TV Tech 517 - Jan 2026 by publications

IN DS ST AR BE AW 25 T 24 20 RKE P. A M

www.tvtech.com | January 2026

How broadcasters are staying connected

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January 2026 volume 44, issue 1

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contents

CTV: Everything, Everywhere All at Once

How Active Is Your Archive?

Archive strategies now balance cloud access, on-prem control and cost By Kevin Hilton

EdgeBeam: We’re ‘Crossing the Chasm of Pre-Revenue to Revenue’

CEO Conrad Clemson discusses the company’s progress over the past few months By Phil Kurz

equipment guide

There’s more to making multiple GenAI tools work together in real time than simple software integration By Karl Paulsen

As NextGen TV waits in the wings, broadcasters are securing a robust presence in the connected TV universe By Fred Dawson

How Orchestration Helps AI Agents Stay in Harmony

Capturing NFL Audio That Hits Hard

Two veteran submixers share their playbook for tackling high-profile pro football telecasts By Eric Zornes

20 Free Signal-Tracking Software To Enjoy in 2026

This pair of tools can help you track your coverage and understand your RF footprint By Doug Lung

user reports cloud distribution/OTT

• LTN

in the news

• Harmonic • Zixi • Imagine Communications • Telvue

• TAG Video Systems

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eye on tech

people

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Vol. 44 No. 1 | January 2026 FOLLOW US

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Et tu, Oscar? It’s not surprising, but the news that the Academy Awards will be moving to YouTube starting in 2029 and at least through 2033 stunned many in our “evolving media landscape.” The idea that the world’s most coveted entertainment awards show was leaving broadcast was almost unthinkable just a decade ago. “This partnership will allow us to expand access to the work of the Academy to the largest worldwide audience possible,” The Motion Picture Academy said in its announcement. Given the continuing slump in box office revenues in recent years, Hollywood believes it needs a more dynamic and diverse platform to promote its business. The Academy reported that the Oscars, including red carpet coverage, behind-the-scenes content, Governors Ball access, and more, will be available live and for free to over 2 billion viewers around the world on YouTube, and to YouTube TV subscribers in the United States. Ratings for the Oscars on ABC, which has broadcast the ceremony for five decades, have been on the decline for years. A decade ago, 36 million tuned in, but by last year, that number was down to just under 20 million. As for the reasons for the decline, one can’t deny the impact of cord cutting, with nearly 77 million U.S consumers having dropped their pay TV subscriptions over that same period. When the news hit, pundits repeated their cries of “the death of broadcasting.” But broadcasting has proven its resilience over the years as streaming has chipped away at our business. We still offer the widest reach and the numbers that advertisers covet. TV broadcasters raked in nearly $24 billion in advertising revenues in 2024, according to BIA, which tracks such numbers. However, future revenue outlooks are trending downward. Nevertheless, broadcasters can still claim the biggest audiences for marquee live sporting events and that claim will be put to the test with the Olympics and FIFA World Cup around the corner. Besides, the argument that broadcast is only relevant when it delivers massive ratings for live sports is just one part of the equation. Our industry remains a lynchpin of local journalism for viewers, who have time and again ranked their local broadcaster as among their most trusted sources. And in our “evolving media landscape,” that makes us more relevant than ever. Tom Butts Content Director tom.butts@futurenet.com

Webinar Series: Building the Future of Broadcast with MXL

the technical foundations of MXL, highlighting how interoperability is reshaping modern broadcast workflows.

Join TV Tech and TVBEurope for a two-part webinar series on one of the hottest topics in our the broadcast tech industry—the emerging MXL (Media eXchange Layer) protocol.

Jan. 28 (12 PM ET): TV Tech Editor Tom Butts will host a roundtable exploring real-world implementations of MXL, demonstrating how interoperability between devices, systems, and workflows enables more agile, scalable, and efficient production operations.

Jan. 21 (11 AM ET): Join TVBEurope Editor Jenny Priestley as she talks with industry experts about

Visit https://events.tvtechnology.com to register for these free webinars!

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CONTENT Content Director Tom Butts, tom.butts@futurenet.com Content Manager Michael Demenchuk, michael.demenchuk@futurenet Senior Content Producer George Winslow, george.winslow@futurenet.com Contributors: Phil Kurz, Fred Dawson, Doug Lung, Kevin Hilton, Karl Paulson, Dennis Baxter, Eric Zornes & John Footen Production Managers: Heather Tatrow, Nicole Schilling Art Directors: Cliff Newman, Steven Mumby ADVERTISING SALES Managing Vice President of Sales, B2B Tech Adam Goldstein, adam.goldstein@futurenet.com Publisher, TV Tech/TVBEurope Joe Palombo, joseph.palombo@futurenet.com SUBSCRIBER CUSTOMER SERVICE To subscribe, change your address, or check on your current account status, go to www.tvtechnology.com and click on About Us, email futureplc@computerfulfillment.com, call 888-266-5828, or write P.O. Box 8692, Lowell, MA 01853. LICENSING/REPRINTS/PERMISSIONS TV Technology is available for licensing. Contact the Licensing team to discuss partnership opportunities. Head of Print Licensing Rachel Shaw licensing@futurenet.com MANAGEMENT SVP, MD, B2B Amanda Darman-Allen VP, Global Head of Content, B2B Carmel King MD, Content, Broadcast Tech Paul McLane VP, Head of US Sales, B2B Tom Sikes VP, Global Head of Strategy & Ops, B2B Allison Markert VP, Product & Marketing, B2B Andrew Buchholz Head of Production US & UK Mark Constance Head of Design, B2B Nicole Cobban FUTURE US, INC. 130 West 42nd Street, 7th Floor, New York, NY 10036

All contents © 2025/26 Future US, Inc. or published under licence. All rights reserved. No part of this magazine may be used, stored, transmitted or reproduced in any way without the prior written permission of the publisher. Future Publishing Limited (company number 2008885) is registered in England and Wales. Registered office: Quay House, The Ambury, Bath BA1 1UA. All information contained in this publication is for information only and is, as far as we are aware, correct at the time of going to press. Future cannot accept any responsibility for errors or inaccuracies in such information. You are advised to contact manufacturers and retailers directly with regard to the price of products/services referred to in this publication. Apps and websites mentioned in this publication are not under our control. We are not responsible for their contents or any other changes or updates to them. This magazine is fully independent and not affiliated in any way with the companies mentioned herein. If you submit material to us, you warrant that you own the material and/or have the necessary rights/permissions to supply the material and you automatically grant Future and its licensees a licence to publish your submission in whole or in part in any/all issues and/or editions of publications, in any format published worldwide and on associated websites, social media channels and associated products. Any material you submit is sent at your own risk and, although every care is taken, neither Future nor its employees, agents,subcontractors or licensees shall be liable for loss or damage. We assume all unsolicited material is for publication unless otherwise stated, and reserve the right to edit, amend, adapt all submissions. Please Recycle. We are committed to only using magazine paper which is derived from responsibly managed, certified forestry and chlorine-free manufacture. The paper in this magazine was sourced and produced from sustainable managed forests, conforming to strict environmental and socioeconomic standards. TV Technology (ISSN: 0887-1701) is published monthly by Future US, Inc., 130 West 42nd Street, 7th Floor, New York, NY 10036-8002. Phone: 978-667-0352. Periodicals postage paid at New York, NY and additional mailing offices. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to TV Technology, P.O. Box 848, Lowell, MA 01853.

in the news

MediaKind Acquires Harmonic’s Video Business for $145M MediaKind, a global provider of cloud-based video streaming technology, is acquiring Harmonic’s video business for about $145 million. The deal is expected to close in the first half of 2026, subject to customary regulatory approvals and closing conditions, MediaKind said. The acquisition comes two years after Harmonic announced its plans to put its video business on the block. At that time, video division revenues were declining, but recently it has seen steady growth driven largely by its video SaaS service, which reported record revenues of $16.1 million in its most recent quarter. MediaKind said the transaction will create “a world-class independent SaaS streaming infra-

structure provider by combining two established video-technology organizations with complementary strengths in SaaS streaming, appliance platforms and cloud AV workloads.” The combined company will serve a blue-chip customer base, generate more than $100 million in annual recurring revenue, over $150 million in annual appliance revenue and, as a business 100% focused on video, create an enhanced foundation for longterm growth, MediaKind said. The company added that it expects the transaction “to strengthen financial and operational stability, giving customers greater confidence in the continuity and reliability of their video-infrastructure partner as the market evolves.”

Credit: © NAB

HDR+ Technologies to Start Licensing for ADVANCED Dynamic Metadata Certification HDR10+ Technologies has announced it will soon begin licensing and certification of devices, content and services that support HDR10+ ADVANCED dynamic metadata technology, the latest in a series of enhancements to the rapidly expanding HDR10+ ecosystem. HDR10+ Technologies, which develops specifications for HDR10+ applications and operates a certification, licensing and logo program, is a multindustry association that encompasses more than 170 adopters and nearly 20,000 certified devices. HDR10+ dynamic metadata offers a number of benefits, including outstanding brightness and contrast, robust standardization, easy implementation, worldwide certification and no licensing fees, the group said.

It also works seamlessly with HDR10 standard metadata and is future-ready. HDR10+ video supports implementations from 10bit to 16-bit and up to 10,000 nits of brightness. HDR10+ ADVANCED has been specifically designed to elevate HDR10+ performance to a whole new level, the group said. “With the development of HDR10+ ADVANCED dynamic metadata, content creators and entertainment enthusiasts can finally realize the ultimate video experience, no matter how demanding their needs,” HDR+ Technologies CoManager Bill Mandel said. “We’re confident this new technology will be embraced by consumers and professionals alike, across a variety of businesses and applications.” The technology is being demoed at CES 2026 for the first time.

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NAB Show Reveals 2026 Plans Registration is officially open for the 2026 NAB Show, slated for April 17-22 (exhibits April 19–22) at the Las Vegas Convention Center. This year’s show will be housed in the West, North and recently completed Central Halls. The South Hall is closed for renovations. NAB Show also unveiled some of the programming that will spotlight transformative trends shaping the media and entertainment industry, including AI and media asset protection, streaming, sports innovation, the creator economy and cloud-based workflows. New for 2026, NAB Show will feature an expanded, fourday Sports Summit, “The Future of Sports Rights and Fan Engagement,” presented in the Sports Theater on the show floor in West Hall. Open to all attendees for the first time, the summit will feature tools and technologies that engage fans and provide discussions on such topics as sports rights and athletes who are creating their own media companies. NAB is also partnering with The Ankler for “The Business of Media and Entertainment,” a three-day program that convenes top industry dealmakers, executives and creative leaders for candid conversations on the forces reshaping the business of media and entertainment. New for 2026, the program is open to all attendees and will take place on the exhibit floor in West Hall. The Creator Lab returns with a dramatically expanded footprint in the newly completed Central Hall. The lab will serve as the premier destination for creators, studios, broadcasters and brands seeking hands-on learning and next-generation storytelling tools. This year’s lab features a larger theater and classroom for sessions on AI, creator techniques, business strategy and audience development and a new Networking Lounge designed for one-on-one meetings between creators and brands. To register, visit www.nabshow.org.

in the news Matheny, Mondal to Lead NAB’s BPS Development

OPINION

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What About an Antenna?

TV to 39197, saying “And let’s “USA Today” in November tackled keep football free.” So far, so good. the Disney-YouTube TV standoff But when the public goes to the that at the time prevented subsite, it’s asked to sign a letter that scribers from enjoying ESPN and goes to Congress urging reform other Disney-owned media, inof existing broadcast ownership cluding ABC stations, via the subcaps. There’s not a hint of antenna scription streaming service. reception as it relates to keeping The opinion piece by Chris football free. Bumbaca did a nice job of laying As this issue goes to press, NAB out the conflict between the corlaunched its new “Game On” porate behemoths and its implicaPhil Kurz website, complete with a holiday tions going forward. themed video. The website includes “The bigger picture is that the a link to the same letter to Congress. What is blackout is a harbinger of the future of how missing everywhere is the word “antenna.” we watch sports and the rivalries that define None of this is surprising. Years ago, I recall where we consume the content. Because being at a conference jointly put on by “Broadcaught in the middle of the boardroom backcast Engineering” and “B&C” magazines. At and-forth are the fans,” he writes. the time, Sinclair Broadcast Group’s Del Parks True, they will always be caught in the midoffered the broadcasters there a promo it had dle, but that doesn’t mean they are powerless. produced to tell the public that HDTV proFans can simply sidestep a lot of the pain by gramming was available for free over the air. installing an antenna. But there were few, if any, takers. Why? Granted, relying solely on antennas won’t There was little desire to rock the retrans-fee give fans all of the sports they would have boat by being seen as aggressively competing otherwise. But the simulcast of ESPN’s “Monwith MVPD partners for viewers. day Night Football” coverage is certainly All true, but how are ownership rules and available over the air on ABC O&Os and affiliretrans fees linked? Look no further than the ates as are many other games. Ditto the other International Center of Law & Economics, broadcast networks and their affiliates with which released a white paper in November. their sports coverage. It says in part: “The ideal deregulatory But who can blame Bumbaca for not solution would eliminate outdated ownership mentioning TV antennas? Not only is he of restrictions and the retransmissiona generation largely unaware that TV is the consent framework….” As the Federal O.G. of wireless video delivery, but also the Communications Commission continues television industry has done a poor job of reviewing broadcast ownership rules and is informing viewers about OTA transmission expected to move forward on that agenda, and reception. don’t be surprised to see the agency seek Consider the NAB’s Keep Football Free ad. comments on the retrans issue and a host of The 30-second spot takes direct aim at Youcommenters arguing to end the fees. Tube TV, Netflix and Amazon Prime Video. Regardless of how all this plays out, can’t “Cha-Ching! You might shell out 50 bucks a an industry required to serve the public intermonth and that’s just the beginning. Good est do a better job of informing viewers that thing we have local TV stations bringing us they can receive television programming—ingames for free,” the NAB spot says. cluding sports—over the air? The ad concludes by urging viewers to text

January 2026 | www.tvtech.com |

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The National Association of Broadcasters has announced a “strategic realignment” to accelerate development and deployment of the Broadcast Positioning System (BPS), a public safety and national security initiative via the NextGen TV (ATSC 3.0) standard. Broadcasters have been promoting the system, which uses NextGen TV/ ATSC 3.0 signals to deliver resilient, terrestrial-based timing and location services that can serve as a backup to the Global Positioning System (GPS). Sam Matheny, NAB EVP, Technology, and CTO and Tariq Mondal VP, Advanced Technology—who have led BPS development to date—will move into new roles dedicated exclusively to the initiative. Matheny will now serve as EVP, Broadcast Positioning System, and Mondal as VP, Broadcast Positioning System. They will work together to build a dedicated team focused solely on advancing BPS technology and services, NAB said. As part of the realignment, NAB is also launching a new Industry Affairs and Innovation department, led by EVP April Carty-Sipp, bringing NAB’s industry affairs and technology teams together under one strategic umbrella. Additionally, John Clark, SVP of Emerging Technology and Executive Director of PILOT, will continue in that capacity and also serve in the newly created role of chief innovation officer.

Sam Matheny

Tariq Mondal

connected broadcasters

CTV: Everything, Everywhere All at Once By Fred Dawson

TV broadcasters are moving at an accelerating pace down the NextGen TV track, well ahead of any opportunity to leverage ATSC 3.0 at mass audience scales. Propelled by surging connected TV (CTV) penetration, the popularity of free ad-supported streaming television (FAST) and AI-enhanced workflows and monetization touching uniquely localized output to every type of device, station owners are discovering OTA conversion to 3.0 is far less of a barrier to getting where they want to go than it appeared at the outset of the next-gen transition. As E.W. Scripps President/CEO Adam Symson put it at the recent NAB Show New York, “We’re looking for every opportunity out there on an avenue we’ve never been on before.”

FAST-GROWING From multiple perspectives, i.e., the scale of CTV penetration, consumer viewing behavior, the pace of local TV ad spending and the importance of local TV, is as important to broadcasters as the connected television set. CTV penetration has hit 90% in the U.S., ac-

cording to Statista, led by smart TVs at 68%, as measured by Parks Associates, with the rest connected via streaming media players. An international study released in 2025 by Ampere Analysis reported that smart TVs— with 90 minutes of average daily viewing time, 27% higher than four years ago—consume 31% of internet users’ total content viewing time, the most of any device category. According to Nielsen, 82% of broadband-only U.S. households, meaning those not using MVPD or OTA services, are watching TV stations’ output on their CTVs. Some of that viewing stems from the inclusion of linear broadcast channels in OTT bundles, but FAST channels have become the dominant means of delivering station groups’ expanded news and other local content to CTVs. Gracenote, Nielsen’s content-navigation unit, recently reported sports and news channels on the real-time broadcast side of FAST programming are now the platform’s second- and third-most prominent content categories, respectively, collectively accounting for 21% of all channels carried by the 10 leading aggregators it tracks. FAST allows stations to deliver their most valuable locally produced content without the

schedule limitations imposed by their linear channel lineups, noted Meredith McGinn, NBCUniversal Local executive vice president of digital networks and original production. “We’re delivering news all the time on FAST, not just five to six on broadcast TV,” she said at NAB Show New York, noting that all NBCU O&Os have FAST channels with a good deal of additional coverage given to local events and personalities. Not surprisingly, while local advertising on linear TV is projected to remain on a negative trend line, excluding the political advertising bumps anticipated for 2026 and 2028, CTV local ad spend is heading in the opposite direction. Speaking at NAB Show New York, Rick Ducey, managing director at BIA Advisory Services, said core (nonpolitical) ad spending on local TV dropped from $14.9 billion in 2024 to $14.3 billion in 2025, with a further decline to $13.9 billion expected this year. Meanwhile, the CTV share hit $2.2 billion in 2025, matching the local TV ad take in the MVPD market, he said. Clearly, broadcasters are working in a vastly altered landscape than when the NextGen TV strategy was formulated. Looking at the year ahead, they can operate in this

@tvtech.bsky.social | www.tvtech.com | January 2026

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As NextGen TV waits in the wings, broadcasters are securing a robust presence in the connected TV universe

environment with much-improved skill sets compared to where things stood a year ago, starting with their ability to reach digitally focused segments of TV viewing audiences with an expanded lineup of localized live news and other content that can’t be found anywhere else. Speaking to investors on Nexstar Media Group’s Q3 earnings call in November, chairman and CEO Perry Sook cited the CTV impact on his company’s fortunes. The fastest growing segment of Nexstar’s take from political spending in 2024 was CTV, Sook noted, and that’s likely to be the case in 2026. “We have rolled out CTV applications in the vast majority of our marketplaces and are producing alternative programming to fill the hours on those apps,” he said.

Of course, taking advantage of the CTV trends isn’t just an opportunity—it’s an imperative, given the pace at which ad dollars are flowing into the platform. FreeWheel, noting in a 2025 first-half marketing report that CTVs account for 85% of total streamed video ad views in the U.S., said stateside CTV ad spending was on course to reach $32.57 billion in 2025, with projections showing CTV surpassing traditional TV ad spending by 2028. There are many reasons for this beyond the sheer audience numbers, starting with the fact, cited by FreeWheel, that 70% of marketers regard precise audience targeting, now accounting for 80% of the inventory, as CTV’s biggest advantage. As a result, CTV advertising ROI is averaging 4.5 times the level reached with linear TV, FreeWheel reported. Technology—especially advances combining programmatic selling and buying support with the use of AI—is playing a major role. Moreover, as Amazon Web Services (AWS) is demonstrating with its In The Game (ITG) platform, streamed content distribution to CTVs creates compelling new ways to monetize sports, news and other live content through personalized ad messaging without the disruptive intrusion on viewing experiences common to traditional TV advertising. “ITG is driving a fundamental shift in CTV monetization strategies by enabling nonintrusive advertising formats that maintain viewer engagement while maximizing revenue opportunities,” said Stephanie Lone, global leader for solutions architecture in media entertainment games and sports at AWS. ITG utilizes Server-Guided Ad Insertion (SGAI) across all major CTV platforms to turn advertising into a value-added experiJanuary 2026 | www.tvtech.com |

USA

100

Europe 95 minutes

+27%

80 75 minutes

70 60 50

54 minutes

+25%

FOLLOW THE ADVERTISERS

AVERAGE DAILY TIME SPENT WATCHING ON A SMART TV (MINUTES)

40 minutes Q3 2021

Q1 2022

Q3 2022

Q1 2023

Q3 2023

Q1 2024

Q3 2024

Smart TVs now average 90 minutes of daily viewing time, a share 27% higher than four years ago, and consume 21% of internet users’ total content viewing time, according to Ampere Analysis.

“We have rolled out CTV applications in the vast majority of our marketplaces and are producing alternative programming to fill the hours on those apps.” PERRY SOOK, NEXSTAR MEDIA GROUP

ence by programmatically placing messaging in formats like L-Band ads, split-screen ads, shoppable overlays and pause ads, Lone said. The platform, sold to AWS cloud users through the AWS Marketplace, leverages the continuous contextual and messaging opportunity analysis of generative AI models supported by Amazon Bedrock in conjunction with intelligent ad triggering and placement orchestration, live media ingestion, processing and packaging, and other functionalities available through AWS. AI-powered insights “are enabling CTV and OTT providers to maximize high-value moments by monetizing when viewers are actively engaged and watching Glodina Lostanlen, the screen, chief revenue officer, using nonImagine Communications

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linear formats during high-attention periods without interrupting the experience and reserving traditional linear ads for naturally less exciting moments,” Lone said, noting research shows such strategies produce a 50% gain in user engagement compared to traditional TV advertising. Such results are to be expected when broadcasters can “transform content into dynamic marketplaces, where, for example, cooking shows can sell kitchen gadgets, home renovation programs enable furniture purchases and automotive shows become interactive car showrooms, creating entirely new business models.”

LOCAL AD EXPOSURE No platform provider has gone further than Roku in affording station owners the ability to capitalize on local TV advertising through FAST channel placements. Noting that viewer content discovery “is one of the key benefits of our platform,” Roku Head of Content Lisa Holme said the company drives awareness of hundreds of locally targeted channels that serve viewers “the same live content they’d see on traditional TV in their location.” The benefits TV stations gain with the local ad exposure that comes with this support is abetted by the fact that Roku advertising, as Holme put it, “is becoming more and more performant.”

Source: Ampere Media–Consumer

connected broadcasters

RETHINKING PLAYOUT “FAST pushed our traditional customers to rethink the way they were designing playout operations,” Imagine Communications Chief Revenue Officer Glodina Lostanlen said. Citing the unified ground and cloud resource management enabled by Imagine’s Aviator Automation and Orchestrator Lisa Holme, platforms, head of content for Roku Lostanlen

added: “Our customers don’t differentiate the quality of viewers anymore whether they’re watching FAST or traditional linear TV. They need to operate a FAST channel and a linear traditional channel in the same way with live playout at five 9s quality.” With live local news and other coverage proving out as a big audience draw for FAST channels, dealmaking and new amalgams of broadcasters’ output on FAST are proceeding at a dizzying pace. The former VuIT FAST platform has been revamped into Zeam, which is offering content from nearly 300 local TV stations, covering close to 80% of DMAs, including the NewsON aggregation of local newscasts acquired from Sinclair Broadcast Group in August. LG’s recent launch of News Hub brought in dozens of Fox LiveNOW and Allen Media Group Local Now FAST station channels, along with many other local station feeds. And apps supporting local TV access are abundantly available for Android TV and Google TV users and through the Google Play store. In Roku’s case, Holme noted,

along with supporting hundreds of FAST channels carrying individual stations’ live content, the company’s Live TV offering features FAST channels from every major national broadcaster. The notable big station group bucking this trend is Sinclair, which with the NewsON deal and sale of the STIRR collection of live channels two years ago has shifted away from live FAST broadcasting, although some of its stations are still in the game with participation in LG’s News Hub local-station lineup. But the station group is all in on fulfilling what Sinclair Chief Operating Officer and President of Local Media Rob Weisbord described at NAB Show New York as the “need to be hyperlocal” through digital feeds served over NextGen TV outlets. With ATSC 3.0, “we have something to make stations vibrant again,” he said, adding, “I’m very bullish.” Meanwhile, the local TV explosion into monetization over CTV connections has already produced the biggest change in the local TV business model since the transition from analog broadcasting. NextGen TV will be emerging in the years ahead to ice an already well-baked cake. ●

Credit: istockphoto

Having invested in partnerships and innovations that support “advanced audience targeting, real-time data, and programmatic ad buying,” Roku believes “this is a key differentiator and reason why marketers will continue to move traditional TV advertising dollars to CTV,” Holme said. Along with the experience broadcasters have gained generating local news and other content for more exposure via FAST channels and other digital feeds, they’ve benefited from vendor support that has made channel creation for digital viewing on CTVs far more efficient than it was before the advent of FAST.

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media monetization

How Active Is Your Archive? Storage strategies now balance cloud access, on-prem control and cost

media, entertainment, games and sports at AWS, acknowledged that, in some cases, there is a hybrid element to the setup. “The demos we give at the NAB Show and IBC often have the workspaces on physical hardware,” she said. “This means Stephanie Lone people have the tactile response they love, but don’t know if it is happening on the cloud or a hard drive under a desk. We’ve worked well in these hybrid environments with broadcasters and continue to do so.” In addition to this, Lone added, full cloud transfer is also being undertaken by leading broadcasters. “Warner Bros. Discovery has an entire secure media supply chain on AWS, migrating petabytes of content to serve its customer base, which is approximately 95 million [HBO] Max subscribers alone,” she said. “Without the cloud, media companies can’t deliver or monetize their content across the digital landscape they’re in today.”

HAVE A CLEAR ROADMAP

Credit: Eoneren/Getty Images

By Kevin Hilton

Over the relatively short history of television broadcasting, archives have developed both technologically and in importance. There has been a progression from reels of film or telerecordings to videotapes—all on shelves— to the digitized deep storage of LTO (Linear Tape-Open) and disk drives, with solid-state flash memory and servers later bringing even more choice. The cloud is now seen as a viable alternative to these methods in a media market that finally recognizes the financial value and potential of its assets, both historic and recent. Some broadcasters have made a wholesale move into the cloud for archiving, but others prefer a hybrid approach. This is highlighted in the 2025 annual report from the Active Archive Alliance (AAA), which promotes “active archives” that provide quick access to secondary storage systems, with the data always available online for fast recovery and review.

STOP START “I had seen many companies gravitating towards the cloud when it first came out,

January 2026 | www.tvtech.com |

and then there was a bit of pulling back and potentially even repatriating data out of the cloud,” said Eric Polet, co-chair of the AAA and director of product marketing at software platform developer Arcitecta. “What I’m seeing now is a lot of hybrid cloud for distribution and sharing content, oftentimes bringing longterm preservation back on-prem.” Polet’s co-chair, Rich Gadomski, director of channel sales and new business development for data- storage solutions with Fujifilm North America Corp., added that the AAA is “technology-agnostic,” with all main archiving media represented: optical, Savartus; solid state drives (SSD)/hard disk drives (HDD), Western Digital; tape, IBM, Fujifilm and Spectra Logic; and the cloud, Wasabi. “Regardless of where the data is being stored, it can be accessed on-prem or in the cloud,” Gadomski said. “The volume of data, and its importance and value, has increased tremendously, so nobody wants to delete anything.” From the cloud perspective, Amazon Web Services (AWS) is seeing many of the world’s leading broadcast and media and entertainment organizations commit their archives to the platform. But Stephanie Lone, global leader of solutions architecture for

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Avid produces cloud-compatible tools, including the MediaCentral workflowmanagement system and NEXIS storage platform, which can also connect with LTO archives. “Many broadcasters are still exploring the best use of cloud for their workflows,” observed Craig Wilson, product evangelist for artist relations at the company, with archiving a growing area. “Cost of egress remains an issue, so broadcasters are focused on studying the total cost of ownership to ensure full value for their investment,” he said. James Fraser, vice president of U.S. sales at content discovery platform developer Moments Lab, observed that most broadcasters are either actively migrating their archives to the cloud or running a hybrid model. “But they have a clear road map over time to push more content into the cloud because of accessibility,” he said. “On-premises systems have done a tremendous job over the years, but cloud technology has allowed organizations Craig Wilson

media monetization

“The volume of data, and its importance and value, has increased tremendously, so nobody wants to delete anything.” RICH GADOMSKI, ACTIVE ARCHIVE ALLIANCE

“This has allowed them the flexibility to support its surging traffic and maintain security but [also] save more than 50% on event services,” she said. “When thinking about the cost implications of moving broadcast archives, each customer’s implementation varies.”

WHAT ABOUT AI? As part of this, Lone said, many broadcasters and media-related organizations are utilizing AI and machine learning (ML) to automate tagging of assets transferred to the cloud “for better discoverability.” A recent report on the archive market confirms this, showing AI-

driven media archives are now “a top priority across nearly every M&E segment.” The State of Media Archiving survey from object-based storage specialist Pixitmedia by DataCore revealed that of the 330 M&E professionals questioned, 30% of James Fraser studios and 46% of enterprises are embedding AI/ML “to enhance content operations.” The survey also reveals that only 6% percent of M&E companies have moved to a single platform for media archiving. The overall feeling, as shown by the AAA report, is that hybrid operations are now more the norm, with older technologies, including LTO and drives, still part of the picture for secondary storage, if not the amain archive. Either way, it is reassuring that preserving TV programs—by whatever means—is now a major consideration for broadcasters and streamers alike. ●

Credit: istockphoto

more global access to their content, both from within the business and for third parties.” Ease of access and moving away from physical in-house libraries would appear to be compelling arguments in favor of cloud-based archives, but SSD, HDD and tape systems are still used by on-prem setups. Other World Computing (OWC) is known for its range of internal SSD and RAID (Redundant Array of Independent Disks) systems, but last year launched the Archive Pro Ethernet networkbased LTO backup and archiving system. “We were not an LTO company and I wasn’t an advocate for it,” OWC Founder and CEO Larry O’Connor said. “But from large organizations to individual producers, there is a desire to have what is ultimately cost-effective storage that’s air-gapped and has longevity without requiring ongoing maintenance.” O’Connor called the cloud “an amazing tool,” but said the cost of uploading and then accessing content can be “exorbitant.” That hasn’t been AWS’ experience, Lone said, citing public broadcaster Korean Broadcasting System (KBS), which has moved all of its digital media services into the cloud.

XXPic Captionxxxx @tvtech.bsky.social | www.tvtech.com | January 2026

monetizing datacasting

EdgeBeam: We’re ‘Crossing the Chasm of Pre-Revenue to Revenue’ CEO Conrad Clemson discusses the company’s progress over the past few months

Credit: EdgeBeam Wireless

By Phil Kurz

A lot has happened in the seven months since Conrad Clemson took the reins at EdgeBeam Wireless, the startup joint-venture company of E.W. Scripps, Gray Media, Nexstar Media Group and Sinclair focused on monetizing ATSC 3.0-based datacasting. But few would know it— at least until now. Since mid-June, the company’s CEO has quietly assembled key members of his executive team, including Chief Technology Officer Joe Fabiano, who helped drive development and international recognition of the ATSC 3.0 standard, and other names, perhaps less familiar to the television industry but equally experienced in their fields. Last month, EdgeBeam went public with these and other key behind-the-scenes developments. Perhaps the most significant of all is that EdgeBeam has nailed down its first customer, Digital Mapping Group (DMG), a reseller of Global Navigation Satellite Systems (GNSS) tools to utilities, governments and others requiring precise location services. DMG will resell EdgeBeam’s BMD1000 dual-band, ATSC 3.0-cellular receiver as well as its data delivery services with sales to end users beginning in the first quarter of 2026. At CES 2026 this month, the company is collaborating with Bosch, which is showcasing one of its concept cars showing a number of ATSC 3-based capabilities, like precision navigation, over-the-air updates and the ability to receive live video. Also at the show, EdgeBeam is offering demos on its partnerships with RYARC for digital signage and Dejero for emergency communications as well as offering private demos of its software platform. In the following interview, Clemson discusses the significance of the DMG deal and offers details on when he expects to announce other new EdgeBeam customers, and his determination to succeed with the company’s 3.0-based datacasting service regardless of how an ATSC 1.0 sunset plays out. (An edited transcript.) TVTech: EdgeBeam Wireless has recently announced two important steps: Digital Mapping Group as the service’s flagship customer and reseller and the company’s expanded leadership

January 2026 | www.tvtech.com |

team. Let’s start with DMG. It delivers Global Navigation Satellite System solutions to utilities, governments and other entities. What is EdgeBeam’s role? Conrad Clemson: If you are a golfer, you might be familiar with those watches that tell you how far you are from the hole. Every now and again, you’re standing on the golf course, and it says you’re 100 yards from the hole. You look and say: “I’m not 100 yards from the hole. What’s wrong with this thing?” Well, it turns out there are a lot of reasons why GPS is inaccurate. Those wicked, fancy cesium clocks, they drift a little bit. Satellites move. The ionosphere can deflect signals. You put it all together, you can have a 5- or even a 10-meter error bar around your location. If we’re just playing golf, that’s fine. But if you’re building a building or flying a drone down a street in a city, it’s really import-

ant that you’ve got accurate GPS information. There is a standard out there called RTK [Real Time Kinematic], which provides a stream of GPS correction. Our offering sources those GPS corrections and transmits them over our ATSC 3 network. What’s really cool about that is we now have a dual-band receiver that receives that signal either over our ATSC 3 band or also transmitted over our MDN [Mobile Directory Number] cellular network. This allows our customers to have a very precise location with this dual-band capability where they can, generally speaking, take advantage of the broadcast nature and the high efficiency of ATSC 3, with the ability to be backed up on cellular. We think that’s a very cool solution. It provides some real differentiation for our dealer network that we’re building out [with organizations] like the DMG guys.

Conrad Clemson

TVT: When will DMG roll out this RTK service? CC: We are expecting it in the first half of 2026 and possibly in the first quarter.

“We think we’ve got a plan to grow our top line as quickly as we can create the demand. We are full steam ahead on that front, and nothing, nothing, is going to get in the way of that for us.” CONRAD CLEMSON, EDGEBEAM WIRELESS

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TVT: Munhwa Broadcasting Corp. in South Korea has been offering Real-Time Kinematic accuracy, leveraging cellular and 3.0, for a few years. Is the DMG-EdgeBeam deployment similar? I think Sinclair may have been involved with MBC’s RTK at some point. Is that correct? CC: MBC has been a strong partner for EdgeBeam and EdgeBeam’s predecessor company, BitPath, for years. Certainly, the initial introductions were done through Sinclair. There is a relationship there. MBC as a company has done a lot of work in this space in conjunction with a number of initiatives in Korea, and they really are our technology partner here in the U.S. to get this capability up and out into the marketplace. We’re excited to work with them. They’ve been terrific partners—very high-quality, very quick and super to work with and they have great technical depth. TVT: DMG will be reselling EdgeBeam’s BMD1000 dual-band RTK receiver as well as, obviously, EdgeBeam data delivery. Do you have any sense of whether the ultimate end user—DMG’s

monetizing datacasting

TVT: Tell us a bit more about the EdgeBeam BMD-1000 receiver. CC: It’s a dual-band receiver, and we’ll talk more about this as we come out and start to announce our broader solutions. But the idea is to bring together and marry both the cellular connection and an ATSC 3 connection to allow us to come out as a hybrid network operator. We think this is a really unique and encompassing strategy that we can deploy into the marketplace.

TVT: What does having the inaugural customer for nationwide RTK service mean more broadly for one-to-many 3.0-based datacasting and its appeal in other applications? CC: Since I got here, everybody’s been saying: “Wow, this is really, really great. But when is it real? When can customers really start deploying?” The answer is now. This is a very critical milestone. We’re really crossing the chasm of pre-revenue to revenue. This is where we can come out and say: “We’re actually putting live commercial traffic onto an ATSC 3.0 network from a paying customer.” That’s a milestone you only cross once. We’re really excited about it, and DMG is a great partner to make that entry. TVT: It seems that part of the equation for how much EdgeBeam can grow must be tied to how much 3.0 spectrum is available for datacasting. The FCC looks to be leaning toward allowing broadcasters to decide when to shut off ATSC

1.0 rather than mandating a certain date. How will that affect EdgeBeam’s success? CC: We think we’ve got a plan to grow our top line as quickly as we can create the demand. We are full steam ahead on that front, and nothing, nothing, is going to get in the way of that for us. When it comes to what would we like to see out there? Look, we’d like to see a firm sunset date on 1.0. That’s certainly in our best interest. If you’ve got a good prediction as to what’s going to happen next in Washington, let me know. I’ll place a bet on one of those future predictors out there. But honestly, I don’t know how that’s going to play out. We’re going to be successful either way. We’re certainly hopeful that the FCC will recognize that enabling and empowering companies like EdgeBeam to do really innovative things around spectrum is something that’s in the best interest of the public, of the government and quite frankly of our country. TVT: When do you expect to announce other new customers? CC: You’ll hear about more customers— plural—in the first quarter. ●

Credit: istockphoto

customers—will even care how the RTK service data is transmitted? CC: No, they just want it to work. What we’re doing is taking something that already exists and making it better and more economical. It is our belief that there are a lot of really interesting opportunities in the positioning space, and what you’re seeing us do is take steps into this space. We’ve gotten very good feedback from the high-precision market. This is a great first step for us, and I think you’ll see an expanding EdgeBeam presence in what I would describe as RTK-based precision navigation opportunities. Our expectation is we will have a real opportunity to expand this.

XXPic Captionxxxx @tvtech.bsky.social | www.tvtech.com | January 2026

ai outlook

How Orchestration Helps AI Agents Stay in Harmony There’s more to making multiple GenAI tools work together in real time than simple software integration

tools and agents (e.g., Microsoft he structure of an Copilot, Salesforce Agentforce AI integration into or even standalone ChatGPT/ business is something Claude instances) can enable and we’re starting to hear leverage a vast library of searches, more about as the term “AI” actions and authentications. That creeps into every corner of the means relevant capabilities can workforce and workplace. One of be used outside of a single MCP, the elements (aka “platforms”) integrating other AI systems. This that is a major controlling is a significant architectural shift factor, as in any software from Integration Platform-as-aimplementation, is known as EXPERTISE Service (iPaaS) tools, which are “orchestration”—and aids in KARL PAULSEN typically about connecting sysmanaging the AI solutions, no tems exclusively within their own framework. matter the size or scale of the system. Fundamentally, an AI orchestration platform goes beyond just simple software WHAT IS AN AI AGENT? integration. An AI agent (see Fig. 1 for examples) is an Every major software and cloud company is autonomous system that perceives its enviadding AI agents (generative AI, or “GenAI”) ronment through sensors and then reasons, to their platforms—claiming, marketing-wise, makes decisions and takes actions to achieve that their solution will transform productivity specific goals using actuators (functions with and accelerate growth. But not controlling “calls to action”). AI agents can operate with or managing coordination (as in “orchestraa high degree of independence, breaking tion”) may result in having multiple discondown complex tasks into smaller subtasks and nected agents from different vendors that can adapting their strategies over time through lead to confusion, security risks and ineffilarge language model learning (LLM). ciency, delivering little real value or scalability.

STANDARDS An orchestration, when framed to include AI, is the connected end-to-end (“E2E”) application of GenAI tools. “AI agents” and automation should rationally extend across workflows, teams and systems. As more AI integration is implemented across all sectors of industry, it is important to apply some level of enterprise standards for consistency and uniformity. The problem is that there are precious few standards in place for AI, whether for integration, validation, authenticity or orchestration. For example, platforms that use tools such as Model Context Protocol (MCP), external AI

Fig. 1: Examples of AI agent iconic components

January 2026 | www.tvtech.com |

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This workflow structuring is one of the core functions of artificial intelligence as we know it at this point in time. The ability to take a large or small set of complex tasks and break them down into smaller “chunks,” then reassemble them to achieve answers (i.e., “conclusions” or “results”) and produce a single-thread solution applicable to the needs of the inquiry is one of the more prominent capabilities and practices of AI.

WHAT IS OVERLOOKED Of key importance to the constructs of AI, often missed or overlooked by the media or AI naysayers, is this principle of slicing any task into small enough pieces that it can be “worked on” by compute platforms that leverage a large knowledge base of data that relates to solving the issues (equations, ideas, concepts and such) that pertain to the specifics of the inquiry. The growth and dimensions of where and how AI will meet future needs is beyond comprehension, which infers that we don’t really know just how successful a system will be and how, if or when it will make sustainable impacts on the workforce. But we do know that without the principles of orchestration, the success of GenAI and associated analytics becomes constrained and less satisfying. According to Data bricks, a leading data-intelligence platform, 99% of global enterprises will be using GenAI by 2027. Many may struggle to scale their projects or find gaps in infrastructure and data integration that can lead to inaccurate or irrelevant results, potentially limiting AI’s impact. Selecting the right

ai outlook AI agents will ensure your choices in GenAI applications are accurate, scalable and tailored to your business needs. Structurally, the enterprise must still learn and appreciate that standalone models aren’t enough for AI success. The overall leverage part is the need to properly orchestrate systems that will ultimately allow AI agents to free up time and resources for important and new strategic work principles and concepts. Without outside integration resources, the enterprise will find that AI platforms deliver less accuracy, are more domain-specific and, depending upon the application, are less functional when employing multiple autonomous GenAI outputs. (See Fig. 2 Fig. 2: AI agent functionality representation for a graphic representaFor example, in news media segments, protion of AI agent functionality.) ducers and newsroom managers likely need to know what local competitors are showing live GETTING MORE WORK DONE on the air, as well as how successful their own AI agents can integrate with your existing stories are in terms of viewer demographics, data and applications, to get more work done the length of time they stayed connected to while by reducing the number of errors in a a story and any ancillary information (e.g., project; improving efficiency (yielding less comments or if additional searches of specifitime to market); automating repetitive tasks cally related topics were conducted). undertaken by employees, such as customerservice representatives, project managers and accountants; and reducing the time it takes to onboard new customers—while simultaneously generating better and more usable, trusted data. Agentic AI apps (aka “GenAI”) can seamlessly integrate user experience, autonomous process execution and AI-powered data products to drive real business outcomes. Business and team categories where data analysis would typically leverage GenAI include business and industry (“BI”), finance, IT, marketing, sales and operations (“ops”). Prescribed specific templates, driven continBy continually scrubbing competitors’ live uously by your data, can be displayed across TV screens, capturing the textual lower-third multiple interfaces or devices in graphical or info and tracking when and where a story tabular/columnar forms that simultaneously runs in real time, teams can build a more conform to business practices. complete picture of performance. And when However, accessing, integrating and levera story has a “link” or QR code “to see more aging that data isn’t always straightforward. information,” data can be collected and corResults can help to drive better outcomes roborated as to when the link was utilized, by (“decisions”) by unlocking the hidden but real whom, how much information was accessed power of the data you collect automatically.

Selecting the right AI agents will ensure your choices in GenAI applications are accurate, scalable and tailored to your business needs.

and within what time period the viewer engaged—as well as verifying the authenticity of advertising links for sales purposes. This is all complicated information gathered from a huge volume of data sources that cannot be collected, calculated or categorized by humans in real time, as was attempted less than a decade ago. Today, this information is timely and very important when making additional content decisions for an upcoming show or a web page with follow-up information. Today’s Nielsen ratings or overnights are seldom useful in a live or breaking-news situation.

THE POWER OF AI AUGMENTATION The previous examples are not about where AI is replacing a job or task—these are things even a dozen or more staff members could not reliably or continually do, especially at all hours of the broadcast day or overnight. Nonetheless, humans will ultimately make the appropriate decisions, with or without bias or compromise— and those tasks are likely to remain this way for years (maybe decades) to come. Many up-and-coming software solutions providers are unleashing data “transparency” tools that can be customized for the needs of business and industry. This ensures specialists inside the enterprise can continually improve a company’s performance across various business segments. This is why AI, in general, is becoming so important to senior leadership and division workforces regardless of the industry they support. Faster results, more efficient practices, more trusted communications and better performance—this is what AI is coming to be and is really about. ● Karl Paulsen, CPBE & SMPTE Fellow, is a retired chief technology officer and a longtime contributor to TV Tech on media technologies, workflows, IP networking and cloud. He can be reached at karl@ivideoserver.tv or at TV Tech.

@tvtech.bsky.social | www.tvtech.com | January 2026

inside audio The most coveted audio sound in the NFL is the” doink” that occurs when the football hits the goalpost.

Capturing NFL Audio That Hits Hard

Two veteran submixers share their playbook for tackling high-profile pro football telecasts

Credit: Daniel Haggard; Mario Hommes/DeFodi Images/Getty Images

experience with RF, comms and From the quarterback’s cadence to a clean n an NFL game field audio. That training made catch or the thump of a tackle, the goal is to day, the mix isn’t stepping into submixing a natural match the energy and detail the cameras are just sound, it’s the next move. showing. Anything that’s unnecessary, disheartbeat of the Katz’s route looks different. tracting or muddy doesn’t belong in the mix. broadcast. The goal is simple: He cut his teeth working Make viewers feel like they’re with bands, eventually standing on the field without landed at regional sports overwhelming the action. Neither networks before joining Daniel Haggard nor Jeremy Katz Prime Video’s “Thursday originally imagined themselves Night Football” four seashaping the audio for primetime EXPERTISE sons ago. His philosophy NFL games, but once they found ERIC ZORNES is straightforward: “My their way into broadcast audio, job is to capture everything hapboth discovered the rare mix of pressure, pening on the field and hand the A1 precision and excitement that keeps them something solid and clean. I try to be coming back. as aggressive as I can, and the A1 can Haggard started in the early 2000s in Syradecide what’s safe for air.” cuse, back when the workflow was still mostly Katz said the key is chasing clarity, analog and troubleshooting was half the job. not noise for the sake of noise. His big break came in 2015 when veteran mixer Wendel Stevens invited him to join NBC’s “Sunday Night Football,” a leap that meant six SHOWING AND TELLING months on the road with a brand-new crew. Both mixers talk about audio in “It was terrifying and thrilling,” he said. practical, picture-first terms. If someA look inside the ‘Sunday Night Football’ submix audio “Only 6 million people watching.” thing is happening on screen, the room, the core workspace where the submixer builds and Seven years as an A2 gave him hands-on viewer should hear it—simple as that. manages the show’s sound.

January 2026 | www.tvtech.com |

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inside audio One tool they fully agree on is the mic mounted on the SkyCam. Hovering just above the action, it’s positioned closer to the players than almost any other microphone. Katz calls it “the best mic on the field,” and Haggard uses it as a bed of natural sound. From there, player mics provided by the league give him extra detail on the line. He brings them up after the huddle breaks, rides them through the snap, then pulls them down quickly to avoid smearing the rest of the soundscape. Parabs are another staple. Both mixers prefer committing to a single parab per play rather than blending multiple at once. “Quality over quantity,” Katz said. “You get a clearer picture when you’re not stacking too much.” Haggard agreed that picking the right mic and trusting it is part of the craft. Sometimes you guess wrong, but when you guess right, it feels perfect.” Nowhere is that more true than with the most coveted sound in NFL audio: the “doink.” Across crews, mixers keep a friendly, season-long competition over who can capture the best goalpost hit. Katz joked that the en-

Both mixers emphasize that it’s a creative craft, not just a technical job. You learn by watching others, borrowing ideas, shaping your own style, and adjusting to each game’s personality. “There’s no single right way to mix,” Haggard said. “You pick up techniques, try new things, and keep refining. That’s what makes it fun.” For viewers at home, the result is seamless: Every snap, tackle and catch lands with clarity and intensity. Behind the screens, it’s hundreds of subtle decisions: mic choice, fader ride and EQ tweaks that make the difference between a flat, lifeless broadcast and one that truly feels alive. ● Eric Zornes brings over a decade of experience to live sports broadcasting, specializing in technical management and audio production. His goal is to keep every show seamless, organized and engaging for audiences. In his free time, he travels the country with his wife and son, enjoying hiking, family time and fishing whenever he can. He can be reached at eric@milemarker8productions.com.

Wireless parabs staged and ready: Each mic is assigned to a specific operator and sideline position, giving the crew the clarity they need for hits, snaps and anything happening on the field.

Both mixers talk about audio in practical, picturefirst terms. If something is happening on screen, the viewer should hear it— simple as that. tire “TNF” truck starts cheering the moment a kick drifts toward the upright. Haggard remembered one playoff game where everything lined up: the contact mics on the post, the 416s under the crossbar, the tension of the moment and Mike Tirico’s call. “If that mic was down, it would’ve ruined the whole moment,” he said. “Instead, it was perfect. I rode the adrenaline all the way back to the hotel.”

Mixing the NFL isn’t easy—you’re dealing with massive crowd surges, stadium PA music, sideline chaos, sweaty linemen, unpredictable ref mics and dozens of camera perspectives that shift direction every few seconds. You’re anticipating where a play is going before it happens. You’re making choices that millions of viewers will react to instantly.

Credit: istockphoto

AN ART AND A SCIENCE

XXPic Captionxxxx @tvtech.bsky.social | www.tvtech.com | January 2026

rf technology

Free Signal-Tracking Software to Enjoy in 2026 This pair of tools can help you track your coverage and understand your RF footprint

Credit: chuchart duangdaw/Getty Images

antenna, both in numbers and n the past, I’ve often used maps. If you want to see how my new year’s column to changing an antenna or transsummarize the state of mitter location impacts coverage, broadcasting and highlight these tools will help. last year’s developments and The two main tools are I what I expect to happen this TVStudy, which has been signifiyear. I don’t have much to add to cantly updated since I last wrote what I wrote in my 2025 columns about it in TV Tech, and QGIS, a covering the NAB Show, ATSC program that allows you to drag yearly meeting, and, recently, and drop shapefiles from TVthe FCC’s Fifth Further Notice EXPERTISE Study, Census.gov, or other sites of Proposed Rulemaking on DOUG LUNG for display on a map. NextGen TV. In 2026, I’ll be looking to see if the transition to ATSC 3.0 accelerates. Whether it does, FCC’S TVSTUDY and at what rate, will depend on more viewers In the past, you would have to spend with antennas buying TV sets that have ATSC thousands of dollars to get the software and 3.0 capability. That will require more low-cost databases needed to calculate a station’s TVs and adapters. Will enough manufacturers terrain-limited, interference-free coverage. make the effort to obtain the licenses and Today, you can download the FCC’s TVStudy certifications required for sets to work with for free, along with terrain and population content-protected programming? databases and detailed technical data on This month, I’ll share some of the free every TV station in the U.S, for coverage and software I use to understand how TV signals interference analysis. make it from the transmitter to the receive TVStudy for MacOS and Linux is available

January 2026 | www.tvtech.com |

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for download at www.fcc.gov/oet/tvstudy. A complete download is more than 10 GB in size—that’s large but workable with an internet connection of 50 Mbps or better. Download the manuals and follow the installation guide precisely. The documentation is excellent. Most of the issues I’ve seen are with MySQL—TVStudy requires MySQL 5.7 or 8.0, and many Linux distributions install MariaDB by default. For Debian-based distributions like Ubuntu and Kubuntu, simply replace MariaDB with MySQL 8.0 before trying to install TVStudy. TVStudy requires Java 8. Most operating systems now default to later versions, so it may be necessary to install Java 8. Look for OpenJDK Runtime Environment build 1.8.0. Use it to open the TVStudy program. TVStudy will download the latest TV and FM License and Management System (LMS) databases. With them, you can search for stations and study coverage and interference. This is important, as most online terrain-sensitive coverage maps do not show the impact of interference. TVStudy 2.3.0 can create KMZ files that can be opened in Google Earth to see coverage and interference at a specific location. View the TVStudy KMZ file I’ve uploaded to my site at https://transmitter.com/QGIS. I’ve also displayed the undesired sources’ location and call signs on the map (Fig. 1). If you are interested in learning more about TVStudy and how to use it, let me know and I’ll provide more details and tips by email or in future columns.

QGIS QGIS (https://qgis.org) is another program I currently use. Most Linux distributions have it available in their repositories. Versions are also available for MacOS and Windows. There are many QGIS tutorials online, but some are based on outdated versions or are targeted at people developing their own complicated maps, which isn’t necessary when just dragging and dropping existing shapefiles into the program. If you get frustrated with a tutorial, try another one. A well-worded question often brings a good response on Google search. Most of the map issues I’ve seen come from using the wrong coordinate system. The spreadsheet output from TVStudy has west longitude as a positive number. If dropped into QGIS unmodified, it will end up on the other side of the Earth. When working with shapefiles, QGIS usually handles the coordinates correctly and makes the necessary conversions. Learning about coordinate systems

rf technology and mapping on the web and QGIS helps answer questions like, “Why is my nondirectional contour an oval on my map?” Spend some time getting comfortable with basic maps, then drag and drop the contours. shp and coverpts.shp files from a TVStudy study’s shapefile folder onto the map. You can use colors to display the “DSIGNAL” field strength on the map. Setting up styles can be complicated so to help you get started. I’ve uploaded some files you can use to get familiar with it to www.transmitter.com/QGIS. The map shown here (Fig. 2) was created with QGIS and some of the sample files I posted. TVStudy pulled all the data for the WDMR-LD study from the LMS files downloaded in the program. I’ve shown the areas with interference in red. If you just want to see the areas with coverage or within a certain field strength range,

In the past, you would have to spend thousands of dollars to get the software and databases needed to calculate a station’s terrainlimited, interference-free coverage. that’s easy to do in QGIS. You can download my files and experiment with QGIS before doing your own studies with TVStudy. I used a 1-kilometer cell size for the example, but TVStudy allows the use of smaller cells for higher resolution. Additional shapefiles are available at www. census.gov/geographies. For specific map items, search for “tigerline shapefiles” for additional U.S. shapefiles.” I’ve found maps online for Mexican roads and urban areas, as well as world oceans and U.S. water bodies. Note that some areas will be polygons, which QGIS may display with a filled-in color. That can be changed by selecting “Simple Line” in the “Symbology” section in the layer’s properties if needed. QGIS isn’t limited to displaying geographic and TVStudy data. If data is available as a .csv file with coordinates, it can be displayed. Potential applications include mapping towers, microwave paths, etc., once the data is in .csv format. The “Processing Toolbox” allows

Fig. 1: A KMZ map generated by the TVStudy application, which lets you search for specific stations via an FCC database.

Fig. 2: QGIS lets users drag and drop shapefiles from TVStudy, Census.gov or other sites onto a map for display.

counting the population covered in a TVStudy coverpts.shp file by county or ZIP code, for example, and outputting the data into a .csv file for analysis. I’m still finding new things I can do with it! ●

I hope you find these programs and sample files useful. If you have any questions or discover some interesting uses for them or improve the styles I’ve posted, let me know at dlung@transmitter.com.

@tvtech.bsky.social | www.tvtech.com | January 2026

eye on tech | product and services Sony Electronics Alpha 7 V

Digital Alert Systems DC Power Option For DASDEC-III

American Amplifier Technologies EmPower VNA

Clear-Com Four-Channel HelixNet Beltpack

GatesAir Maxiva XTK

Telestream ARGUS V2.3

The Alpha 7 V (ILCE-7M5) is the fifth generation of Sony’s Alpha 7 full-frame mirrorless lineup, powered by the newly developed, partially stacked Exmor RS CMOS image sensor with approximately 33.0 effective megapixels. The new BIONZ XR2 image-processing engine incorporates the AI processing unit functions of the latest Alpha series. These innovations allow the Alpha 7 V to deliver a significant performance boost across every aspect of imaging. Sony has also launched the FE 28-70mm f/3.5-5.6 OSS II (SEL28702), a Full-Frame compatible, compact and lightweight standard zoom lens that supports the Alpha 7 V’s high-speed continuous shooting. The Alpha 7 V integrates an AI processing unit into the BIONZ XR2 engine, delivering a substantial leap in autofocus speed, accuracy and reliability. It has up to 30% improvement in Real-Time Recognition AF that captures subjects with high precision. With 759 phase-detection points and up to 94% frame coverage, it ensures precise subject tracking across nearly the entire image area, even in low-light conditions down to EV -4.0. https://electronics.sony.com

The new EmPower Controller VNA is a new vector network-analysis module that brings automated feedline and antenna evaluation to AAT’s existing remote-control suite. The system allows engineers to assess transmission performance in real time without interrupting on-air operations. The VNA module is designed for the broadcast and RF-communications industries, measuring both time- and frequency-domain characteristics. This gives engineers two complementary perspectives on the same signal path, which can help identify where changes occur along the feedline and how they affect overall system performance across the band. Using stored references and continuous monitoring, the EmPower Controller VNA identifies variances in antenna or feedline behavior, alerting engineers before the variance results in an outage or degraded signal quality. The VNA works alongside AAT’s RF power monitoring, control modules and cloudbased analytics. www.americanamptech.com

Maxiva XTK is an update to GatesAir’s Maxiva XTE software-defined TV exciter. XTK is a new costefficient model primarily developed for the global ATSC 3.0 broadcast community and represents an engineering breakthrough for ATSC 3.0 processing power, thanks to a modern, FPGA-based platform that reduces the costs of achieving efficient ATSC 3.0 broadcasting through the exciter. Now shipping, the 1RU exciter is a fully productized version of GatesAir’s ATSC 3.0 modulation software. Maxiva XTK comes standard within GatesAir’s latest high-efficiency TV transmitter models, including the UATK-OP and UATK low-power UHF series. In its now-productized form, the XTK also extends ATSC 3.0 capability to GatesAir’s VATK-OP and VATK low-power VHF transmitters. The exciter’s software-defined architecture optimizes signal performance and accelerates the transition between digital standards through firmware updates in the field. www.gatesair.com

January 2026 | www.tvtech.com |

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The DAS3-DC-PS is a new DC power supply option for Digital Alert System’s DASDEC-III emergency alert system. Designed to meet the growing demand for DC-powered infrastructure, the DAS3-DC-PS supports a -36 volt to -72V input range, making it ideal for standard -48VDC facilities. DAS said it is now the only modern EAS equipment manufacturer to offer both AC and DC-powered product versions. By eliminating the need for multiple AC-to-DC converters, the new option reduces heat generation, improves operational efficiency and simplifies backup power integration using direct battery banks. Replacing the standard AC power supply, the DAS3-DC-PS connects via a two-lug terminal strip. Operating at 48V DC—below the 50V threshold recognized by safety regulations—the DAS3DC-PS reduces the risk of electric shock and allows for the use of lower-voltage cabling, simplifying installation and maintenance. www.digitalalertsystems.com

The new four-channel HelixNet beltpack, a next-generation advance of Clear-Com’s widely used two-channel model, offers an improved user interface designed to meet the evolving demands of live productions and broadcast environments. The new beltpack allows users to simultaneously communicate across four distinct channels, providing greater flexibility for multiteam coordination in complex production setups. While fully compatible with the recent updates to Clear-Com’s Arcadia Central Station, it maintains backwards-compatible two-channel functionality on legacy HelixNet Main Stations and earlier Arcadia versions. Powered by ClearCom’s I.V. Core technology, the existing system dynamically manages audio mixing across up to 24 channels, making it well-suited for live performances, broadcast productions, theme parks and public-safety applications. www.clearcom.com

ARGUS v2.3 introduces “Live Look,” a feature that lets operators visually and audibly inspect live and on-demand streams directly from the ARGUS monitoring environment. Designed for rapid validation of service health and quality, Live Look enables real-time video playback and audio confirmation from the ARGUS consolidated dashboard, allowing operators to see and hear exactly what viewers experience and resolve any issues without switching between tools or interfaces. ARGUS, Telestream iQ’s centralized video-monitoring solution for video-distribution networks, provides users with a comprehensive endto-end view of media health diagnostics through high-level dashboards and deep-dive analytics. With ARGUS Live Look, media operations teams can quickly isolate issues, reduce time to recovery, and improve confidence across the entire delivery workflow. ARGUS v2.3 also offers updates that streamline management, improve security and optimize monitoring performance. www.telestream.net

eye on tech | product and services Iris Iris Cloud-Connected Camera Control Platform

Chyron AXIS Maps

Brightcove AI Suite

Wooden Camera Accessory Collection for Canon EOS C50

Vizrt Viz One 8.1

IDX IDX CUE-J

Iris, a new cloud-connected camera control platform, offers features that turn virtually any PTZ camera into a software-connected, remotely controlled device, eliminating such traditional constraints as hardware dependencies or inconsistent control. Designed to address longstanding pain points for production teams who have long struggled with fragmented control tools, Iris provides universal, browser-based control that works across camera brands and enables full production management from anywhere in the world. The Iris desktop application allows production teams to quickly discover, link to, and control over 300 camera models on their local network. For those using Iris-enabled cameras, the platform is built directly into the device’s firmware, connecting instantly to the cloud without any additional hardware or complex setup. tryiris.ai

Brightcove has released seven new features designed to expand global reach, improve audience engagement, enhance live-streaming quality and streamline video workflows. A key highlight of these releases is the expansion of Brightcove’s AI Suite. The new Universal Translator now allows customers to localize videos into more than 50 languages directly within the platform. The Auto-Captions feature has been enhanced to deliver more accurate and natural-sounding captions. The Metadata Optimizer automatically generates and translates metadata using text, audio and visual analysis. To help customers boost mobile engagement, Brightcove has also introduced Vertical Videos, a new gallery template that enables businesses to host swipeable vertical video feeds on their own websites. NextGen Live now offers 4K UHD streaming, as well as low-latency delivery with delays as low as eight seconds. Additionally, Brightcove has unified live streaming, server-side ad insertion, and digital rights management into a single, seamless workflow, giving customers a powerful and secure way to monetize live content. www.brightcove.com

Vizrt has added several AI-driven advanced features offering improved speed, intelligence and accuracy to the newest version of its media asset management (MAM) system, Viz One 8.1. The new capabilities are designed to help broadcasters and content owners facing mounting pressure to deliver larger volumes of content more quickly and across more platforms. Media firms have found that the ever-growing volume of raw footage and the limits of manual shot logging and archive research mean traditional workflows are no longer sustainable. To address these challenges, Viz One 8.1 integrates with Aiconix’s DeepVA sovereign AI platform, automating key stages of media management and moving teams from time-consuming manual processes to managing media with speed and accuracy. With the integration, the AI-powered visual recognition in Viz One 8.1 allows users to surface the right content in seconds. AI automated metadata generation replaces manual logging. Teams can review metadata logged by AI, train custom models for unknown entities and perform optional quality assurance reviews. www.vizrt.com/products/viz-one

The latest generation of the AXIS Maps map-graphics creation solution for broadcasters features 3D map visuals, enhanced customization options, extensive data layer support, predefined settings for admins to ensure consistency across all users and an intuitive new interface that accelerates the creation of map graphics. The release also includes an AWS Cognito integration to enhance security and simplify login across the entire AXIS platform, allowing single signon (SSO) authentication via major identity providers such as Google, Microsoft or Okta. Users of the new AXIS Maps can enrich their graphics with immersive 3D buildings and terrain-elevation data layers, alongside other new data layers that help provide context, such as bridges, tunnels, parks and airports. They can also import custom data for specific analysis. chyron.com

This new Accessory Collection includes a low-profile, gimbal-ready cage, expanded power solutions, and a robust lens support system for Wooden’s RF Lens Mount Adapters. Included are: Top Plate, a minimal mounting plate that works independently or with other cage components, adding industry-standard mounting points for top handles and additional accessories; Cage L-Bracket, a half-cage that protects the EOS C50 while adding mounting points around the body including an integrated dovetail compatible with Ronin RS 3 and RS 4 gimbals, plus a removable HDMI clamp; and Cage Grip, which supports dual-hand grip shooting. Other accessories include an ARCA Adapter Plate, which adapts the EOS C50 cage to Wooden Camera baseplates and ARCA-style dovetails while maintaining optical height. A Carry Handle Bracket adds mounting points to the camera’s carry handle and supports Ultra Handle extensions, and a Lens Adapter Support mounts to the Top Plate to provide more support for Wooden’s RF-to-PL and RF-to-LPL Lens Adapters. www.woodencamera.com

IDX’s new IDX CUE-J Series battery/charger kits—CUE-J98, CUE-J150 and CUE-J198—use the latest lithium-ion battery technology with increased capacity. Additionally, the IDX CUE-J products fit the IDX VL-2X and VL-4X V-mount chargers. The company is combining the cost-effective CUE-J Series batteries and the IDX VL-2X or VL4X battery charger in a full-kit solution for powering cameras, portable production monitors, portable lighting and audio products. CUE-J Series batteries are appropriate for any product requiring power from a V-Mount plate or D-Tap to XLR cable input. The CUE-J98 has a battery capacity of 95 Watt-hours; CUE-J150 has a 143 Wh capacity; and the CUE-J198 has a 190 Wh capacity. Each CUE-J series battery has a single, built-in D-Tap output capable of taking an 80W load and a four-LED power indicator. https://idxtek.com @tvtech.bsky.social | www.tvtech.com | January 2026

best in market awards

Congratulations to the Winners of the 2025 TV Tech Best in Market Awards! Awards recognize standout products and solutions that have been brought to market over the last 12 months AKTA: Akta Tech BLACKMAGIC DESIGN: PYXIS 12K CANON: Canon C50 HAIVISION: Haivision Falkon X2 HAMMERSPACE: Hammerspace IMAGINE COMMUNICATIONS: Imagine Monitoring Solution MARSHALL ELECTRONICS: CV625 PTZ/POV Camera MEDIAGENIX: Mediagenix Scheduling Automation MIRI TECHNOLOGIES: Miri X510

NUGEN AUDIO: DialogCheck OPENVAULT: Vantage ROSS VIDEO: Quorum One SHURE.: DCA901 Planar Array Microphone SONY ELECTRONICS: PXW-Z300 XDCAM Camcorder SONY ELECTRONICS: HDCF5500V 4K System Camera TECHEX: tx iptv TMT INSIGHTS: Focus VIDENDUM: Autocue PTZ Prompter

XXXXXXXXXX 2025 | www.tvtech.com |

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equipment guide | cloud distribution/ott

Inside MASN’s 60-Day Shift From Satellite to IP Delivery USER REPORT Ken Stiver Senior Vice President of Engineering, Operations and Production Mid-Atlantic Sports Network

BALTIMORE—Mid-Atlantic Sports Network (MASN), the regional sports network owned by Major League Baseball’s Baltimore Orioles and Washington Nationals, broadcasts both teams’ games to fans across a seven-state region. On top of 24/7 access to all its core live baseball coverage, MASN covers a breadth of exclusive pre- and postgame shows, documentaries, and annual collegiate events spanning from basketball to poker and fight sports.

LOWER COSTS, MORE CONTROL Faced with high satellite costs and other issues, we turned to LTN to explore a full migration to IP delivery. Leveraging its experience supporting IP transitions for TelevisaUnivision, MSG Networks and Tennis Channel, we successfully migrated all our channels from satellite to IP ahead of the 2025 MLB season. The result was a nearly 60% reduction in distribution costs, with greater control, flexibility, and visibility over our transmission feeds. We decided to move from satellite to IP because regional sports networks like ours face mounting pressures to control operating costs, maintain consistent signal quality and navigate the shrinking C-band spectrum capacity for video distribution. These factors are prompting many of us to look at alternatives to satellite to ensure reliability

and low-latency delivery that meets today’s ever-increasing viewer expectations. MASN faced these same challenges. We needed to modernize our network distribution model without disrupting existing partners or viewers. We set out to reduce delivery and maintenance costs, preserve satellite-grade reliability for consistent streaming experiences and gain deeper insight into how our networks perform. At the same time, we wanted to ensure continuous, high-quality coverage of our traditional multichannel video programming distributors (MVPDs) and newer virtual MVPD partners to keep our live sports delivery uninterrupted throughout the transition. We needed a trusted partner that understood our key priorities and could deliver uninterrupted high-quality video throughout the transition. Our long-standing collaboration with LTN built the trust that

allowed us to make the move, and we were delighted when LTN completed the transition from satellite to IP in just 60 days, including a dual-illumination phase where satellite and IP ran in parallel to ensure an effortless switchover. The LTN team worked with our engineering teams to plan, test and implement the new delivery workflow. This process included hands-on project management as well as on-site configuration, logistics and testing. One of LTN’s key differentiators was its relationships and direct coordination with MVPD headends to ensure all end points were ready to receive IP feeds before the switch. We now distribute four variants of our two full-time channels, including MASN1 and MASN2, via LTN’s purpose-built IP video network. This setup enables MASN to insert localized advertising and tailor content for

Working with LTN, we were able to complete the transition from satellite to IP distribution in just 60 days, including a dual-illumination phase where satellite and IP ran in parallel to ensure an effortless switchover.

our two core markets in Baltimore and Washington, D.C.

EVENT-DRIVEN TRANSPORT As many networks assess their next steps with the C-Band spectrum auction approaching, we moved quickly to secure a future-ready model. With the added flexibility and control that comes with IP, we can monitor signal integrity in real time and collaborate far more efficiently with our partners. More broadly, our transition demonstrates how rapidly sports networks can embrace IP once they commit to the shift. Today, fully-managed, SLA-backed IP distribution stands out as the most dependable way to deliver multiple channels across a range of platforms while maximizing ad revenue. In addition, LTN’s 24/7 customer service makes this fully-managed service stand out. Beyond delivering our core channels, we also rely on LTN for event-driven IP transport, including the MLB spring training series. LTN’s low-latency IP transmission lets us centralize production at our control facility while pulling live camera feeds from venues nationwide. We’re now stronger and more focused than ever following our move to IP, and excited to bring fans an even better viewing experience. ● Ken Stiver is the senior vice president of engineering, operations and production at Mid-Atlantic Sports Network (MASN). He has held multiple roles in his time at the company, starting in 2002; he has also run his own company, consulting for many major networks around the world. He can be reached at kstiver@masnsports.com. More information is available at https://ltnglobal.com.

@tvtech.bsky.social | www.tvtech.com | January 2026

equipment guide | cloud distribution/ott

Weigel Reimagines Broadcast Distribution With Harmonic USER REPORT Kyle Walker Vice President of Technology, Weigel Broadcasting

CHICAGO—Weigel Broadcasting’s mission is to bring audiences the best in classic and contemporary entertainment. From MeTV, America’s leading classic television network, and Catchy Comedy to Movies!, Heroes & Icons and more, we deliver programming that connects generations of viewers across the United States. To support our expanding portfolio of networks and affiliate stations, we needed exceptional-quality programming and modern technology to efficiently scale our operations. Managing a network of 25 television stations and multiple digital networks using hardware-heavy systems— with standalone encoders, playout servers and PSIP generators—was becoming increasingly complex. Each new station required more “pizza box” appliances, adding costs, maintenance and interoperability headaches. It was time to rethink our broadcast infrastructure and break free from hardware limitations.

Credit: Weigel

VOS MEDIA SOFTWARE Our goal was clear: consolidate workflows, reduce hardware and create a future-ready foundation to sustain our rapid growth. We wanted a unified solution that would simplify our operations, eliminate redundant equipment and provide the flexibility to scale efficiently as we expanded into new markets. From the start, we knew that a cloud-native approach to playout and delivery would be key to

transforming how we operate. We chose Harmonic’s VOS Media Software to modernize our broadcast distribution, centralize control and simplify operations. Harmonic’s VOS Media Software allows us to integrate automation, advanced playout, premium encoding and all the broadcast-grade capabilities we rely on into one streamlined platform. Instead of a patchwork of hardware at every site, everything is managed centrally, with greater control and efficiency. With VOS Media Software, we can preassemble all channels and distribute air-ready signals directly to our owned stations. This change eliminates the need for local hardware at each station and dramatically simplifies channel origination. Today, we manage 41 ATSC 1.0 signals, spanning both HD and SD channels, from a single, centralized environment. Our operations and engineering teams now control 24/7 linear channel origination, branding, statistical multiplexing and content delivery, all through a unified web interface. What once required multiple systems for captioning, watermarking, graphics insertion and delay-line programming now lives entirely within the VOS platform. Harmonic’s containerized architecture makes

January 2026 | www.tvtech.com |

@tvtech.bsky.social

it easy to scale resources up or down dynamically. If we need to launch a new channel or expand services in a market, we can do so almost instantly without new hardware investments or long deployment cycles.

EFFICIENCY AND SCALABILITY The results were immediate. By consolidating workflows into a single software environment, we’ve reduced hardware costs, eliminated interoperability challenges and simplified management for our engineering teams. Previously, adding a new station required weeks to procure and install hardware; now, it’s as simple as allocating more software capacity. The shift to a subscriptionbased model has brought predictability. We can align costs with usage and redirect savings toward content creation and audience engagement—freeing up funds to invest in innovation. Beyond cost savings, the transition to Harmonic’s VOS Media Software has modernized our operations. The same system now supports ATSC, streaming and split-signal workflows, positioning us to evolve alongside the industry and successfully meet our viewers’ needs. We’ve created all ATSC 1.0 multiprogram transport streams with well

over 100 separate channels powered by VOS Media Software that feature SCTE-35-based ad insertion, opening new monetization opportunities. Collaborating with Harmonic has reshaped how we think about broadcast operations. By embracing this playout-to-delivery transformation, we’ve not only simplified our workflows but also unlocked new creative and business potential. For Weigel Broadcasting, it’s the start of a new era that is defined by agility, efficiency and growth. ● Kyle Walker is vice president of technology for Weigel Broadcasting, a leading North American broadcaster that offers a diverse lineup of networks, including MeTV, Catchy Comedy, Movies!, Heroes & Icons and more. Walker joined Weigel Broadcasting in 2002 and was instrumental in standardizing many of the operational practices used by today’s diginets. Previously, Walker was director of projects for the former ACME Television group. He can be reached at kwalker@metv.com. More information is available at www.harmonicinc.com.

Kyle Walker

equipment guide | cloud distribution/ott buyers briefs Vizrt Viz Flowics

Viz Flowics is a comprehensive, cloud-native, web-based platform for generating live HTML5 graphics from anywhere. The cost-effective, cloudbased SaaS platform gives content creators all the tools they need to create live 2D graphics, curate and visualize social media comments and engage audiences via second screens in one web interface. Users can easily curate, manage and integrate social content with live graphics. Audience interaction is made simple and easy, connecting with viewers by incorporating their comments into the live show with real-time polls, QR codes and social media integration. Viz Flowics graphics can be used in any live production or playout workflow—SDI, NDI, cloud or hybrid. Its cloud-native architecture, along with robust APIs, ensures seamless compatibility and integration with leading live production, automation and playout platforms. www.vizrt.com

Signiant Jet

Jet, part of the Signiant Platform, is a critical enabler of modern cloud-based distribution, giving media organizations a fast, automated and dependable way to move content into and across cloud environments. As more studios, broadcasters and production teams shift their delivery pipelines to the cloud, Jet is designed to remove the friction traditionally associated with transferring high-value, high-resolution files to, from and between on-prem systems, multicloud storage and global partners. With simple, automated transfer jobs and intelligent automation, Jet ensures that content is delivered to the right cloud destination at the right time, whether feeding downstream processing, archiving, QC, localization or distribution workflows. Features like checkpoint restart, bandwidth management and enterprise-grade security guarantee that even the largest files move reliably, without manual oversight or workflow interruptions. www.signiant.com

Crispin, a Sony Group Co. OTTlink

Crispin’s OTTlink is an adinsertion platform that allows users to translate their on-air advertising schedule into signals for downstream OTT systems. Using OTTlink, playlist events can determine the data sent to a station’s SCTE encoder. The solution provides peace of mind by enabling accurate and reliable maintenance of viewership rules, including regional or subscription-based blackouts. Users can target audiences with signaling to support Dynamic Ad Insertion. OTTlink also works with the hardware, software and OTT platforms many broadcasters already have, making implementation compatible, seamless and intuitive. In addition, as ATSC 3.0 becomes a reality, broadcasters could see multiple viewers in the same household watching the same program, but with different commercials tailored to their interests, offering new revenue opportunities. This is only possible with accurate metadata in the video stream provided by OTTlink, proving OTTlink is more than just ad insertion. www.crispincorp.com

Big Blue Marble Cloud Video Kit

Cloud Video Kit offers live and VOD transcoding and packaging into multiple output formats and resolution profiles up to Ultra HD with a cloud-based infrastructure that guarantees auto scalability and helps handle viewing peaks. It offers a feature-rich Bitmovin Player with analytics and content monetization options integrated with Cloud DRM and Concurrent Access Protection. It uses AWS Media Services to handle video transcoding and packaging, encryption, delivery and playback for a browser, mobile or smart-TV app. Key features include: Video transcoding and packaging; 24/7 live channels; live-to-VOD recorder: the ability to capture live streams for up to 14 days after broadcast; cloud hosting and CMS; the ability to encrypt and protect videos on every platform with cloud DRM; active session limits that combat password sharing and limit the number of allowed concurrent watching sessions; Content Delivery Network (CDN); player and analytics; and ad integration. www.bigbluemarble.com

SDVI Corp. Rally Connect

SDVI’s Rally Connect content-exchange service simplifies and accelerates the movement of content and metadata between business partners across the broader media supply chain— from content producers to content owners, content distributors and aggregators. Rally Connect makes content receiving and delivery more efficient and agile by simplifying, standardizing and optimizing how content and its associated metadata is prepared in advance of a content exchange. Predefined and custom-created templates make it easy to set up reusable delivery profiles, streamlining the movement of content and metadata to distribution platforms such as iTunes, Dish, Hulu, Pluto, Tubi, Roku, Prime Video and YouTube TV. Enabling trusted content receipt and delivery reduces costs by eliminating duplicate work and unnecessary additional processing while enhancing agility by removing friction and enabling faster deliveries to new content platforms. https://sdvi.com

Ross Video Media I/O Modern distribution needs to be agile, scalable and easy for teams to access wherever they are. Ross Video’s Media I/O brings ingest, transcoding and playout into one cloud-ready platform, giving broadcasters a straightforward way to manage content for OTT and multiplatform delivery. Media I/O’s strength lies in its ability to dynamically allocate resources for busy periods or live events; support remote teams without extra gear; and work confidently across ST 2110, NDI, SRT and a broad set of formats. Edit-while-ingest and automatic proxies keep turnaround times tight, even when working entirely in the cloud. It becomes a go-to option because it drops neatly into existing workflows, supports cloud and hybrid setups and reduces the operational strain that comes with traditional hardware. www.rossvideo.com @tvtech.bsky.social | www.tvtech.com | January 2026

equipment guide | cloud distribution/ott

How Visaic Uses Zixi to Power High-Volume Live Sports Streaming USER REPORT Abhishek Shivadas Co-Founder and Chief Product Officer Visaic

Credit: Visaic

SAN DIEGO—Visaic has deep roots in video and sports media. Our team of industry veterans has worked with some of the biggest brands in sports. We founded the company in 2020 to build a fast-growing sports business anchored by the Visaic Interactive Platform (VIP), an AI-powered engine that helps sports properties own their audience and elevate their brand. Today, VIP is a fully managed, turnkey solution built on three core pillars: Fan Experience, Data IQ and Monetization. We deliver premium fan experiences across any device, apply advanced data science to deepen engagement, and provide flexible hybrid monetization models. VIP is purpose-built for sports, and we believe it is one of the most advanced platforms on the market. To support VIP at true sports scale, we needed a reliable and

flexible live-video workflow foundation—in 2025 alone, we surpassed 55,000 live games. During peak periods, we manage close to 2,000 games a week, so operating at this volume requires a partner that can support largescale, flexible ingest and full automation.

API FORWARD We evaluated several workflow technologies early in our development, but Zixi offered the combination of reliability, automation and partnership that we required. Zixi gives us the reliability and insight we need to scale efficiently. With a unified view of our live workflows, we have been able to grow distribution while keeping operational complexity firmly in check. Three factors made Zixi the right choice for us. The first was the API-forward design. Even before ZEN Master’s API set reached its current level of maturity, it was clear we could automate the full life cycle of each event. We needed to create, configure, monitor, and tear down live events entirely through automation. Zixi gave us the means to build that system.

January 2026 | www.tvtech.com |

provides orchestration, but we rely on the ZEN Master APIs to automate the process. We also have AI agents that monitor the games for QoS and automatically trigger responses based on the incoming signals.

AUTOMATED FALL SPORTS A typical Saturday during the fall sports season demonstrates how this works. Our platform may be processing hundreds of simultaneous games. For each event, our automation activates Zixi Broadcasters, assigns them to specific games, applies the correct transcoding settings, configures redundancy and monitors stream health. If a Broadcaster instance shows issues such as packet loss or increased latency, our system uses telemetry from Zixi to automatically reassign the event to another instance. The process is automated and does not require repeated operator input. This level of automation allows our team to manage tens of thousands of games per month. Whether we’re powering large, aggregated sports platforms spanning many leagues and thousands of games or a branded university athletic conference with dense schedules and high live-viewer concurrency, Zixi enables consistent quality across widely varied venues and customer segments. By integrating Zixi solutions with VIP, we have helped our customers achieve strong results and bring broadcast-level experiences to audiences of all sizes. ● Abhishek Shivadas is the co-founder and chief product officer of Visaic. He can be reached at: ashivadas@visaic.com. More information is available at https://zixi.com/.

We turned to Zixi to help our platform process hundreds of simultaneous games during the fall sports season.

The second factor was the flexibility on ingest and delivery. We work with hundreds of venues and a wide range of production tools, which means we see all types of ingest formats. Zixi’s support for RTMP, SRT and the Zixi protocol allowed us to create a consistent and reliable workflow regardless of how a venue originates its feed. The third factor was the partnership itself. Live sports requires rapid response, so our NOC works closely with Zixi support through established Slack workflows. The speed of that collaboration has been essential, whether an issue is minor or significant. The pace of live events does not allow slow turnaround times, and Zixi has consistently met the urgency of our environment. Our workflow starts at the venue—across college campuses, arenas and automated camera systems, we ingest signals using RTMP, SRT or the Zixi protocol. Zixi Broadcaster instances, i.e. a virtual server running in the provider’s data center that is deployed in our cloud environment, handle transcoding, packaging and feed into our multi-CDN workflow. ZEN Master

@tvtech.bsky.social

equipment guide | cloud distribution/ott buyers briefs 3 Screen Solutions 3Ready

3Ready, the product platform from user-experience trailblazer 3 Screen Solutions (3SS), powers the entertainment UX of leading operators and streamers including Allente, Claro Brazil, Proximus, Tele2, Telus Canada, Vodafone Group and Yes. By unifying content and apps across connected TVs, set-top boxes, tablets and smartphones, 3Ready helps service providers deliver higher customer satisfaction, reduce customer care costs, reach more devices and markets, and run fewer fragmented systems. Nontechnical teams can manage the user experience with 3Ready, with full control over features and branding that is centrally managed, instead of maintaining separate app silos. This accelerates time to market and ensures consistent experiences everywhere. Today, 30-plus major service providers rely on 3Ready to run loyalty-building entertainment hubs for more than 70 million aggregated users worldwide. https://www.3ss.tv

Evertz.io XChange

With C-Band reallocation shrinking satellite capacity, broadcasters are shifting from RF to IP distribution. Evertz.io’s XChange replaces legacy satellite control by orchestrating distribution across an IP backbone, enhanced with native SCTE-224 schedules and market-switching inside the IP flow—turning standard affiliate networks into next-generation processing networks. XChange provides top-level orchestration across customer data centers, private networks, and public cloud partners such as AWS, OCI and Lumen, leveraging their expansive sub-5-millisecond networks. Designed for hybrid operations, XChange seamlessly manages both IP and satellite distribution to support smooth transitions and future-proof workflows. Key capabilities include: streamlined deployment; standards-based interoperability; end-to-end workflow integration; flexible routing and processing; comprehensive monitoring; scalable SaaS model. https://evertz.io

SipRadius S.iPTV

S.iPTV is a secure, scalable platform for distributing live video and audio across studios, production hubs and remote teams. It ingests sources such as ST 2110, SDI, NDI, RIST and SRT, standardizing them into a unified environment for low-latency WebRTC playback in any browser. Designed for cloud (public or private), on-prem or hybrid deployment, S.iPTV uses RIST-on-Demand and load-balanced media servers to optimize bandwidth and reliability across geographically diverse networks. With integrated user authentication, encryption and channel management, it provides a robust OTT-grade viewing and monitoring solution for modern broadcast workflows. Key features include: Infinitely scalable architecture; integrated media server and relay capabilities for secure, bandwidth-conscious operations; open standard design; personal accounts and customizable viewing profiles; Open API for administrative, control and operational usage; complete user, channel, and access administration; and simplified fleet management. https://sipradius.com

BCNEXXT Vipe Vipe is designed to redefine broadcast playout with an adaptive, cloud-native architecture that scales resources in real time. Instead of fixed oneto-one channel-server models, Vipe applies machine learning to analyze schedules, labeling events and triggering containerized microservices only when needed—that means no more overbuilding for peak demand, and no more wasted spend. Broadcasters gain a smarter cost structure, shifting from heavy fixed infrastructure to efficient variable costs with Vipe’s “only pay for what you play” model. Complex graphics and DVE effects route to GPUs, while simple branding cues run on CPUs, balancing performance with efficiency. Just as critical, Vipe’s UI adapts dynamically, surfacing the right controls only when live content demands them. www.bcnexxt.com

PlayBox Neo Suite

PlayBox Neo Suite is a new platform that provides cutting-edge tools designed to streamline media workflows across over-the-top platforms, TV channels and content creators for seamless content delivery. Loaded with modules including Media Gateway, Ingest, Compliance Recorder, TS Time Delay, Web-Based Multiviewer with audio/video alarms and more, PlayBox Neo offers customized solutions that adapt to diverse broadcasting requirements. Its flexibility enhances efficiency by automating repetitive tasks, saving time and reducing operational costs. “Channel-in-a-Box” integrates seamlessly with PlayBox Neo Suite to offer a unified interface for a complete ecosystem. The Channel-in-aBox product line includes AirBox Neo playout automation, TitleBox Neo interactive CG and graphics, ListBox Neo scheduling and modules in PlayBox Neo Suite, such as Ingest and Media Gateway. https://playboxneo.com

Broadpeak Content Delivery Network as a Service (CDNaaS)

Broadpeak’s CDNaaS offers a turnkey solution for content providers to deliver the highest-quality streaming experiences without the complexity of building a proprietary network. The platform ensures optimal performance and sustainability at any scale. The HyperPoP’s capacity of more than 1 Terabit per second is significantly greater than that of a typical public CDN’s cache. This means massive traffic surges during premium live sports, series launches and primetime content can be handled effortlessly while maintaining broadcast-grade quality. Broadpeak’s recent expansion with new HyperPoPs deployed in the U.K., Switzerland, Greece and Mexico significantly increases the global reach and streaming capacity of Broadpeak’s Adaptive Streaming CDN (ASCDN), enabling content providers to seamlessly scale video delivery, particularly for high-audience events, while driving down latency, infrastructure costs and carbon emissions. www.broadpeak.io @tvtech.bsky.social | www.tvtech.com | January 2026

equipment guide | cloud distribution/ott

PTN Makes Cloud-Powered Shift To Multiplatform Distribution USER REPORT Chris Barrett Executive in Charge of Production Pocono Television Network

LANCASTER, Pa.—Pocono Television Network (PTN) is operated by the Pocono Mountains Visitors Bureau (PMVB), a private, nonprofit organization that serves to promote, educate and attract visitors to Pennsylvania’s Pocono Mountains. Launched in 2017, the channel showcases the region through original segments such as “Pocono Perspectives” and “Pocono Mountains Magazine,” weather updates, live webcams and features on local businesses and events. The PMVB created its own television network in order to drive content development with a focus on storytelling about the destination and the organization’s 600 members. As president and CEO of the PMVB, I also serve as the executive in charge of production for PTN, which, over the past eight years, has grown substantially in its broadcast, cable and streaming coverage to now reach more than 50 million households. By 2022, we had exceeded the technical limitations of our third-party distributor and decided to expand our existing partnership with Take One Productions. Under the new arrangement, Take One’s team and PMVB’s in-house staff produce content for the network, while Take One oversees content aggregation, scheduling and playout across cable, OTT and digital platforms.

Credit: PTN

BROADCAST-GRADE UPGRADE Supporting continuous multi platform distribution of PTN would require more than a basic

exceptionally reliable—in more as well as Wilmington, Del., and file-based system that simply than two years of 24/7 broadcasteven areas near the New York creates playlists from uploaded ing, there hasn’t been a single State border. content. We needed a broadcastminute of downtime due to sysWith cable, OTT and OTA disgrade solution that we wouldn’t tem failure. And when there have tribution, PTN has the potential outgrow, supporting the combeen any issues, the Imagine to reach millions of households, plete workflow—ingest, media team is available within minutes, not including international auasset management, playout, and the issue gets resolved on diences streaming online. For a graphics and master control— the spot. regional tourism network, that while delivering the scalability kind of reach is a big step forward. and long-term reliability needed We’ve even discussed launching a for a 24/7 network. EASY TO SCALE second channel, and with Versio, Just as important, the platform The Versio platform’s cloud that’s now a realistic option. What had to be cloud-based. With Take capabilities have enabled us to once took nine months can now be One’s studio in Lancaster and the expand PTN’s cable footprint to done in just a few weeks. ● PMVB located two hours north in nearly a dozen providers across Stroudsburg, relying on physical Pennsylvania. At the same time, infrastructure wasn’t practical. we’ve built a strong OTT presence Chris Barrett has been president The Versio integrated playout through Vimeo’s enterprise platand CEO of the Pocono Mountains system from Imagine Commuform—allowing the network’s live Visitors Bureau (PMVB) since nications, combined with the stream from Versio to be deliv2017 and is also the founder of the company’s cloud-native Aviator ered to a wide array of consumer Pocono Television Network (PTN), Automation, turned out to be the devices. Viewers can download where he continues to oversee its perfect solution. the app to watch live programexpansion and serves as one of Versio gives us the core playout ming or explore on-demand conits hosts. His industry accolades engine and pulls the workflow tent from anywhere. include three Emmy Awards, sevtogether, but the bonus is in how Last year, we added over-theeral Telly Awards and recognitions seamlessly it works with Imagine’s air broadcasting to the distribufrom the Pennsylvania Association Aviator Automation to create a tion mix. The channel is now live of Broadcasters (PAB). He can be unified, cloud-based operation. in six markets—with a seventh reached at cbarrett@poconos.org Aviator Automation simplifies on the way—reaching audiences More information is available at the programming process, offerin Baltimore, Pittsburgh, Harrishttps://imaginecommunications. ing remote login capabilities that burg, Lancaster and Philadelphia, com. enable programming from anywhere. In addition, the platform provides as-run logs to reference what has played, while its built-in Content Portal makes managing content simple. For additional visibility into PTN’s inventory, special fields were added to the metadata so content can be quickly identified by season and region. Versio and Aviator Automation are The Versio platform’s cloud capabilities have enabled us to expand PTN’s cable footprint incredibly easy to to nearly a dozen providers across Pennsylvania, allowing us to build a strong OTT operate and have been presence through Vimeo’s enterprise platform.

January 2026 | www.tvtech.com |

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equipment guide | cloud distribution/ott

BRIC Streamlines Playout and Contribution With TelVue Cloud Leon Taylor Director of Community Media BRIC

BROOKLYN, N.Y.—For over 45 years, arts and media organization BRIC Brooklyn has shaped the borough’s cultural landscape across visual arts, performance, media and civic engagement. Our public media center and arts spaces are complemented by Brooklyn Free Speech, a public-access platform, and BRICTV, a community TV channel and digital network. As one of the nation’s largest community media centers, we support hundreds of local creators who submit weekly programming, expanding access to cultural content. Given our high volume of local programming contributions, we found that our traditional playout system could no longer keep pace with our organization’s growth.

THE HYPERCASTER In 2024, we left our top-name legacy broadcast equipment behind, with its opex and training needs, and replaced it with TelVue’s HyperCaster AIO (All-inOne) playback server and cloud services Connect and CloudCast for contribution, transcoding, scheduling and automation. TelVue’s new system offered more flexibility, scalability and cost efficiencies, but most importantly, significant time-saving workflow adaptations and improvements. The upgrade delivered greater efficiency and eliminated a complex workflow in which our producers emailed download links and staff manually downloaded, sorted, transcoded and reuploaded files for scheduling. Any missing files

viewer experience. We’re also excited to use TelVue’s paywall options and AI tools for summarization and indexing to improve discoverability.

BRANDED OTT Our operational shift reflects the broadcast industry’s transition to cloud-driven contribution, automated scheduling and multiplatform distribution, and TelVue enables our organization to onboard proWith over 100 active content contributors sending BRIC hundreds of video files each week, ducers easily, eliminate bottlenecks, and TelVue’s cloud-based workflow is a huge timesaver for our operations. publish across cable, one of the first producers to use had to be reimported from storOTT, mobile and social media this TelVue Connect system, it age for playout. from a single platform. has made it so easy to upload our TelVue Connect now handles TelVue provides a full broadprograms and track what we’ve submissions through a cloud cast ecosystem, simplifying released and what’s upcoming.” portal, giving producers inhigh-volume submissions and We recently expanded our dividual moderated access to optimizing scheduling and playConnect licenses to encourage login, drag-and-drop programs out through its HyperCaster and enlist program submissions directly into BRIC’s cloud meplatform with integrated graphics from more community members. dia library and tag the metaand multi-streaming. TelVue also TelVue supports our goals of data. Connect automatically helped us launch branded OTT streamlining submissions and futranscodes files to consistent, and mobile apps, giving auditure-proofing distribution across broadcast-ready presets, while ences access to live channels and platforms. Our content will soon staff members moderate subon-demand content with search. reach viewers on Apple, Android missions and control delivery By leveraging innovative and Roku, and this shift allows us to the HyperCaster, including broadcast and cloud technology to curate more cohesive programseries scheduling. solutions like TelVue’s, we can ming on our channel with content With over 100 active content continue to build on our legacy themes and create richer intersticontributors sending BRIC hunof supporting local artistic and tials, rather than spending hours dreds of video files each week, creative communities in their managing file logistics. TelVue’s dynamic, seamless efforts to drive positive social Over the next two years, cloud-based workflow for conchange through digital media more than 400 contributors tribution, approval, delivery and platforms and more. ● will move to Connect for a scheduling files for playout has YouTube-like submission been a huge timesaver for the Leon Taylor is the director of experience. TelVue has helped us organization’s team, as well as community media at BRIC. reimagine how channels operate their contributors, freeing them He can be reached at through transcoding and easing up for more creative work. ltaylor@bricartsmedia.org. scheduling, and allowing staff to Rhonda Alexander, producer More information is available at focus on curation and the overall of “Tomorrow’s World,” said, “As https://telvue.com. @tvtech.bsky.social | www.tvtech.com | January 2026

Credit: BRIC

USER REPORT

equipment guide | cloud distribution/ott

MMO Scales Cloud Operations Using TAG’s Realtime Monitoring Platform USER REPORT Andreas Göttl Founder & Managing Director MMO Managed Media Operations Thomas Mitschelen Lead Broadcast TV Engineer MMO Managed Media Operations

HINTERSCHMIDING and MUNICH, Germany—At MMO Managed Media Operations (MMO), our teams manage cloud-native live production and playout infrastructure across Europe. We specialize in stream ingest, signal monitoring and multiviewing for broadcast customers, handling everything from linear channels to eventbased live coverage. Our workflows are built entirely in Amazon Web Services (AWS), using TAG’s platform across multiple use cases from signal acquisition to visual QC.

downstream at the handoff point. For deployment, we use TAG’s Realtime Monitoring Platform to monitor incoming and outgoing SRT contribution streams, plus intermediate handoffs, metadata overlays and packaging status. Everything is deployed 100% in the cloud, containerized and fully orchestrated in AWS. TAG provides a unified view of signal health at every critical

decode errors). We can also visualize packaging and encoding stages downstream, ensuring signals are clean and synchronized before handoff. More specifically, we get the signals via SRT from several customers, then send them to a partner that does distribution or playout. For one broadcaster, we created a special layout, the customer could connect from their

Credit:MMO

OUR BUSINESS NEEDS Our biggest challenge is maintaining signal quality The container house, where one of our remote workers lives, is an example of how and availability at scale with- we can rely on remote workflows and capitalize on the flexibility of TAG’s Realtime out introducing operational Monitoring Platform. complexity. We ingest dozside to TAG, and they could view point. We can ingest contribuens of contribution feeds from it on their own. tion feeds, decode and display multiple customers (delivered TAG’s SRT support and ability multiviewers for operational via SRT) and monitor signal to decode and visualize mosaic staff and create mosaic views health throughout each signal’s views in the same environment for stakeholders across different life cycle, from preprocessing are key strengths. We leverage functions. TAG’s open APIs inand metadata injection through TAG’s layout editor to quickly tegrate with our tools, and our packaging and final distribution. create custom displays for difinfrastructure-as-code approach In a cloud-native environferent departments and events, means TAG can be spun up or ment, we needed a solution from election night coverage to down quickly as needed. that supports dynamic scaling, regional sports. In terms of use cases, we priprovides granular probing and marily support 24/7 playout and alerting and enables real-time live-event ingest for multiple response. Our major pain point: OPERATIONAL IMPACT European broadcast customers. the time-to-resolution when Since deploying TAG, we’ve Our signal-acquisition team something goes wrong. We can’t reduced time-to-visualize issues monitors all incoming SRT afford to spend minutes deterfrom several minutes to under streams using TAG, with alerting mining if a problem is upstream, 30 seconds. Operators rely on tied to key thresholds (loss, jitter, inside our infrastructure or TAG’s mosaic displays to iden-

January 2026 | www.tvtech.com |

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tify stream issues in real time and take immediate action. Our engineers appreciate the detailed metrics, which pinpoint whether issues stem from ingest, transcoding or handoff. Because everybody on the team is remote, it was important that it’s cloud-native. TAG helps us go deeper into the error and zoom into the signal. TAG enables us to offer higher confidence and SLAs or standard-level agreements to broadcast customers. When a customer asks whether their feed is live and stable, we don’t jump between dashboards. We open TAG and see everything at a glance. As for next steps, we plan to expand TAG’s footprint into more event-based workflows and integrate its data into our monitoring and ticketing systems. We’re also exploring deeper integration with scheduling metadata to automatically trigger layout changes based on time of day or event priority. In short, TAG has become critical to our live operations and engineering workflows. It delivers confidence, speed and flexibility across highly dynamic cloud-native production environments. Most importantly, it allows us to focus on managing signals, not managing tools. ● Andreas Göttl, founder and managing director of MMO Managed Media Operations, can be reached at andreas.goettl@mmo-media. com; Thomas Mitschelen, lead broadcast TV engineer, can be reached at thomas.mitschelen_ extern@mmo-media.com. For more information, visit tagvs.com.

equipment guide | cloud distribution/ott buyers briefs

Triveni Digital ATSC 3.0 Cloud Software as a Service

Triveni Digital’s ATSC 3.0 Cloud SaaS provides a fully cloud-compatible, end-to-end solution for broadcasters transitioning to NextGen TV. The comprehensive platform integrates all critical components of the ATSC 3.0 broadcast chain, including the company’s GuideBuilder XM transport encoder, Broadcast Gateway scheduler, StreamScope XM Analyzer and Monitor, and Station Manager orchestration and configuration management. Leveraging the scalability of the public cloud, ATSC 3.0 Cloud enables broadcasters to launch NextGen TV services quickly, efficiently and cost-effectively. Its pay-as-you-go pricing model lowers cost-to-market by reducing capex and implementation expenses, an especially valuable advantage for broadcasters in small and midsized markets. Fully interoperable with leading third-party systems, Triveni Digital’s ATSC 3.0 Cloud SaaS ensures flexibility, seamless upgrades and future-ready performance, making it an ideal solution for broadcasters looking to accelerate their ATSC 3.0 deployment. www.trivenidigital.com

Grass Valley Playout X

Telestream ARGUS

Playout X, designed for Tier-1 reactive and dynamic premier channel services, enables media companies to launch, brand and protect scheduled or live channels in minutes—whether for a new regional feed, FAST channel or popup for a major global event. Playout X allows operators to manage multiple channels at once with ease, helping drive down operational costs while providing the tools required for operational efficiency and simplicity. Whether it’s simple copy, paste, undo or redo of last-minute reactive changes, full manual control of primary and secondary events or dynamic commercial-break shuffling, Playout X keeps every channel perfectly on-air, and your audiences engaged without interruption. This ability to react instantly to last-minute changes, breaking news, or live events is what enables Playout X to empower broadcasters to deliver true “always-on” premiere channel control with the confidence that every feed stays seamless and professional. www.grassvalley.com

Telestream ARGUS is a centralized video monitoring and observability platform designed for large-scale linear, cloud and OTT distribution workflows. Providing real-time, service-aware insight across the entire delivery chain, ARGUS correlates performance, compliance and quality data from every monitoring point into a single, consolidated view. With the introduction of Live Look, operators can visually and audibly validate any monitored stream in real time, seeing exactly what viewers experience to confirm impairments, assess editorial intent and accelerate issue triage. ARGUS enables end-to-end visibility and supports multiplatform distribution, providing oversight on variant quality, localization, audio consistency, protection enforcement and adpolicy compliance. Scalable user management, automated lineup control and intelligent audio PID monitoring streamline operations while reducing false alarms. By combining correlated analytics with real-time playback, ARGUS provides users with the context, confidence and precision needed to maintain reliable, highquality streaming experiences at scale. www.telestream.net

EditShare FLEX

EditShare FLEX gives media teams a practical way to move production workflows into the cloud while keeping their established processes intact. As a founding partner of AWS Modular Cloud Studio, EditShare provides a cloud-ready environment powered by the EditShare File System, delivering the high-performance editorial storage required for real-time collaborative work. FLEX pairs this with FLOW for metadata, proxy generation, review and approval, and automated tasks like indexing and asset movement. Teams can scale infrastructure on demand, spin up cloud production environments quickly and connect on-prem EFS systems to cloud pipelines when a hybrid approach is needed. By working within the Modular Cloud Studio framework, EditShare helps broadcasters and content producers support remote editing, accelerate collaboration across locations and give distributed teams secure access to shared media from anywhere. https://editshare.com twitter.com/tvtechnology | www.tvtech.com | XXXXXXXXXX 2024

people on the move For possible inclusion, send information to tvtechnology@futurenet.com with People News in the subject line.

MACKY BEHESHTI

PHIL KUBEL

MARY COLLINS

SEAN LAROSE

ASG

HPA

LABF

Sinclair

Advanced Systems Group has named Macky Beheshti director, enterprise storage and systems. Most recently storage systems specialist, data center group at Lenovo, Beheshti is a 30-year enterprise technology leader with experience on the manufacturer and channel sides of the business, ASG said. He’ll focus on the key areas of traditional IT facility integration, enterprise software, workflow solutions, managed services and cloud orchestration for as-service delivery models.

Hollywood Professionals Association Executive Director Phil Kubel has stepped down from the organization to pursue new opportunities, the group said. HPA executives Joyce “JC” Cataldo and Alicia Rock will serve as interim executive directors while fulfilling their current duties. Cataldo is head of development and strategy, while Rock serves as director of operations and events. Kubel joined HPA as director in May of 2019 and was promoted to executive director in 2022.

The Library of American Broadcasting Foundation has named Mary Collins as its executive director, effective Jan. 1. She has served as the foundation’s treasurer for the past several years. In her new role, she will work closely with the board and the LAB Collection Team at the University of Maryland to oversee the organization’s year-round initiatives, including its preservation grants, educational programming and the annual Giants of Broadcasting & Electronic Arts awards luncheon gala. .

Sinclair has promoted Sean LaRose, director of sales at WUHF-WHAM in Rochester, N.Y., to vice president/general manager. LaRose succeeds Chuck Samuels, who will retire. Rose oversees sales strategy, leads cross-platform revenue initiatives, develops integrated marketing solutions and builds high-performing sales teams. Prior to joining Sinclair in Rochester, LaRose held sales leadership roles at WIVB/WNLO-TV Buffalo, Spectrum Reach and Time Warner Cable Media Sales.

DARRIN PALEY

PETER NAYLOR

Wheatstone

Nielsen

Wheatstone has named Darrin Paley vice president of business accounts. In his new role, he’ll head global business sales for Wheatstone, Audioarts Engineering and VoxPro product lines, Paley joined Wheatstone in 2001 as senior sales engineer. Previously, he spent six years with family businesses Oakwood Broadcast and Ron Paley Broadcast (now GS Technical Broadcast Services), a specialist in broadcast-facility design, project management and installation.

Nielsen has hired Peter Naylor as its first chief client officer, tasked with serving the ratings firm’s advertiser and publisher clients across traditional and digital channels. Naylor most recently served as the first-ever vice president of global advertising sales at Netflix, where he built the streaming platform’s sales, research and creative services teams from the ground up, Nielsen said. He also led sales for the Americas at social media platform Snap.

January 2026 | www.tvtech.com |

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VERONICA RODRIGUEZ MATT SCHNAARS

NAB

Veteran media execs Veronica Rodriguez and Matt Schnaars have joined the National Association of Broadcasters television board. Rodriguez, executive vice president, co-general counsel and corporate secretary at TelevisaUnivision, and Schnaars, president, platform distribution and partnerships for NBCUniversal, will fill TV board seats previously held by TelevisaUnivision’s Pilar Ramos and NBCUniversal’s Phil Tahtakran. Also, Jeff Warshaw, founder and CEO of Connoisseur Media, will join the NAB Radio Board as District 24 representative, filling the seat held by Alpha Media President and CEO Bob Proffitt.

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