Larry Namer knows the future of entertainment.
He’s been watching it since 1987. Back then he co-founded E! when the idea was that cable television ruled everything. Fast forward four decades and he sees something else entirely.
A smartphone.
Held upright.
Speaking at VidCon 26 the man behind one of pop culture’s oldest brands made a blunt case. The industry keeps clinging to old formats like they are anchors. Whether it’s cable streaming or whatever the latest tech gimmick is. Namer argues the winners have always followed audience behavior. They didn’t try to change it.
Storytelling is storytelling.
It’s the delivery method that shifts. Audience habits shift too.
By 2030 vertical short-form video will be how people consume most entertainment.
Sounds radical in Hollywood? Maybe. But his reasoning isn’t trend-chasing. It’s about habit.
He once produced a celebrity show in China. Three-quarters of the audience watched on phones or tablets. The question hit him hard.
Why shoot horizontal when everyone watches vertical?
His team changed everything. Lighting framing even how hosts moved on camera. It was basic sense.
Would he build another E! today? No. Not in the traditional cable sense. The demand for fame gossip and entertainment news remains huge. He’d just launch it non-linearly. Let people watch what they want when they want.
And that leads to AI.
Namer issued a warning legacy media often ignores. Stop fighting technology.
He compared today’s AI fear to the music industry resisting digital distribution years ago. Labels fought the inevitable. They lost control to Spotify iTunes and others. Traditional media is making the same mistake by pretending AI won’t matter.
Technology marches on. Like it or not.
But innovation shouldn’t be unchecked.
Namer spoke with Antony Gordon about this. He keeps coming back to responsibility. AI needs guardrails. Mental health for young people matters. Platforms need to prioritize social good over pure profit. Governments should regulate AI like they regulate driving. Clear rules. Real consequences for abuse.
Creators? They need a different mindset too.
Passion won’t pay rent.
Landlords don’t accept sweaters.
Namer told attendees to master a skill. Become exceptionally good at something. That success creates the freedom to pursue passion. Fame for fame’s sake is empty.
His view isn’t anti-tradition.
It’s adaptive. Television replaced radio. Streaming broke cable. Phones reshaped viewing.
Vertical video is just the next step.
The companies that get it early will write the next chapter of entertainment.
VidCon 26 coverage continues from Anaheim with panel highlights creator interviews and moments from the floor.
