Distribution strategies for the Creator Economy presented by Evan Shapiro at CES 2026 'Variety Business of Creators Summit.'

From the Letterman library to Jonas Brothers concerts—the 'magic of addition' proven by FAST platforms.

CES 2026 Conference Session

New Hollywood Power Players:

The Rise of Creators on TV

Variety Business of Creators Summit, presented by Samsung Ads

Thursday, January 8, 2026 | 10:15 AM - 10:50 AM | ARIA, Level 1, Joshua 9

New Hollywood Power Players: The Rise of Creators on TV panel discussion at CES 2026

[CES 2026 'New Hollywood Power Players: The Rise of Creators on TV' Session]

Session Speakers

Cynthia Littleton (Moderator)

Co-Editor in Chief, Variety

Evan Shapiro

Owner/Writer/Podcaster, ESHAP

Media Cartographer

Takashi Nakano

VP, TV Plus Content & Programming

Samsung Electronics, Inc.

Rishita Patel

Head of Partnerships

Samsung Electronics, Inc.

Ryan Wilson

Managing Director - Enterprise Sales, Samsung Electronics, Inc.

Executive Summary

In the history of the TV industry, 'Syndication' was the golden goose. Hit sitcoms like Friends, Seinfeld, and The Big Bang Theory generated billions of dollars in revenue through reruns for decades after their original broadcasts ended. Syndication—the model of selling a single piece of content to multiple broadcasters for distribution—was the core revenue structure of 20th-century American television.

But the streaming era brought this model into crisis. Netflix weaponized 'exclusivity,' while Disney+ and HBO Max pulled their libraries from other platforms. 'One platform, one piece of content' became the new rule.

Syndication was declared dead.

Yet in 2026, syndication is being resurrected from an unexpected quarter.

FAST (Free Ad-Supported Streaming TV) platforms are the protagonists of this revival. As ad-supported free streaming services like Samsung TV Plus, Pluto TV, and Tubi experience explosive growth, a new distribution strategy is emerging—one that 'ubiquitizes' rather than 'monopolizes' content.