White paper on 6G for Media & Entertainment

The Media & Entertainment (M&E) sector is undergoing a profound technological and structural transformation. Audiences are shifting towards on-demand, immersive, and interactive content; AI and generative media are becoming integral to production and distribution; and live events increasingly rely on digital augmentation. Against this backdrop, 6G technologies—supported by innovations in AI, edge computing, non-terrestrial networks, sensing, and distributed intelligence—are poised to redefine how media is created, delivered, and experienced.Within this evolving landscape, the Smart Networks and Services Joint Undertaking (SNS JU) plays a central role in shaping Europe’s technological leadership. Through 22 dedicated projects and 46 use cases, SNS JU is developing and validating the network capabilities, architectural enablers, and experimental platforms that will make 6G-enabled M&E applications technically feasible, economically sustainable, and societally acceptable.SNS JU projects collectively address the stringent performance needs of next-generation M&E services—ultra-high bandwidth, sub-millisecond latency, massive device density, distributed compute, precise positioning, integrated sensing, and advanced security.This white paper provides an extensive analysis of the current status of the M&E sector, based on SNS JU experts and an extensive research of the industrial M&E domain, and the promising technologies and features of 6G that stand to bring M&E services to the 2030s.Despite strong progress from SNS JU projects, significant challenges remain for large-scale 6G adoption in the M&E sector. Achieving the advanced infrastructure required for sub-THz communications, distributed MIMO, and edge-centric architectures demands high investment, while uplink limitations still constrain volumetric capture and remote production. Immersive and metaverse applications also heighten privacy and security risks due to their dependence on sensitive biometric and behavioural data. Interoperability gaps between devices, platforms, and formats threaten ecosystem fragmentation, and today’s end-user devices—limited in battery, processing, display, and cost—continue to restrict the quality of immersive experiences.At the same time, 6G offers major opportunities to transform M&E through hybrid digital-physical events, immersive broadcasting, holographic telepresence, and cloud-native collaborative production. Ultra-high bandwidth, low latency, and distributed AI will support richer, more interactive content and personalized user experiences, while metaverse applications expand into culture, education, tourism, and industry. Sustainability will become a central value driver as carbon-aware streaming and energy-efficient delivery influence both operators and consumers. Early 6G adoption is expected in premium immersive services and professional production environments, broadening as devices mature and standards solidify. With continued investment, coordinated regulation, and leadership in R&I, Europe is well positioned to shape the global future of 6G-enabled media.