Shalom! Did you know that HBO’s Euphoria - the defining Gen Z show - actually started as an Israeli series? It’s just one reason why Israel has become a surprising hotspot for youth format innovation, and why there’s a lot the global industry can learn from it.
Welcome to ABC of Future TV - your monthly deep dive into Europe’s evolving media landscape. Each edition covers:
✅ Audience: Viewing habits, favourite platforms, and top creators.
✅ Business: Key industry players, economic trends, and branded entertainment.
✅ Content: TV formats, innovation, and opportunities for producers.
ABC of Future TV goes beyond trends - I interview industry insiders, uncover collaboration opportunities, and provide actionable insights to help TV producers and media professionals stay ahead in the European market.
For this edition, I chatted with one of my best friends and funniest people I know, the one and only Creative AI Strategist and Expert in Content Innovation Omri Marcus. Please go and connect with him on LinkedIn - especially if you’re interested in AI 🤖
👥 Audience: Gen Z in Israel
Gen Z in Israel have woven streaming into their daily routines: nearly eight in ten 13–24-year-olds tune into video content at least once a week, closely matching global Gen Z viewing habits.
📊 Quick Stats to Know:
81% of Gen Z spend ≥1 hour/day on social media
67% prefer short-form comedy and memes
Gen Z spends 54% more time on social platforms than older viewers
TV/movie consumption down 26% for Gen Z
47% already engage with AR/VR
Gen Z’s Favourite Platforms
Israeli Gen Z are online almost nonstop, and their platform mix is telling:
Instagram: Among 18–22 year-olds, 90% report using Instagram, with 82% of those doing so daily (Israel Internet Association)
TikTok: Usage among 18–22 year-olds stands at 80%, of whom 72% open the app every day
YouTube & WhatsApp: WhatsApp and YouTube lead among Gen Z at 100% penetration
📊 Fun fact: 77 % of 18–22 year-olds in Israel now use Telegram - up from 62 % a year ago - making it one of the fastest-growing platforms for this cohort. And you know, my Web3 community keeps telling me Telegram is the streaming app of the future.
💡 What this means: With Gen Z addicted to short-form, snackable clips more than linear schedules, TV producers and Marketers should:
Go social-native: Develop mini-episodes optimised for TikTok, YouTube Shorts, and Instagram Reels.
Engage via stories: Leverage WhatsApp Status and Telegram channels for behind-the-scenes content, polls, and early previews.
Collaborate with creators: Partner with local TikTok and YouTube influencers to co-create snackable spin-offs that live natively in feeds, not on a TV guide.
By meeting Gen Z where they scroll - fast, mobile, social - broadcasters can turn a fleeting swipe into lasting fandom.
Gen Z’s Favourite Creators
Israeli digital-native talent is proving equally adept on screen and in feeds. They are leveraging their online followings into traditional TV roles and reshaping what “broadcast talent” looks like:
Noa Kirel (born 2001) burst onto YouTube and Instagram as a teen, then leveraged her 1.3 M-strong social following into on-screen roles. By age 16 she was hosting the youth music show LipStar on Yes KidZ, and soon after she landed a judge’s seat on Israel’s Got Talent, becoming the youngest-ever panelist in the franchise. Her ability to blend high-production pop performances with genuine, behind-the-scenes moments has made her a blueprint for how social-first stars can anchor primetime TV.
Anna Zak (born 2001) turned her 5 M TikTok and 1 M Instagram followings into a TV career: in 2017 she hosted Music 24’s talent series To Be a Singer, and in 2023 she starred in the children’s musical drama Fly on Anna on YES Kids - proof that a built-in digital audience can carry a creator into scripted television.
These success stories highlight a clear playbook for traditional networks: by recruiting Gen Z creators with built-in audiences and co-developing hybrid formats - think social-paced hooks that expand into 30-minute TV specials - they can convert taps and swipes into tune-ins and tune-ups.
💰Business: Israel’s $4 B Creative Engine
Israel’s media market is powering ahead - projected to generate US $4.14 billion in total media revenues in 2025, with the TV & Video segment alone accounting for US $1.86 billion and 83 % user penetration, according to statista. Behind the scenes, over 75 000 people worked in arts and entertainment as of early 2022, underscoring the sector’s role as a key employer. (statista)
At the core of Israel’s audiovisual ecosystem sits the Israel Film Fund, which - operating on a US $6 million annual budget - selects roughly 12–15 feature films each year from some 140 submissions, nurturing diverse local storytelling and international festival successes (Izzy) To lure foreign productions, the government’s “Fund for the Promotion of Foreign Productions” offers up to 30 % cash rebates on qualifying spend (minimum ILS 500 000, cap ILS 16.6 million), with 80 % paid during shooting and the balance on delivery (Production Service Network).
Key TV players - Kan (public broadcaster with digital arm Makan), Keshet Media Group (Keshet 12, Stream On), Reshet 13, and pay-TV platforms YES and HOT - are increasingly commissioning Gen Z‐oriented, multi‐platform formats.
Together, robust public funding, generous tax incentives, municipal rebates, and digital-first broadcasters are laying the groundwork for Israel’s next era of youth-focused, cross-border storytelling.
Future TV Voices: Omri Marcus on Gen Z, Innovation & Why Israel Is Built for Bold Storytelling
Israel is known for punching above its weight in TV innovation. From exporting hit formats to rapid experimentation with tech, the country has become a storytelling lab. Comedy Writer and Creative AI Strategist Omri Marcus shares why Gen Z is the driving force behind Israel’s “golden era” of storytelling - and why the rest of the world should pay attention.
🌟 Israel is another country that’s small but a leader in exporting TV formats. What lessons have you learned about crafting concepts that translate across cultures, especially for younger audiences?
🗣️ Omri: Israel is experiencing a true storytelling renaissance, both scripted and unscripted. But Israeli content has to work harder: it must be at least 20% more compelling than the news. That’s no small feat when your news cycle includes political upheaval, tech protests, and military conflict. In a calm place like Switzerland, you can outshine the headlines without trying too hard. In Israel, you have to break through. That pressure creates fierce, fearless content - and Gen Z demands exactly that.
🌟 What makes Israeli Gen Z viewers unique on the global stage, and how does that shape the kinds of stories and formats that succeed here?
🗣️ Omri: The key is emotional truth and narrative urgency. Israeli stories may be deeply local - rooted in Tel Aviv nightlife, family tension, or military service - but they strike universal chords. Especially with Gen Z, who care less about polish and more about authenticity, grit, and complexity. If a format connects with those values, it can travel anywhere.
🌟 Gen Z is often called the "startup generation." What does that mean for Israeli TV and digital storytelling?
🗣️ Omri: Gen Z is reshaping the media landscape. They spend hours a day on social media - according to Attest, 81% are on for at least an hour daily, and over half for more than 3 hours. They consume fast, crave relevance, and are incredibly socially conscious. They’re allergic to boredom. That fits perfectly with Israel’s creative DNA: fast iteration, tight budgets, and constant pressure to innovate. The post-October 7 reset of our startup ecosystem will only intensify this: we’re wired for resilience. Like heroes in a film, we dust ourselves off and build again.
🌟 What core elements do international producers need to understand about Israeli youth culture, especially Gen Z, if they want to co-produce or localise a format?
🗣️ Omri: Don’t sanitise. Gen Z wants reality as it is - messy, political, funny, heartbreaking. In Israel, storytelling often blurs the lines between fiction and real life. If you're co-producing, lean into that honesty. And remember: platforms matter. Telegram, for instance, isn’t just a messaging app - it’s a decentralised media outlet here. There’s a rawness to Israeli engagement that global producers need to respect and reflect.
🌟 Which Israeli digital trends are you watching as early signals for global Gen Z tastes?
🗣️ Omri: Watch for content that combines narrative with gaming, AR/VR, and interactive formats. We're seeing creators use AI to build fictional influencers or “therapy bots” that exist across platforms. Telegram and WhatsApp aren’t just communication tools - they’re becoming storytelling platforms. The audience is more decentralised, more fragmented, but also more engaged - if you speak their language.
🌟 Israel’s indie scene and startup mentality often fuel experimental pilots. How can international networks tap into that sandbox to incubate daring, youth-driven ideas?
🗣️ Omri: Think like a startup. Test fast, fail faster, scale what works. Production budgets here are 30–50% lower than in the U.S. or Europe, so you can run micro-budget pilots that act as proofs of concept. Use places like the Sam Spiegel Film Lab as testbeds. Try out tech-integrated storytelling - AR documentaries, chatbot-led narratives, dual-screen experiences. Israel’s not just agile - it’s hungry.
🌟 What partnership models between Israeli creators and international producers work best for reaching Gen Z globally?
🗣️ Omri: A few that work well:
Innovation labs – Spaces where Israeli technologists and international creatives can develop hybrid formats.
Micro-budget co-productions – Like Autonomies, which was picked up by Apple TV+.
Ethical tech experiments – Test AR/VR and AI narratives on sensitive topics (e.g., POVs from conflict zones), then scale internationally.
Co-writing models – Like Netflix Israel pairing local talent with global showrunners.
Data-driven co-development – Using social sentiment tools to surface Gen Z issues, like mental health or climate anxiety, and turn them into serialised content.
🌟 Looking ahead five years, where do you see the biggest growth opportunities for Israeli Gen Z formats, and what should producers start developing today?
🗣️ Omri: The sweet spot is where raw authenticity meets tech-powered storytelling. Israeli creators are risk-embracing, emotionally fluent, and incredibly agile. That makes this market an ideal place to prototype the future of global entertainment, especially for an audience that demands more than just content. Gen Z wants meaning, immediacy, and the ability to interact. If you can give them that, they’ll follow you anywhere.
🌟 From war zones to WhatsApp, Israel is shaping the future of storytelling for a Gen Z audience that refuses to look away. Whether you're a producer in L.A., London, or Lagos, this is one creative ecosystem worth watching.
Next up: Content & Innovation (Premium)
What’s driving Israel’s unexpected edge in Gen Z storytelling?
From bold platform choices to unconventional format twists, this section breaks down five standout youth productions you won’t find on the usual radar. In fact, I wouldn’t have found them without Omri’s help.
Discover how a small market is rewriting the rules - with big implications for the future of content creation. Perfect for anyone developing next-gen formats, seeking global inspiration, or trying to crack the Gen Z code.
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