Article overview:

• Successful content asset monetization requires a strategic approach combining technology, process improvement and organizational change
• Organizations that treat media archives as active assets rather than passive storage could gain competitive advantage in an increasingly content-driven marketplace
• Key challenges include rights management complexity, legacy format preservation, metadata quality, technology integration and organizational change management

Broadcasters and media organizations are sitting on decades of valuable visual content—footage, images, audio recordings and documents that represent not just historical significance but also untapped revenue potential. Yet for many, these vast archives are doomed to remain a growing accounting line item for storage rather than a strategic asset on the balance sheet.

‍McKinsey research found that one-third of global executives believe their companies’ data assets have unrealized potential and—citing a Walmart venture that grew revenue 80 percent quarter over quarter during its first year—that generative AI could provide the answer. 

Media asset monetization can represent a fundamental shift in how organizations view their content libraries. Rather than treating archives as passive repositories requiring maintenance costs, forward-thinking organizations are transforming them into active revenue engines—just as the French Football Federation (FFF) did, inviting 1500 external users, including sponsors, journalists, pro clubs, media buyers and service providers, to its media asset marketplace. 

With the global market size for data monetization valued at almost $3 billion in 2023, and projected to grow to more than $12 billion by 2032—a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 17.5 percent—this is one area of digitization you can’t afford to ignore. This comprehensive guide explores the current landscape of media asset management, plus some practical strategies, industry applications, and future trends shaping how organizations unlock value from their media assets. But first: what exactly are media assets?

What is a media asset?

Media assets are digital files like images, audio, video and animations often used in marketing, communication and content creation. A type of digital asset that is visually or audibly engaging, media assets help represent a brand, tell a story or engage an audience.

But these content assets require careful management, not just during initial creation and production, but also in how they’re stored and archived for posterity. This is where media asset management systems come in.

Media asset management systems help to maximize your archive’s potential

A Media Asset Management (MAM) system is designed specifically to manage rich media content, particularly video and audio, across its entire lifecycle from creation through distribution and archiving. MAM systems are able to handle large media files, support transcoding across formats, and integrate with production software, making them ideal for broadcasters, streaming services and production houses that work extensively with video content.

However, MAMs are often confused with other asset management systems, such as:

• Digital Asset Management (DAM), which is broader in scope, managing all types of digital assets (images, documents, graphics, videos) primarily for marketing and branding purposes. A DAM serves as a single source of truth for finalized, approved content across an organization.
• Production Asset Management (PAM), which focuses specifically on the active production phase—managing raw footage, project files and timelines during collaborative video/film editing. Where MAM covers the full lifecycle, PAM handles assets only while they're being created.

Generally and historically, a PAM handles assets during creation, MAM manages them through their full lifecycle (especially video), and DAM distributes approved assets organization-wide. However, the lines are increasingly blurring as modern AI-powered platforms combine multiple capabilities in one ecosystem.

The current state of media asset management

The media asset management (MAM) market is experiencing rapid expansion, driven by the ever-increasing amounts of digital content and the growing recognition of archives as strategic business assets. According to recent market research, the global MAM market grew from $6.04 billion in 2024 to $7.22 billion in 2025—a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 19.5 percent. Projections suggest the market will reach $16.18 billion by 2034, reflecting an 8.87% CAGR over the forecast period.

Several factors are driving this growth, including:

• Increased video content production: Organizations are producing more multimedia content than ever before as they try to engage audiences across multiple channels, and this requires sophisticated management solutions
• Globalization of media production: Distributed teams need centralized access to content assets across geographies and time zones
• Media rights and licensing complexity: The proliferation of distribution channels demands better tracking and rights management
• Cross-platform content delivery: Audiences expect content across streaming, social, broadcast and digital platforms simultaneously

A fundamental change in archiving approaches

Cloud-based solutions are leading this transformation. By 2035, cloud deployments are expected to capture 64 percent of the MAM market share, with large enterprises representing 69 percent of this adoption. It’s a shift that reflects the need for scalable, accessible and cost-effective solutions that are able to support demanding modern media workflows.

The transition from on-premises to cloud-based systems represents more than a technical upgrade; it signals a fundamental change in how organizations approach their content archives. Cloud infrastructure helps to enable real-time collaboration, automated workflows, and the integration of AI capabilities that were much harder, or even impossible, with legacy systems.

Poor media asset management: A hidden cost center

Organizations that struggle to implement effective media asset management strategies could face significant financial consequences—often without realizing the true extent of their losses.

Time lost to inefficient search

The most immediate cost is productivity loss. According to a McKinsey study, employees spend an average of 1.8 hours each day searching for information—nearly 25 percent of the working day—while Coveo found this figure to be even higher, with employees spending 3.6 hours daily searching for information at work.

This problem intensifies for media organizations. A survey of marketing professionals revealed that 33.4 percent spend approximately three weeks per year searching for pictures, videos and other digital files, while 15 percent spend up to six weeks annually on such searches. Additionally, 70 percent of teams reported wasting time searching for visual assets before they implemented proper digital asset management solutions.

Revenue leakage from poor metadata

Perhaps more critically, poor metadata management can directly impact monetization potential. According to a 2025 Publishing Meta analysis, up to 40 percent of licensing revenue is lost due to poor metadata. When content cannot be found, it cannot be licensed. When rights information is unclear, licensing opportunities are declined or delayed.

This "metadata crisis" can manifest in several ways:

• Missed licensing opportunities: Valuable footage remains buried in archives, invisible to potential buyers
• Delayed rights clearances: Incomplete metadata means manual research for every licensing request
• Underutilized catalogs: Organizations repeatedly use the same easily-found clips while vast libraries remain untapped
• Compliance risks: Poor tracking of rights windows and territorial restrictions exposes organizations to legal liability

The operational friction gap

The disparity between organizations that manage their assets effectively and those that don't can have measurable business consequences. Research from Accenture found that big tech's cash flow grew four times faster than legacy media's from 2018-2023. While multiple factors contributed to this gap, operational friction from poor asset management represented a significant and addressable component.

Prepare for monetization with these strategies for better media asset management 

Transforming your media archives from cost centers to revenue sources requires a strategic approach encompassing technology, processes and organizational change. Prepare your media asset monetization plan with activities such as these.

Centralize and digitize

The foundation of any media asset monetization strategy is to ensure content is accessible. For many organizations, this begins with digitizing legacy formats, tapes, film reels, obsolete digital formats, and migrating them to modern cloud-based storage. Broadcasters like Fox News have undertaken massive digitization projects encompassing tens of thousands of tapes across U-matic, one-inch, two-inch formats, 16mm and 35mm film, and various digital tape formats as they prepare to monetize their content archives.

Enrich metadata with AI

Modern AI tools can enable automated metadata extraction at a granularity that was previously unheard of. These systems can analyze and automatically tag assets, often at ingestion, with:

• Scene and shot identification
• Speaker recognition and transcription
• Emotional tone and sentiment analysis
• Location and landmark detection
• Brand and logo presence
• Object and activity recognition

A properly cataloged archive helps to transform content from passive storage to searchable, discoverable inventory ready for licensing. This represents one of the most powerful applications of AI in unlocking content value, turning legacy footage into monetizable digital products.

Implement rights management systems

Effective monetization requires clear understanding of what rights an organization holds and what restrictions apply to each individual asset. Modern MAM systems integrate rights management capabilities that can track:

• Territorial rights and restrictions
• Time-based license windows
• Usage limitations (broadcast, streaming, social, etc.)
• Talent and music clearances
• Third-party content inclusions

This foundation is essential; without it, you cannot confidently offer content for licensing without risking copyright infringement.

Integrate with distribution workflows

The final piece of the media asset monetization puzzle is connecting managed assets to distribution channels. This means integrating MAM systems with:

• Content delivery networks
• Streaming platforms
• Social media distribution tools
• Licensing marketplaces
• Production workflows

When an asset can move seamlessly from archive to distribution with rights verified automatically, the entire monetization process has the potential to accelerate from days or weeks to mere minutes.

What are some methods for monetizing your media archives?

Organizations wanting to generate revenue from their content libraries have multiple pathways ahead, ranging from direct licensing to strategic content repurposing. Let’s look at some of those roads to monetization. 

Direct content licensing

The most straightforward monetization approach involves licensing content directly to third parties. This could include:

• Stock footage licensing: Making clips available through licensing platforms for use in documentaries, commercials, news programming and corporate videos
• B2B licensing portals: Creating self-service storefronts where broadcasters, filmmakers, production companies, partners and sponsors can search, preview and license footage directly
• Exclusive licensing deals: Negotiating exclusive arrangements with streaming platforms or broadcasters for specific content categories

The Associated Press, for example, maintains an archive of over 2 million pieces of global news footage dating back to 1895, which it licenses directly to media organizations worldwide.

Original programming development

Archives can also provide raw material for new content creation. Hearst Television, for example, has used its archive to produce over 370 pieces of digital original content along with linear specials and local streaming programming, including popular true crime series.

Documentary filmmakers increasingly rely on archival footage as the foundation for historical narratives, too. Films like What Happened Miss Simone?, I Am Not Your Negro, and LA 92 demonstrate how archival content can anchor compelling new storytelling.

Syndication and distribution partnerships

Rather than managing licensing directly, organizations could instead partner with distribution platforms that aggregate content from multiple sources and handle licensing transactions. This approach helps to reduce operational complexity while still generating revenue from archive content.

Commemorative and merchandise opportunities

Beyond media licensing, archive content can support merchandise programs, anniversary campaigns and commemorative releases. Historical footage, photographs and audio can be incorporated into physical and digital products, exhibition experiences and special edition releases.

Media asset monetization: Industry applications and benefits

Media asset monetization delivers distinct benefits across industries, though the specific applications and value propositions will inevitably vary by sector. Here are just some of the ways broadcasters and media organizations are harnessing the value of their archives through monetization. 

News organizations

For news broadcasters and publishers, archives represent decades of historical coverage with ongoing relevance. Benefits can include:

• Evergreen content monetization: Historical footage gains value for usage in documentaries, retrospectives and educational programming
• Enhanced daily production: Accessible archives help to enrich current news coverage with relevant historical context
• Third-party licensing revenue: News footage is in constant demand from documentary makers, filmmakers and other media organizations
• Compliance and verification: Authenticated archival footage becomes increasingly valuable as concerns about misinformation grow

News organizations should consider investing in archive digitization and metadata enrichment specifically to unlock these revenue opportunities while enhancing their core news operations.

Production companies

Film and television production companies hold vast libraries of raw footage, outtakes and completed works. Monetization these could bring benefits such as:

• Catalog licensing: Completed works can be licensed across multiple distribution windows and territories
• Footage licensing: Raw material and B-roll from productions can be licensed for use in other projects
• Streaming platform deals: Archive libraries are attractive acquisition targets for streaming services seeking content depth
• Documentary and retrospective content: Behind-the-scenes footage and historical productions can support new programming development

Sports organizations

The sports industry presents particularly compelling monetization opportunities. Over 95 percent of US sports fans now subscribe to some form of sports video-on-demand service, and the global sports streaming market is projected to reach $133.98 billion by 2030.

This means the moment is ripe for sports organizations to monetize archives through actions like:

• Branded streaming channels: Direct-to-consumer platforms featuring historical matches, documentaries and original programming
• Licensing storefronts: B2B portals for broadcasters and filmmakers to license classic footage
• Fan engagement experiences: Archive content supports interactive experiences, virtual stadium tours and immersive fan applications
• Documentary partnerships: Historical footage enables productions like Netflix's Drive to Survive, which has created new international audiences for Formula 1

For example, the French Federation of Basketball (FFBB) secured its history and set itself up for future innovation by investing in a strong, AI-powered media asset management system. The FFBB can now manage and handle its legacy archive while enjoying direct-to-cloud uploads, including live from games as they happen.

Risks and challenges

While media asset monetization presents significant opportunities, organizations must navigate several challenges to be in the best position to realize value from their archives. How will you manage the following risks?

Copyright and rights management complexity

One of the most significant challenges to monetizing media assets involves understanding and managing the rights associated with archival content. Issues to face could include:

• Unclear ownership: Historical content may have ambiguous rights chains, particularly for acquired libraries
• Territory restrictions: Licensing terms often vary by geography, requiring careful tracking
• Talent and music clearances: Archive content may contain performances, music or third-party content requiring additional clearances
• Evolving legal landscape: AI and copyright law continues to evolve, as demonstrated by recent cases like GEMA's successful lawsuit against OpenAI over unauthorized use of song lyrics 

How to mitigate: 

• Invest in comprehensive rights management systems that track all associated rights, clearances and restrictions at the asset level
• Conduct rights audits before offering content for licensing

Legacy format degradation

Physical media degrades over time: Film deteriorates, magnetic tape loses integrity, and obsolete formats become unplayable as equipment becomes unavailable.

How to mitigate: 

• Prioritize digitization based on content value and degradation risk
• Establish preservation programs that migrate content to current formats before originals become unusable

Metadata quality and consistency

Archive monetization depends entirely on findability, which in turn requires accurate, consistent metadata. Challenges to achieving this include:

• Historical inconsistency: Older content may have minimal or inaccurate metadata
• Scale: Large archives require significant resources to catalog comprehensively
• Standardization: Different departments or eras may have used incompatible cataloging systems

How to mitigate: 

• Leverage AI-powered metadata extraction to automate cataloging at scale
• Implement standardized taxonomies 
• Validate AI-generated metadata with human review for high-value content

Technology integration

Modern monetization requires integration across multiple systems—platforms like MAM, rights management, distribution and business systems must all be able to talk to each other. Legacy technology stacks may lack the APIs and flexibility required for seamless integration.

How to mitigate: 

• Adopt cloud-based platforms designed for integration
• Plan technology roadmaps that prioritize interoperability 
• Avoid vendor lock-in

Organizational change management

Technology alone cannot transform archives into revenue sources. Organizations must develop new workflows, encourage new skills and set up new business processes to support monetization initiatives.

How to mitigate: 

• Align stakeholders around clear monetization objectives
• Invest in training and change management alongside technology implementation 
• Establish clear ownership and accountability for archive monetization outcomes

Future trends in media asset monetization

While AI-driven media asset management is still in its infancy, there are several emerging trends set to shape how organizations approach media asset monetization in the coming years. Be sure to consider the following when developing your archive monetization strategy.

AI-powered discovery and enrichment

Artificial intelligence continues to advance in its ability to analyze, understand and enrich media content. Future systems could offer much more than traditional tech, including:

• Semantic understanding, moving beyond keyword tagging to true content comprehension
• Automated highlight detection, identifying the most valuable moments within longer content
• Predictive analytics, forecasting which content is likely to have licensing demand
• Automated quality assessment, identifying technical issues that could affect licensing value

Data provenance and rights tracking

As AI systems increasingly use media content for training, tracking data provenance becomes essential. Organizations will need systems that:

• Document content usage, tracking where and how content has been used
• Support licensing automation, enabling automated rights clearance for AI training and other emerging use cases
• Ensure fair compensation, connecting content usage to royalty systems

Immersive content and new formats

Emerging formats—virtual reality, augmented reality, volumetric video—could create both challenges and opportunities for archive monetization. Organizations will need to:

• Preserve format flexibility, maintaining content in ways that support future format conversion
• Explore enhancement opportunities, identifying archive content suitable for AI-powered upscaling, colorization or format conversion
• Develop new licensing models, creating frameworks for licensing content in immersive experiences

Personalization and dynamic content assembly

Future systems could enable dynamic content assembly, automatically combining archive elements based on viewer preferences, contextual relevance or algorithmic optimization. This could create opportunities for:

• Personalized retrospectives, such as automated compilation of historical content relevant to specific viewers
• Dynamic advertising, allowing archive content to be assembled into customized advertising experiences
• Algorithmic programming, creating AI-curated channels that continuously optimize the content mix based on engagement

Key takeaways: Media asset monetization

• The MAM market is experiencing rapid growth, expanding from $6.04 billion in 2024 to a projected $16.18 billion by 2034, driven by content proliferation and the recognition of archives as strategic assets
• Poor asset management carries significant costs: employees can spend up to 3.6 hours daily searching for information, with up to 40 percent of potential licensing revenue lost due to poor metadata
• Successful monetization requires a strategic approach combining technology (cloud-based MAM, AI enrichment), process improvement (rights management, workflow integration) and organizational change
• Multiple monetization pathways exist, including direct licensing, FAST/AVOD channels, original programming development, syndication partnerships and merchandise opportunities
• Key challenges include rights management complexity, legacy format preservation, metadata quality, technology integration and organizational change management
• Future trends point toward AI-powered discovery, data provenance tracking, immersive content opportunities and personalized dynamic content assembly
• Organizations that treat archives as active assets rather than passive storage will gain competitive advantage in an increasingly content-driven marketplace

Ready to see if Moments Lab’s AI-powered video discovery platform and its Media Marketplace is the right fit for you? Contact us for a demo.

Frequently asked questions about monetizing content assets

What is media asset monetization?

Media asset monetization refers to the strategies and processes organizations use to generate revenue from their content libraries and archives. This could include licensing content to third parties, creating new programming from archival material, developing streaming channels, and leveraging assets for marketing, training and other business purposes.

How can organizations start monetizing their media archives?

Organizations should begin by auditing their existing content to understand what assets they hold and what rights they possess. Next, they should invest in digitizing any physical media at risk of degradation, implement a media asset management system with robust metadata and rights tracking capabilities, and identify the monetization channels most appropriate for their content and business model.

What role does AI play in media asset monetization?

AI helps to enable organizations to catalog and enrich large archives at scale through automated metadata extraction, including scene detection, speaker recognition, object identification and sentiment analysis. This helps to make content more discoverable and licensable, lifting it out of the archival shadows. AI can also support predictive analytics for identifying high-value content and automating aspects of rights management.

What are the biggest challenges in monetizing media archives?

The primary challenges include: 

• Understanding and managing complex rights chains
• Maintaining metadata quality at scale
• Integrating technology systems to support licensing workflows
• Preserving content in legacy formats before degradation
• Managing the organizational change required to transform archives from cost centers to revenue sources

How do rights management considerations affect archive monetization?

Rights management is fundamental to archive monetization. Organizations must understand what rights they hold for each asset, including territorial restrictions, time-based windows, usage limitations, and required clearances for talent, music and third-party content. Without clear rights documentation, organizations cannot confidently license content without legal risk.

What industries benefit most from media asset monetization?

While media and entertainment companies (broadcasters, production companies, sports organizations) have the most obvious applications, any organization with significant content libraries can benefit. This includes corporations with brand assets and historical documentation, educational institutions with research archives, government agencies with public interest content, and cultural organizations with heritage collections.