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The alternative networks — or altnets — have been badly hit by rising interest rates, amassing an aggregate £9 in bebt, according to the latest figures compiled by Enders Analysis.

Karen Egan at Enders Analysis says: “She definitely did benefit from a timing perspective, coming in after Jansen left.

“But to her credit she told the story much better than he managed to.”

“In this business, they say: sports sell subscriptions, entertainment prevents cancellations,” says François Godard. He is an analyst for the sports rights market and advises companies like DAZN and Sky, as well as the German Football League (DFL). Pay TV without sports rights is difficult, he says. In an industry where everything is now available on demand, a product that still consists primarily of live events is very valuable. Events that no one wants to miss. Sports are the perfect bait for subscribers.

“Netflix remains ruthlessly analytical and laser focused on engagement in the games space, and doesn’t have arbitrary guardrails for what is on or off platform,” said Enders Analysis head of media technology and games Gareth Sutcliffe in an interview with GamesBeat. “Roblox activations will remain in the games and marketing portfolio for some time, as it’s more than a quick execution sandbox given its current high growth trajectory. The brand support tools Roblox is bringing online combined with the overall UGC model are substantively complementary rather than competitive.”

The U.K.-based subscription research company Enders Analysis investigated the question in a new cheekily titled report, "A big apple, uneven bites."

The New York Times and Financial Times — both with bustling subscription businesses — are notably absent from Apple News.  Apple News+ subscriptions are “straightforwardly additive” for news businesses that don’t already have “large, mature owned-and-operated subscription businesses,” the Enders report argues.

For more traffic-dependent publishers, Apple News can provide “a rare buffer in a volatile environment,” the report says. “As discovery via search becomes less reliable, millions of users now encounter premium journalism through a service they already pay for, lowering friction and reinforcing Apple News as a default entry point.”

The move comes as the UK’s “altnet” fibre sector, which has sought to take on established providers such as BT, slashes costs as many players face higher interest rates and intense competition. CityFibre had £3.7bn of net debt as of 2025 while Enders Analysis estimates the industry has more than £9bn of net debt.