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FROM THE EDITOR

drama can now last less than three minutes and still carry a full business model. In Southeast Asia, that model is starting to look different from China’s. RisingJoy is betting that younger viewers want stories closer to their own lives, pushing the company from licensing into original IP, co-production, and local partnerships. Turn to page 10.

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Asia-Pacific Broadcasting+ has been a trusted source of information for the broadcast and multimedia industry since 1983. In delivering timely technology updates and market intelligence, ranging from best-of-breed broadcast systems, hybrid solutions, 5G, AI, AR and VR to innovative best practices, APB+ has become the go-to for all media players, business strategists and entrepreneurs across all industries seeking knowledge, inspiration and resources to reach out to those at the heart of what we do best – the target audience. Do reach out to us if you would like us to tell your story to our readers via print and online advertising or events. PUBLISHER & EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Tim Charlton EDITOR EMERITUS Andrew Yeo EDITORIAL MANAGER Tessa Distor PRINT PRODUCTION EDITOR Vienna Verzo JOURNALISTS Shirish Nadkarni Shaun Lim Joe Tan GRAPHIC ARTISTS Simon Engracial EDITORIAL ASSISTANT Dylan Afuang COMMERCIAL MEDIA TEAM Jenelle Samantila Dana Cruz Danielle Goh ADVERTISING CONTACTS Shairah Lambat shairah@charltonmediamail.com AWARDS Julie Anne Nuñez-Difuntorum awards@charltonmediamail.com ADMINISTRATION Eucel Balala accounts@charltonmediamail.com EDITORIAL newsdesk@apb-news.com

Elsewhere, 5G is moving into live production faster than devices can support direct broadcast delivery. On page 7, we look at why uplink use is already reducing reliance on satellite trucks and large crews, whilst the downlink ecosystem still has ground to cover. The workforce is under similar pressure. As veteran engineers retire, smaller teams are being asked to bridge broadcast, IT, cloud, software, and AI. Page 18 examines whether training can keep pace. On page 16, XR sports moves beyond demos to the harder question of whether fans will actually pay, whilst page 8 looks at broadcasters handing more multi-step production tasks to agentic AI. We also celebrate the winners of the Asia-Pacific Broadcasting+ Awards 2026, recognising standout work in digital transformation, production, streaming, and broadcast technology. See the coverage on pages 20 to 23. Congratulations to all the awardees!

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CONTENTS

EVENT OUTSTANDING BROADCASTING LEADERS LAUDED AT ASIA-PACIFIC BROADCASTING+ AWARDS

FIRST

CEO INTERVIEW RISINGJOY TAKES MICRODRAMAS LOCAL

MARKET REPORT WHY ARE MALAYSIAN BROADCASTERS LOSING AD SPEND?

ANALYSIS

06 Broadcasters turn to dynamic ads for better views 06 AI pushes green screens off the set via LED VP 07 5G broadcast rollout outplaces device readiness in Asia

INTERVIEW 08 Broadcasters hand more tasks to agentic AI 12 AI moves from helper to orchestrator

16 XR sports moves from demos to dollars 18 Engineers juggle more as veterans exit

COMMENTARY 32 FIFA 2026: Record audiences, record revenues, a watershed moment for broadcast and streaming

MARKET REPORT 14 Malaysian broadcasters lose ad spend on outdated model

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News from apb-news.com Daily news from Asia MOST READ

MEDIA TECHNOLOGY

Bitcentral is now two standalone companies to better serve customers Bitcentral has split into two focused media technology companies. Its production and playout business will remain Bitcentral under Banyan Software, whilst ViewNexa will focus on digital streaming, content distribution, monetisation and audience engagement, each with dedicated leadership and investment.

MANAGEMENT

APPOINTMENTS

NETGEAR increases investment in APAC as pro AV-over-IP grows NETGEAR has appointed Surajit Sen as Head of Enterprise Business for APAC to strengthen its Pro AV push. He will expand partner and distributor networks, boost enterprise sales coverage, and drive adoption of NETGEAR’s Pro AV and SASE portfolio across major regional verticals and support its go-to-market strategy.

OTT

BROADCAST SERVICES

Globecast’s new Singapore hub offers top future-ready services Globecast has completed a major renovation of its Singapore facility. The transformation into a cloudcentric, IP-enabled hub positions Globecast’s customers across APAC at the forefront of technological innovation, empowering broadcasters and content owners to stay ahead in a rapidly evolving industry.

INTERNET PROTOCOL

Chyron LIVE upgrade bridges the gap between the field and the studio

Suitest’s AI-powered device offers fast quality assurance testing

TAG enhances MXL, containerised deployment without dedicated boxes

Chyron has updated Chyron LIVE, its cloud-native live production system, adding Haivision StreamHub integration for remote video contributions, SCTE-35 ad insertion for stream monetisation, and improved switching, shortcuts, and replay tools to give operators tighter control during live broadcasts and productions.

Suitest showcased the latest evolution of its AI-powered test automation platform for OTT providers, operators and device manufacturers. CEO Mirko Nedeljkovic said rising device complexity makes it harder for streaming services to deliver a consistent, flawless viewing experience consumers increasingly expect now.

TAG Video Systems has updated its platform to support the emerging MXL standard and containerised deployment. It focuses on flexible, deploy-anywhere software and emerging standards that enable cloud production. TAG also demonstrated MXL interoperability with AWS and a new joint MXL demo with Sony.

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OUR DIVERSITY ENRICHES OUR OFFERING We Connect brands with consumers by utilizing innovative marketing solutions across various p l a t f o r m s t o d e l i ve r e f f e c t i ve c a m p a i g n s i n t h e M E N A r e g i o n , a n d a c r o s s t h e g l o b e .

CMY

MC:MC:

Empowering People. Driving a Future-Ready Nation.

At Malaysian Communications

and Multimedia Commission (MCMC), innovation begins with people. Through transformative initiatives in learning, leadership, and digital inclusion, we are shaping a workforce that is agile, future-ready, and driven by purpose. www.mcmc.gov.my

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FIRST

success manager for Vizrt, which demonstrated the technology at the recently concluded NAB 2026 Show in Las Vegas. “This is just to show you that, with Viz Engine 5, we can fly into the environment without any need for complex tracking or any canvases. You can see I am perfectly immersed without the need for any green screen. No extra hardware, no green screen— just the camera and the AI. The studio knows where I am walking around, and my exact position, so there are no ‘accidents’ of me walking through a table or a chair!”

Beyond conventional approaches Broadpeak also offers targeted advertising as a service across linear TV, catch-up and VoD, combining server-side ad insertion with client-side tracking. The technology is now moving beyond conventional client-side and server-side approaches. Yospace is developing serverguided ad insertion (SGAI), in which the server identifies an advertising opportunity whilst the client fetches and plays the ad. “SGAI represents the next evolution in dynamic ad insertion,” Yospace CEO Tim Sewell said. The approach can reduce server load, support more ad formats and monetise extended digital video recorder viewing that might otherwise go unsold. Cloud providers are also widening access. Google supports large-scale DAI for live and on-demand streaming, whilst AWS Elemental MediaTailor replaces broadcast ads with targeted digital ones.

Virtual studio Viz Engine 5 is a high-performance, real-time 3D graphics compositor and rendering engine designed for broadcast, virtual sets, and XR productions. It features deep integration with Unreal Engine 5, supports “Adaptive Graphics” for multi-platform publishing, and provides photo-realistic rendering capabilities for live media workflows. “We used it to create a virtual studio at NAB,” added Leak, his reflection being seen clearly in the virtual floor of the studio output, as he walked around. “Viz Engine 5 integrates with Unreal Engine 5, allowing users to combine photo-realistic Viz Engine objects with Unreal’s environmental capabilities in a unified workflow. “Adaptive Graphics enables creating a graphic once and publishing it to multiple formats (e.g., social media, vertical mobile screens, traditional TV) automatically, ensuring that content fits the screen ratio. “Apart from photo-realism and Extended Reality (XR), you get a streamlined workflow through improved import tools, such as the ability to import Adobe Photoshop files whilst retaining layer structures.” There are several benefits in eliminating the green screen, one being natural lighting and reflections. Actors are lit by the environment itself (LEDs), eliminating spill light and improving realism. “There is instant visualisation, with directors and talent being able to see the final scene on set, thus enhancing performances. There are substantially reduced post-production costs, since the technology eliminates the need for traditional roto-scoping and colour correction to fix green spill.”

BROADCASTERS TURN TO DYNAMIC ADS FOR BETTER VIEWS OTT

roadcasters are turning to dynamic ad insertion (DAI) to improve monetisation as audiences spread across more platforms, devices, and formats, making ad delivery harder to manage. The technology allows broadcasters to serve targeted ads across linear TV, live streams, and video-on-demand (VoD) whilst trying to keep the viewing experience seamless. “The task is to maximise revenue, enhance viewer engagement, and expand your audience with seamless, personalised ad experiences, delivered across all devices and content types,” said Nissim Dokey, principal product manager for Streaming TV at Amagi. Amagi’s THUNDERSTORM platform uses DAI and analytics to improve fill rates, reduce ad fatigue, and help broadcasters refine monetisation strategies. Veset, meanwhile, uses its cloud-based Nimbus platform to automate ad insertion across linear and live streaming without requiring extensive on-premise infrastructure.

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Removing green screens may eliminate spill light and improve realism

AI pushes green screens off the set via LED VP BROADCASTING TECHNOLOGY

reen screens are passé. Or are they? Elimination of the green backgrounds required for Chroma shooting is rapidly evolving from physical coloured screens to artificial intelligence (AI)powered subject segmentation and LED Virtual Production. These technologies allow creators to isolate subjects without specialised lighting or backgrounds, separating them from any environment. Elimination of green screens for Chroma shooting is primarily achieved through LED Virtual Production (VP) stages and AI-driven background removal (roto/matte) software. Key industry leaders include Epic Games’ Unreal Engine for real-time rendering, ILM StageCraft for LED volumes, and AI tools like RunwayML and DaVinci Resolve’s Magic Mask. In the past, the green screen would become the background for a person to walk into a bar, or into a packed athletic stadium, or a panoramic waterfall. But what happens when the imaginary planet is already there? The entire scenario undergoes a sea change. “You can see me waving in front of the background of a football match,” said Russell Leak, senior customer

Russell Leak

The studio knows where I am walking around, and my exact position, so there are no ‘accidents’ of me walking through a table or a chair

FIRST Cloud production, remote production, IP transport, and 5G contribution have significantly reduced dependence on satellite trucks and large onsite crew

Ship-to-shore latency below 40 milliseconds still requires fine-tuning

5G broadcast rollout outpaces device readiness in Asia BROADCASTING TECHNOLOGY

roadcasters are already using 5G to move live video from the field into production, but delivery of finished channels directly to mobile devices remains much further away. The gap reflects two sides of the 5G broadcast equation developing at different speeds. Uplink applications, where footage, telemetry, and communications are sent back from an event or location, are increasingly being deployed. Downlink services still depend

on a wider device and network ecosystem that has yet to mature. At SailGP, 5G has already been incorporated into production workflows. Ericsson’s November 2025 Mobility Report said the sailing league uses a mix of private and public 5G to carry telemetry, voice and broadcast video between its F50 catamarans and shore. Bonded modems are used to switch between networks as the boats race at speeds of up to 100 km/h. At its Portsmouth event,

broadcast-quality video was transmitted over a slice of the public 5G network through a collaboration with BT and Sony. The deployment also highlighted remaining constraints. Ship-to-shore latency below 40 milliseconds still requires fine-tuning, whilst differences in licensed spectrum mean deployments vary between markets. Similar changes are taking place within broadcasters’ own operations. “We are already moving in that direction,” Ng Thian Khoon, head of infrastructure and service operations (technology) at Mediacorp, told APB+. “Cloud production, remote production, IP transport and 5G contribution have significantly reduced dependence on satellite trucks and large on-site crews.” Lower operating costs, smaller field teams, and faster deployment have been cited amongst the benefits, with some events requiring less outside broadcast infrastructure. There are trade-offs. Fibre, satellite, and outside broadcast facilities have traditionally provided known service levels and predictable performance. Production based on 5G and IP connectivity depends more heavily on telecommunications networks, cloud platforms and internet infrastructure that may not be under a broadcaster’s direct control. As a result, 5G contribution is becoming more common in production, whilst questions around reliability, control, and infrastructure remain.

THE CHARTIST: OTT TO HIT $304B BY 2030 DESPITE SUBSCRIPTION FATIGUE

otal over-the-top (OTT) revenues— comprising video, advertising spending, and TV delivered only by traditional broadcasters—is projected to hit $304b by 2030 from $252.3b in 2026 even as consumers show signs of resisting multiple subscriptions, according to PwC. Its Global Entertainment & Media Outlook 2026–2030 said the market rose 13.9% in 2025 to $226.6b from $199b in 2024, but growth through 2030 is expected to slow to 6.1%.The slowdown stems from “subscription fatigue” in maturing markets such as Australia, Spain, and South Korea, where consumers are increasingly resistant to paying for multiple platforms, PwC said. Despite the resistance, subscription videoon-demand (VOD) revenue is also expected to reach $228.2b by 2030 from $194.2b in 2026.

Advertising is set to play a bigger role as a result, with OTT ad revenue—19.4% of total OTT revenue in 2026—expected to grow at a compound annual growth rate of 9.4% to account for 22.6% of revenue by 2030. Advertising VOD revenue could hit $68.8b by the same period from $50.2b in 2026, whilst transactional VOD revenue will remain flat to $7.5b by 2030 from $7.9b in 2026. “Big streaming platforms will strive to be the entertainment hub of the home, offering access to television, movies, video games, music, sports, social media, and user-generated content,” PwC said in its report. Live sports remain a key growth lever for streamers, according to PwC, as they are one of the few formats capable of delivering mass audiences at a specific time even as advertisers pay a premium to reach them.

Ads gain ground in streaming’s success

Source: PwC Global Entertainment & Media Outlook 2026–30

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INTERVIEW

Broadcasters hand more tasks to agentic AI Multi-agent setups can split complex workflows into smaller tasks.

B INDIA

roadcasters are putting agentic artificial intelligence (AI) to work on production, using autonomous systems to coordinate multi-step workflows with less human intervention. Unlike traditional generative AI that creates single pieces of content on demand, agentic systems use multi-agent teams to reason through multi-step goals, share context, and make micro-decisions. “AI in broadcasting automates workflows, enhances audiovideo quality, and scales content creation across live and ondemand media,” said Sandeep Dutta, Amazon Web Services (AWS) president for India & South Asia. “Basically, an agentic product is an autonomous software application powered by AI that can independently plan, make decisions, and execute multi-step tasks to reach a specific goal with minimal human supervision,” he told APB+. “An agentic product has agency; it can use external tools, call APIs, remember past context, and adapt its approach as conditions change. These systems have the ability to act independently, but in a goal-driven manner.” Dutta cited the example of a travel planner, which is a tool where you type “Book a weekend trip to KulluManali under INR 40,000 (about US$420)”, and it checks flights, selects a hotel, coordinates dates, and buys the tickets, using your permission.” “AI agents can communicate with each other and other software systems to automate existing business processes,” added Dutta. “But beyond static automation, they make independent contextual decisions. They learn from their environment and adapt to changing conditions, enabling them to perform sophisticated workflows with accuracy.” Breaking down complex workflows In a single-agent AI system, one AI agent handles all tasks sequentially. These are preferable when businesses need a faster solution that can work on a well-defined problem or process. Multi-agent AI, on the other hand, involves multiple AI agents collaborating to break down complex workflows into smaller segments. This approach is more scalable than single systems and is much more flexible for solving complex scenarios. The vast majority of agentic AI agents refer to this latter, more diverse form of AI deployment. “Amazon Bedrock is a fully managed service that offers a choice of industry-leading foundation models (FMs), along with a broad set of capabilities needed to build generative AI applications,” according to Dutta. Amazon Bedrock Agents use the reasoning of FMs, APIs, and data to break down user requests, gather relevant information, and efficiently perform tasks. Building an agent is straightforward and fast, with setup in just a few steps. It 8

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Sandeep Dutta, president for India & South Asia at Amazon Web Services

These systems have the ability to act independently, but in a goal-driven manner

supports memory retention for task continuity, and multiagent collaboration to build multiple specialised agents under the coordination of a supervisor agent. “We have introduced an open-source toolkit with a growing catalogue of starter agents purpose-built for healthcare and life sciences use cases,” Dutta said. “AWS Transform is the first agentic AI service for transforming .NET, mainframe, and VMware workloads. “Built on 19 years of migration experience, it deploys specialised AI agents to automate complex tasks like assessments, code analysis, refactoring, decomposition, dependency mapping, validation, and transformation planning. It helps organisations to simultaneously modernise hundreds of applications while maintaining quality and control,” he continued. Amazon Q Business is a generative AI-powered assistant designed to help a user find information, gain insights, and take action at work. It puts the power of agentic AI creation in the hands of every employee. Anyone can use it to create lightweight agentic AI apps that interact with common enterprise software and automate repetitive tasks. Another company that is demonstrating practical AI applications that add value both today and long-term is Imagine Communications. Imagine is showcasing AI capabilities across its ad tech and video infrastructure portfolios, demonstrating practical AI innovation that can help media organisations reduce costs, surface new revenue opportunities, and automate critical workflows without compromising the security and reliability that their operations depend on.

We empower communications-driven businesses to turn complex systems into intelligent, connected ecosystems. Combining European engineering expertise with global scale, we deliver AI-powered platforms that enable our partners to cut costs, increase revenue, and shorten time-to-market for innovative services. Since 1993, our solutions have powered connectivity across telecommunications, critical infrastructure, satellite industry and logistics. Trusted by global leaders such as Deutsche Telekom, LG U+, and Orange, we help organizations move faster, operate smarter, and stay competitive in an increasingly connected world.

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CEO INTERVIEW

RisingJoy takes microdramas local Southeast Asian viewers want to see their own lives reflected on-screen. SOUTHEAST ASIA

eople are watching shorter content than ever before, yet content consumption has never been higher. Popularised by platforms such as TikTok, Instagram Reels, and YouTube Shorts, short-form content—which can last anywhere from a few seconds to three minutes—is being consumed voraciously by mobile-first audiences, particularly across Southeast Asia. According to a We Are Social and Meltwater report, internet users in Southeast Asia rank amongst the world’s top consumers of short-form video content. Users in the Philippines spend nearly 10.5 hours weekly watching shortform videos, with the Philippines, Thailand, and Indonesia all ranking in the global top five for the average number of days per week spent watching short online videos. One of the key drivers of this shift in content consumption has undoubtedly been microdrama, which originated in China around 2018 and has since morphed into a multibillion-dollar global phenomenon. The easy assumption about Southeast Asia’s microdrama market is that it mirrors China at an earlier stage of development. Data from RisingJoy, a Singapore-based micro-entertainment company specialising in the licensing and distribution of high-performance microdrama titles to platforms and apps worldwide, tells a different story. “Southeast Asia behaves differently, and demographics are the main reason,” Cassandra Yang, co-founder and CEO at RisingJoy, told APB+. “This is a much younger region, and younger audiences consume differently.” Building a studio, not just a catalogue Whilst platform algorithms in China drive content discovery, peer recommendations and influencer triggers are more common in Southeast Asia. Chinese audiences also gravitate towards fantasy and historical romance, whilst Southeast Asian viewers want to see their own lives reflected on-screen. “They want themselves on screen, not a costume drama set somewhere else,” said Yang. These insights shape how RisingJoy approaches its South-east Asian expansion. Rather than planting its own flag in every market, the company commits to a go-local model, working through platform partners who bring audience relationships, payment infrastructure, and cultural knowledge that no outsider could replicate quickly. After launching RJOY, a direct-to-consumer microentertainment streaming service, to audiences in the US and Japan via TikTok Minis this June, RisingJoy recently inked new partnerships with Astro’s Sooka streaming service in Malaysia and IDN App in Indonesia. “Sooka and IDN App bring the audience relationships, the built-in payment rails and the cultural read,” Yang explained. “We bring the content engine and the format know-how. Neither side moves this fast alone.” RisingJoy is undergoing a significant strategic transition, moving from a licensing and distribution model towards becoming a full-service micro-entertainment studio with original IP and co-production at its core. 10

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As a studio you have to think in years, because the IP you create today is what you’ll adapt, franchise, and monetise down the line

“Becoming a studio uses a completely different muscle,” said Yang. “Distribution is about moving content that already exists. A studio is in the storytelling business, which means owning development, production and the IP itself.” The most fundamental shift, she says, is about how RisingJoy thinks about time. “As a licensing business you think in months — what’s hot now, what can I place this quarter. “As a studio you have to think in years, because the IP you create today is what you’ll adapt, franchise, and monetise down the line,” she told the magazine. Central to this ambition is RisingJoy’s partnership with strategic investor Double Vision to develop what the companies call “microformat bibles.” Together, they plan to co-develop a slate of 30 microdrama frameworks over the coming months. These are detailed production frameworks that go beyond individual scripts to map out character beats, plot structures, visual grammar, and the hooks that keep audiences watching. “Production costs drop because you’re not reinventing the format each time, testing gets cheaper because you can validate an idea before you shoot it, and you come away holding an asset rather than a one-off,” Yang explained. Beyond the shift in business model, RisingJoy is also navigating how artificial intelligence (AI) fits into its content creation and localisation workflows, and where the line between technology and human judgement should sit. Across its content spanning Chinese, English, Korean, and AI-original formats, RisingJoy adapts story structure, pacing, and cultural texture market by market. There is also a clear distinction between translating language and adapting culture. “Translating the language is the easy part. Adapting the culture is the real job, and the two need different tools,” Yang said.

Cassandra Yang, CEO and co-founder at RisingJoy

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INTERVIEW

AI moves from helper to orchestrator Creator integration and media supply chain standards are moving fastest. GLOBAL

edia technology is becoming less about standalone tools and more about systems that can create, manage, and distribute content with increasing autonomy. That change runs through the IAMT Technology & Trends Roadmap 2026, which tracks technologies across production, distribution, and monetisation. Artificial intelligence (AI) is moving beyond assistance in writing, editing, and captioning towards agentic systems that can orchestrate workflows and scheduling. At the same time, production is becoming more software-defined, GPU-accelerated, and cloud-native, whilst transcoding, quality control, and metadata services are moving towards hybrid cloud models. More automation is also raising questions around control and trust. The roadmap highlights security boundaries around what AI can access and decide, alongside provenance tracking, tamper-evident credentials and deepfake detection. Distribution is becoming more IP-based across content delivery networks, satellite, 5G and broadband, whilst AIdriven analytics and more personalised viewing experiences are changing how media companies reach audiences. These shifts are also extending beyond traditional broadcasting into healthcare, education and corporate communications. To examine what these shifts mean for broadcasters, APB+ spoke with IAMT CTO Stan Moote. Here’s the rest of the interview.

Stan Moote, CTO at IAMT

Trends are being shared across MediaTech groups, with organisations learning from each other regardless of their size or type of distribution. We call this trans-disciplinary integration, the idea that media now spans multiple industries with bi-directional benefits.

Are these trends relevant only to broadcast technologists? Initially, that was our focus when we started compiling the Technology & Trends Roadmaps. That quickly changed as several people in our roadmap working group began sharing it within their own companies. Our working group is a combination of end-users and IAMT member companies, and the roadmap has found a much wider audience than I expected. One member presented it to his board of directors to help them understand where the company’s products sit on the adoption curve. Another used it to inform their marketing communications activities and gain a better understanding of adjacent and vertical market areas. Before long, CFOs were using it to evaluate projects and ensure they were covering possible future directions. What does “all managed media services” mean, and why should broadcasters care? The key word here is “managed.” This covers entertainment, sports, corporate communications, healthcare imaging, education streaming, government town halls, and influencer and creator ecosystems, amongst many other MediaTech applications. Broadcasters have long been at the forefront of technology, but what has changed is that the technology stack is now shared. More often than not, concepts are also flowing back into traditional media and entertainment from other sectors. 12

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Broadcasters have long been at the forefront of technology, but what has changed is that the technology stack is now shared

What should broadcasters be keeping a close watch on? Before we get into that discussion, here is something to think about: Media technology is transitioning from device-centric infrastructure to agentic service platforms, orchestrated by AI and operating across a unified media ecosystem. Getting into the details, the roadmap covers dozens of trends and technologies grouped into 10 major categories. Beyond trans-disciplinary integration, which we touched on earlier, I see two areas changing particularly quickly. The first is creator economy integration, which refers to traditional media companies adapting their business models to work with, and capitalise on, the growing power of individual creators. The second is media supply chain standardisation, which is about making the processes, technical best practices, and standards for creating, managing, exchanging, and distributing media content more consistently across the MediaTech industry. Standardisation does not mean every piece of content looks the same. It means the underlying workflow makes it easier to create the right version for each platform. These two trends are closely linked. Creator economy integration expands the sources of content, while media supply chain standardisation enables that content to be efficiently adapted, packaged, and distributed across multiple formats and platforms. The 16:9 versus 9:16 aspect ratio is a concrete example, illustrating how one creator’s content can become multiple standardised media assets for different audiences and distribution channels.

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MARKET REPORT: MALAYSIA

Malaysian broadcasters lose ad spend on outdated model Legacy costs, regulation, and audience shifts deepen the pressure. MALAYSIA

alaysia’s broadcasters are being asked to modernise just as the advertising model that sustained them is weakening. Digital platforms now account for nearly 75% of advertising expenditure in Malaysia, according to independent media observer Ahmad Zaki, leaving traditional broadcasters with declining revenue whilst they continue to carry the cost of towers, production facilities, and distribution infrastructure. “Legacy operations, including broadcast towers, printing plants, distribution networks, are burdened by costly physical infrastructure, whilst advertisers increasingly favour digital-first platforms that offer precise and targeted audience data,” he told APB+. Audiences are moving in the same direction. Social media and algorithm-driven platforms increasingly shape news consumption, whilst regulated broadcasters must balance speed against editorial and compliance requirements. Against this backdrop, the Malaysian government launched the Media Innovation Fund (MIF), or Dana Inovasi Media, earlier this year with RM30m (US$7.3m). Grants of up to RM300,000 are available for training, software and

In the pursuit of being a trusted source, many broadcasters have increased internal bureaucracy which essentially slows down news delivery

Over 70 media companies had received $6m across several funding phases

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technology development, equipment and infrastructure, and research and development in creative content. By June 2026, more than 70 media companies had received $6m across several funding phases. Communications Minister Datuk Fahmi Fadzil said the fund is intended to help journalists and production staff adopt technologies including artificial intelligence rather than replace them. Applicants must be registered media companies whose personnel hold valid media accreditation cards. Zaki, a former director of technical operations at Media Prima, described the fund as an important step, particularly for developing journalism and technical skills. But he cautioned against treating funding as a solution to a much broader structural problem. “The MIF is a good start to an already frail media industry. However, it should not be seen as a solution to the issues currently experienced by broadcasters and the creative industry,” he said. Technology is only one part of that problem. Many established newsrooms still operate around workflows developed for traditional print or broadcasting, whilst digital transformation requires different skills

and production processes. “There is often a gap in digital skills, insufficient investment in upskilling journalists, and confusion over what digital transformation actually entails,” he told the magazine. Regulation creates another imbalance. Licensed terrestrial broadcasters operate under Content Application Service Provider licence conditions, bringing compliance costs and content obligations that do not apply in the same way to many streaming and over-the-top platforms. “Currently, digital platforms are not regulated when the licensed broadcasters are heavily regulated,” according to Zaki. “This apparently disproportionate treatment has indirectly punished the traditional broadcaster who has to incur much higher compliance costs as opposed to the less regulated streaming platforms.” That gap matters as advertisers follow audiences towards streaming and social platforms. Internal bureaucracy News consumption has also become more personalised and algorithm-driven, accelerated by what Zaki described as an “influencer revolution.” Traditional broadcasters, meanwhile, face a different trade-off. “In the pursuit of being a trusted source, many broadcasters have increased internal bureaucracy which essentially slows down news delivery,” he said. “The compromise between reliability and speed is an issue.” The government is also developing a National Broadcasting Policy with the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission to provide a longer-term framework for the broadcast and creative industries. That may prove as important as the MIF itself. Funding can help media companies upgrade equipment, software and skills, but it cannot by itself reverse declining advertising income, change audience behaviour, or remove regulatory differences between broadcasters and digital platforms. For Malaysia’s media industry, the question is therefore no longer simply how quickly broadcasters can adopt new technology, but whether funding, regulation, and business models can adjust at the same pace as their audiences.

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The largest backbone infrastructure network across Vietnam.

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Laos

Japan

USA

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Thailand Somali

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Vietnam Philipines

Malaysia Singapore

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Scan QR to visit Viettel Solutions website ASIA-PACIFIC BROADCASTING+

ANALYSIS: EXTENDED REALITY designing experiments around how immersive production, distribution, and user experience can scale across different form factors. “Glasses becoming the new mainstream wearable is one of the most promising signals yet for immersive sports services to gain real adoption,” she said.

The alliance has grown to 33 members, including sports right owners and original equipment manufacturers

XR sports moves from demos to dollars

XRSA is focusing on testing engagement, pricing, and device fit. GLOBAL

he XR Sports Alliance (XRSA) is shifting its focus from proving that extended reality (XR) can work across sports production, devices, and distribution to testing whether those experiences can support a viable commercial model. Over the past two years, the alliance has explored how immersive production, devices, and distribution can work together to create new ways for fans to engage with live sport. Its membership has grown to 33 organisations, including sports rights owners, original equipment manufacturers, infrastructure enablers, and sports and XR technology providers. “Two years ago, the question was whether the ecosystem could coordinate an end-to-end process involving production, devices, distribution and rights owners,” said Lucy Trang Nguyen, director of Strategic Alliances & 16

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Glasses becoming the new mainstream wearable is one of the most promising signals yet for immersive sports services to gain real adoption

Lucy Trang Nguyen

Business Development, Emerging Technologies at Accedo. Accedo co-founded XRSA with Qualcomm Technologies and HBS to move beyond isolated pilots and towards real-world deployments. The alliance now uses a repeatable experimentation framework to share proof-of-concept learnings that can be applied across its work. The focus has since shifted towards what would make immersive sports commercially viable. “Whether it’s a distribution channel, a price point, or the right form factor for a casual fan to experience, you don’t skip from prototype to mass product without first knowing what actually drives immersion and what people will pay for,” said Nguyen. Hardware is part of that work. As tethered virtual reality (VR) and mixed reality (MR) headsets potentially give way to everyday AI glasses, XRSA is

XR goes extreme XRSA carried out its first realworld deployment in 2025 with the E1 Series, an all-electric race boat championship. Its second followed earlier this year at the Festival International des Sports Extrêmes (FISE) Montpellier 2026, described as the world’s largest urban sports festival. At FISE, the alliance combined behavioural analytics with direct attendee feedback to examine practical technology adoption. Researchers tracked objective engagement measures such as session duration, feature interaction, drop-off, and repeat usage, alongside structured surveys and qualitative interviews. “We’re also bringing in universities with spatial computing and sports programmes to add more rigorous methodology and deeper data analysis into future testing as we scale towards mainstream audiences,” said Nguyen. The alliance is not relying on a single indicator to determine massmarket appeal. Each experiment is designed to validate a specific set of objectives and test the assumptions behind them, with findings accumulated across deployments. “It’s a series of metrics and experiments over time that will eventually shape the model that works,” she explained. XRSA’s current testing covers the elements needed for commercial distribution, including devices, distribution, and user experience. Its deployments are being used to examine how factors such as form factor, pricing, engagement, and distribution affect the route from prototype to wider use, as the alliance scales its experiments towards mainstream audiences and future commercial distribution.

0127 - edited 4c - MyGp press200mmx130.pdf 1 27/01/2026 11:48:50 am

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ANALYSIS: BROADCAST ENGINEERS

Engineers juggle more as veterans exit Retirements and hybrid systems are forcing smaller teams to bridge broadcast, IT, and software. APAC

roadcast engineers are being asked to manage more complex systems just as experienced staff are retiring, turning the industry’s skills shortage into a broader operational challenge. Teams that once worked with discrete, hardware-based signal chains are now expected to handle IP networking, cloud infrastructure, cybersecurity, software-defined workflows, and artificial intelligence (AI)-assisted operations, often with fewer people. For Paul Whybrow, governor for Asia & Pacific at SMPTE, whether one engineer can realistically master all of those areas depends on the organisation. “What’s realistic varies a lot depending on the company,” he told APB+. In a small facility or regional station, one engineer may have to cover the full spectrum. Larger organisations can divide the work amongst network engineers, cloud and DevOps staff, security teams, AI specialists and broadcast engineers. Cloud infrastructure shows why a single skills model is difficult. Focusing on foundations AWS, Microsoft Azure and Google Cloud Platform differ in architecture, pricing and data movement costs, leading to different engineering decisions, Whybrow said. SMPTE has responded by focusing on foundations rather than a fixed certification path. Its training covers IP networking, ST 2110 and hands-on network design, whilst new areas are added as industry needs change. Growing demand for coding and development skills, for example, has prompted SMPTE to develop a DevOps workshop. “We are an independent, vendorneutral body that surfaces and organises what the industry is already learning in real time,” Whybrow told the magazine, whilst also developing standards such as ST 2110. But the pace of change raises a harder question: can formal training keep up? “Technology and workflows are now changing 18

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AI is being applied in monitoring, metadata management, quality control, and decision support

This makes the issue as much an operational complexity challenge as a staffing challenge

Steve Reynolds

faster than traditional courses and certification programmes can be designed, approved, and delivered,” Whybrow said. “Should educators teach engineers how to think, and employers teach them how to do the job?” AI could shift that balance further. Whybrow said some detailed technical work may increasingly be handled by AI tools, provided engineers can define problems clearly, exercise judgement and validate the results. That would place more value on systems thinking, problem framing and technical oversight. Operational complexity Imagine Communications sees the same issue from an operational perspective. “The challenge is significant, but perhaps not in the way it’s often characterised,” CEO Steve Reynolds said. He said broadcasters are not generally unable to operate systems they have already invested in. Instead, engineering teams are being asked to manage environments spanning SDI, IP, hybrid cloud, virtualisation, streaming, automation and AI-assisted operations. At the same time, experienced engineers are retiring with decades of operational knowledge, whilst newer entrants often bring stronger IT and

software skills but less traditional broadcast experience. “From our perspective, this makes the issue as much an operational complexity challenge as a staffing challenge,” Reynolds said. Automation and orchestration are therefore becoming more important, he added. Imagine has embedded operational knowledge into tools such as PathView in its Magellan Control System and Prismon monitoring capabilities to help engineers diagnose and resolve issues more quickly. AI is being applied in monitoring, metadata management, quality control, and decision support. Reynolds said workforce development cannot sit with one group alone. Vendors, broadcasters, industry associations and educational institutions all have roles in training, mentoring and knowledge transfer. The opportunity, he said, is to bring together the strengths of both generations. Experienced broadcast engineers bring operational knowledge built over decades, whilst newer entrants contribute stronger IT and software skills. Supported by automation, AI and continued industry collaboration, those complementary capabilities could shape a more adaptable broadcast engineering workforce.

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EVENT: ASIA-PACIFIC BROADCASTING+ AWARDS 2026

Outstanding broadcasting leaders lauded at Asia-Pacific Broadcasting+ Awards

s the Asia-Pacific broadcasting landscape evolves at pace, industry players are accelerating the adoption of nextgeneration technologies to drive large-scale transformation. Digitalisation and the shift toward IP-based infrastructures have become central to sustaining resilience and competitiveness in a market characterised by continuous disruption. In parallel, broadcasters are prioritising digital-first strategies that support more audience-centric and interactive experiences. Alongside this technological transition, there is a growing emphasis on specialised content and more sophisticated storytelling techniques. These developments reflect a broader strategic push to engage increasingly diverse and fragmented audiences with greater precision, relevance, and impact.

This year’s winners underscore how traditional broadcasting models are evolving into more intelligent, immersive, and interactive media ecosystems. The winning projects were carefully assessed by a distinguished panel of experts, including Robert Harriss, Partner and Asia Pacific Lead for Procurement at Kearney; Aseem Sharma, Partner at KPMG Singapore and Head of the Telecom sector for KPMG Asia Pacific; Wilson Chow, Global Technology, Media and Telecommunications Industry Leader and China Artificial Intelligence Leader at PwC China; and Ahmad Ridhwan Azizan, Principal at Roland Berger. Their evaluation placed strong emphasis on the key criteria of innovation, impact, and the dynamism demonstrated by each winning entry.

ASIA-PACIFIC BROADCASTING+ AWARDS 2026 WINNERS

DAAI TV • Animation Story Telling – Indonesia

Ajman Government Media Office • Digital Transformation – United Arab Emirates

Digital Editorial and Social Media Department in Dubai Media • Multi-Platform Campaign – United Arab Emirates

Asharq News Services • Audience-Centric Multi-Platform Solutions – Saudi Arabia • Virtual Production – Saudi Arabia

Diversified • Production Technology – Australia • Theater Grade Sound – Australia

Astro, powered by LES’COPAQUE PRODUCTION SDN BHD • Audience-Centric Multi-Platform Solutions – Malaysia

Dubai Media Incorporated • Digital Content Platform – United Arab Emirates

ASTRO MALAYSIA • Cloud-Native Platform – Malaysia

Eurovision Services • Digital Broadcasting – Singapore • Internet Delivery Network – Singapore

Australian News Channel • Cloud Editing – Australia • Technology – Australia

Fijian Broadcasting Corporation • Audio Streaming & Monitoring System – Fiji

BBC News, powered by Collective Newsroom • Hybrid Events – India

Galaxy Play JSC • OTT Platform – Vietnam • Series Production – Vietnam

beIN, powered by Appear • IP Transformation – Qatar beIN SPORTS • Digital Transformation – Qatar • IP Broadcast Solutions – Qatar

SeaOvers Media Suite for i-CABLE Communications Limited • Technology – Hong Kong

beIN Sports, powered by Planetcast • Sports Broadcasting – Singapore

JioStar • Digital Content Platform – India • Sports Broadcasting – India

CMGO, powered by DIAGNAL • OTT Platform – Hong Kong CJ ENM • Set Design Enabling Special Effects – South Korea CNBC Mongolia • Digital Transformation – Mongolia Collective Newsroom • Digital Transformation – India Collective Newsroom, powered by Ideal Systems Group • Digital News Delivery – India

GMA NETWORK, INC • IP Transformation – Philippines

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KINIHALAL • Digital Content Platform – Malaysia Magna Systems • IP Broadcast Solutions – Singapore Manis FM • Radio Broadcasting – Malaysia Mediacorp Pte Ltd • Series Production – Singapore • Virtual Production – Singapore

MNCTV, powered by LES’ COPAQUE PRODUCTION SDN BHD • Animation Story Telling – Malaysia

Spacetoon Türkiye • New TV Channel – Turkey

MQuest Ventures Inc. • Interactive Television Gaming – Philippines • Radio and TV Cross Platform Production – Philippines

TAFE NSW, powered by Gencom Technology • Virtual Production – Australia

Munhwa Broadcasting Corporation (MBC) • Radio Studios – South Korea

Thaicom Public Company Limited, powered by Chinavut Marketing • Production Technology – Thailand

Nippon Broadcasting System, powered by Triton Digital • Initiative Award – Japan for Programmatic Advertising NBCUniversal Entertainment Japan (From Old Country Bumpkin to Master Swordsman, Production Committee) • Animation Story Telling – Japan Pakistan Television Corporation Ltd. • Virtual Production – Pakistan People’s Television Network Inc. • Government Streaming – Philippines PTV Sports Network • Sports Broadcasting – Philippines Singapore Institute of Technology, powered by Ideal Systems Group • Production Technology – Singapore

tirto.id • Audience-Centric Multi-Platform Solutions – Indonesia TV Tempo • Digital News Delivery – Indonesia tvIKIM • Series Production – Malaysia T&B Media Global (Thailand) Company Limited • Animation Story Telling – Thailand Videoland Taiwan, powered by Pebble • Multi-Channel Playout System – Taiwan

SM IN FOCUS Production, guided by Rico Hizon • Digital Content Platform – Philippines

Vietnam National Television – VTV3, powered by YeaH1 Group • Production Technology – Vietnam • Viewing Experience – Vietnam

So Drama! Entertainment • Digital Content Platform – Singapore • OTT Platform – Singapore

VNPT Media Corporation • End-to-End IPTV Solution – Vietnam • OTT and IPTV Program Automation – Vietnam

Sony Pictures Networks India, powered by Digital Roundabout Pte Ltd • Initiative Award – India for AI Integration

Weav8 • Initiative Award – Singapore for AI-Driven Broadcast Infrastructure

SpaceMall • Interactive E-Commerce Livestream – China

XR SUMMITS SDN BHD • Initiative Award – Malaysia for AI-XR Production

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EVENT: ASIA-PACIFIC BROADCASTING+ AWARDS 2026

Asharq News Services

beIN Sports, powered by Planetcast

beIN, powered by Appear

CNBC Mongolia

Galaxy Play JSC

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CMGO, powered by DIAGNAL

Eurovision Services

Ideal Systems Group

JioStar

Magna Systems

Sony Pictures Networks India, powered by Digital Roundabout Pte Ltd

tvIKIM

LES COPAQUE PRODUCTION SDN BHD

NBCUniversal Entertainment Japan

SeaOvers

Videoland Taiwan, powered by Pebble

VNPT MyTV

XR SUMMITS SDN BHD

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Transforming broadcast contribution, evaluation, and content distribution workflows The transformation was implemented at a Malaysia national broadcaster with Ideal Systems.

Workflow Discussion between RTM and Ideal Systems

Overall design of TCODE Concept

CODE (Technical COntent DElivery) is a centralised digital contribution and workflow orchestration platform developed and implemented for Radio Televisyen Malaysia (RTM), Malaysia’s national public broadcaster. TCODE was designed to modernise RTM traditional content contribution workflows by replacing fragmented physical delivery processes with a centralised online ecosystem. The initiative addressed long-standing operational challenges associated with physical media delivery, spreadsheet-based tracking, email coordination, disconnected preview workflows, and repetitive manual operational processes across multiple departments and external contributors. The project focused not only on technology deployment but also on redesigning how broadcast teams, suppliers, editors, evaluators, and QC personnel collaborate. Today, TCODE serves as RTM’s primary technical content contribution platform, supporting approximately 400 content suppliers over a six-month operational cycle, including production houses, syndication partners, government agencies, technical contributors, and independent media suppliers. Project background RTM operates one of Malaysia’s largest public broadcasting environments involving nationwide television operations, multiple operational departments, production houses, content acquisition teams, syndication partners, government agencies, and technical contribution stakeholders. For many years, RTM contribution 24

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workflows depended heavily on physical media delivery processes involving hard disc drives (HDD), XDCAM discs, portable storage devices, and manual hand-delivery to RTM premises. Operational teams also relied extensively on spreadsheets for asset tracking, email coordination, Google Drive preview links, manual workflow updates, disconnected review processes, and repetitive operational follow-ups. The workflow environment became increasingly difficult to manage efficiently as contribution volume, operational

RTM recognised the need for a more practical, scalable, and collaborative workflow ecosystem complexity, and turnaround expectations continued to grow. One of the major limitations within the workflow environment was the dependency on office-hour-based contribution handling. Missed submission windows resulted in

Ideal Systems Role in Modernizing RTM Contribution Operation

next-day processing delays, whilst weekend submissions created operational backlogs and additional coordination overhead. At the same time, RTM Creative Content Unit, responsible for evaluating and reviewing acquired and procured content for broadcast suitability and programming requirements, also relied heavily on fragmented operational workflows involving spreadsheets, email coordination, Google Drive sharing, and disconnected preview processes. RTM recognised the need for a more practical, scalable, and collaborative workflow ecosystem capable of supporting modern digital broadcast. Workflow transformation vision In 2024, RTM initiated a six-month pilot project to evaluate a more scalable and operationally aligned approach toward content contribution and workflow coordination. The project focused on redesigning how suppliers, evaluators, editors, QC personnel, and broadcast teams collaborate within a centralised workflow ecosystem. To achieve this objective, RTM collaborated closely with Ideal Systems throughout the pilot project lifecycle. The implementation approach focused heavily on understanding real operational pain points experienced daily by RTM operational teams before translating these requirements into a practical digital workflow environment aligned with RTM operational realities. The workflow philosophy was intentionally simplified: ACCESS – UPLOAD – DONE.

Leading the future of live production technology

appear.net

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TECHNOLOGY - HONG KONG

A new era of free streaming for Asia-Pacific How FAST is creating new opportunities for the media industry? industry, which lowers the commercial barriers to FAST adoption. Brendan continues: “Instead of requiring content owners to make significant upfront investments in FAST infrastructure, SeaOvers provides the technology foundation and takes care of the costs behind the scenes. We believe content owners should focus on creating great content, and we empower them to enter into the FAST market more easily and participate directly in generating advertising revenue from FAST viewership.” This model also creates opportunities for streaming platforms to expand their content offerings, attracting new audiences and opening new advertising revenue streams.

SeaOvers team and their partners celebrate the award-winning achievement on stage at the APB+ Award Ceremony

ree Ad-Supported Streaming TV (FAST) has rapidly emerged as one of the fastest-growing segments in the streaming industry. Rather than relying on monthly subscription fees, FAST delivers TV channels over the internet, allowing audiences to enjoy premium content for free whilst advertising supports the viewing experience. This streaming model has already gained substantial popularity in the United States. The monthly FAST audiences are projected to grow from 115.6 million viewers in 2025 to 125.4 million by 2028, implying that there will be more than one FAST viewer in every three Americans. As the FAST streaming markets continue to mature, could this become the next major growth opportunity across the Asia-Pacific region? And how quickly can content owners launch and scale through FAST? Removing the barriers to FAST adoption Creating and launching a FAST channel is operationally complicated for many content owners. From content ingestion, metadata preparation to scheduling, Electronic Programme Guide (EPG) generation, advertising insertion and distribution, the workflow often spans multiple systems and technology service providers, making FAST deployment both costly and operationally demanding. SeaOvers Pte. Ltd. (SeaOvers) sets out to address these challenges by developing SeaOvers Media Suite, an endto-end platform for FAST channel creation,

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distribution and monetisation. The platform has received the Technology - Hong Kong category at the Asia-Pacific Broadcasting+ Awards 2026 for simplifying FAST deployment and monetisation. “We believe launching a FAST channel shouldn’t take months or require content owners to coordinate with multiple technology partners. Our goal is to enable them to create a monetisable FAST channel equipped with advertising breaks within a few minutes, making it ready for distribution at any time,” said Brendan Wu, Co-Founder and CEO of SeaOvers. From channel creation to FAST monetisation The platform applies AI models to analyse every scene, identify the optimal advertising breakpoints, and generate metadata in alignment with the Interactive Advertising Bureau (IAB) taxonomy automatically. This allows advertisers to match their campaigns with contextually relevant scenes and moments, whilst maintaining a seamless FAST viewing experience. Beyond technology, SeaOvers has introduced a revenue-sharing model to the

A new era of entertainment in APAC Looking ahead, SeaOvers believes technology should never be a barrier to FAST adoption. The company is committed to empowering content owners with a single platform to create, distribute and monetise FAST channels, whilst accelerating the growth of the FAST ecosystem across APAC. By bringing audiences a free streaming alternative and creating new possibilities in the media industry, SeaOvers continues to make FAST more accessible for everyone.

Brendan Wu, Co-founder and CEO of SeaOvers, during an interview at the APB+ Awards

We believe content owners should focus on creating great content, and we empower them to enter into the FAST market more easily and participate directly in generating advertising revenue from FAST viewership

Broadcasting Live Moments Creating Global Memories

Reliable broadcast solutions for the biggest live events.

www.eurovisionservices.com

Since 1968, Magna Systems has empowered our clients with innovative technology, best-of-breed solutions and expert systems integration that drive real business success. Built on integrity, collaboration and technical excellence, Magna delivers future-ready solutions you can trust to perform today and evolve for tomorrow.

www.magnasys.tv

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AUDIENCE-CENTRIC MULTI-PLATFORM SOLUTIONS - SAUDI ARABIA VIRTUAL PRODUCTION - SAUDI ARABIA

Asharq News Services secures wins at Asia-Pacific Broadcasting+ Awards 2026 The organisation developed an in-house AI agent for cross-platform insights and launched a live programme combining AI-generated analysis with editorial discussion.

Asharq News Services receives accolades at the Asia-Pacific Broadcasting+ Awards 2026

sharq News Services secured recognition in the Audience-Centric Multi-Platform Solutions - Saudi Arabia and Virtual Production - Saudi Arabia categories at the Asia-Pacific Broadcasting+ Awards 2026. The accolades reflect two initiatives focused on data integration and live production. Advancing cross-platform decision-making The Audience-Centric Multi-Platform Solutions - Saudi Arabia category recognised an internally developed AI-powered data intelligence agent that brought together data from television, digital, social, radio, and OTT platforms into a single system. Audience measurement, content performance, marketing effectiveness, and commercial data were consolidated within a conversational interface designed for direct querying. Natural language inputs allowed teams to retrieve information instantly, with responses incorporating both context and

recommended actions. Use cases varied across departments. Editorial teams examined content performance across multiple platforms, whilst marketing teams evaluated campaign results across different channels. Commercial teams worked with unified metrics to assess reach and frequency. Leadership accessed updates in real time, removing dependence on scheduled reporting cycles. The system was built and maintained in-house, allowing direct oversight of data sources, analytical models, and governance frameworks as additional inputs were introduced. Redefining live journalism with AI copresenter The Virtual Production - Saudi Arabia category recognised “The 4th Dimension,” a live news programme presented by renowned journalist and anchor Zeina Yazigi and introduced in July 2025 within

a mixed reality studio environment. Each episode began with a question posed to artificial intelligence. The system generated probability-based outputs, which then informed the discussion with presenters and invited experts. An AI avatar appeared as a copresenter, contributing analysis alongside human participants. Production relied on Unreal Engine for real-time 3D rendering, OpenAI for AI-driven research, ElevenLabs for voice generation, and Zero Density for broadcast graphics. Visual environments changed depending on the subject under discussion, with each setting aligned to the topic being analysed. Editorial control remained with human moderators, who directed the discussion and assessed AI-generated outputs before they were incorporated. Topic selection drew on predictive analysis, using data patterns to identify emerging areas of interest and guide editorial planning.

The accolades reflect two initiatives focused on data integration and live production 28

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OPINION

FIFA 2026: Record audiences, record revenues, a watershed moment for broadcast and streaming

his year’s FIFA World Cup was the most watched sporting event in history, but not everyone had equal access to it. Funding challenges facing broadcasters, particularly public service broadcasting, have been a growing concern globally, and FIFA 2026 brought those tensions into sharp relief. The ability of public service broadcasters to secure major sports rights has been in decline for some time, driven by escalating rights fees and fierce competition. For audiences who cannot afford pay-TV subscriptions or match passes, this has increasingly meant being locked out of live coverage of the world’s most-watched sporting event. When major sports events are broadcast over-the-air, audiences can access coverage at high quality regardless of their broadband capacity or the number of viewers simultaneously accessing the service. Streaming services, by contrast, struggle to resource adequately for high-demand events, often leading to a scaling down of quality profiles during peak viewing periods. The distribution of broadcast services, particularly public service media in an increasingly online-only environment, remains a hot topic across many countries. The 2026 World Cup comprised 104 matches, running from June 11 June to July 19 when the final was played. Broadcasters around the world carried the matches across their multi-platform distribution networks. In New Zealand, national public broadcaster TVNZ held the broadcast rights, giving New Zealand residents the option to purchase a match pass for access to all matches, both live and on catch-up via the TVNZ+ online platform. Selected matches, including those featuring the New Zealand team, were also carried on free-to-access (FTA) digital terrestrial television (DTT). The opening ceremony and final were broadcast on TVNZ’s DTT service in high definition. In the UK, the BBC distributed coverage to British audiences across its full suite of platforms. According to the BBC, audiences turned to it not just for live matches, but for the analysis, storytelling, and shared moments that brought the nation together. The reach of BBC coverage across television, iPlayer, BBC Sounds, the BBC Sport website, app, and social channels reflects the enduring power of major sporting events to create shared experiences at remarkable scale. The BBC reported that its second-screen 3D experience was used 192,000 times during the England versus Argentina match, with more than 2.8 million Ultra HD (UHD) streams of the match on iPlayer and a record-breaking 1.8 million concurrent UHD streams. Some mobile networks transported over 1,000 terabytes of data during the match, marking a new record and the first time those networks have exceeded the 1,000-terabyte threshold at peak usage. Previously, we examined the funding challenges facing streaming services, particularly in the UK, where the debate has been ongoing for some time. The UK is amongst a small number of countries that enforce a television licence fee, and resistance to it has grown, with many British residents claiming they no longer watch or listen to the BBC and therefore declining to pay. 32

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DR. AMAL PUNCHIHEWA Executive Member Media Technical Network

Culture Minister Lisa Nandy has indicated that expanding the licence fee to cover platforms such as Netflix, Amazon Prime, and Disney+ is amongst the options being considered as part of the BBC’s Royal Charter renewal process. The minister also made clear the government’s broader commitment to the BBC, stating, “There is a shared belief across government, including the Prime Minister and the Chancellor, that the BBC is one of the most important institutions in this country, alongside the National Health Service (NHS). “If the NHS is responsible for the health of our people, I think the BBC is responsible for the health of our democracy and our nation.” The minister also ruled out a levy on streamers, a model used in other countries, warning that such a tax would deter investment and harm the UK’s broader broadcasting ecosystem, including the BBC. Other countries have taken different approaches to funding public media. New Zealand, for instance, has no a licence fee, with public broadcasting funded through general tax revenue. Public broadcasters such as TVNZ operate as public companies and pay dividends to the New Zealand Treasury for the use of publicly owned assets while paying appropriate taxes as any other company. Across all models, however, the challenge remains the same: striking a delicate balance between incentivising investment and ensuring that streamers and public service media operate under sufficiently similar rules to maintain a level playing field. The New Zealand football team’s opening FIFA World Cup match against Iran, which ended in a 2-2 draw, delivered record streaming numbers for TVNZ+, according to Radio New Zealand reports. The June 16 fixture made it TVNZ+’s largest streaming day ever, with almost 2.3 million streams across the 24-hour period. The match generated 555,000 streams on the platform, while a further 465,000 viewers watched on free-to-air DTT channel TVNZ1, placing it among the top five highest-rated football matches on broadcast television in New Zealand since 2010. TVNZ+ streamed all matches available to New Zealand viewers through a purchased pass. Jodi O’Donnell, TVNZ chief executive officer, said the pay model enables the broadcaster to compete more effectively for sports rights and serve audiences in the ways they choose to watch. “Whether it’s every moment live, or free-to-air on TVNZ channels,” she said, the approach gives TVNZ the commercial flexibility to acquire and distribute major sports content more sustainably. Across the tournament, TVNZ offered a mix of free-to-air coverage and a premium digital pass — 22 matches were broadcast free-to-air, with 11 on TVNZ1, including every New Zealand game, and an additional 11 on TVNZ+. All 104 matches were available live and on-demand via a oneoff TVNZ+ event pass at $26.55 (NZ$44.95). For a public service broadcaster navigating the increasingly difficult economics of premium sports rights, it was a notable achievement.

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