight how companies are already leveraging CTV platforms for reach and attention. (enterprise.rakuten.tv)