TV Tech 515 - Nov. 2025

Welcome to the November 2025 issue of

Jenny Priestley

ATSC 3.0 and The Gatekeepers

By the time you read this, it’s expected that the Federal Communications Commission will have voted to seek public comment on sunsetting ATSC 1.0 by 2030 in a move that broadcasters hope will accelerate a full transition to ATSC 3.0 (aka “NextGen TV”).

In the period leading up to this anticipated vote (and for much of the past decade), most broadcasters have hailed the deployment of NextGen TV as the future of broadcast, in which our industry will be better poised to compete with other media. With advances such as 4K, advanced advertising, immersive audio and a possible backup to GPS (the “Broadcast Positioning System”), what’s not to like?

Well, several traditional opponents of broadcast mandates don’t like it, and they’ve made no bones about their opposition to carrying 3.0. The Consumer Technology Association and the NCTA-The Internet & Television Association have made it plain that for all the positive vibes invoked by the FCC’s actions, their roles as gatekeepers could stand in the way of a successful transition.

Both groups made their positions known last summer, excoriating the National Association of Broadcast ers for proposing a shut-off without considering how it would affect their members. In a meeting with the FCC in July, both organizations voiced their concerns.

During the meeting, NCTA under scored that the FCC “should maintain a market-based approach to ATSC 3.0, particularly given that the NAB’s proposal would impose new regula tions and substantial and unjustifiable costs on MVPDs in the absence of any clear consumer demand for ATSC 3.0 signals.” It also told the FCC that “none of NCTA’s cable operator members are able to carry ATSC 3.0 signals without first making costly changes to their networks—one NCTA member estimates that purchasing and installing new ATSC 3.0 transceivers alone will likely cost tens of millions of dollars and take a substantial amount of time. The inevitable result would be to drive up the cost of cable service at a time when cable operators are already losing customers.”

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Contributors: Gary Arlen, James Careless, Fred Dawson, Kevin Hilton, Phil Rhodes

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The CTA said broadcasters need to improve their marketing of NextGen TV rather than rely on rules that could require them to include 3.0 tuners in TV sets sold in the U.S.

DirecTV is also vehemently opposed to the transition. In a letter to the commission, the satelliteTV provider noted: “ATSC 3.0 receivers compatible with DirecTV’s system now cost roughly $8,000 per feed (i.e., primary and multicast feeds). Since DirecTV now carries more than 1,800 feeds nationwide, the total cost to purchase receivers would approach $15 million.”

The problem isn’t a technical one—it’s more of a policy and expense issue, with must-carry hanging in the balance. In its current state, broadcasting cannot survive in the U.S. without being carried on pay-TV services. Could a battle over carriage threaten broadcasters’ holy grail? At the least, if the issue isn’t settled soon, it could very well delay the shut-off. Only time will tell.

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Imagine Acquires Pixel Power From Rohde & Schwarz

Imagine Communications has announced its plans to acquire Pixel Power Ltd., a wholly owned subsidiary of Rohde & Schwarz. Financial terms were not made public.

The transaction “represents a strategic alignment for both companies, enabling Imagine to offer broadcast customers the most extensive portfolio of live production and playout solutions on the market while allowing Rohde and Schwarz to focus on its core operations in Test & Measurement, Technology Systems and Networks & Cybersecurity,” Imagine said.

The acquisition is expected to close this year and is subject to customary closing conditions.

Imagine and Pixel Power have a shared vision for the IP- and cloudbased future of broadcast and digital streaming markets, Imagine said.

“This strategic acquisition enables Imagine to immediately broaden its live production ecosystem and playout offerings via integration of Pixel Power’s software-defined, deploy-anywhere platforms—bringing

Linear

together complementary approaches, technologies and engineering expertise that will provide customers with deeper integration possibilities and a broader set of tools to meet every need,” Imagine said.

The addition of Pixel Power’s PRISMON multiviewer, which delivers powerful master control and cloud capabilities, will complement the ultra-low-latency production capabilities of Imagine’s popular SNP Multiviewer and enable Imagine to offer the most comprehensive portfolio of IP and IP-hybrid multiviewer solutions available on the market.

With a based in Cambridge, England, Pixel Power has a rich history in graphics and playout workflows and advanced multiviewer and monitoring systems. Imagine will maintain the development team based in Cambridge facility, combine Pixel Power’s existing support with Imagine’s care and services team and support all current global customers and the installed base for Pixel Power’s PRISMON, Gallium and StreamMaster platforms,

California Extends Commercial Loudness Rules to Streaming

The California State Legislature has passed a law that extends federal TV-commercial volume rules to cover streaming.

Last month, Gov. Gavin Newsom signed SB 576 by Sen. Thomas Umberg (D-Santa Ana) to turn down the volume of commercials that rise to a level louder than the primary video content that’s being watched.

When Congress passed the Commercial Advertisement Loudness Mitigation (CALM) Act in 2010, the law applied only to broadcast television stations and cable operators. Newsom noted that the state’s new rules extend those limits now to streaming services, which have skyrocketed in popularity over the past decade.

“We heard Californians loud and clear, and what’s clear is that they don’t want commercials at a volume any louder than the level at which they were previously enjoying a program,” Newsom said. “By signing SB 576, California is dialing down this inconvenience across streaming platforms, which had previously not been subject to commercial volume regulations passed by Congress in 2010.”

“This bill was inspired by baby Samantha and every exhausted parent who’s finally gotten a baby to sleep, only to have a blaring streaming ad undo all that hard work,” said bill sponsor Umberg. “SB 576 brings some much-needed peace and quiet to California households by making sure streaming ads aren’t louder than the shows we actually want to watch.”

Even though many critics say the current laws on the books are not being adequately enforced, opponents argued that the new rules will be even harder to enforce.

“Unlike in the broadcasting [and] cable network environment, where advertisers sell their ads directly to the networks, streaming ads come from several different sources and cannot necessarily or practically be controlled by streaming platforms,” Melissa Patack, the Motion Picture Association’s vice president of state government affairs, testified last summer.

Television Ad Growth Stays Strong, iSpot Reports

Despite ongoing worries about the economy, new data from iSpot shows national linear advertising revenue grew by 4.2% yearover-year in Q3 2025, reaching $8.77 billion.

The data, based on an analysis of 1.7 trillion verified household TV ad impressions, also showed that total TV ad impressions dipped by 2.7% to 1.67 trillion YoY, and that linear TV networks opted to include more total ad minutes, which rose by 2.4% YoY to 5.3 million. This follows an annual trend of increased ad time in Q3 and Q4 as more sports inventory becomes available.

The study also found that the NFL and college football posted double-digit YoY growth in ad impressions in Q3, as the sport continues to take over weekend (and some weekday) viewing.

The findings also highlighted the importance of news; nine of the top 20 programs by TV ad reach in the quarter were news-related, including morning shows.

The reach of Spanish-language programming also grew year-over-year, from 4.4% of TV ad impressions in Q3 2024 to 4.7% in Q3 2025 (including a 10% jump from Univision alone).

OPINION

MPEG-4 To The Rescue

The Federal Communications Commission is hoping MPEG-4 can do the heavy lifting in bringing an end to ATSC 1.0.

On Oct. 7, the commission published on its website a draft notice of proposed rulemaking that will enable TV broadcasters to make more permissive use of ATSC 3.0. The draft is an agenda item for its Oct. 28 open meeting. (Whether or not the federal government is open for business then is unclear at this writing.)

Earlier in the year, the National Association of Broadcasters petitioned the agency to set up two dates certain—February 2028 and February 2030—for the shutoff of ATSC 1.0, depending on market size. The agency’s draft NPRM sets that request aside. Rather, the FCC has tentatively concluded broadcasters “should be allowed to choose when to stop broadcasting in 1.0 and start broadcasting exclusively in 3.0.”

Since non-backward-compatible 3.0 was authorized in 2017, FCC rules have required broadcasters electing to deploy NextGen TV service to simulcast 1.0 and 3.0 as a way to preserve over-the-air TV service to viewers with 1.0 sets.

their 3.0 signals as was the case in the analog-to-digital transition.)

The draft NPRM would stand this lighthouse structure on its head. Rather than one or two 3.0 lighthouses and the remaining sticks in a market transmitting legacy DTV, broadcasters would preserve ATSC 1.0 from one or more shared lighthouses, freeing them to devote far more available broadcast bandwidth in their markets to NextGen TV and making it possible for them to begin offering more advanced 3.0 services.

The draft NPRM proposes allowing stations that elect to continue simulcasting to use MPEG-4 encoding for 1.0 multicast streams. The more efficient MPEG-4 encoding is central to a 1.0 lighthouse. A year ago, my TV Tech colleague Doug Lung wrote an editorial on this, which the commission noted in the draft NPRM. Can MPEG-4 pull this off? The jury is out. Broadcasters have told the commission that only viewers with older sets—16 years or older—would be unable to receive the video portion of an MPEG-4 ATSC 1.0 transmission.

NAB Wins Federal Contract to Evaluate Broadcast Positioning System

In a development that could boost interest in the NextGen TV broadcast standard, the U.S. Department of Transportation has awarded the National Association of Broadcasters a $744,000 contract to advance field testing of the Broadcast Positioning System (BPS).

BPS is a new technology that was invented and developed by the NAB. Broadcasters have been promoting the system, which uses NextGen TV/ATSC 3.0 broadcasters, as a potential complement to existing GPS systems.

The NAB is partnering with Dominion Energy for the contract and the field testing.

This first-of-its-kind field test is part of a broader federal effort to develop resilient alternatives to GPS for position, navigation and timing services. By exploring multiple backup systems, the government aims to ensure the U.S. can continue to operate safely and securely if GPS is compromised, NAB said.

Broadcasters and the FCC itself have repeatedly asserted that it’s not in the commercial interests of stations to disenfranchise large numbers of viewers by making a flash cut to 3.0.

In the draft NPRM, the agency put it this way: “Simulcasting remains important for protecting viewers during the transition period, at this stage broadcasters have strong market incentives to continue to effectively serve their viewers. We believe we can and should rely on these incentives and allow stations themselves to decide how and when to move forward with full 3.0 service.”

Enter MPEG-4. Today, in most 3.0 markets, multiple broadcasters share one stick and RF infrastructure to transmit NextGen TV. In a few, it’s two. They also have jumped through hoops and shared facilities to remain on-air with their 1.0 signals. (All of this is necessary because they were not awarded a temporary second channel assignment for

Anecdotally, some broadcasters that have employed MPEG-4 for digital subchannels have been flooded with calls from viewers with older sets that could not receive a picture. As Kyle Walker, vice president of technology at Weigel Broadcasting, recently told me: “Our findings indicate that approximately 20% of televisions cannot display MPEG-4. In the rare instance when one of our broadcast affiliates mistakenly changes one of our networks from MPEG-2 to MPEG-4, we hear from viewers almost immediately.”

At least for those viewers, authorizing MPEG-4 for ATSC 1.0 would essentially be the same as authorizing a 1.0 shutoff in favor of 3.0: It would require consumers with older TVs to buy a converter box or a new set.

That brings us back to the notion of broadcasters not wishing to disenfranchise existing OTA viewers. It’s not in their financial interest to reduce audience size and associated ad revenue, nor is it in the public’s interest to lose free OTA service.

BPS uses NextGen TV (ATSC 3.0) broadcast signals to deliver highly accurate timing information to keep energy, financial and transportation systems running even if GPS is compromised. The NAB argues that this extra layer of security can help protect public safety and the nation’s critical infrastructure.

Experts at the National Institute of Standards and Technology have said BPS performance is “comparable to or better than” GPS, the NAB reported.

“NAB is honored to receive this contract to advance BPS, affirming the vital role of broadcast technology in protecting our nation’s infrastructure,” NAB President and CEO Curtis LeGeyt said.

“To fully realize the potential of this technology, we must achieve a nationwide transition to ATSC 3.0. We look forward to working with policymakers on a smooth transition, and to strengthening public safety and national resilience.”

Phil Kurz

The Battle to Protect Broadcast Content From AI Has Just Begun

Industry’s attempts to stem the tide of illegal activity are slowed by congressional inaction

By Fred Dawson

As the malevolent siege against broadcasters’ interests intensifies from the far reaches of artificial intelligence misuse to relentless innovation in the multibillion-dollar piracy business, the overarching question is whether the industry can muster resistance on a scale conducive to success.

So far, there’s much to applaud on the antipiracy side of the battle. When it comes to thwarting the destructive use of AI, though, the pace of remedial action is lagging well behind the growing threat, despite the din of alarms sounding from all corners of the marketplace and a plethora of federal and state legislative initiatives.

“The rise of large-scale content scraping by AI systems and digital platforms poses a serious threat to the sustainability of local journalism,” Alex Siciliano, senior vice president of communications at the National Association of Broadcasters, said. “These systems use broadcasters’ reporting to train or populate AI products without authorization, compensation or attribution—diverting revenue away from local stations that invest heavily in producing trusted news, sports and emergency coverage.”

Whether Washington has the will to do anything about this set of AI issues remains to be seen. The latest addition to the stack of pending Senate bills—the AI Accountability and Personal Data Protection Act, introduced in late July—awaits any sign that it will garner consideration.

On another track, the Content Origin Protection and Integrity from Edited and Deepfaked Media (COPIED) Act, which stalled in the Senate last year, has been reintroduced with full support from NAB to create barriers to use of deepfakes and unauthorized use of content to train AI models. Another of those NAB-supported efforts from 2024, the NO FAKES Act, was reintroduced this year with broad bipartisan support in the House and Senate. That measure takes a complementary

approach toward, as NAB puts it, “protecting trusted broadcast journalists, local radio hosts and other on-air personalities from the unauthorized use of their voice, image or likeness.”

Obviously, moving all these different measures to passage, possibly with efforts to consolidate them at some point, will take a good deal of time. And there’s no telling what will be done to deal with the regulatory chaos stemming from state-level initiatives, which to date have produced over 1,000 bills targeting AI regulation of some kind, according to the security regulations tracker Lawfare

‘SCARY GOOD’ AI APPS

Meanwhile, just how far ahead of the law-making curve Big Tech support for mass acculturation to AI hyperrealism has gone is seen in the success of OpenAI’s Sora app, dubbed “scary good” in a New York Times headline for its ability to act as a TikTok-like social media engine for sharing AI-generated videos. In fact, as TV Tech reported in July, there’s even some experimentation with AI fakery on the part of station groups that want to bolster the reach of their newscasts by taking advantage of its ability to distort reality by turning monolinguistic on-air personalities into fluent multilinguists.

Such steps, taken with public notification of AI usage, are a response to pressures arising from the need to build broadcast news viewership in the digital domain. While TV news still serves vast audiences, “it doesn’t have the relevance, the scale and necessarily the best business model when it gets into the digital space,” said Michael Newman, director of transformation for Graham Media Group’s digital operations. At this point, Newman said, using AI in on-air newscasting is a bridge too far, though he acknowledged

is use to support live translation in newscasts is “really cool and a great example of how AI and original reporting can be accessed by more people.”

Even though broadcasters welcome some controls—as reflected in the NAB’s support for legislation like the COPIED Act—the way forward is complicated by inevitable disputes over how to rein AI in. “We are also engaged with policymakers and industry partners to ensure any new regulations or voluntary standards maintain a balance between protecting creative rights and allowing legitimate innovation,” Siciliano said.

Inevitably, as the slow grind unfolds in Congress and at the Federal Communications Commission—which, at press time, was scheduled to vote in late October on a Bidenera notice of proposed rulemaking governing disclosure of AI usage in political ads opposed by Chair Brendan Carr as well as the NAB—it remains up to stations to set up protective procedures against AI misuse by outsiders as well as parameters defining limits on internal usage. To many in an industry where attitudes about regulation are mixed, this isn’t necessarily a reprehensible situation.

“It’s better to find partners that help us use it well than to throw up walls.”

JEFF ZELLMER, FOX TELEVISION STATIONS

At Fox Television Stations, “the approach overall is that this is an area of growth that’s happening that we need to understand and be involved in,” said Jeff Zellmer, the group’s executive vice president of digital operations. “It’s better to find partners that help us use it well than to throw up walls.”

Added Sinclair Chief Innovation Officer Scott Ehrlich, “Moving responsibly falls to companies like ours.” As for industry-wide agreement on such things, “it’s hard to standardize when you’re dealing with a target moving as fast as AI,” he said.

PIRACY CONCERNS, TOO

Nonetheless, while the industry hasn’t formalized standards around AI usage, Ehrlich voiced hope for organizations moving the industry toward more generalized protection that encompasses piracy as well as AI. One group he cited is the Coalition for Content Provenance and Authenticity (C2PA), an ad hoc group working to systematize ways to establish content provenance and address misinformation.

Indeed, it’s in this realm of tools engineered to “help broadcasters verify the origin of their content, signal to viewers that programming is genuine and trace misuse when it occurs,” as described by Siciliano, that progress on the anti-piracy front offers a hopeful counterpoint to the slog on the AI side. Broadcasters are “collaborating with technology partners to strengthen the resilience of their distribution systems and guard against unauthorized access or signal manipulation,” he noted.

Michael Newman, director of transformation, Graham Media Group

At this point in time, piracy is far more damaging to bottom lines across the TV broadcasting and streaming ecosystem than AI. “Video piracy is the third largest category in organized crime behind drugs and sex trafficking,” said Robin Boldon, head of product at Friend MTS, a leading supplier of forensic fingerprinting and watermarking tools used, respectively, to find stolen content in the global stream flow and identify its sources.

A 2024 survey conducted by streaming service tracker cordcutting.com found that one in three U.S. adults admitted to pirating TV shows or movies within the past year. According to research reported by the Kearney consulting group, the U.S. ranks first in national tabulations of visits to pirate websites. Globally, the number of visits to such sites rose by 13% from 125 billion in 2019 to 141 billion in 2023, Kearney said. Parks Associates has predicted U.S.-based content suppliers will lose $113 billion to piracy in this country alone by 2027.

BIG ANTI-PIRACY ADVANCES

It’s clear that a new generation of advanced anti-piracy tools and services is making life harder than ever for thieves. Silent Push, operator of an advanced piracy scanning and aggregation engine, recently reported uncovering an IPTV piracy network impacting more than 20 global media brands through operations involving over 10,000 IP addresses identifying servers and computers associated with about 1,000 websites.

Friend MTS has expanded its support for fighting piracy on several fronts. In response to the recent surge in so-called CDN leeching involving injection of purloined digital rights

management keys, the company launched its server-side “Distribution Watermarking” solution to identify hacked subscriptions restreamed by pirates. This complements the widely deployed FMTS client-side Subscriber Watermarking solution that disrupts a live stream within a few minutes of start time, which is essential to causing meaningful pain to viewers of illicit sports feeds.

Most recently, FMTS upgraded its piracy monitoring service with use of an AI RetrievalAugmented Generation (RAG) model that continuously learns and adapts to pirates’ evolving tactics. It also launched fully staffed Piracy Investigation Services, which put regional teams to work using FMTS tools in ways that combine threat intelligence, identification and enforcement in accord with local practices.

“When piracy was detected, it used to be seen as the rights holder’s problem. Now it’s understood that it’s everybody’s problem.”

ROBIN BOLDON, FRIEND MTS

“Along with supporting traditional methods like sending notices and building the chains of evidence required by courts, we’re going many steps further with service layers offering investigations and enforcement assistance, depending on what customers want,” Friend’s Boldon said.

SHIFT IN ATTITUDE

Another adjustment to the current state of affairs comes from Nagravision, a longtime leader in traditional conditional access, multi-DRM protection, watermarking solutions and on-the-ground teamwork with local law enforcement and regional organizations. The company has introduced a new approach to shaping anti-piracy strategies with a business-first perspective on what customers need, said Tim Pearson, vice president of global solutions and partner marketing. In a market characterized by the diversity of issues associated with the transition to streaming, “we’re seeing buyers coming with very purposed agendas,” Pearson noted. “They have a problem, and they want to fix it.” He said the company is putting AI to work

perusing “massive amounts of analytics and insights into data platforms” to find “pattern matches that allow us to really understand consumer behavior,” such as discerning how service price deductions can produce net ROI gains by reducing reliance on pirate services. Nagravision is also teaming with Broadpeak to strengthen the battle against CDN leeching in use cases involving live sports. With AI abetting analytics, the solution can monitor DRM license requests to detect suspicious activity patterns and speed the disruption of illicit streams, Damien Sterkers, vice president of products and solutions marketing at Broadpeak, said. “On top of the video intelligence layer, we have human services with people working 24/7 to inform content owners what’s happening,” he said.

Underlying the effectiveness of all this activity is a big shift in content owners’ attitudes about piracy. “When piracy was detected, it used to be seen as the rights holder’s problem,” Boldon said. “Now it’s understood that it’s everybody’s problem.”

A case in point is growing participation in the International Broadcaster Coalition Against Piracy (IBCAP), which has expanded to include international and U.S. content owners, broadcasters and distributors representing more than 220 television channels. IBCAP said it has instigated a surge of lawsuits running into the tens of millions of dollars against wrongdoers in the U.S. and abroad, along with real-time takedowns of illicit live sports streams, including disruptions of more than 6,000 streams reaching millions of viewers during the 2024 Indian Premier League cricket tournament.

Whether cooperation in battling the misuse of AI can get to this level remains to be seen. ●

Jeff Zellmer, executive vice president of digital operations, Fox Television Stations

Scott Ehrlich, chief innovation officer, Sinclair

Hybrid, AI Are Guiding the Measurement of TV Viewership

Who is watching what, and what are the best ways to reach them with commercials?

By James Careless

In ye olde days of traditional television, when U.S. TV viewing options were limited to ABC, CBS, NBC and PBS, Nielsen’s paper diaries were sufficient for tracking viewership and providing useful audience data to advertisers.

Today, everything has changed. “The television landscape has experienced a massive amount of change over the past several years,” said David Levy, CEO of OpenAP, an advanced advertising company jointly owned by the Big Four commercial broadcast networks and focused on video, TV and cross-platform audience targeting and measurement. “Viewership has bifurcated across screens, with CTV [connected TV] and streaming growing to become as large a viewership channel as linear. Because of that, legacy measurement models fell short of accurately measuring audiences.”

To address these changes, audience measurement firms such as Nielsen, OpenAP and Samba TV are using new models to capture accurate, actionable viewing data. These models are meant to provide advertisers with information that matters as much today as it did in the past: Who is watching what, and what are the best ways to reach them with commercials?

THE HYBRID MODEL

Because today’s viewers watch video in so many different ways, the logical way to measure them accurately is across all of their viewing platforms. This is known as the “hybrid model” of TV audience measurement.

“Hybrid measurement models leverage large-scale device-level datasets (big data) such as Return Path Data (RPD) and Automatic Content Recognition (ACR) to augment the granularity of analyses supported and the accuracy of measurement solutions,” said Sean Breedlove, OpenAP’s vice president of measurement and analytics. “Panel data sources are used to calibrate big datasets, adjusting for biases, filling known gaps in coverage and estimating person-level viewership to ensure that the resultant measurement is representative of the market.”

“What matters across the board are the outcomes brands are trying to achieve.”

ALYSON SPRAGUE, SAMBA TV

Nielsen is using the hybrid model today. “Changing consumer habits have led to fragmentation,” said a Nielsen spokesperson. “It’s widely agreed upon that hybrid measurement, like our Big Data + Panel measurement, is the way forward to unlock the most accurate view of what people are watching across platforms. Our Big Data + Panel measurement is based on over 45 million households and 75 million devices (from Comcast, Dish, DirecTV, Roku and Vizio) and validated by our person-level panel of over 100,000 real people and 42,000 homes.”

THE ROLE OF AI

Thanks to their ability to

Alyson Sprague, vice president of measurement products, Samba TV

process and analyze massive data, AI and machine learning (ML) are playing a crucial role in enhancing the accuracy and speed of TV viewership measurement. The technologies are also adding new kinds of measurement to the mix.

For example, “Samba AI enables the TV itself to detect scenes, objects, brands, interactions and even sentiment of what’s happening onscreen without needing to send data to the cloud,” said Alyson Sprague, Samba TV’s vice president of measurement products. “The result is real-time contextual analysis that powers brand-safe advertising, AI-generated metadata and content-aware experiences, while reinforcing user privacy and ensuring a smooth and uninterrupted viewing experience,” she said.

Nielsen agrees. “AI can help the industry analyze and uncover new patterns and trends and ways of thinking about data,” the spokesperson said. “Nielsen processes petabytes of data and machine learning helps us carry out methodological research, accuracy checks and corrections at a scale never before possible. But AI models are only as good as the data that is used to train them and publishers and marketers should be diligent that the underlying

data is a trusted truth set that accounts for gaps, biases and inaccuracies.”

GETTING MORE FROM AUDIENCE MEASUREMENT

Modern TV audience measurement is moving beyond the traditional metrics of reach and frequency to focus on the concepts of “advanced audiences” and “outcomes.” As used by Nielsen, advanced audiences provide demographics-based insights into viewers’ purchasing history and their intent to buy specific products; their lifestyle behaviors, attitudes and interests; their economic status (which influences purchasing decisions); and their race/ethnicity identifications.

“The rise in advanced audiences is driven by the need to reach relevant audiences beyond just age and gender,” said the Nielsen spokesperson. “Our advanced audiences are cross-platform and backed by our Big Data + Panel measurement. On the outcomes front, we launched our Outcomes Marketplace, which is aimed at providing a combined view of reach, brand lift and sales lift to help better inform media strategies and show the full-funnel impact of ad campaigns.

“Our initial partner Realeyes gives clients an understanding of creative attention and emotive response to ads, and we will be announcing other major partners soon,” the spokesperson added.

TANGIBLE RESULTS AND THE FUTURE OF MEASUREMENT

Taken as a whole, the new audience measurement approaches described above are helping advertisers cope with the explosion of video viewing sources and styles, while providing them with additional options for

precisely targeting ads to the most receptive consumers.

“These new approaches enable advertisers and content producers to monitor both the scale of viewership and audience resonance of their ad creatives and content on a more real-time basis, allowing them to make ad creative and media content optimization decisions more fluidly based on in-market consumer response,” Breedlove said. In the future, “TV measurement will become increasingly audience-based, rather than relying on age/ gender demographics that have traditionally been leveraged for linear TV transactions.”

“What matters across the board are the outcomes brands are trying to achieve,” Samba TV’s Sprague said. This is where a flexible, innovative approach to TV audience measurement matters, because it empowers advertisers to deliver better results to their sponsors. A case in point: “In a recent study with Amazon Ads, campaigns that combined traditional TV with Amazon Ads drove a 2 times lift in awareness and a 5.4 times lift in purchase intent,” she said. “That is the kind of outcome-focused impact we are working to deliver across industries.” ●

From left to right, David Levy, CEO, OpenAP, and Sean Breedlove, vice president of measurement and analytics, OpenAP

All You Need to Know About MXL

How the EBU and NABA are working on a vendor-agnostic solution to manage content in an IP production environment

By Jenny Priestley

Broadcasters have spent years trying to integrate different vendor technologies in their facilities. As the industry has moved closer to software, that struggle has become more pronounced. Currently, media exchange protocols need timing synchronization accuracy that’s beyond most IT hardware, while the reliance on SMPTE ST 2110 and NDI can lead to significant computer resource consumption, latency and vendor lock-in.

However, a groundbreaking initiative led by the European Broadcasting Union (EBU), with key contributions from both broadcasters and vendors, could be about to revolutionize how media is exchanged.

The European Broadcasting Union’s Dynamic Media Facility (DMF) project published its first white paper in 2023, recommending the adoption of an IT-focused approach with best practices that involve developing solutions using a layered architecture and creating a unified infrastructure for media production.The idea of the Media eXchange Layer (MXL) came when Canadian broadcaster CBC began to reflect on the move to software-first cloud architecture

for its facilities. CBC’s proposed approach also included a layered model in which each layer has distinct responsibilities. At the base lies the physical IT equipment, moving up to applications and user interfaces at the top. The crucial missing piece, they realized, was a software-centric approach to media exchange.

COMPUTE HEAVY

“We didn’t want to use a streaming technology like SMPTE ST 2110, for example, or NDI to exchange video, audio and timed data,” explained Félix Poulin, co-chair of the Dynamic Media Facility Group at the EBU and director, global innovation collaborations, CBC/Radio-Canada. “The idea is not to go outside of the software on one computer; we want applications to share video frames and audio chunks directly within a computer’s memory.”

The concept of exchanging memory between applications isn’t new, but most of the currently available solutions are driven by specific vendors, and some broadcasters are not keen on being tied into one vendor’s way of doing things. MXL, therefore, is a direct response to the need for interoperability, tackling each layer of the DMF reference architecture independently,

with media exchange being the obvious first target.

“Using a streaming technology like ST 2110 or NDI requires a lot of computer resources,” Poulin added. “You need to packetize the image and organize it in a certain way, and then you need to serialize it and send each packet one by one. To reconstruct the video and audio, buffering happens, which takes time, so there’s latency building up in a complex system.

“But using direct memory access, like memory sharing, saves all of this work,” he continued. “You save compute, therefore power, therefore efficiency. You solve latency, because the application will put parts of the video image in its memory as it’s working on it, and then that image is available to be picked up there. There’s no additional process.”

Early experiments have shown latencies of less than 1 millisecond for each transfer of video, a significant improvement over the 20 milliseconds per device typically expected with ST 2110.

WHY BROADCASTERS ARE EMBRACING MXL

For broadcasters, MXL is crucial in futureproofing their operations. CBC is currently working on a major project for its Toronto headquarters, Poulin said, aiming for a dynamic and adaptable technology platform. “If we were going to be a static, purpose-built facility like before, with studios that are a certain size and have a certain number of cameras, we would be limited if we decided two years later to do another kind of show with that facility,” he said.

The industry’s shift to software, alongside the issue of getting different vendors’ technology to talk to each other, made it clear that accelerating interoperability was paramount. MXL became the key to “unlock that vendor ‘lock-in’ problem,” Poulin said.

MXL will also help broadcasters like BBC, which has resources in multiple locations across the U.K. “Networks are so fast these days, you get hundreds of gigabits per second down inexpensive fiber,” explained Peter Brightwell, lead engineer at BBC research and development and co-chair of the DMF Group. “We have the option of being able to move our resources around the country, to wherever there is the most capacity.

“What we really want is to not just do things in different ways depending on where they are, whether they’re local, within the

At IBC2025, The European Broadcast Union (EBU) announced a partnership with the Advanced Media Workflow Association (AMWA) to create the Joint Taskforce on Dynamic Media Facilities (JT-DMF). (L. to R.): Cindy Zuelsdorf, director, membership and marketing, AMWA; and Hans Hoffmann, deputy director, T&I, EBU.

cloud and so on,” he added. “That’s the idea of a Dynamic Media Facility. About a year ago, we had a workshop in Geneva, then CBC hosted another one in Toronto at the beginning of this year, where we brought together several of those key vendors to challenge the industry to work together. It’s gone very well.”

OPEN-SOURCE APPROACH

Instead of the traditional, lengthy standardization process, the EBU and its partners have opted for an open-source approach to MXL. “We decided to go with an open-source approach because usually our industry would have gone through a standardization process at this stage,” Poulin said. “We’d bring in standards bodies, write the text about the solution; eventually we get it ratified and then start to see first implementations.”

Instead, a software development kit (SDK) has been developed, and making it open source means the kit can be used by all vendors and thus become automatically interoperable. “The vendors we approached were enthusiastic and I think most of them were ready to go in that direction,” he said. “The EBU called the first meeting in November to test how far we could go, and everybody in the room said, let’s do it!”

Added Brightwell: “In an open-source project, everybody can see everything that’s happened. And like the best open-source

MXL and U.S. Broadcasters

projects, you get to influence it by doing work and actually contributing something to the community.”

But what does this mean for standards such as SMPTE ST 2110 and NDI? Both Poulin and Brightwell said ST 2110 should continue to play an important role in the industry. “2110 is not going to go away,” Brightwell said. “It’s there at the inputs and the outputs and now the edges.”

Poulin added: “2110 was an enabler to get there. It was the move to get out of industryspecific connectivity like SDI, to go to IP connectivity. It will still be the interface of choice between compute clusters. 2110 will still be used.”

The first release of MXL code is expected towards the end of this year, very likely in the fourth quarter. “In terms of the other layers, we’ve identified a couple of immediate priorities,” Brightwell said. “One is to work on the joined-up timing model. One of the great things about working in software is you can add this sort of thing very easily, the hooks are there to put time stamps into MXL payloads, as they’re called, so that they can be used downstream.

“One of the questions we’re often asked is, if you have two separate pieces of technology, how do they find each other?” he continued. “That’s a fundamental part of what we call the control layer and that is going to be our immediate next step.”

The way we produce live production is changing. The move to software-based workflows is becoming a reality. But software brings its own challenges, such as interoperability and latency. In the past we could connect any piece of equipment from one manufacturer to another via SDI and it would work reliably and with virtually no latency. As we move to software, we need a solution that is widely supported and works with native software workflows. This is where MXL comes in.

MXL is based on principles already widely adopted in the IT world when memory is exchanged between applications.

Many vendors already have proprietary solutions to share data in memory between their own applications, but the industry needs open ecosystems that enable data to be read and written across multiple tools from multiple vendors.

MXL is being advanced by broadcasters and vendors collaborating via the Linux Foundation, which means that not one single organization or company owns the technology; it is an endeavor shared among those that wish to contribute. That matters in the U.S., where every facility is a best-of-breed mosaic. Producers

At IBC2025, the EBU announced a partnership with the Advanced Media Workflow Association (AMWA) to create the Joint Taskforce on Dynamic Media Facilities (JT-DMF), which will bring together vendors, end users and system integrators, and aims to ensure that the next wave of live production infrastructure can benefit users and vendors alike. “There are a lot of questions surrounding orchestration,” Poulin said. “We need to solve a number of these problems in that category. The joint task force now begins working on these different aspects by priority.”

The momentum behind MXL is undeniable. “It’s been so fast from when we started with the idea, to a number of vendors being willing to work in open source, to releasing an early version of code in June,” Poulin said.

Multivendor demonstrations at IBC showcased the progress, and work is underway to finalize a production-ready Version 1. Poulin hopes that by NAB Show in April, vendors will have solutions incorporating MXL available for purchase.

MXL represents a significant leap forward for the broadcasting industry, promising greater interoperability, efficiency and adaptability in an increasingly softwaredriven world. ●

This article originally appeared in TV Tech sister brand TVBEurope.

want their preferred vision mixer here, their favorite graphics engine there and they expect it all to click together regardless of the underlying infrastructure. MXL provides a common, softwarecentric exchange so those components interoperate cleanly, whether on-prem, in private data centers or in a public cloud. Importantly, MXL is built on existing principles widely adopted by software and cloud providers and on existing media principles as used in NMOS and ST-2110. It is not revolutionary but evolutionary. By leveraging existing ideas and technologies we can ensure new workflows are already widely supported where we need them to be.

There’s a sustainability dividend, too. In the U.S., greener choices accelerate when lower power and rack-space savings translate into lower opex. By avoiding needless serialize/deserialize cycles and enabling smarter placement of compute, MXL reduces CPU burn and cooling overheads, gains that compound at national scale.

MXL will enable U.S. broadcasters to have the reliability they are used to, while gaining agility and maintaining security and control over their assets. The next refresh doesn’t have to be a leap of faith; it can be a confident step into an open, software-first future. ● Ian Wagdin, VP, Technology and Innovation, Appear

Ian Wagdin

How Will the FCC’s Busy Fall Agenda Impact Broadcasters?

Regulator to take action on broadcast ownership caps, ATSC 1.0 sunset

By Tom Butts and George Winslow

In less than two weeks during late September and early October, the Federal Communications Commission acted on two proposed rulemakings that could have an enormous impact on the future of broadcast television and radio in the United States for decades to come.

On Sept. 30, the commission voted unanimously to seek public comment on whether to retain, modify or eliminate several long-standing broadcast ownership regulations in light of the dramatic shifts in the modern media landscape. The notice of proposed rulemaking (NPRM) will look at local television and radio rules that limit the number of stations a single entity can own in a specific market, as well as the dual-network rule that prohibits a merger between any of the top four national broadcast TV networks (ABC, CBS, Fox and NBC).

TV broadcast ownership rules currently restrict one station group from owning TV stations that reach more than 39% of U.S. TV households (the so-called “UHF discount” and duopoly rules allow for higher thresholds).

FREE LIVE SPORTS AND TRUSTED JOURNALISM

For years, these restrictions have been under fire from broadcasters, who claim they prevent them from effectively competing with hightech companies, particularly those that have launched streaming services now bidding for lucrative professional sports rights. In addition, groups like the National Association of Broadcasters have said outdated ownership rules threaten the integrity of local journalism.

A major catalyst for the review’s current direction was a July decision by the 8th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals. In that ruling, the court vacated the FCC’s “Top-Four Prohibition,” which had barred a single company from owning two of the top four television stations in the same market. Crucially, the court also asserted that the statutory mandate for the quadrennial review is inherently deregulatory in nature, a legal interpretation that will heavily influence the current proceeding.

The NPRM approved does not propose specific rule changes, but instead poses a broad range of questions to the public and industry stakeholders. The commission is seeking extensive input on how the proliferation of streaming services, online video platforms and other digital media should affect its analysis of competition, localism and viewpoint diversity—the traditional pillars of its ownership regulations.

“We intend to take a fresh approach to competition by examining the broader media marketplace, rather than treating broadcast radio and television as isolated markets,” FCC Chair Brendan Carr said. “Our primary goal is to promote investment in local broadcasters who provide trusted news and information vital to the communities they serve. We will also consider whether public safety, national security and other public interest goals should be part of this review process. If we determine that any rule no longer serves the public interest, we will fulfill our statutory duty to modify or eliminate those rules.”

FCC Commissioner Anna Gomez acknowledged the challenges currently facing the broadcast industry but criticized the motives behind the industry’s calls for changes.

“The commission requires locally licensed

broadcasters to serve their communities of license in the public interest,” said Gomez, the only FCC Democrat. “The key principles underlying this statement remain localism, viewpoint diversity and competition. Financial gains for corporate giants is not a basis to abandon our and broadcasters’ obligations to serve the public interest.”

IS THIS THE END FOR ATSC 1.0?

One week later, the commission announced it would vote on a NPRM to consider sunsetting the ATSC 1.0 broadcast standard by 2030, based on a proposal made by the NAB earlier this year. The proposal would allow TV stations in the top 55 DMAs to terminate ATSC 1.0 by February 2028, with the entire industry transitioning two years later.

Even though its draft of the NPRM, released in advance of the Oct. 28 monthly meeting, raises more questions than answers about how the agency might act on key issues related to NextGen TV, it does provide some hints on how Carr is thinking about the subject.

The draft noted that the FCC has “tentatively” concluded that stations should be allowed to choose when to stop broadcasting via the ATSC 1.0 standard and begin broadcasting exclusively in 3.0. It also has “tenta-

Since April, NAB has conducted a media blitz underscoring the need for broadcast ownership reforms.

“We intend to take a fresh approach to competition by examining the broader media marketplace, rather than treating broadcast radio and television as isolated markets.”

BRENDAN CARR, FCC

tively” concluded stations should be allowed to broadcast in both 1.0 and 3.0, as many are today, but with fewer restrictions and requirements on the 1.0 version of their signal. This would free up more spectrum for advanced ATSC 3.0 services.

The NAB, Pearl TV, state broadcasting associations and larger groups like Sinclair want the FCC to set a firm date for the shutoff of ATSC 1.0. Smaller broadcasters and many LPTV stations have opposed the sunset of 1.0 broadcasts starting in February of 2028.

The draft takes a more neutral approach to many other key issues, raising a series of questions about key topics like the creation of new rules mandating ATSC 3.0 tuners in all new TVs.

More specifically, the draft NPRM seeks comment on many issues and proposals closely related to these tentative conclusions about the transition, including: the use of encryption or digital rights management (DRM) on broadcast signals; a requirement that new televisions be able to receive and display 3.0 signals; and a requirement that traditional pay TV providers carry 3.0 signals to their subscribers.

The NAB, Pearl TV and larger broadcasters have argued that 3.0 tuner mandates are necessary for a successful NextGen TV transition so that a large number of consumers can be able to access the broadcasts. Consumer electronics firms and the CTA have consistently opposed a tuner mandate, arguing it would increase the cost of TV sets and is generally

unnecessary because most viewers watch video content over streaming and pay TV services, rather than over-the-air antennas.

Initial reaction from broadcasters to the draft NPRM was positive, with Pearl TV and the ATSC applauding the FCC for working to find ways to accelerate the transition to ATSC 3.0 broadcasts. It was also generally vague, given that the draft does not take a strong position on some key issues like a mandatory sunset or 3.0 tuner mandates.

“Pearl TV and the local broadcasters commend FCC Chairman Carr for launching a new proceeding on NextGen TV that signals to the consumer technology industry, broadcasters, and consumers that the final transition to next-generation broadcasting is underway and that the technology provides an unparalleled opportunity to enhance and improve television service to millions of viewers each day,” Anne Schelle, managing director of Pearl TV, said in a statement sent to TV Tech.

THE LINK

Tying ownership rules to the end of ATSC 1.0 is not new; the NAB argued that the two issues were linked in the proposal it submit-

ted to the FCC in February. “Due to the Commission’s ownership restrictions which have fragmented the industry by design, no broadcaster is in a position to shut down ATSC 1.0 by themselves while other stations in the same market remain on the older standard,” the association said.

In her statement, Gomez also acknowledged the tie, but expressed concern about how consolidation could impact broadcast technology.

“The benefits of NextGen TV to broadcasters increase if the national ownership cap is raised or eliminated,” she said. “A station group with a nationwide footprint and data about their audiences will be able to compete for national targeted advertising campaigns. They also plan to sell datacasting services using the broadcast spectrum made available by the more efficient standard to, for example, broadly and efficiently transmit technical updates to devices such as phones and cars outside traditional broadband connections.

“This may well be a great use of spectrum but we should certainly consider the policy implications of allowing this before it happens,” Gomez concluded. ●

Why Good Sound Mixing Help Is Hard to Find

Tech advances have made the audio supervisor’s role even more complex—and intimidating

Ioften hear there is a shortage of top-tier sound mixers. I think I have heard that since I did my first show with ESPN back in 1983, and I would say there was possibly a shortage of television technicians at that time, particularly in audio. ESPN found me in a recording studio and was patient enough or, as Donna Shackett once said, “desperate enough to train you.”

I was told that in the early days of ESPN, the Big Three television networks, ABC, CBS and NBC, even discouraged their union technicians from working freelance for the fledgling all-sports cable network. Is the shortage of qualified people because the education, recruitment and training process is flawed, or what?

I quickly learned there was a process for

grooming audio folks. You started in the field and worked (earned) your way up the ladder into the OB truck or studio. This was the opportunity to find a mentor, because training was on the job.

There was limited technical or college curricula and it was a time when good troubleshooting skills and some electronics went a long way. Now there are schools with audio OB vans. While this may be good for the school’s recruitment, the graduates are probably a ways off from mixing an event and are now probably in debt.

MORE AUTOMATION, MORE STRESS

When I hear that there is a shortage of top-tier qualified mixers, I tend to think that there is a shortage of certain qualifications. As early as May 2021, I wrote in TV Tech

about computer-driven mix automation before the term AI was even used. The new-era audio supervisor/producer role is not about beautiful-sounding productions; it’s about getting on and off the air cleanly, not upcutting announcers or playback, and making sure the director’s and producer’s headsets are working flawlessly.

The audio supervisor must not only plan for multiformat audio output for a potentially wide range of playout options—plus plan for archives—but also program the traffic over intercoms. The job can be intimidating.

When I talk to some audio assistants, I have often heard there is not enough money to move up for the stress that comes with the “hot seat.”

WHAT WENT WRONG?

The change from analog to digital technology accounted for increased productivity, but also demanded an increase in technology skills.

When I hear that there is a shortage of top-tier qualified mixers, I tend to think that there is a shortage of certain qualifications.

It did not help that the development and learning curve of almost all broadcast equipment was happening at the same time. The analog-to-digital migration seemed to develop first with intercoms. It wasn’t enough to have exponentially more channels; there were now significantly more options and possibilities— and often more headaches. The largest shows often required an intercoms specialist, but just getting a couple of channels of intercom on a basketball game with an inexperienced audio crew and a grumpy engineer in charge sometimes seemed daunting.

Digital technology is well-entrenched, and

The author gathers microphones after a test event in Madrid, Spain.

DENNIS BAXTER

EXPERTISE

there are far fewer new devices. Operationally, the equipment has more similarities than differences, which relieves some of the audio mixer’s anxiety.

There is more demand for content than ever, which translates to more productions, producers, technicians and engineers—often doing multiple tasks.

To head off labor issues, in 2014 ESPN hired hundreds of audio technicians in a move that the network said was to “insure continued technical support” with its meteoric growth in sports production not only for ESPN, but also for ABC.

HOW AND WHERE TO START

So how do you get an entry-level job in broadcasting? The press on AI would lead you to believe that it will replace entry-level positions. Just like with most television audio professionals, you start in the field or on the stage and work your way up. With more productions than ever, there is a lot of on-site setup that has to be accomplished. Besides the basics of needing to set up microphones, there are still a lot of intercoms.

For the new-era audio supervisor, managing all the audio at an event will become the norm. They will be mapping the signals, mixes and outputs, plus all communications, as well as supervising the setup crew—and maybe from a distant location.

AI has proven itself as a mixing assistant for effects and even enhanced supplementation. When I wrote about AI, “audio intelligence,” I was told by some television directors and producers that I was full of it. Maybe, maybe not. Computers (AI) are good at logical replication, such as camera rotation over a baseball diamond, but I have never seen a computer set up a microphone or headset. Come to think about it, I have never seen a producer or director pull cable or program an intercom.

If you want a job in television, learn how to properly set up microphones and program a mixing console or intercom. Those entry-level jobs are not going away or getting replaced by high-powered computers, like some production and directing jobs.

I once told a university class that if they ever saw a television truck, follow it and volunteer to unpack, pull cable or whatever you can do to make yourself useful. ●

Dennis Baxter is the author of “A Practical Guide to Television Sound Engineering” and the publication “Immersive Sound Production—A Practical Guide” on Focal Press. He can be reached at dbaxter@dennisbaxtersound.com or at dennisbaxtersound.com.

The author pictured in 1984, during the good old days of analog.

Rigging microphones with students in Athens, Greece, in 2002.

With Lighting, Everything Connects to Everything

Understanding how lighting fits into a project’s larger context yields better results

No matter how bright, a light beam remains invisible until it reflects off of something else. That’s emblematic of how lighting depends on what it connects with. From the source to the subject and eventually to the eye, it’s these connections that transform light into visual experience.

Although this column’s usual focus is on equipment and technique, there’s more to lighting than this. To quote the architect Eliel Saarinen, “Always consider a thing within the next largest context.” The better we understand how lighting fits into the existing context, the better the final results will be.

Lighting directors don’t work in a void. Every project involves several specialized departments and personnel, each with its own concerns and responsible for its own turf. Success depends on building bridges of cooperation between adjacent disciplines, which makes our job more than just hanging and focusing lights. Those bridges are connections between technologies and people.

Going from the theoretical to the practical, let’s examine the neighboring fields that make essential connections with lighting:

ENGINEERING

The wide-ranging purview of the engineering department makes it an important ally in everything lighting touches. From providing mechanical and electrical support to sensitive camera adjustments, engineers hold the other end of the brush we use in painting images with light. Here are some opportunities for engineering and lighting to connect.

Coordinate with the project’s video engineer to establish camera sensitivity and set the desired lens f-stop. Only then will you have a logical basis for your target lighting levels. (For a detailed description of this process, check out my December 2024 column, “How Bright Is My Studio?”)

High-resolution images can be unforgiving to mature faces. Video control’s adjustment of “skin detail,” use of lens filters and flat-

tering lighting combine to help presenters (rather than just the cameras) look their best.

Video displays should match the color temperature and brightness of the studio lighting. From the camera’s perspective, skin tones that appear on video walls should plausibly match those of the foreground talent. The brightness of white areas in the displays must be no greater than a white reference at the talent position on the set to avoid blooming. This should be confirmed with a spot meter or waveform.

In the era of increasing automation and decreasing staff, directors may need to activate lighting cues from remote control panels. These control interfaces require engineering and IT support for proper integration.

DIRECTORS

“Set the shot. Light the shot. Shoot the shot.” That admonition from film production applies equally to television. You’ve got to know what the shot is before you can light it, which is where the director comes in.

Before a single light is focused, line up the shots with the director, set designer and

anyone else with final approval. Use a studio camera and floor monitor to allow everyone to see the same framing. Spike-mark every talent position and camera angle with annotated tape before moving on through subsequent shots.

To avoid confusion, include the camera number and shot abbreviation on the spike marks (e.g. “Cam. 3–CU Left”). These precise positions will guide the final lighting angles.

SCENIC DESIGN

From the talent positions to the camera shots, the floor plan quite literally sets the stage where everything unfolds. When the lighting and scenic designers work together, problems can be avoided and opportunities explored before the design gets locked in, as in the following examples.

LED backlit panels may need to be kept free of spill light, while textured scenic elements may require raked light to enhance their features. Coordination on details like these helps guide the design and clarify what additional equipment might be needed.

Some talent and scenic lights need to be built into the set. This requires particularly close coordination with scenic design. A common example of this is the integration of “chin lights” to augment talent lighting

BRUCE ALEKSANDER

EXPERTISE

It takes a village: The author with the engineering and directing staff at KBTC Tacoma, Wash., the Seattlearea PBS station.

at desk positions. A detailed approach for accomplishing this is discussed in my August 2023 column, “Using Chin Lights.”

ON-CAMERA TALENT

“If mama isn’t happy, nobody’s happy.” Never forget that our job is not to make the lighting look good, but to make the talent look good. Anchors care a lot about how they look on camera, which is why they’re usually the first to notice when something’s wrong with the lighting. Acknowledging their essential role, I always meet with the main anchors and hosts in person before I light a show.

Meeting the anchors face to face provides an opportunity to look for deep-set eyes, variations of hair, facial contours, height, etc. Pro tip: Never let on that you’re scrutinizing them for imperfections you might need to mitigate with lighting while you chat about literally anything else.

MAKEUP AND WARDROBE

Makeup and clothing looks different under different light. That’s why makeup and greenroom lights should match the CCT (Correlated

Lighting directors don’t work in a void. Every project involves several specialized departments and personnel, each with its own concerns and responsible for its own turf.

Color Temperature) of the studio lights. Once makeup artists and anchors can see what they look like under the correct light, they’ll resolve 99% of potential problems themselves. Wardrobe guidelines have become looser as cameras have gotten better at handling contrasts over the years. A flash of white at the collar is no longer a problem, but an overly bright dress might force a camera adjustment that makes everything else on the set look darker. As for those intricate patterns and weaves, they still cause moiré pattern

lighting technology

artifacts. Camera-checking new outfits in advance can avoid such problems.

THE CLIENT

Budgets, and those in charge of them, drive whatever project you’re working on. Providing cost-effective solutions that fit their needs and existing workflow will help make your contribution successful and keep your client happy.

Even if you can pull off minor miracles, it will be tough to live up to a reputation for doing so. Manage expectations by being clear about what you can reasonably do within the project’s scope and budget. And once the goals have been met and all items on the punch list have been completed, get a formal signoff of successful completion before walking out the door.

Each of these connections requires you to enter the border areas of other departments that intersect with lighting. By doing so, you’ll find that those relationships will yield better solutions through increased understanding of how lighting connects with everything. ●

Bruce Aleksander invites comments from others interested in lighting at TVLightingguy@hotmail.com

eye on tech | products and services

Avid

Avid Content Core

Avid Content Core is a new content data platform designed for news and entertainment production that uses AI and agentic workflows to transform content from static files into intelligent, connected and actionable data.

Avid Content Core platform manages media assets and processes as interconnected data rather than as isolated files, tu rning siloed creative tools and media libraries into an interoperable ecosystem, according to the company. From newsrooms and streaming platforms to broadcasters and post facilities, Avid Content Core accelerates creative output while delivering the scalable infra structure and data intelligence media companies need to streamline operations, increase content value and adapt to rapidly evolvin g audience demands.

www.avid.com

Nikon Nikon ZR

Nikon ZR, the company’s first cinema camera made for filmmakers, is an ultralightweight, full-frame camera that features several tech synergies between Nikon’s expertise in optics and autofocus technologies and RED’s expertise in color science and cameras for cinematographers and high-end content producers.

The new Nikon ZR can record up to 6K/60p (59.94p) and incorporates the new R3D NE1 RAW video file format with RED color science based on the popular R3D RAW codec, with 15-plus stops of dynamic range. This new codec uses color science and exposure standards of RED cameras to ensure accurate color matching, even for multicam shoots. The 4-inch DCI-P3 LCD is bright enough to be used even in direct sunlight, while often eliminating the need for an external monitor. www.nikonusa.com

LiveU LU900Q

The LU900Q is LiveU’s is first unit to natively integrate LiveU IQ (LIQ), powered by AI-driven decision-making, advanced eSIM technology and seamless dynamic connection switching within an advanced 5G architecture. Combined with LIQ, it includes 5G next-generation modems with a MIMO antenna array, delivering dramatically enhanced speed, stability, and throughput.

The unit comes in an ergonomic backpack with a battery that provides more than seven hours of runtime. It is also engineered for any climate with a rugged, shock-absorbing frame and advanced cooling. The LU900Q seamlessly integrates with SDI, HDMI, and IP production gear—from ENG cameras and PTZ systems to drones and beyond. www.liveu.tv

Shotoku Swoop Cranes

Swoop is designed to replace manually operated cranes and jibs, which typically require one or even two dedicated operators and cannot be tightly integrated into robotic camera systems. The range launches with two sizes: Swoop 140 and Swoop 220, representing a boom arm reach of 140 centimeters (4 feet, 7 inches) and 220 centimeters (7 feet, 3 inches). Both versions enable production directors to create and precisely repeat sweeping shots with confidence and ease.

Swoop also offers two base options to match production needs and budgets. The SmartPed robotic base (Swoop SP) provides complete freedom of movement across the studio floor with remotely controlled X/Y positioning. Alternatively, a manual base delivers a cost-effective solution for situations where manual relocating of the base between shots or shows is all that’s required.

www.shotoku.co.uk

ARRI

LPM-1

ARRI’s Live Production Monitor LPM-1 features a 10-inch onboard display and control interface for the cinematic ALEXA 35 Live-Multicam System.

The LPM-1 perfectly complements ARRI’s ALEXA 35 Live camera and Live Production System LPS-1, seamlessly integrating into professional live production environments. The ALEXA 35 Live Multicam System features a 4.6K Super 35 sensor that delivers unrivaled dynamic range for HDR, industry-leading color science and exceptionally natural skin tones, ARRI said. Alongside the ALEXA 35 Live, LPS-1, and Skaarhoj RCP, the new LPM-1 monitor now becomes a core component of the ALEXA 35 Live Multicam System.

The LPM-1 connects to the camera via an ARRI CoaXPress viewfinder cable, although an optional RS cable can provide additional power for maximum brightness. The 10-inch screen is an optimal size for live productions: big enough for accurate judging of focus, yet practical and unobtrusive on a tripod.

www.arri.com/en

Vizrt Viz Arena 6

Viz Arena 6, the newest version of Vizrt’s all-in-one live augmented reality (AR) graphics and virtual advertising sports solution, includes AI-powered features that reduce calibration headaches and radically simplify keying and masking in ways that greatly speed up AR sports production, the company said.

More specifically, the new AI-driven features make it easier for operators to integrate AR graphics into live broadcasts, lowering the barrier to entry for creating stunning AR sports graphics. With AI calibration, AR graphics and virtual ads stay perfectly locked to the field no matter how the camera moves. The Arena 6 also gets graphics to air 10 times faster without losing any precision. The Sports Intelligent Keyer uses ambient learning to intelligently separate foreground from background with minimal manual input required.

www.vizrt.com

eye on tech | products and services

Actus Digital QA Compliance

Logger Integration

With Pikolo ITracker

Actus Digital has introduced a new integration with Pikolo’s ITracker platform that streamlines broadcast operations by unifying real-time channel monitoring with centralized operational data management and providing users with deeper insights and more-efficient workflows.

With this integration, Actus can now automatically send monitoring alerts directly to ITracker. The ITracker system, in turn, connects with Actus via API to provide a smooth, in-platform experience for users. This bidirectional data exchange minimizes manual operator input and ensures channel status and technical alerts are instantly available within ITracker’s centralized environment. Actus Digital is a LiveU company. https://actusdigital.com

Dalet

Dalia

Dalet has launched Dalia, its agentic artificial intelligence (AI) solution, which unifies the Dalet ecosystem under a single, natural-language, conversational user experience. Dalia, an intelligent layer embedded across Dalet Flex, Dalet Pyramid, Dalet InStream, Dalet Brio and Dalet Amberfin, features a family of media-aware agents that act as assistants to facilitate complex workflows across ingest, production, rights management, distribution and archive.

Chyron Toolbox 4.0

Toolbox 4.0 features new updates to enable producers to leverage PC and web content quickly as SDI or NDI sources in live-production environments. The update modernizes Toolbox’s architecture to meet the needs of live broadcaster IT ecosystems with Windows 11 OS support, the latest Chyron 1-rack-unit chassis hardware, an expanded Grabber content capture function, support for full HD 1080p output via SDI or NDI and user-interface improvements, Chyron said.

Toolbox provides everything producers need to repurpose content quickly from their local laptop or PC for delivery to video switchers, allin-one production systems or routers, according to Chyron. To address the IT needs of today’s broadcasters, Toolbox 4 supports Microsoft Windows 11 LTSC operating systems. It is now available as a turnkey solution built on the latest generation Chyron 1-RU server.

https://chyron.com

Link Electronics Gemini Dual Caption Encoder

The Gemini Dual Caption Encoder is billed as a next-generation captioning solution for broadcasters and institutions. By enabling two caption encoders to connect through a single Ethernet port, the Gemini reduces rack space, streamlines network connections and offers a cost-effective means to manage multiple streams.

Built on Dalet’s open core API, the agentic interface sits above all applications in the Dalet portfolio, offering a single conversational entry point to powerful functions. Users can ask the agent to locate assets, build title collections based on rights status, trigger review workflows, or schedule live ingest, and the system will execute these tasks end-to-end. www.dalet.com

Calrec 48-Fader Argo M

Calrec’s new 48-fader Argo M console enables broadcasters to use the extra fader count while embracing its space-saving design. Argo M delivers the perfor mance of the company’s Argo platform in a streamlined 24-, 36- and new 48-fader footprint. It maximizes desk space with fullsized fader strips and intuitive controls built for the most demanding productions. With plug-and-play SMPTE ST 2110 and cloud connectivity, Argo M offers immediate high-performance control.

Argo M features built-in analog and digital audio I/O and GPIO, 3x modular I/O expansion slots and a MADI I/O port via SFP. The ability to connect to an ST 2110-networked environment and an existing Calrec ImPulse core alongside other Argo surfaces means it can quickly create multiconsole IP environments, while connectivity to ImPulse, ImPulse1 and ImPulseV means external DSP paths can be added easily as production demands change.

https://calrec.com

The Gemini is a 3G/HD/SD-SDI closed-caption encoder equipped with six versatile communication ports (two each of Ethernet, RS232 and USB) and the ability to deliver captions over IP. It accepts two simultaneous 3G/HD/SD-SDI data streams, providing each input with two caption-encoded outputs of the same format, one of which can be decoded. With reclocked SDI outputs that surpass the performance of many distribution amplifiers, the Gemini ensures signal quality that exceeds industry standards while preserving ANC data, including audio.

https://linkelectronics.com

ENCO Raptor

ENCO’s new Raptor is a cloud-based live streaming captioning encoder that injects the speed, power and reliability of real-time AI capabilities into the streaming workflow. Raptor represents the convergence of pure software-defined infrastructure with AI and automated captioning workflows, providing embedded captions in an IP video stream.

Raptor offers a simple, straightforward way to embed CEA-608 closed captions into a live program stream. That process incorporates the AI-based workflow from ENCO’s enCaption solutions to generate captions automatically with high accuracy. Users can also use outside cloud-captioning sources. Requiring no hardware infrastructure, Raptor is consistent with the shift broadcasters are making to move their video workflows to the cloud. Designed to be quick and easy to deploy, Raptor offers a powerful new captioning option for live events with a fully software-defined architecture to allow for customization. www.enco.com

WUFT Deploys Actus to Enhance Monitoring and Quality Control

By Brian Krieger Director of Engineering and Facilities WUFT

GAINESVILLE, Fla.—WUFT-TV, a PBS member station operated by the University of Florida’s College of Journalism and Communications, is both a vital public broadcaster and a training ground for future media professionals. We provide trusted news, educational content, PBS programming and critically important public-safety information from WUFT’s Florida Public Radio Emergency Network (FPREN), which provides hurricane and other significant safety information to the state. WUFTTV’s service area extends from the Florida-Georgia state line to The Villages and coast to coast in North Florida.

The initial need we set out to address with Actus Digital, a LiveU Company, was compliance. WUFT had relied on a memory card-based workflow for air check recording that left the station and university vulnerable, as we could not prove compliance during FCC inspections.

PROOF OF COMPLIANCE

When evaluating technology options, the Actus platform stood out for its comprehensive feature set—particularly its Compliance and Quality Assurance tools. The interactive multiviewer further solidified Actus as the clear choice. As an existing LiveU user station, we’re also excited about the potential for deeper integration in the future.

The Actus QA Compliance Logger has become the backbone of our compliance strategy.

EAS COMPLIANCE

In addition, our Actus system plays a vital role in public safety, delivering undeniable proof that WUFT is meeting its FCC EAS obligations. Actus provides a clear timeline of events, supports postevent investigations and verifies performance with reports according to FPREN. This also applies to our BEACON 24hour, AI-based alerting system, which allows us to deliver timely and accurate messages during hurricanes and other emergencies.

It reliably captures everything required to demonstrate FCC compliance, including recordings, closed captioning, CALM Act loudness monitoring and Emergency Alert System messages.

As our chief engineer, Larry Bornacelli, explained: “One of the worst things that can happen to a media property is getting fined by the FCC. Actus protects us by proving we are compliant for both TV and radio.”

Beyond compliance, Actus vastly improves our quality with effective QC monitoring. The Actus multiviewer, accessible anywhere, displays a real-time panorama of our over-the-air broadcast, HDMI set-top box returns and our radio station. It immediately identifies frozen video, missing captions, audio dropouts and other issues with visual/audible alerts on the multiviewer, while also routing notifications through Active Directory via email and SMS.

This integration means our engineers know instantly when there’s a problem and can quickly pinpoint the source of

an issue, which dramatically shortens troubleshooting time. Additionally, transport stream analysis gives packet-level visibility into our broadcast, letting us assess latency, jitter and encoding errors.

The Actus system was installed in our technical center alongside our existing encoders and decoders, with Actus technical staff logging in remotely for the configuration. We were so eager that we started using it even before official training, and it quickly replaced several piecemeal systems. Integration with Active Directory simplified user management, and within days, our staff was actively using the system.

Ethan Magoc, interim director of the Innovation News Center at the College of Journalism and Communications, described the overall impact. “Actus is a professional, reliable, industrystandard system that allows our engineers to maintain the quality of our broadcast…while also enabling our students to train on the same state-of-theart systems they will find in the market after graduation,” he said.

For WUFT, Actus has become an indispensable tool on many levels. It strengthens quality control, assures us of compliance and streamlines engineering operations across the broadcast chain.

Before Actus, we relied on multiple disparate systems. Now, one unified platform gives us a single point of access and confidence in our compliance and quality, across all media properties. With Actus, WUFT has the tools to meet our challenges head-on, confident we are maintaining standards, complying with regulations and continuing to lead our community as a trusted broadcaster and worldclass teaching facility.  ●

Brian Krieger is director of engineering and facilities at WUFT in Gainesville, Fla., where he leads the Technology Advancement Group (TAG), overseeing engineering and IT for the College of Journalism and Communications and its media properties.

Brian can be reached at bkrieger@ufl.edu or 352-294-2210. More information is available at www.wuft.org

More information is available at http://actusdigital.com.

Actus allows our engineers to maintain high-quality broadcasts while training our students on the same state-of-the-art systems they will find in broadcast operations after graduation.

Avateq AVQ1050 with New BPS Analyzer

Avateq’s AVQ1050 platform now includes the BPS Analyzer, a powerful new mode designed for in-depth verification of transmitter system synchronization and external reference accuracy. In Analyzer mode, the AVQ1050 can evaluate synchronization stability over time, verify 1-PPS and 10-MHz reference precision and analyze ATSC 3.0 Bootstrap Frame TOA variations relative to internal or external timing sources.

Once an external 10-MHz input is detected, it automatically becomes the main reference for all timing estimations. Engineers can compare internal and external 1-PPS signals, assess alignment consistency, and view both graphical plots and detailed statistical metrics—including Average, Max/Min and Standard Deviation.

https://avateq.com

Hitomi MatchBox

MatchBox solutions provide precision timing measurement with the MatchBox hardware range, measuring lip-sync, latency and audio coherence across SDI and SMPTE ST 2110 workflows and delivering millisecond-accurate verification essential for maintaining quality in complex production environments.

The modular xFrame platform accommodates up to four MatchBox units, supporting mixed SDI and IP configurations within a single 1-rack-unit chassis. This flexibility proves particularly valuable during infrastructure transitions, enabling broadcasters to verify timing across both legacy and modern workflows simultaneously. MatchBox Glass, a free-to-download iOS application, extends timing measurement capabilities to remote locations, allowing engineers to verify synchronization directly from camera positions—particularly useful for multicamera sports productions and outside broadcasts.

https://hitomi.tv

Cobalt Digital UltraBlue MV-SW Multiviewer

The UltraBlue MV-SW Multiviewer is a software solution for compressed and baseband (ST 2110) IP/SDI streams, available as a turnkey package or software-only. It supports multiple audio/video protocols and formats, offers flexible audio routing and accommodates a full range of applications from broadcast to AV. The intuitive web interface manages inputs and outputs, enables secure multiuser access and allows scalable deployment to evolve alongside customers’ requirements.

Features include easily configured mosaics with arbitrary sizing, graphic overlays, tallies, UMDs and IDs. PIP setups can be copied, saved and restored.

https://cobaltdigital.com

Atomos Ninja TX

The Atomos Ninja TX is purpose-built for precision monitoring. Its ultrabright, 5-inch, 1,500-nit screen—50% brighter than previous Ninjas— delivers crystal-clear visibility in any environment. Packed with professional-grade tools like EL Zone false color, waveform, vectorscope and focus peaking, it empowers creators to fine-tune exposure, framing, color and sharpness with confidence.

Dual HDMI 2.0 and 12G-SDI inputs/outputs, plus HDMI to SDI cross-conversion, make it ideal for hybrid workflows. More than just a monitor, Ninja TX also records ProRes/ ProRes RAW to CFexpress card and external USB-C storage.

www.atomos.com

manifold MULTIVIEWER

The manifold MULTIVIEWER, part of the manifold CLOUD ecosystem, is a 100% software solution running on commercial off-the-shelf FPGA accelerators, including arkona’s AT300. manifold MULTIVIEWER features exceptional density, enabling a single 1-rack-unit server to handle more than 1,000 HD signals, and delivers UHD quality on every monitoring output at the same cost as legacy 3G monitoring.

Although designed for ST 2110 environments, manifold MULTIVIEWER seamlessly combines IP and SDI for mixed environments, providing subframe latency and uncompressed high-quality processing. As workflows become more decentralized and IP-based, the multiviewer’s ability to scale dynamically and deliver uncompromised visual fidelity across the board has become a baseline differentiator. Customers gain the flexibility of virtualization with the performance of dedicated hardware that the live-production industry demands.

https://manifoldtech.tv

Mediaproxy Monwall Multiviewer

Mediaproxy’s Monwall Multiviewer delivers a powerful, software-based approach to monitoring, combining the flexibility of mosaic output with the convenience of interactive client views. Monwall provides operators with Instant MCR Replay for quick verification and compliance, reducing response times when issues arise.

Monwall also goes beyond traditional monitoring by integrating HTML content monitoring, ensuring web streams and online feeds are fully visible alongside linear broadcast sources. Supporting low-latency workflows, Monwall enables seamless home MCR operations, giving teams the confidence to manage live channels and streams remotely without compromise. Whether in a centralized control room or a distributed setup, Monwall provides the scalability, responsiveness and oversight modern broadcasters demand.

www.mediaproxy.com

How Triveni Digital Helps A3SA Secure the Future of ATSC 3.0

By Winston Caldwell Engineering Consultant

ATSC 3.0 Security Authority (A3SA)

BEAVERTON, Ore.—The ATSC 3.0 Security Authority (A3SA) plays a unique and essential role in the NextGen TV ecosystem. As the organization responsible for provisioning security credentials to broadcasters and device manufacturers, A3SA ensures ATSC 3.0 transmissions originate from trusted, Federal Communications Commission-licensed broadcasters and that receivers behave correctly when processing protected content.

To support this mission, A3SA developed a conformance program that allows manufacturers to test their devices against a reference implementation of the ATSC 3.0 security layer. That program relies heavily on Triveni Digital’s GuideBuilder XM, Broadcast Gateway and StreamScope XM Analyzer deployed in a cloudbased environment.

CLOUD-BASED CERTIFICATION

Fully cloud-based, the A3SA certification platform is designed to generate and stream ATSC 3.0-compliant signals with precise timing and configuration. Device manufacturers use these streams to validate receiver behavior against A3SA’s specifications. Timing is especially critical in security contexts, where livestreaming is often required to match the device’s internal clock.

After evaluating multiple vendors, we selected Triveni Digital for its expertise in ATSC 3.0, comprehensive product feature

set and readiness to support cloud deployment. GuideBuilder XM provides metadata management and transport encoding, enabling us to generate signaling metadata and encode IP streams in compliance with ATSC 3.0 standards. Broadcast Gateway, Triveni’s robust scheduler and signal generator for STLTP transmission, ingests IP streams and outputs STLTP signals to TV 3.0 exciters, supporting multisubframe delivery and real-time bitrate monitoring.

To ensure the accuracy of ATSC 3.0 streams, we use Triveni’s StreamScope XM Analyzer in the cloud to inspect signaling tables, credentials and timing. StreamScope XM excels at verifying the presence and correctness of critical elements like signing certificates as well as CDT, SMT and CMS signatures.

We are leveraging StreamScope XM as the final checkpoint before test streams are released for conformance testing. In effect, this solution serves as the “truth” for A3SA conformance, helping us troubleshoot issues and validate configurations with precision.

The broadcast streams generated using Triveni’s ATSC 3.0 solutions also inform how the A3SA proxy system should best respond to requests from devices and broadcast gear. This proxy

system handles provisioning of keys and licenses in the field, making the accuracy of the broadcast configuration essential to the proper functioning of the entire security infrastructure.

As the primary organization deeply focused on the ATSC 3.0 security layer, A3SA continuously defines new requirements and use cases that push the boundaries of existing tools. Triveni’s team has been highly responsive and agile in delivering patches and enhancements that support our evolving needs.

This iterative process benefits both organizations. Our findings influence Triveni’s product development, while Triveni’s expertise helps us implement new features and refine our certification program. We’re at the tip of the spear—defining requirements, implementing them and completing the ecosystem using Triveni equipment. Together, we’re shaping the future of secure ATSC 3.0 broadcasting.

NEXTGEN TV LESSONS

One key takeaway from our experience is the importance of trusted, conformant streams. In broadcasting, once a signal is sent, there is limited opportunity for correction. Without a robust conformance program, device behavior in the field

would be unpredictable.

Triveni’s ATSC 3.0 solutions have been essential in establishing that baseline of trust. Their technology enables A3SA to deliver reference streams that ensure consistent performance across devices, ultimately improving the viewing experience for consumers.

The collaboration between A3SA and Triveni Digital continues to evolve, driving innovation and reliability across the ATSC 3.0 ecosystem. As more NextGen TV deployments roll out, the experience gained through this partnership will benefit broadcasters, manufacturers, and viewers alike. ●

Winston Caldwell is an engineering consultant for A3SA, where he has helped with the development and deployment of the A3SA security system for NextGen TV. With more than 25 years of experience in broadcast engineering, spectrum policy and standards development, Caldwell previously served as vice president of spectrum engineering and advanced engineering at Fox Corp. and received the 2024 NAB TV Engineering Achievement Award. He can be reached at winston@mail.a3sa.com.

More information is available at www.trivenidigital.com

A3SA uses Triveni Digital’s StreamScope XM Analyzer to verify the encryption status of ATSC 3.0 broadcast streams.

Lawo HOME Multiviewer

equipment guide | test/qc &

Lawo’s HOME Multiviewer now features an input video resolution setting called “Dynamic,” which automatically saves IP bandwidth and CPU load by using multiviewer PiPs (picture-in-picture) more efficiently.

HOME automatically selects the resolution that best matches each individual PiP, whether proxy or full-bandwidth feed. It even changes the assignment when users resize a given PiP using theWALL—dynamically and automatically. That means fewer megabits need to travel from .edge to a HOME Multiviewer head, more multiviewer instances can be used on the same server and more network bandwidth is available for other streams. Additionally, dynamic changes to the size of PIPs no longer require substantial amounts of business logic for the VSM infrastructure controller to route the most appropriate proxy to a specific PIP. https://lawo.com

Imagine Communications Imagine Monitoring Solution (IMS)

The Imagine Monitoring Solution is purpose-built for the unique demands of monitoring video networks, delivering full visibility across the entire video chain from ingest to playout. With open APIs and standard protocol support, IMS integrates seamlessly into existing workflows. The video network-specific nature of IMS separates it from the generic IT monitoring tools available on the market today. Media operations gain full-path visibility into the health status of a video network with curated dashboards, smart alerts and historical data—all in a single, intuitive interface.

IMS enables broadcasters, content originators and MSOs to detect issues earlier, resolve them faster and avoid costly outages. Customers benefit from operational savings, reduced maintenance overhead and a deployment model with simple, competitive pricing options, including usage-based subscription pricing. https://imaginecommunications.com

Sony Professional Monitors

Sony’s diverse lineup of professional monitoring options incorporates technologies and capabilities including 4K, HDR, QD-LED, LCD and OLED. Models range from 17 to 77 inches and are suited for almost every budget. Sony’s portfolio accommodates varied and unique applications within field and studio usage, such as reference, critical evaluation, grading, client viewing, broadcast, postproduction and live production.

Designed for the exacting standards of professional production, Sony’s high-quality professional monitors all share the same color gamut for accuracy that’s engineered across the entire lineup. This results in unparalleled consistency and color matching from flagship to entry-level models. Users can also rely on continued enhancements and additional features through firmware updates and optional licenses offering compatibility with Sony’s larger ecosystem of products and solutions.

https://pro.sony/ue_US

Blackmagic Design SmartView 4K 3G

Blackmagic Design’s SmartView 4K 3G, which supports all video standards up to 2160p60, is the first Ultra HD broadcast monitor with both 12G-SDI and SMPTE-2110 IP video inputs, making it the ideal choice for broadcast and live production. This rack-mounted monitor features a slim design for improved ventilation, and its high-resolution display delivers a clean image with deep color fidelity.

Users gain professional monitoring tools, including adjustable brightness, H/V display, zoom for camera focus, vertical and horizontal frame guides, 3D LUT support for accurate color representation and more. With full SMPTE-2110 compliance, NMOS interface compatibility for virtual routing and a free SDK for seamless automation integration, SmartView 4K G3 is the ultimate broadcast-ready monitor for SDI and IP based workflows. www.blackmagicdesign.com

Telestream PRISM

PRISM is a compact waveform monitor designed for live, studio and postproduction workflows. Featuring integrated 3D LUTs, PRISM enables seamless SDR/HDR monitoring without external hardware, streamlining workflows and reducing equipment costs. Its patented HDR tool set includes luma-qualified CIE charts and banded false color modes to ensure precise color accuracy and compliance with exposure standards.

Built for evolving IP infrastructures, PRISM provides users with deep confidence monitoring for SMPTE ST 2110, with full support for JPEG XS compression workflows. It also integrates with Telestream INSPECT, enabling scalable, high-density monitoring with seamless escalation to packet-level diagnostics. Combining advanced visualization with workflow efficiency, PRISM gives engineers and content creators the insight they need to deliver consistent, high-quality results in hybrid SDI/IP environments. PRISM is available in touch-screen and externally supported monitor models. www.telestream.net/video/prism.htm

Nevion Virtuoso

Virtuoso, the software-defined media note from Sony Group company Nevion, not only provides media transport and processing capabilities, but also offers network traffic and video signal monitoring well-suited for many common use cases—often removing the need to invest in specific monitoring equipment. It tracks uncompressed SDI, IP and Transport Stream inputs/outputs, focusing on quality of experience (QoE) parameters that directly affect what viewers see and hear. These include the detection of video freeze and black frames, the monitoring of audio silence, as well as PTP.

Operators gain confidence through visual tools such as video thumbnails and audio level meters in the GUI, confirming signal presence. By combining real-time signal checks with user-friendly visualization, Virtuoso helps operators quickly identify issues, maintain service integrity and assure consistent viewing experiences.

https://nevion.com

equipment guide | test/qc & signal monitoring/video monitors

Interra Systems ORION 2110 Probe

As broadcasters adopt IP networks, Interra Systems’ ORION 2110 Probe is designed as a powerful solution to deal with the diverse complexities and challenges of SDI and IP environments. The 2110 Probe offers comprehensive ST 2110 monitoring, including ST 2110 main and redundancy signals and NMOS-based ST 2110 feed discovery in the network.

Key features include: Monitoring ST-2110 streams for both QoS and QoE; a simple and powerful approach to process metadata-like closed captions, teletext and TCs; the detection of video quality issues throughout the video workflow; support for the monitoring of PTP (Precision Time Protocol) messages for all the Ethernet network interfaces; and a rich set of REST APIs to ensure seamless integration with third-party software. www.interrasystems.com/ORION-2110-Probe.php

Bridge Technologies Perfect AV Sync in Live Production

Bridge Technologies’ VB440 AV Sync Generator ensures precise synchronization of video, audio and metadata across complex IP workflows. Traditional errors, such as audio-sync issues or delayed captions, disrupt immersion and damage trust.

The VB440 counters this with real-time monitoring and precise measurement, all accessible through a standard HTML5 browser. Its AV Sync Generator embeds machine-readable markers into audio signals and visualizes the delta between video and multiple audio channels live, including immersive formats. Engineers gain immediate, granular insight for swift correction. Additional tools such as blink-and-beep cues, rolling shutter simulation and HDR-ready color bars enhance usability, with additional features in development to help users solve the real-world challenges of IP production.

https://bridgetech.tv

STATEMENT OF OWNERSHIP, MANAGEMENT AND CIRCULATION (REQUESTER PUBLICATIONS ONLY)

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2. Publication No.: 3085

3. Filing Date: 10/16/2025

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8. Complete Mailing Address of Headquarters or General Business Office of Publisher: Future US Inc., 130 West 42nd Street, 7th Fl, New York, NY 100367804

9. Full Names and Complete Mailing Addresses of Publisher, Editor and Managing Editor:

Publisher: Adam Goldstein, 130 West 42nd Street, 7th Fl, New York, NY 10036-7804;

Editor: Tom Butts, 130 West 42nd Street, 7th Fl, New York, NY 10036-7804

Managing Editor: Michael Demenchuk, 130 West 42nd Street, 7th Fl, New York, NY 10036-7804

10. Owner: Future US Inc. (Future PLC), 130 West 42nd Street, 7th Fl, New York, NY 10036-7804

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equipment guide | test/qc

Lead-ing the Way Towards Perfect Production Quality

USER REPORT

By John Bagtatlyan Director of Engineering PRG

NEW WINDSOR,

N.Y.

—PRG

is a global leader in production technology, powering creativity across every corner of the live and entertainment industries. While our roots are on Broadway—and we remain deeply entrenched in theater—we now partner with the world’s biggest names in live events, concert tours, corporate experiences, television and film. Today, more than 80% of our work is in 4K or higher.

Clients come to us with an idea, and we turn it into reality. That might be the setup and rental of a couple of digital cinematography cameras for an episodic shoot, or it could be a massive production infrastructure. We’ve even delivered productions on a record-breaking scale—like season one of “Beast Games,” for which we provided more than 300 cameras.

FLYAWAY SYSTEMS FOR SCALE

To support the nature of our business, we build flyaway systems that can interconnect to give us the scale we need. We include all of the video and audio processing, along with routers from Evertz or Ross Video in racks under 63 inches in height so they can fit on a plane. We have to work within tight space constraints, but we also have to remember our ultimate goal of ensuring the highest possible quality all time. So, our systems include signalmeasurement kits, and for that

we rely entirely on Leader. Typically, our racks will include the LV5350 waveform monitor and the LT4670 sync generator.

That means we can easily provide complete timecode, video quality monitoring and measurement, right where the production needs it. Where there needs to be quick adjustment, users can have confidence in what they are seeing. Indeed, the Leader name is widely recognized as the one to choose for video test and measurement, so our clients feel confident knowing we use these instruments. Our quality control starts before the kit gets to the venue. Our camera team, led by Kenny Kato, checks every camera before it goes out. Where necessary, we have built on the manufacturers’ video standards to develop our own PRG quality baselines to deliver the best possible quality and ensure consistency. A large production will have cameras

in multiple formats from many manufacturers, and we ensure that they are matched as closely as is technically feasible. This reduces stress on-site and time in edit.

ALL THE DATA AT A GLANCE

Our camera workshops use the Leader LV7600W rasterizer. This means the engineer can precisely see the measurements they want in the layout they want on a large monitor on a workbench. That includes SDI packet timing as well as waveform and vectors to ensure the perfect signal is being delivered. Being able to see all the information simultaneously is obviously a huge time-saver, and more convenient and costeffective than buying multiple instruments from multiple vendors.

Where we are lining up highquality cameras for episodic shoots, the LV7600W allows the engineer to fully evaluate the

output against a CIE diagram. It helps me confirm whether we’re hitting Rec. 709 or BT2020. The ability to display precise code value, rather than just a waveform, speeds accuracy.

We first used Leader test and measurement equipment in 2015 when we provided the facilities for one of the world’s largest sporting events. It worked well for us, and we have seen no reason to change. Leader Instruments offer us quick and clear access to precision measurement in the form that works best for us and for our clients. They’ve proven to be reliable, efficient tools—and in our view, they’re some of the best products in the industry. ●

John Bagtatlyan is the director of engineering at PRG. He can be reached at J.Bagtatlyan@prg.com

More information is available at https://leaderphabrix.com/.

The PRG engineering team, which relies entirely on Leader signal measurement kits, with the author pictured third from the left.

equipment guide |

Digital Alert Systems Version 6 for DASDEC-III Models

The Version 6 update of Digital Alert Systems’ DASDEC-III models continues the company’s commitment to strengthening security with a series of major and minor improvements. Since this update mainly focuses on security, it is entirely optional.

The update, available late in the fourth quarter, is free for anyone enrolled in the company’s Software Assurance Plan or who has participated in the UP•TRADE program since Oct. 1. The cost for other users varies. Users can contact the factory for more information and should have their serial numbers ready. www.digitalalertsystems.com

Wohler

iVAM2-MPEG SRT Monitor

The Wohler iVAM2-MPEG SRT Monitor decodes MPEG SRT MPEG2, H.264 or H.265 HEVC transport streams, at bit rates of up to 35 Mbps. It parses out the transport stream and presents operators with PID tables, allowing for IP-ready, state-of-the-art MPEG and 12G video and audio monitoring with touch-screen controls and APIs for remote management. It offers independent selection of audio and video PIDs for decoding via an intuitive touchscreen interface. Closed captions are overlaid on the video display, which allows monitoring of captions and subtitles embedded in the MPEG transport stream. Audio monitoring for AAC, Dolby Digital+ or MP3 is supported. The 16-channel monitoring unit accepts MPEG over RJ45 TSoIP. It includes 2x 12G/3G/HD/SD-SDI signals over BNC as standard. www.wohler.com

Panasonic KAIROS Live Production Platform

Panasonic’s KAIROS Live Production Platform ensures quality control and real-time signal and video monitoring across a wide range of formats, providing professionals with unlimited control to deliver rich content for broadcast, large-screen displays and live streams in today’s IP and hybrid production environments. With its IT/IP-native, software-defined architecture, KAIROS enables engineers to precisely monitor multiple signals simultaneously across SDI, ST 2110, NDI and other formats within customizable, multiview layouts. Its GPUbased processing ensures ultra-low latency, accurate color reproduction and HDR support—giving operators confidence in every frame. Built-in signal monitoring tools and intuitive controls streamline QC processes, allowing teams to quickly detect and resolve issues before they affect production. https://connect.na.panasonic.com/av/video

Video Clarity ClearView 9.6

With ClearView 9.6, Video Clarity introduces two new high dynamic range (HDR) full-reference quality metrics using HDRMAX, an independently developed set of HDR to current standard dynamic range (SDR) quality metrics. These enhancements extend the useful life of the most popular and current SDR metrics for an HDR video-quality test workflow. With HDRMAX, developed by the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering at the University of Texas at Austin, Video Clarity now provides an HDR quality metric extension for VMAF and MS-SSIM as a standard feature in the ClearView Video Quality Analyzer. The HDRMAX metric extensions provide highly accurate video-quality assessments (VQA) for 10-bit HDR and all SDR formats,. https://videoclarity.com

products & services marketplace

people on the move

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COMCAST

Comcast Corp. has named Michael J. Cavanagh as co-CEO, effective January 2026. He will serve alongside Brian L. Roberts, who will continue as chairman and co-CEO, and will join the Comcast board at that time. Currently Comcast’s president, Cavanagh joined the Philadelphia-based company in 2015 as chief financial officer. He will be the first CEO of Comcast, which was founded by Brian Roberts’ father, Ralph J. Roberts, in 1963, who is not a Roberts family member.

TELOS ALLIANCE

Telos Alliance has promoted Jim Armstrong to senior director of sales, U.S. and Canada. A 20-year Telos veteran, Armstrong was most recently director, U.S. sales. His new role expands his responsibilities to servicing customers across North America, focusing on the Telos, Omnia, Axia, 25-Seven and Telos Infinity product families. Armstrong had worked for several broadcast equipment manufacturers, including Burk Technology, Gentner Communications, Klotz Digital and SAS, prior to joining Telos in 2006.

AVID

Kenna Hilburn is the new senior vice president of product for Avid. She will lead its product management teams, ensuring a unified and strategic approach to delivering solutions that empower creators and reinforce Avid’s reputation for excellence in product delivery. Hillburn has more than 17 years of experience leading product and business operational teams in the digital media and marketing SaaS industries. Most recently, at Marigold, she spearheaded crossfunctional product operations.

FOR A-AMERICA

For-A America has named Jo Aun to the new post of senior manager of product engineering. Aun, who will report to President and Chief Operating Officer Satoshi Kanemura, will serve as liaison between U.S. customers and the company’s Japan-based engineering teams. He’ll also lead engineering activities, manage system integrations and support the training of U.S.-based staff on For-A’s proprietary IP technologies. Aun was most recently a system consultant with Riedel Communications.

KOKUSAI DENKI

Kokusai Denki Electric America, formerly Hitachi Kokusai Electric, has named Adam Daniul as its Southeast regional sales manager. Reporting to National Sales Manager Kenneth Cyr, he will initially cover Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Louisiana, South Carolina, Tennessee and Texas. He will leverage his strong industry relationships across the region and brand knowledge to develop new business, drive sales and serve existing customers. Previously, Daniul had been vice president, sales at For-A.

ATOMOS

Martin Euredjian has joined Amsterdam-based Atomos as director of advanced imaging. Euredjian brings his wealth of experience, expertise and the intellectual property he developed at eCinema to Atomos to create the next generation of reference-grade monitors and calibration solutions. At eCinema Systems, the company said, Euredjian introduced the DPX monitor series, believed to be the world’s first dual-layer, LCD mastering-grade monitors.

ZIXI

Greg Cox has joined Zixi, a provider of broadcast-quality IP video delivery solutions, as sales director, West Coast. He will be tasked with spearheading Zixi’s sales initiatives across the western United States, with a focus on deepening relationships with broadcasters, sports leagues, streaming platforms and enterprise clients. Most recently vice president, sales and business development at TMT Insights, Cox brings more than 20 years of experience in media and entertainment technology.

STREAMGUYS

Bayside, Calif.-based StreamGuys has promoted Jesse Orr to executive vice president, engineering. Orr’s core responsibilities include bringing more efficiency to StreamGuys and its customer organizations, including maintaining networking and infrastructure, global data centers and working to ensure 100% uptime for both customers’ streams and its suite of services. Additionally, StreamGuys has upped Tim LaBelle to executive vice president, global sales.