TV Tech 526 - October 2026 by publications

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Redefining Live Production How IP is revolutionizing media workflows

equipment guide cloud-based production & distribution/ott

contents

October 2026 volume 44, issue 10

16 13

20 10

AI Independence, Interoperability Fuel IP-Based Media Production New protocols bring more clarity to the emergence of software-defined workflows By Fred Dawson

From Spots to Audiences: How Advanced Advertising Is Reshaping Local TV

From localismn and addressable ads to dynamic ad insertion, the world of televised spots is evolving faster than ever By Max Slater-Robins

TV Tech’s Best of Show At IBC 2026 Winners

Entrants were judged by a panel of industry experts on the criteria of innovation, feature set and efficiency and performance in serving the industry

Cloud Scale and the Architecture of Real-Time Monitoring

How automated cloud resources expand on live demand and the continuoius diagnostic tools needed to keep enterprise systems stable By Karl Paulsen

20 How the AI Era Is Changing Broadcast Documentation

As technology shifts, maintaining good documentation remains mission-critical By John Footen, Lukas Ohdner and Julie Fleischman

equipment guide

user reports cloud-based production & distribution/OTT

in the news

eye on tech

• Avid • LTN • Appear • Sony • Blackmagic Design • Big Blue Marble • Signiant

people

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An Inflection Point for Local TV News? Depending on who you ask, the two biggest developments now impacting local TV news—ownership changes and artificial intelligence—could either greatly enhance the medium or severely diminish it. This dilemma became clearer in August, when the Federal Communications Commission voted to remove the 39% broadcast ownership cap, giving it the authority to approve mergers that exceed that limit on a given station group’s share of the national TV audience on a case-by-case basis if the transactions are deemed “in the public interest.” FCC Chairman Brendan Carr characterized the move as a “break glass” emergency. Comparing the state of local TV news to the local newspaper market, which has been decimated over the past several decades, Carr noted, “I don’t want local broadcast TV to go the way of local newspapers, and yet the risk is real,” adding that over the last two decades, “more than 80% of local journalism jobs have vanished.” FCC Commissioner Anna Gomez dissented, saying the vote “undermines our core public interest principles of localism, viewpoint diversity and competition, while failing to consider or to address the interconnected rules, market realities and economic pressures that define today’s media ecosystem.” The National Association of Broadcasters—which has long advocated the rule changes, partly in response to competition from Silicon Valley—applauded the move, saying the FCC’s vote helps “level the playing field and strengthen local stations’ ability to deliver the trusted news and emergency information millions of Americans rely on.” Of course, this is the same Silicon Valley that is developing artificial intelligence that is quickly becoming even more of a threat to local TV news. Despite the oft-mentioned trope that AI “won’t eliminate jobs, it will just free employees up to do more meaningful work,” that doesn’t really ring true (I’m not sure it ever actually did). On my recent trip to the IBC Show, I saw AI used in monitoring, ad spot generation, news aggregation, scriptwriting, etc. Automation is not new to our industry, but its capabilities are accelerating with each month. One station group that is using AI to help create its daily newscasts has reportedly experienced a few “hiccups” that resulted in dead air on one local station. These incidents have demoralized staff, according to a reader, former TV news director and producer; “Unless you have an airtight contract, staff are either trying to get out of the station, out of the business or just waiting for the next round of pink slips.” When it comes to ownership cap changes, as Gomez observed, there is real concern that such consolidation will diminish the diversity of local voices. Free Press agrees, announcing just after the vote that it was taking the FCC to court. Accusing Carr of cozying up to his “billionaire friends,” the group said the changes could result in “just one or two dominant broadcasters in every market, deep job cuts for journalists, and an influx of bargain-basement content disguised as local news. This spells disaster for the local communities that broadcasters are supposed to serve.” There are definitely good arguments on both sides of this issue and TV Tech is not going to take a position. However, with growing discontent with AI and an increasing divide between consumers and the “billionaire class,” the public has become ever more disenchanted with the media. Local TV is still among the most trusted sources available. What our industry does with these new rules and technology could greatly test that trust over the next few years. Tom Butts Content Director tom.butts@futurenet.com

October 2026 | www.tvtech.com |

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CONTENT Content Director Tom Butts, tom.butts@futurenet.com Content Manager Michael Demenchuk, michael.demenchuk@futurenet Senior Content Producer George Winslow, george.winslow@futurenet.com Contributors: James Careless, Fred Dawson, Michael Heiss, Kevin Hilton, Max Slater-Robins and Mark R. Smith Production Managers: Heather Tatrow, Nicole Schilling Art Directors: Lisa McIntosh, Will Shum ADVERTISING SALES Managing Vice President of Sales, B2B Tech Adam Goldstein, adam.goldstein@futurenet.com Publisher, TV Tech/TVBEurope Joe Palombo, joseph.palombo@futurenet.com SUBSCRIBER CUSTOMER SERVICE To subscribe, change your address, or check on your current account status, go to www.tvtechnology.com and click on About Us, email futureplc@computerfulfillment.com, call 888-266-5828, or write P.O. Box 254, Lowell, MA 01853. LICENSING/REPRINTS/PERMISSIONS TV Technology is available for licensing. Contact the Licensing team to discuss partnership opportunities. Head of Print Licensing Rachel Shaw licensing@futurenet.com MANAGEMENT SVP, MD, B2B Amanda Darman-Allen VP, Market Lead Carmel King MD, Content, Broadcast Tech Paul McLane VP, Global Head of Sales, B2B Dena Malouf VP, Global Head of Strategy & Ops, B2B Allison Markert VP, Product & Marketing, B2B Andrew Buchholz Head of Production US & UK Mark Constance Head of Design, B2B Nicole Cobban FUTURE US, INC. 130 West 42nd Street, 7th Floor, New York, NY 10036

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in the news

Tech Emmy Award Winners Announced The Television Academy and the National Academy of Television Arts & Sciences has announced the recipients of their Emmy Awards given to individuals, companies or organizations for their developments in television engineering, science and technology. The ceremony will be held Oct. 14 at the Television Academy’s Saban Media Center in Hollywood. This joint Engineering, Science and Technology recognition follows word that the two organizations are currently exploring reunification. Previously, the groups combined these ceremonies for the 2014 awards season. The combined awards include: • Charles F. Jenkins Lifetime Achievement Award: Barry B. Zegel (recipient) • Philo T. Farnsworth Corporate Achievement Award: Chapman/Leonard Studio Equipment Inc. (recipient) Engineering, Science & Technology Emmy Award recipients include: • Adobe for Adobe Premiere • Avid Technology for Avid DNx • Benjamin Graf of Accentize Chameleon • James Robinson of Hitomi for MatchBox Glass • Roland Hathaway, Darcey Crownshaw, Frank Balzer and Dean Hathaway of Snow Business USA for Snowbase • Starlink Services, a subsidiary of Space

TCA Revises Bylaws to Address AI

Exploration Technologies Corp., for Starlink •C urt O. Schaller and Dr. Roman Foltyn for the Trinity 2 Hybrid Camera Stabilizer System • SipRadius, NBCUniversal, Grass Valley, CBS Sports, Disney, Game Creek, Amazon and Vindral, for web-based, frame-accurate remote monitoring systems for distributed broadcast production • OBS, Proton, Wave Central and Above Media, for FPV drone camera systems for live sports broadcast coverage • ATSC for standardization of ATSC 3.0 NextGen TV for digital broadcasting • Advanced Media Workflow Association, Sony Corp., BBC and Streampunk Media Ltd., for development of AMWA NMOS discovery, registration and connection • Telecast Fiber Systems, Bluebell Opticom Ltd and MultiDyne Electronics for SMPTE hybrid cable format converter and power injector •D isney Research, Rising Sun Pictures, Digital Domain and Metaphysic (Brahma AI), for AI-based face replacement and performance-preserving postproduction transformation

Fabric Data, TMT Insights Merge to Form Fabric Insights Fabric Data and TMT Insights have merged to form Fabric Insights, uniting authoritative data, purpose-built software, intelligent automation and deep transformation expertise into one company. The merger partners said Fabric Insights creates a new foundation for intelligent orchestration, connecting the systems, people and intelligence that power modern business to optimize value, improve operations and accelerate growth. “We’ve spent years watching the industry add more systems and more technology in an effort to make increasingly complex operations simpler,” said Rob Delf, CEO of Fabric Data, who will serve as CEO of Fabric Insights. “What’s become clear is that the answer isn’t another system, it’s better orchestration across all of them.”

October 2026 | www.tvtech.com |

The combined company will be led by an executive team drawn from both organizations. Fabric Data CEO Rob Delf will be CEO of Fabric Insights. Andy Shenkler, CEO and co-founder of TMT Insights, will be president, with responsibility for product, technology and operations. Hannah Barnhardt, chief operating officer and co-founder of TMT Insights, is the combined company’s chief marketing and engagement officer; and Kira Baca will continue as chief strategy and growth officer, overseeing the newly combined customer sales and success teams.

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The Television Critics Association has voted to amend its bylaws to prohibit generative AI usage in members’ work and expand membership criteria to include new forms of content creation. Recognizing changes in media, the TCA—a nonprofit, member-run organization of more than 220 who cover TV—now welcomes “professional television critics, reporters, writers, editors and/or hosts who produce insightful, ethical, high-quality television criticism, reporting and coverage that is distributed to the public.” That includes podcasters and creator-journalists whose work appears across mediums, such as e-mail newsletters and vertical video. “People trust TCA members for their original reporting, insightful analysis, and helpful reviews and should be able to find TCA members in any medium,” said TCA President Andy Dehnart, founder of the reality TV news site Reality Blurred. “Our bylaws have always held members to high journalistic standards. These updates reflect how journalism has evolved and the work our members already do while welcoming professional creator-journalists and people who work across new platforms and formats.” TCA’s new AI guidelines allow members to use industry-standard tools, but expressly prohibit publishing work produced entirely by generative AI. “The addition of a clear AI policy ensures our audiences and those in the industry know that TCA members will not misrepresent a machine’s text as their own,” Dehnart explained. “This practice is especially concerning since generative AI is built on the stolen work of TV critics, journalists, media organizations and other writers and artists. I’m proud that TCA members decided to make clear what is acceptable and what is not.”

in the news OPINION

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Can the FCC Rise Above It All? The latest in the ongoing battle notice of proposed rulemaking between the Trump administraon the transition to ATSC 3.0 and tion and the media erupted in late sunsetting of ATSC 1.0, can set September, with the White House aside any animosity that may have TV pool members—NBC, ABC, festered as these skirmishes with CBS and Fox—saying they would the media have unfolded. stop providing pool coverage of To date, the regulator has presidential events. shown its ability to do so. Look The organizations were no further than the national prompted to do so because of broadcast ownership cap, widely President Donald Trump’s Sept. regarded as the industry’s No. Phil Kurz 18 decision to ban CNN, MS NOW 1 priority going into Trump’s and Politico from the White House. Three second term. In August, the FCC adopted a days later, the three media organizations report and order replacing the 39% cap with a sued to reverse the ban. new approach based on case-by-case reviews. To save a bit of time and guard against Of course, there has been one legal chalforgetfulness, it seemed wise to ask Google lenge and more are expected, but the fact Gemini to “list the actions of the FCC and the agency rose above it all may bode well other federal departments or agencies against for broadcast TV as the FCC moves forward TV organizations during the second Trump on what may be the industry’s No. 2 priority administration.” for this administration. That’s not to suggest Nine items popped up, including the early broadcasters will get everything they want license-renewal review and threats against from a rulemaking on the 3.0 transition and ABC/Disney; an equal-time rule challenge 1.0 sunset, but it at least demonstrates the involving ABC O&O KTRK-TV Houston and agency—and its flesh-and-blood commis“The View”; news-distortion inquiries into sioners, each with his or her own thoughts, CBS related to the editing of a 2024 “60 Minexperiences and biases—has the capacity to utes” interview with former Vice President consider the issues in the NPRM fairly. Kamala Harris, then a presidential candiSetting aside the ongoing feud between date; the defunding of public television; and the administration and media, it’s important several others. for regulators to remember what’s riding on Regardless of one’s political leanings, it’s a successful 3.0 transition. A rulemaking that safe to say the state of affairs between the establishes a date or dates certain to sunset media and the Trump administration can 1.0 and authorizes broadcasters to flip the at best be described as strained. All of this channel-sharing script to free up additional TV makes one wonder whether the Federal Comspectrum is necessary if the industry is to reach munications Commission, which has an open its full potential in serving the public interest. Freeing up additional spectrum by sunsetting 1.0 will enable broadcasters to devote bits they do not have today to delivering emergency alerting and information messages far superior to today’s Emergency Alert System. Devoting additional spectrum to 3.0 will even enable terrestrial delivery of precise timing data to back up vulnerable satellite-based GPS service. Time will tell if the FCC can continue to rise above From L: FCC Commissioner Anna Gomez, Chairman Brendan Carr and it all. One can only hope. ● Commissioner Olivia Trusty.

October 2026 | www.tvtech.com |

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First EAS Test in Three Years Scheduled for Nov. 17 The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA, in coordination with the FCC, will conduct a nationwide Emergency Alert System test on Nov. 17. All EAS participants—including nearly all licensed U.S. radio and TV stations—are required to participate in the test and submit required filings in the commission’s EAS Test Reporting System (ETRS). If conditions on that date require rescheduling, the alternate test date is Dec. 3. This is the first national periodic test since 2023. In the past, these tests have occurred every two years. Prior to the test, all EAS participants must submit their annual ETRS Form One for calendar year 2026 no later than Oct. 30. FEMA will transmit the nationwide

test Nov. 17 at 2:20 p.m. ET using the Integrated Public Alert and Warning System, according to the commission. The test will be disseminated in English and Spanish as a Common Alerting Protocol message using the Nationwide Test of the EAS (NPT) event code. It will be geo-targeted using the AllU.S. (000000) geocode, according to FEMA. The test message audio and text, which the commission said is designed to be identical to the greatest extent possible, will be: “This is a nationwide test of the Emergency Alert System, issued by the Federal Emergency Management Agency, covering the United States from 2:20 to 2:50 hours ET. This is only a test. No action is required by the public.” For more information, visit www.fcc. gov/general/eas-test-reporting-system.

live production

AI Independence, Interoperability Fuel IP-Based Media Production New protocols bring more clarity to the emergence of software-defined workflows By Fred Dawson

The case for broadcasters’ transition to IPbased live content production is stronger than ever as suppliers of every stripe roll out products built to standards that support vendor interoperability and common approaches to creating customer-specific AI solutions. Much of this transformation is fueled by increased interest in how MXL (Media eXchange Layer) is impacting product development. Launched as part of the European Broadcasting Union’s Digital Media Facility initiative in 2024, MXL promotes software interoperability via shared compute, allowing the Model Context Protocol (MCP) to standardize how AI agents and large language models (LLMs) connect to broadcast systems. Although these specifications were in tire-kicking mode just a year ago, solutions introduced at last month’s IBC Show in Amsterdam are equipping broadcasters with unprecedented levels of efficiency and functionality as they transition to ever-greater reliance on IP production workflows. From now on, producers of sports, news and other live content will be able to seize new opportunities to serve consumers whenever and wherever they arise without enduring the learning curves and forklifting that have long plagued industry advancement. Or, as Grass Valley Chief Revenue Officer Tim Banks put it at a customer gathering in Amsterdam, “Transformation has become business as usual.” With AI tools at hand and hardware- and software-level vendor lock-in in the rearview mirror, the widely shared goal of doing “ever more for ever less” is no longer out of reach, Banks said.

AI EVERYWHERE Those are bold assertions, but at IBC they were backed by a chorus singing the same tune wherever you turned. While “doing ever more” has long been a selling point for the IP-based software versatility associated with general-purpose commodity processors, the notion of “doing everything for ever less,” as enabled by AI, might be what seals the case for IP. As at NAB Show, AI was ubiquitously

October 2026 | www.tvtech.com |

present in vendor solutions of every stripe. The big difference at this event was the extent to which vendors facilitated customer-built agentic AI solutions using open LLMs without being shoehorned into prebuilt AI tools. Critically, along with enabling customization, the DIY approach avoids opening broadcasters’ databases to third-party suppliers. For example, Imagine Communications

choose between their own custom-built agents and supplier-developed AI tools. As vendor support for MCP helps broadcasters maximize the benefits of AI, growing adoption of the EBU’s DMF guidelines and MXL specifications is transforming cross-vendor interoperability. Together, these open standards allow media organizations to get the most from their real-time production

Grass Valley Jon Wilson spoke at the Grass Valley Forum just prior to IBC 2026.

has adjusted its strategy to ensure customers can use its core products while leveraging the liberating force of commonly supported MCP interfaces to infuse workflows with AI capabilities, according to Chief Revenue Officer Glodina Lostanlen. Imagine, now an independent operating unit of Lumine Group, is focused on seamless integration, she said. By providing their AI systems with secure, governed access to Imagine’s platforms through standardized gateways, “we’re able to show customers how to personalize their own experiences instead of us trying to cover everything,” Lostanlen said. “We’re going to focus on what we’re good at and make it easier for our channel partners and customers to take it to the next level.” Those benefits also extend to deploying vendor-built AI solutions. By using MCP interfaces, Imagine and all others working in this new environment make it easier for customers to

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workflows. DMF, a work in progress that’s formalizing standards for software-based media processing, and the MXL SDK are game-changers. That’s true for a company like Grass Valley, whose AMPP platform has long supported vendor interoperability across different infrastructure environments on-premises and in the cloud. “We don’t believe customers have to make economic bets on which technologies are best,” said Grass Valley CEO Jon Wilson. Answering the question of “how do I modernize without disrupting what I have?” won’t be “about one technology replacing another,” he added. “It’s about having the right technology in the right place as needs evolve.” In one of the many instances where the new approach to interchanging competing vendor options has taken hold, Grass Valley and Lawo are leveraging DMF and MXL to enable customers to validate orchestration,

live production control and media exchange integration between the AMPP and Lawo HOME platforms, both of which provide a software-based foundation for live production and media workflows across cloud, edge and hybrid environments. A broadcaster working with an AMPP-based workflow “can route HOME into Grass Valley infrastructure and control it from there or do it the other way around where Lawo can control AMPP,” Wilson said. Andreas Hilmer, chief marketing officer at Lawo, said this allows the company to offer “far greater flexibility following the principles of DMF with generic support for processing any function on the same stack of commodity hardware.” “In live production, we can spin up whatever processing support we need on a per-app basis,” he added. While Lawo supports screen conversions in real time across NDI, SRT and ST 2110, ST 2110 is proving itself as the go-to solution for IP-based live production, he said.

MXL TAKES CENTER STAGE Kevin Cottam, vice president of global sports and live events at Ross Video, agreed with that assessment.

Lawo Chief Marketing Officer Andreas Hilmer

Touting the release of Ross’ new high-capacity Ultrix FR30 routing and signal processing platform at IBC, Cottam said the company has “made leaps and bounds with 2110 right through to filling every pixel with real-time data-driven graphics.” For in-venue and distributed sports productions alike, “we’re able to take in scores with automated

updates bound to producers’ graphics templates,” he added. The 30-rack-unit Ultrix FR30 is a “huge leap,” offering the capacity to scale routing, audio and video processing, and production switching across ST 2110, SRT, NDI and Dante AV flows to new levels, Cottam added. Ross is also seeing strong demand for its XPression.cloud platform, which uses AI to identify appropriate templates and expedite graphics-related asset retrieval, creativity and generation, he said. “AI is changing everything we do,” he noted. And MXL is taking center stage as “part of the whole distribution strategy.” That impact is also being felt by Telos Alliance, which has announced a spate of new hardware and software products that leverage partnerships touching on every aspect of the audio workflow. “In the past, we would have had to develop solutions for companies X, Y and Z,” said John Schur, president of Telos Alliance TV Solutions Group. “Now, because we’ve embraced MXL with both arms, we don’t have to do a lot of additional work to be running in all those places.” Currently, the “biggest area we’re working

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live production on is observability applied to analysis of audio streams and generation of notifications,” Schur added. “Unlike video, where with multiviewing you can pick out anomalies across multiple channels, you can’t listen to 100 streams of audio at once. Our platform’s new enhancements allow us to do the listening for you in an automated fashion.”

‘FUNDAMENTAL BACKBONE’ On another front, Sony is using DMF-aligned products with MXL and AI support to expand multivendor interoperability in software-defined live productions large and small by tying workflows directly into camera capture across premises and public cloud locations. “IP is the fundamental backbone connecting all these tiers of production,” said Rob Thorne, category head for networked live solutions at Sony Europe. Sony’s first application running on the Nevion MOXELA broadcast platform bridges contribution transport over “We’re automating and configuring the unmanaged networks and supports software-defined broadcasting workflows in scalable and infrastructurewhole production environment with independent live production environments. global management solutions.” At IBC, Sony’s Nevion division “You don’t have to be an AWS cloud expert to launched its first commercial applications for support automation.” the recently introduced MOXELA broadcast Among other significant developments, platform. One product bridges contribution Sony brought high-end AI-assisted autoftransport over unmanaged networks between raming capabilities into smaller production on-prem and public cloud processing, and the PTZ cameras, including the SRG-AS10 second supports software-defined broadcastand SRG-XS10 models. “AI support tracks ing workflows for more agile, scalable and images and people, delivering high-quality infrastructure-independent live production capture for an immersive viewing experienvironments that integrate with Nevion’s ence that takes into account the environVideoIPath media orchestration platform. ment you’re in,” Thorne noted. “Until now, Supported functions include multiple A/V this capability was only available in our compression formats, logo insertion and top-tier cameras.” audio matrix routing, Thorne said, noting, Matrox Video is another longtime production hardware supplier that has been among the most aggressive users of MXL in the migration to IP software-defined workflows. A little over a year ago, Matrox was one of six Telos Alliance TV Solutions Group President Jon Schur companies committing to MXL as its software this instance, covered over 2,000 kilometers development kit (SDK) hit the market. “Now of remote roads in Newfoundland. everybody is talking about DMF and MXL,” The multivendor project was anchored by said Matrox Senior Marketing Manager Kimblended satellite and terrestrial connectivity berly Brown. provided by Dejero, with Monarch Edge-enBut that doesn’t mean customers should coded coverage fed into the GlobalM GMX be expected to abandon reliance on powsoftware-defined cloud media platform using erful hardware workhorses like the Matrox containerized processing for output relayed Monarch Edge remote production encoder, from reception in Waterloo, Ontario, to she said. “It’s not a software versus hardware Amsterdam. “It’s the first time we’re doing story, and we’re sticking with that story,” intercontinental remote live production,” Brown said. The case was made in a live feed Brown said. “What we’re showing really opens at IBC covering Targa Newfoundland, North up a lot of workflows that stick to the story of America’s only tarmac rally, a long-distance Ross Video VP of Global Sports and Live Events Kevn Cottam doing more with less.” ● automobile race over paved roads which, in

October 2026 | www.tvtech.com |

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advanced advertising

From Spots to Audiences: How Advanced Advertising Is Reshaping Local TV From localism to addressable ads and dynamic ad insertion, the world of televised spots is evolving faster than ever By Max Slater-Robins

Local TV advertising has long been built around a core concept: reach. An advertiser buys a spot against a program or daypart, then the commercial goes out to the audience watching at that moment. In 2026, that model remains hugely valuable, but it sits alongside a digital advertising economy where buyers have grown used to defining audiences more precisely and following campaigns across different screens. Advanced advertising is beginning to change that relationship. In simple terms, broadcasters can make parts of their inventory addressable and automate more of the buying process, while streaming and connected TV (CTV) create room for formats beyond the familiar 30-second spot. Better measurement naturally also gives advertisers a clearer view of who they reached and, importantly, what happened next. TV and digital ad models essentially become mixed. Hearst Television is already putting this new model into practice. At WLWT Cincinnati,

Yospace’s recently launched Ad Presentation solution is designed to support pause ads, overlays, squeeze-backs and L-banners across both server-side ad insertion (SSAI) and SGAI workflows.

selected inventory can be replaced at the household level for eligible viewers reached through an integrated multichannel video programming distributor (MVPD) partner, giving advertisers a more targeted way into a traditional local broadcast environment. The technology has begun to move from concept to deployment; the harder work now lies in extending that reach and making the various systems behind it function as one coherent market. To make sense of advanced ads, TV Tech spoke to executives across the TV stack.

LOCAL TV GETS PERSONAL

John Robertson, Vice President of Distribution, Hearst Television

For a local advertiser, the appeal of addressability is fairly simple: a business may want TV’s reach and premium environment without paying to cover every household in a market. At WLWT, Hearst identifies specific inventory for replacement and sends the required SCTE signaling into a workflow shared with Viamedia and an MVPD distribution partner. Viamedia’s ad-decisioning technology, Parrot ADS, can then insert a different

commercial for an eligible household, while viewers outside the addressable footprint continue to see the original linear spot. “We are still early, but we like what we are seeing from a performance standpoint,” John Robertson, vice president of distribution at Hearst Television, said. Based on its experience at WLWT, Hearst said the dynamic ad-insertion capability could unlock an increase of up to 25% in monetizable impressions. Robertson is also cautious about reading too much into the deployment at this stage, saying there is not yet enough impression volume to draw broader conclusions around demand or pricing. For Viamedia.ai, the audience comes first. Its president and chief strategy officer, Evan Rutchik, said advertisers can begin with viewers they want to reach, using demographic or geographic signals alongside first-party data where appropriate. A car dealer, for example, could concentrate spend around its local customer base, while a healthcare provider can focus on communities close to its locations. “The point is not to make

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advanced advertising the audience as narrow as possible,” Rutchik said, but to give advertisers more control over who they reach while retaining TV’s scale. Sinclair is exploring another route into advanced local advertising. In June, Sinclair announced a strategic investment in IRCODE, a company specializing in computer vision and AI aimed at making television interactive and shoppable. It also set plans to roll out IRCODE Lens at stations in Salt Lake City and Austin, Texas, using station apps and image recognition to connect what viewers see on TV with interactive content and commerce. Sinclair’s ONE Media Technologies also included dynamic ad insertion in the test program for its June ATSC 3.0 interoperability event. For Hearst, scaling household addressability will require a wider footprint. “We need greater scale across MVPDs and eventually vMVPDs,” Robertson said. Hearst also wants better ways to forecast and price the addressable share of a linear unit. Ultimately, measurement has to value both sides of the break—the households receiving an addressable replacement and the linear audience that remains. For now, householdlevel targeting remains available across selected parts of the local TV audience, rather than the whole market.

FROM SPOTS TO AUDIENCES Hearst said its addressable inventory can already be bought directly or programmatically, with the same basic aim of reaching specific

households inside a local market. Making that kind of buying routine calls for a different commercial setup behind the screen. Linear and digital inventory have traditionally been planned and fulfilled through separate systems, even as viewers move between broadcast TV and internet streaming.

“The technology is ready. But it requires both advertisers and broadcasters to start shifting from a spotbased mindset and toward an audiencebased solution.” DAN WALSH, IMAGINE COMMUNICATIONS

Dan Walsh, senior vice president of product management at Imagine Communications, said his customers have largely accepted the case for convergence. The focus now is on how to make it happen. “The technology is ready,” he said. “But it requires both advertisers and broadcasters to start shifting from a spot-based mindset and toward an audience-based solution.”

Ad-Measurement Challenges As campaigns spread across linear TV and streaming, measurement becomes harder to keep consistent. Buyers need to understand how many people they reached and how often, even when those impressions were delivered through different distribution paths. Local TV adds another complication, with markets varying hugely in size and audiences spread across different viewing routes. The Coalition for Innovative Media Measurement and the Television Bureau of Advertising addressed some of those issues in new local TV and video currency guidelines, released in May. The framework calls for measurement that reflects the different ways viewers access local TV and video and works across markets of different sizes. It also says services used for transactions should be reliable enough to support forecasting and guarantees, with their methodology and limitations clearly disclosed. “Fragmentation is one of the biggest

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Imagine still sees limits to how much inventory broadcasters should hand to programmatic platforms. Walsh argues automation works particularly well for inventory that direct sales struggle to monetize, while premium spots can remain under tighter control. “The key metric is profit; optimizing both revenue and cost,” he said. For local buyers, Walsh says automation could also reduce the cost and complexity of direct sales, opening TV to businesses that might otherwise avoid it. The same convergence is reaching the back office. Operative’s recent platform launch combines advertising and broadcast management with agentic workflow tools that entered beta in September, with wider availability planned for December.

BEYOND THE 30-SECOND SPOT Streaming is creating more room to sell ads outside of the traditional TV break. Yospace said it stitched 11.57 billion one-to-one ads into live streams during the 2026 FIFA World Cup, including 13 million in a 2-minute window at the start of halftime during the England-Norway match. Server-Guided Ad Insertion (SGAI) is one route into a more flexible streaming environment, separating ad delivery from the main content stream while retaining server-side guidance. Yospace’s recently launched Ad Presentation solution is designed to support

challenges in television advertising today,” Viamedia’s Rutchik said. Different environments can use their own technology and reporting, leaving advertisers to reconcile campaigns after the fact. Viamedia is trying to apply a common decisioning and audience framework across different types of inventory, although Rutchik acknowledged that the underlying technical differences remain. Yospace sees a similar problem at device level, where broadcasters need measurement to work across CTV players with very different capabilities, including environments they do not control. The Interactive Advertising Bureau (IAB) is also working to give the market a shared language. Its draft Redefining Media Types framework classifies video environments around the viewing experience and operational signals in an attempt to make planning and measurement more consistent as older distinctions between TV and digital video become harder to apply. ❚ Max Slater-Robins

advanced advertising said. Frommert expects demand for versioning to grow, while keeping human approval in the workflow before anything goes to air.

pause-screen ads, overlays, squeeze-backs and L-banners across both server-side ad insertion (SSAI) and SGAI workflows. “Pause ads have already gained meaningful traction because they create an ad opportunity when the viewer has already chosen to pause the content,” said Paul Davies, head of marketing at Yospace. IAB Tech Lab finalized signaling guidance for its CTV Ad Portfolio in July, while Warner Bros. Discovery used its 2026 upfront to unveil shoppable pause ads and dynamic creative that can respond to the scene immediately before the break.

MAKING ADVANCED ADVERTISING WORK AT SCALE

More precise targeting also creates a practical production problem: Advertisers may need far more versions of the same campaign. Broadcast technology company ENCO Systems said generative AI is one way to make that manageable, especially for local businesses that lack the budget or resources for traditional video production. ENCO President Ken Frommert said AI is already changing the sales process. “We have customers using SPECai to analyze an

Ken Frommert, President, ENCO Systems

advertiser’s website and create a spec spot before they ever walk through the door,” he said. SPOTai extends the concept into video, making it easier to produce finished commercials and alternate versions. “The more precisely advertising can be targeted, the less sense it makes for every audience to receive exactly the same creative,” he

Credit: istockphoto

CREATING ENOUGH ADS

Advanced advertising is moving closer to the everyday business of local TV. Hearst’s WLWT deployment shows household-level replacement working in a real market, and the wider industry is making audience-based buying and newer streaming formats easier to use. The pace of adoption will depend on wider distribution support and the development of common standards. Broadcasters also need measurement that can follow campaigns across the viewing paths advertisers increasingly treat as one market. “Addressable television really reaches scale when advertisers stop having to think of it as a specialized product,” Rutchik said. That may be the clearest marker of where the market is heading. Once the machinery can disappear into the background, the shift from spots to audiences becomes part of the normal business of local TV. ●

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best of show | ise 2026

TV Tech honored the best of technology at IBC 2026 with our Best of Show Awards. Entrants were judged by a panel of industry experts on the criteria of innovation, feature set, cost efficiency and performance in serving the industry. Credit: XXXXX/Getty Images

Congratulations to the winners! 16

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best of show | ibc 2026

AJA Video Systems FS8 Akta Akta AI First Video Platform Amagi Amagi Newspulse Amazon Web Services AWS Elemental MediaPackage Dynamic Multiview Appear Appear X Platform Media Firewall Astera QuikBeam Avid Avid Media Composer 2026.8 Beamr AI Quality Enhancement BeckTV BeckFlow Bridge Technologies TS Playout Feature Clear-Com FreeSpeak Cell Cobalt Digital Hybrid Satellite Solution Dejero Dejero TITAN DJI DJI Osmo Pocket 4P Eluvio Eluvio Global Broadcast Fabric Eluvio Eluvio Video Intelligence

ENCO enCue AI Production Tool for Video Editing and Content Repurposing ENCO ENCO enCaption Solutions With Multilingual Captioning and On-Prem Translation Evertz ENX Liquid Cooled

Shure Action Isolator with DCA901

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Guangdong SIRUI Optical Co., Ltd SIRUI Aurora 15mm F1.6 Full-frame Autofocus Lens

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Haivision Makito ONE IN2CORE Native 12G-SDI Multichannel I/O for iPad With ThunderFace 4K Duo+ InSync MCC-UHD-XT Marshall Electronics Marshall Electronics CV320 Mediagenix Mediagenix Agentic Workflows for Media Operations

NetOn.Live LiveOS

Ross Video XPression Chameleon MOS Hybrid HTML5 Workflow

Signiant Signiant Verify

Flanders Scientific GaiaColor AutoCal and Analyzer

NETGEAR NETGEAR Align Controller

QuickLink QuickLink StudioEdge

Venera Technologies CapMate Verimatrix Verimatrix Streamkeeper Suite Vizrt TriCaster Vizion AI/R TVision R³ Engine macOS Edition

Scan here to view the winners of the TVBEurope Best of Show Awards!

Proton Camera Innovations GmbH PROTON IS

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Adobe Generative Media Tool in Premiere

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cloudspotter’s journal

Cloud Scale and the Architecture of Real-Time Monitoring How automated cloud resources expand on live demand and the continuous diagnostic tools required to keep enterprise systems stable

Clouds scale, in part, like computers or storage (i.e., horizontally, vertically or diagonally)— as described earlier—with diagonal scaling adding a dynamic, real-time element.

n my August column, I explored cloud resource monitoring—placing emphasis on private clouds, data centers and cloud structure—and introduced the needs and requirements for scalability and monitoring. As a brief review and to set the tone for the conclusion, the definition of scale has multiple interpretations.

DYNAMIC SCALING

All clouds need to behave dynamically—that is, to expand or EXPERTISE contract in reaction to the needs or demands of clients using their SCALE KARL PAULSEN services. Diagonal scaling is a “Scale” can mean “size,” or the hybrid of vertical and horizontal scaling in dimensional physical property usually assowhich a system first scales horizontally, addciated with ground space. Scalability refers to ing more instances until it hits a limit. that space’s ability to (easily) expand to house Those instances are then upgraded vermore space, equipment or growth. tically to larger sizes to handle even more For instance, in computing, Lenovo deintensive workloads. Often, the larger size scribes scale as a system’s ability to handle means bringing on additional equipment that growing amounts of work, data or users withwaits in standby until the management sysout losing performance or stability. tem calls upon it, or when the software that When discussing storage—such as disk requires those services demands it. drives or arrays—core scaling is described as Road maps, associated in part with artificial vertical scaling, or “scaling up.” To scale up intelligence, will be a system’s ability to “selfis to add more power, such as faster CPUs or scale.” Here, a cloud enables DevOps pipelines GPUs, more memory or larger storage capacito automatically allocate computing resources ty, especially on a single machine or server. based on real-time traffic and, as demands Horizontal scaling, or “scaling out,” means to add more individual computers or servers to share the workload. Other meanings in computing include “UI scaling,” image scaling or using a mathematical multiplier to convert a range of numbers or values to fit a specific digital format.

spike, the system employs “auto scaling” to ensure the application doesn’t crash.

MONITORING Both human and machine-based monitoring systems must interchange and, in turn, support commercial and technical scalability to accommodate rapid growth and evolving needs. Bugs will trigger other routines that can automatically change flows, spin up alternative code sets and even halt the testing process while another fix or solution can be deployed to serve as corrective actions. This further enables the active system to avoid large up-front commitments and to prefer solutions that scale easily as needed. Alternative solutions can then demonstrate immediate value without extensive proof of concept. “Technical scalability” promotes easy expansion without significant additional effort or cost—up front or downstream.

SERVICE MECHANISMS Automated systems are engineered into the cloud “package” specific to the service provider and are typically key marketing and performance factors. Such systems depend on automation to make these transitions “seamless” and usually

CLOUD SCALING Cloud scaling is the ability of cloud computing infrastructure to dynamically adjust resources—like computing power, storage or network bandwidth—either up or down to match changing workloads. Unlike traditional, chassis-centric physical servers (or frameworks), which typically require manually adding physical components as in hardware upgrades, cloud environments scale almost instantly using automated software. Fig. 1 shows a breakdown of how clouds scale, the mechanisms they use and how that differs from traditional infrastructure.

October 2026 | www.tvtech.com |

Fig. 1: Cloud scaling mechanisms (scaling up and scaling out).

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cloudspotter’s journal “hands-off” for users, except in specific cases in which the cloud model has been contracted to scale based upon various factors. Those factors can include overruns or the need to meet time-constrained deadlines or demands, using tools such as “load balancers,” which act as traffic directors that sit in front of the application. As new servers are added (via horizontal scaling), the load balancer (Fig. 2) automatically starts routing a portion of the incoming user traffic to them, so that no single server gets overwhelmed. Another tool available is serverless computing. This form of scaling (such as AWS Lambda or Google Cloud Functions) is where developers write code and the cloud provider handles everything else. If zero people use the app, zero servers run. If 10,000 people trigger the app at the same second, the cloud instantly runs 10,000 parallel copies of the code. Remember that scaling is the system’s capability to handle growth, focused on longterm capacity planning or meeting a specific high-demand baseline. However, while often used interchangeably with scaling, elasticity is the speed and fluidity with which the system handles both spikes and drops in real time (focused on immediate adaptation to fluctuating demands). Fluidity means the smooth, seamless and automated movement of resources as they expand and contract in real time. Zero human intervention is the action where cloud (and AI) systems need to shrink and expand automatically based on live demand, without needing a human to manually approve or configure new servers. Instant adaptability refers to “continual availability,” “load predictability/reactivity” and “reactional monitoring”—each are key parts of a cloud’s enterprise solution. For example, when an app goes viral on social media, compute resources must flow into the system within seconds to handle the spike. When the “viral” rush ends, those resources must drain away just as fast. Cost efficiency is where cloud providers advertise that “you only pay for what you use.” The system is engineered with a fluid infrastructure and automatically changes the scale of service, with the cost dynamics (aka billing) remaining flexible. As a result, the cloud provider seldom leaves expensive, unused servers sitting idle when traffic is modest, but it is ready to provision those servers and bring them online nearly instantly. A robust monitoring platform should also have a large ecosystem of free, vendor-backed integrations. Open-source solutions often require ongoing maintenance and custom integration efforts. Many startups lack comprehensive,

Fig. 2: Dynamic scaling (load balancing).

supported integrations. They prefer vendorbacked integrations from stable, established companies to ensure support and reliability.

UP-TO-DATE DOCUMENTATION Good and current documentation is essential for quick setup and ongoing maintenance, whether for cloud-only or AI applications. Clear, up-to-date, software-centric documentation supported in the cloud will allow for both manual and automated diagnostics reporting and analysis. Complete documentation should be detailed, accessible, and include human-readable screenshots. It should be linked to those subroutines for quick reporting that can be married into an AI training process. By employing a large language model (LLM), testing and monitoring systems can quickly locate and isolate both the code and the instructions to speed diagnosis and corrective identification. By using an LLM library of diagnostic processes, anyone can be tagged into the testing process, alleviating the need for specialized subject matter experts during nominal testing, unnecessarily spinning up changes or manipulating core systems.

CONFIGURABLE MONITORS AND ALERTS Monitoring tools should allow for easy configuration of persistent, reliable monitors and alerts, i.e.: • Monitors should adapt to infrastructure changes without breaking. • Tag-based queries should enable comprehensive and flexible alerting. • Persistent alerts should ensure continuous monitoring regardless of environment changes.

REAL-TIME AND COLLABORATION INTEGRATION Alerts must be efficiently routed to the right stakeholders, consisting of project managers,

SMEs and software owners. Avoid alerts buried in email or unsupported notification systems. They must integrate with downstream tools like PagerDuty, ServiceNow or customized workflows. Centralized monitoring should support combined infrastructure and DevOps process alerts for faster troubleshooting.

DEVELOPER ACCESS WITHOUT INFRASTRUCTURE EXPOSURE Developers often need access to performance data without risking security or compliance violations. Key practices include: • Providing secure, read-only access to logs, metrics and traces. • Giving developers access to relevant troubleshooting data without having to wade through cloud infrastructure access policies. • Creating safe environments where developers can monitor code and deployment integration securely to speed infrastructure development and flow, reducing risks from failure or security compromises. Monitoring tools should integrate relevant data from all phases of the DevOps cycle—often in real time—rather than requiring teams to linger on lengthy reports that require multiple sign-offs before moving through each step of the diagnostic model set. Comprehensive enterprise DevOps monitoring requirements for the cloud will likely evolve through each cycle and should be thought of in future uses and applications. This is especially useful where a system can self-train cloud servers to move through effective procedures, minimizing no results and unnecessary repetitive processes. ● Karl Paulsen, CPBE and SMPTE fellow, is a retired chief technology officer and a longtime contributor to TV Tech on media technologies and workflows, AI and the cloud. He can be reached at karl@ivideoserver.tv or via TV Tech.

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

media matrix

How the AI Era Is Changing Broadcast Documentation As technology shifts, maintaining good documentation remains mission-critical

Credit:da-kuk/Getty Images

where we must document virtualized systems humans to interact with complex datasets. nyone who has worked in the broadand complex, nondeterministic software Computers, by contrast, are better suited to cast industry long enough has at such as AI agents as they spread through our process huge amounts of numeric data. AI is least one story of taking something organizations. Modern approaches to media now able to help us bridge these two worlds. off the air—and when it happens, systems documentation are needed. Soon, many design engineers will be using the pressure immediately kicks in to restore Our challenge lies now in the rapid expanAI to produce system designs. There are service as quickly as possible. In practice, that sion of documentation scope. The format we guaranteed to be differing opinions, but one may involve hardware swaps, signal redirecare familiar with is the AutoCAD detailed principle is clear: data and visualizations both tion and even repatching inputs and outputs. design drawing. This format has proven useful remain essential. Those time-sensitive situations don’t often to illustrate signal flow and the physical Drawings can be created from the data, and allow for someone standing by to capture layer. However, it can rarely capture all the data can be updated instantly with changes all the changes being made in the moment. important, logical details such as network made to drawings and even the real-world And even when it is not an on-air emergency, configuration data. telemetry of system changes. A single source sometimes changes need to be made rapidly, The traditional broadcast drawing is of truth becomes obtainable. Models can be established processes fall by the wayside and insufficient. Just like during the transition trained on device configurations, network documentation suffers from neglect. to computer-assisted design many decades connectivity patterns, and efficient infraMaintaining good documentation is central ago, those who embrace new methods and structure design. to any mission-critical system and this tools early on will benefit the most in the new This means the right tools will be able to doesn’t change in the world of AI. Decades ago, documentation paradigm. suggest requirements, develop high-level systems design, maintenance and troubledesigns and, with human oversight, output the shooting primarily involved working with broadcast design artifacts for complete systems. purpose-built hardware and centered around SHIFTING FROM DRAWINGS TO DATA For teams that are not bound by legacy signal flow. Systems were often planned on a Images, drawings and diagrams have always industry norms, it creates an opportunity to chalkboard and designed on a drafting table. been one of the most effective ways for evolve into a completely new Now, the scale and complexworld of design processes. Conity of the systems have grown sider Netbox, an open-source tool significantly. The introduction of for network documentation upon computers to media brought with which Deloitte has built a broadit powerful tools for creativity and cast toolset called Ndox. efficiency, but also the complexDatabase-backed approaches ity of software-based systems. aren’t new. AutoCAD has a dataNow, with the transition to IP, base under the hood. But unlike the documentation complexity AutoCAD, Netbox and Ndox are compounds further. aligned with the underlying data And, as we step into the AImodel. Instead of just lines and infused future, both the complexEXPERTISE EXPERTISE EXPERTISE rectangles, it’s a relational database ity and potential for bad data inJULIE FLEISCHMAN of cables, devices and IP addresses. crease yet again. We face a world JOHN FOOTEN LUKAS OHDNER

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media matrix This approach allows users to keep drawings or new visualizations in lockstep with design information because they are generated directly on demand from the live database.

hardware, virtualization and all the connections between. This is also the point where AI has the potential to greatly enhance data quality, or if inadequate controls are in place, to corrupt it.

THE IP DOCUMENTATION CHALLENGE

WHERE AI FITS, AND WHERE IT CREATES RISK

Data is intrinsic to modern broadcast documentation. What once was a stack of printed drawings now requires a folder of spreadsheets. The maintenance of that data is frequently where broadcasters encounter long-term challenges. And it is getting harder. Just 10 years ago, IP addresses might have been stored in a basic Excel spreadsheet. However, with the introduction of ST 2110, this has quickly snowballed into a collection of spreadsheets to manage all the multicast signal data. We now need more than just accurate records. We need a proactive means of validating, managing and identifying conflicts in the current system. To meet the constantly evolving needs of a modern broadcast facility, closing the loop between design, commissioning and ongoing monitoring becomes necessary. The key is to go beyond system design and create a design system. This is the premise of tools like Ndox—a nexus of information for

AI significantly decreases barriers to entry for building tools that can manipulate critical systems. This offers many advantages but also introduces the risk that users less familiar with system intricacies may inadvertently compromise them. Even if users find AI assistance helpful, at the macro level, ungoverned AI usage may increase data silos and documentation sprawl. It can also lead to new operational risks. AI can improve documentation, but to do so it must be folded into structured data processes and governance. We do not need hundreds of spreadsheets to be replaced by hundreds of custom-built, vibe-coded apps that do not talk to each other. AI is starting to become a powerful tool to replace the tedious, manual efforts of engineers. However, AI has limitations. For example, the need to compress context can easily

lead to loss of relevant data. To leverage AI properly, the best approach is to limit a given use to a narrowly defined scope. AI works best at solving problems in small pieces. AI can’t yet grasp the decision-making factors of the technicians who have built today’s broadcasting facilities. Technology on its own will not replace human creativity and judgment. As always, the theme here is change. Technical evolution is always underway. The challenge for you is to find that right moment to jump into the next wave. For documentation, that time is now. ● John Footen is a managing director who leads Deloitte Consulting LLP’s media technology and operations practice. Lukas Odhner is senior engineering management leader at Deloitte, leading the development and adoption of Ndox, a database-driven design tool used by the Deloitte Media Solutions practice to accelerate the design and deployment of multiple greenfield broadcast facility builds. Julie Fleischman is a consultant in Deloitte’s Technology, Media, and Telecommunications practice. The authors can be reached via TV Tech.

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

eye on tech | products and services TVU Networks and vivo TVU Pocket

OWC Thunderbolt 5

TVU Pocket is a phonesized broadcast device that includes an all-inone broadcast camera, bonded transmitter and production tool kit. With TVU Pocket, there is no app to download and no rig to assemble; simply turn it on and go live. Purpose-built for live production rather than everyday smartphone use, TVU Pocket combines vivo’s imaging hardware with TVU’s broadcast transmission and cloud production technology. TVU Pocket runs dual active SIMs on two independent 5G carrier networks as well as dual active Wi-Fi bands: four live data paths carrying the stream in parallel, not failing over one at a time. TVU’s patented ISX (Inverse StatMux Plus), the same transmission engine that powers TVU One, fuses those four paths into one resilient stream. ❚ www.tvunetworks.com

OWC’s two new Thunderbolt 5 solutions include OWC Thunderbolt 5 Dock with Dual HDMI, and the Thunderbolt 5 (USB-C) Cable, now available in a 1.5-meter length. With the OWC Thunderbolt 5 Dock with Dual HDMI, one connection provides the displays, storage performance, networking, power and connectivity of an enterprise-class desktop workstation without the need for a pile of adapters and workarounds. Two HDMI 2.1 ports are built right in, and a single Thunderbolt 5 connection delivers dual displays, wired networking, storage, card readers and full laptop charging simultaneously. Its 140W power delivery keeps MacBook Pros and high-performance Windows laptops fully charged at peak performance. ❚ www.owc.com

Rohde & Schwarz TM1

Atomos Shinobi HDR Monitors

The TM1 air-cooled UHF transmitter offers high system availability, enhanced energy efficiency and native support for NextGen TV broadcasting standards, and was specifically developed to help operators reduce energy consumption while enabling a simple migration path for existing TMU9 installations. The TM1 expands Rhode & Schwarz’s UHF transmitter portfolio and covers power levels from 600W to 6.5 kW with native support for ATSC 3.0 and 5G Broadcast. This enables network operators to implement new business models, such as mobile TV, targeted datacasting or interactive formats. Advanced automation such as R&S Auto-Doherty optimizes real-time performance for every operating point. Developed according to Secure by Design principles, the TM1 helps operators meet cybersecurity requirements, enabling secure and stable operation of critical broadcast infrastructure. ❚ www.rohde-schwarz.com/us

The Shinobi 7 II 7-inch, 2,800-nit HDR monitor features professional exposure, focus and framing tools, plus advanced USB-C camera control. Designed for filmmakers, photographers and content creators, Shinobi 7 II allows users to adjust key camera settings— including aperture, shutter speed or angle, ISO and white balance—directly from the monitor. Compatible cameras also support touch-to-focus and shutter release for photography workflows. Support for Log, HLG and PQ signals allows real-time monitoring of more than 10 stops of dynamic range, while built-in 3D LUT support enables real-time preview of the final look. Shinobi 7 II incorporates Atomos’ suite of professional monitoring tools for exposure, focus and framing, including EL Zone, false color, waveform, vectorscope, focus peaking, zebras, RGB parade, anamorphic de-squeeze, multiview analysis, frame guides and grid markers. ❚ www.atomos.com

MultiDyne SilverBack-IP

Grass Valley AVORA

SilverBack-IP, the newest member of MultiDyne’s SilverBack Series of fiber camera adapters, brings native SMPTE ST 2110 connectivity to Multidyne’s fiber camera platform, providing a direct path for integrating digital cinema cameras into modern IP production environments. Purpose-built for the industry’s transition from SDI, SilverBack-IP retains SilverBack’s mobility, camera flexibility and familiar operational benefits while moving the transport layer to IP. The new design enables production teams to connect their preferred cinema cameras directly to SMPTE ST 2110 networks while maintaining the camera-centric workflows that have made SilverBack a fixture in live cinematic production. ❚ www.multidyne.com

AVORA is a new standalone, all-in-one live production solution that provides tools to create and deliver sophisticated live shows together in one streamlined system. AVORA gives production teams a complete environment to prepare, produce and deliver live content, from switching and graphics to audio, remote guests, content, replay and delivery. Production resources can be prepared, saved, duplicated and recalled as a complete show, making it easy to move between recurring events, formats and productions without rebuilding the workflow each time. Teams can configure the production around each show’s needs and adapt it as those needs change. AVORA supports both visual, shot-based production and more traditional program/preset operation, allowing operators to work in the way that best suits the production. ❚ www.grassvalley.com

October 2026 | www.tvtech.com |

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eye on tech | products and services Calrec Type RT

Ikegami UNICAM XE Cameras

Calrec’s new Type RT range of compact broadcast consoles condense all essential broadcast features into models featuring six, 12, or 18 motorized faders. Suitable for applications such as stadiums and sports venues, radio stations, local TV/podcast studios, corporate events and houses of worship, Type RT consoles combine the best of Calrec’s Argo and Type R platforms in a ready-to-use, self-contained console. Built-in features include DSP, control processing, comprehensive I/O, monitoring and integrated USB audio connectivity. Created as an accessible entry point into the Calrec IP ecosystem, Type RT is wellpositioned for new users who want the confidence of proven broadcast audio performance in a streamlined, all-in-one unit. ❚ https://calrec.com

Ikegami has added four new 4K cameras to its UNICAM XE range: UHK-X700VN, UHK-X750VN, UHK-X600VN and UHK-X650VN. Developed from the established UHK-X700, X750, X600 and X650 broadcast and professional video production cameras, the VN versions offer new creative features typically associated with digital cinematography, including seamless depth-of-field adjustability, Bokeh effects and seamless exposure adjustment. Integral to the VN models is an advanced variable neutral-density filter that lets camera operators maintain their existing iris setting and depth of field while precisely controlling exposure regardless of changes in the amount of incoming light. ❚ www.ikegami.com

Sony DWX Wireless Microphones

Teradek Bolt 7

The DWT-B40 bodypack transmitter and DWR-R40Q rack-mount receiver are the latest additions to Sony’s DWX Digital Wireless Microphone Series. This generation of the DWX Series can perform channel setup and pairing through straightforward operations, making the products suitable for professional production environments and a broader range of applications, such as large- and small-scale studio operations and a variety of live events. The new series achieves enhanced transmission reliability through improved RF stability and audio transmission over long distances. The DWT-B40 adds an in-transmitter audio recording function powered by Sony’s technology that enables distortion-free backup recording within the transmitter itself. ❚ https://pro.sony/ue_US

Bolt 7 is a unified wireless video and data system featuring an all-new 900-MHz RF pipeline that works in tandem with your zero-delay video signal and acts as a wireless Ethernet or USB cable replacement, enabling wireless camera control, color management, telemetry and more without a Wi-Fi network. The Bolt 7 lineup includes 750, 1500 and MAX TX and RX models, and features a 20% smaller TX compared to the Bolt 6 XT models and a new color OLED display for faster pairing, control and diagnostics. For cine workflows, Bolt 7 sends camera control and zero-delay video over a single, direct connection, eliminating the need for a dedicated Wi-Fi network on set. Because Bolt 7 uses dedicated RF pathways outside standard Wi-Fi frequencies, productions can reduce interference. ❚ https://teradek.com

G&D/Vuwall vsNEO

swXtch.io abbe

vsNEO is a new KVM-over-IP platform designed to simplify the deployment and operation of control rooms and broadcast environments. vsNEO creates a standalone KVM network that operates independently from the corporate LAN and eliminates the need for complex network configuration. The vsNEO-center controller provides network intelligence for every installation, including built-in DHCP, allowing connected devices to establish a dedicated, isolated KVM environment. AES-256 encryption provides an additional layer of protection for KVM traffic. At the heart of the platform is vsNEO-link, a universal transceiver that can operate as a transmitter, receiver, video wall node or multi-PIP KVM mosaic station using the same hardware device. ❚ www.gdsys.com/en | https://vuwall.com

Abbe is an AI-based broadcast engineering platform designed to remove the infrastructure and networking complexity from live media workflows. It removes the requirement for operators to configure networks, cloud infrastructure, compute resources and AI software in media routing and interface workflows. Abbe takes a conversational description of the desired outcome and deploys the necessary infrastructure, networking and software required to make the workflow run and does so in the most economical way while meeting performance requirements. Abbe is a cloud-agnostic orchestration layer, able to deploy live media and AI workflows across any provider, including Microsoft Azure, Oracle Cloud Infrastructure (OCI) and Amazon Web Services (AWS). ❚ www.swxtch.io @tvtech.bsky.social | www.tvtech.com | October 2026

equipment guide | cloud-based production & distribution/ott

Out of Many, One: Three Editors, Avid and the Voice of ‘Pluribus’ USER REPORT By Chris McCaleb, ACE

BURBANK, Calif.—In the Apple TV series “Pluribus,” nearly everyone on Earth becomes a part of a single consciousness, leaving a world without friction. The “joined” are good at everything because they are everyone, thus, they have the knowledge of every human being. They never disagree. The title of the show nods to the Latin “e pluribus unum”—out of many, one. For “Pluribus” we had three editors—Skip Macdonald, ACE; Joey Liew; and me—each with our own episodes and unique styles and rhythms. Yet we somehow needed to make every episode feel like a part of the same show. Out of many, one— the Avid version.

COLLABORATIVE MINDS Collaboration in post isn’t always as easy as the hive mind might make it look. Our Emmy-nominated composer, Dave Porter, says every editor cuts to their own internal beats per minute, and the first thing he does with a scene is find that editor’s metronome. That’s three different metronomes that somehow need to find a singular tempo. And reconciling those tempos is an important part of our job in editorial. This is where the technology comes in (but with much less drama than you find on our show). We’ve cut every Vince Gilligan series on Avid Media Composer going back to “Breaking Bad.” The media lives on Avid Nexis, and each editor works in shared projects on top of it. Media Composer’s bin locking sorts out who has control. For example, if

Avid software allowed three editors to seamlessly collaborate on the Vince Gilligan series “Pluribus.”

Skip wanted something from an episode of mine—a music cue or a visual effect he’d like to match— he can simply access my Editor’s Cut bin and take it. If I was currently working in that bin, the bin “lock” would show “red” in his view, while mine would stay “green” and neither of us would run the risk of wrecking the other’s work or interrupting a session to ask for control. Our projects are organized with the same mindset—apply a standard architecture to keep it simple, while allowing for individuality to keep the creativity flowing. Every editor has a preference as to how their scene bins are built. Mine are labeled with scene number, a brief description and an indication as to how many minutes of footage are contained. Dailies are racked in what Joey calls the “reverse Christmas tree”: A and B cameras side by side; group clips below. Any of us can find Scene 14 in another

October 2026 | www.tvtech.com |

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editor’s project in about 10 seconds, because our architecture is the same. The rest is just down to us editors communicating our intentions clearly with one another—a hive mind doesn’t have to, but we do.

SIMPLIFIED WORKFLOWS As for what I myself reach for day in and day out inside my timeline, I use nothing more often than Trim Mode. It stopped feeling like a tool a long time ago and has rather become an extension of my thoughts, enabling me to work quickly and intuitively. Another tool that made me faster is Extend Edit, something Kelley made me learn before I moved on from being her assistant. And for a show where the many must move as one, I absolutely depend on Animatte—whether for simple splits to adjust performance timing or to create enormous composite shots, such as one high angle in Episode 103 that used nine to 10 layers, retiming background

actors so they moved in lockstep. In “Pluribus,” the joined never disagree because there is nobody left to disagree with— free will and individuality have been replaced by one common consciousness. Fortunately, Skip, Joey and I have maintained our individuality, found our singular voice in the cutting room by working together in Avid Media Composer, and the season is better for it. Because we never need to hunt for media or wait for someone to finish working in a bin, we can instead focus our efforts and ideas on the story, applying our unique tempos and reconciling them. Out of many, one. ● Chris McCaleb, ACE, is a film and television editor, director, and producer known for his editing work on such shows as “Better Call Saul” and Vince Gilligan’s “Pluribus.” He can be reached at chrismccaleb@gmail.com. More information is available at www.avid.com.

equipment guide | cloud-based production & distribution/ott

Fox First Run Taps LTN and XR for Live Daytime TV Syndication USER REPORT By Stephen Brown Executive Vice President Programming and Development Fox Television Stations Fox First Run

ATLANTA—Fox First Run produces and distributes syndicated programming for stations nationwide. With “25 Words or Less,” hosted by Meredith Vieira, we saw an opportunity to make a familiar daytime game show even more engaging and give viewers a more meaningful, active role in the program. Beyond reaching our affiliate station partners, we also wanted to meet audiences wherever they are, delivering the same experience across Xumo Play and YouTube to allow people to watch and participate on the platforms they use every day. During this past May, we ran a live syndication initiative for “25 Words or Less LIVE,” originating from Parlay Studios in Jersey City, N.J. During the run, we produced more than 38 live broadcasts, with two editions each weekday delivered to 18 stations across major U.S. markets, including many Fox owned-and-operated stations.

LIVE SYNDICATION WORKFLOW Live syndication has very different operational requirements from distributing prerecorded programming because every station must receive the program at the right time and be ready to take it live. The workflow also needs to accommodate the requirements of different markets and platforms without disrupting the viewer experience. Latency was one of our main

challenges because audiences receive programming through several delivery routes, each with different characteristics. For a live show built around audience participation, the broadcast and streaming experiences need to remain in sync so viewers can respond collectively to what is happening on screen. We worked with XR (Extreme Reach) and LTN to build the workflow for this run. XR managed the show’s distribution through its cloud-based syndication platform, while LTN connected the production facility with participating stations

prizes created specifically for the audience. Through the “Big Bet Challenge,” viewers could use virtual coins to predict the outcome of the game, while fans could chat live with Meredith during the broadcast. Viewers could respond to the action and participate as it happened, while stations supported the experience through social media and local promotions. These efforts paid off. Stations and viewers loved it. We had incredibly positive feedback on the one-hour live editions, which increased awareness and encouraged loyalty by giving au-

national television requires. The four-week run also showed us the power of people, and that technology cannot solve every challenge on its own. A national model depends on stations having the staff and operational capacity to take a live program during the day. Wider adoption of these kinds of live initiatives will require an approach that works for affiliates with different resources, particularly those in smaller markets. This was the type of innovation we enjoy most at Fox First Run—using creativity and future-ready technologies to

To better engage audiences with syndicated programming, LTN helped us offer a live version of “25 Words or Less.”

through managed IP transport and master control services. The stations themselves were equally important to the project—taking a live syndicated show in the middle of the day requires an expert staff and operational capacity at the local level. Going live allowed us to build interaction directly into the program rather than treating it as a separate digital activity. Working with Tagboard, we incorporated live comments, gameplay and direct audience participation while the show was on air. Our “Super Fan” initiative helped viewers build a closer connection with the program, while live games offered

diences more reasons to return and participate. That connection is increasingly valuable as viewing habits continue to spread across broadcast and digital platforms. It keeps audiences coming back.

POWER OF PEOPLE Live viewer participation with syndicated programming isn’t new. For decades, audiences have called in to weigh in on live programming, but participation was often limited by busy phone lines and tape delays. This project demonstrated how modern, cloud-enabled distribution can support live, interactive programming with the reliability

help engage viewers in meaningful ways. We’ll continue exploring live and interactive programming where it fits the format and station requirements. Live always has been, and will remain, a huge differentiator in broadcast. ● Stephen Brown is currently the executive vice president of programming and development for Fox First Run and Fox Television Stations and oversees the syndicated programs “Divorce Court,” “Battleground: Midterms” and “25 Words or Less.” He can be reached at Stephen.Brown@fox.com. More information is available at https://ltnglobal.com.

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

equipment guide | cloud-based production & distribution/ott

Bringing the FIFA World Cup to Chilean Viewers in 4K UHD USER REPORT By Jorge Cabello Director of Technology Chilevisión

SANTIAGO, Chile—As Chile’s exclusive free-to-air rights holder for the 2026 FIFA World Cup, Chilevisión was responsible for delivering reliable, high-quality coverage of one of the world’s most demanding live sporting events. We also wanted to give viewers access to an enhanced 4K Ultra HD experience while continuing to use the production

a native UHD system would have added significant cost and complexity. Instead, we used our existing feed as the source for cloud-based enhancement, allowing us to introduce a premium service while retaining our existing infrastructure and operational practices. An Appear X20 sat at the heart of the contribution chain, encoding the 1080i signal using High Efficiency Video Coding and securely transporting it from our facilities to AWS cloud infrastructure using Secure Reliable Transport. For live sports, this connection needed to deliver consistent

Each partner had a clearly defined role: Chilevisión originated the live program feed; Appear connected the broadcast and cloud environments; Pixop performed the video enhancement; and ClaroVTR delivered the finished channel to its subscribers. This open ecosystem was essential, allowing us to bring specialist technologies together within one end-to-end chain, rather than depending on a closed architecture or replacing systems that were already performing effectively.

Our HD-SDI feed was encoded and carried into AWS as an HEVC SRT stream, enhanced in real time and returned as a decoded 4K output for distribution. This made the system easier to manage and operate during the high-profile live event. Crucially, it allowed us to adopt cloud processing where it provided a specific benefit without moving every part of the production chain off-premises. We could preserve the reliability of our ground-based infrastructure while accessing the flexibility and specialist capabilities available in the cloud.

SCALABLE PATH TO UHD

A hybrid ground-to-cloud architecture involving solutions from Appear and AWS helped Chilevisión and ClaroVTR deliver a dedicated UHD channel without rebuilding the broadcaster’s established production operations.

infrastructure supporting our core HD service. To achieve this, we worked with Appear, pay-TV operator ClaroVTR and cloud-video enhancement specialist Pixop to create a hybrid ground-to-cloud architecture. The deployment combined Chilevisión’s broadcast environment with Pixop’s cloud-based video enhancement platform hosted in AWS cloud infrastructure, enabling ClaroVTR to offer a dedicated 4K channel to subscribers throughout the tournament.

PREMIUM SERVICE WITHOUT THE HEAVY LIFT Our starting point was Chile visión’s live 1080i HD-SDI program feed. Replacing the complete production chain with

performance with low latency. Appear’s hardware-accelerated SRT technology provided a robust link between our on-prem operation and the cloud, helping us maintain the quality and resilience required for continuous live coverage. Once the feed reached AWS, Pixop’s AI-powered platform enhanced it in real time. The processing included deinterlacing, restoration, super-resolution upscaling and image optimization, transforming the interlaced HD source into a high-quality 4K UHD signal. The enhanced output was then transported back from the cloud. A second Appear X20 received and decoded the signal, preparing it for downstream delivery by ClaroVTR.

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An event on the scale of the World Cup places considerable demands on live production and distribution infrastructure. We needed the solutions we deployed to be technically robust, operationally flexible and capable of moving high-quality video between SDI and cloud environments without introducing unnecessary delay. The X Platform brought these requirements together through high-density HEVC encoding, low-latency SRT transport and straightforward cloud integration. It provided the bridge between our facilities and the processing resources in AWS, while fitting into the wider architecture developed with ClaroVTR and Pixop. The signal path remained clear throughout the project.

This project demonstrated that broadcasters can introduce new cloud-based services without undertaking a wholesale infrastructure replacement. By using the Appear X Platform to connect established broadcast technology with AWS processing, we added a dedicated 4K service practically and efficiently. The deployment transformed our live 1080i feed into an enhanced UHD channel for ClaroVTR subscribers, giving Chilean audiences a new way to experience the World Cup. It also established a flexible model for future projects that need to combine the reliability of broadcast infrastructure with the processing capabilities of the cloud. ● Jorge Cabello is the director of technology at Chilevisión. He can be reached at jorge.cabello@ chilevision.cl. More information is available at www.appear.net.

equipment guide | cloud-based production & distribution/ott

Peeling Back the Savannah Bananas’ Cloud-Based Collaboration Workflow USER REPORT By Mitch Rubenstein Head of Production Services Matt Webster Head of Technology Systems Sean McCluskey Head of Engineering Fans First Entertainment

SAVANNAH, Ga.—What we love most about working for Fans First Entertainment and the Savannah Bananas is that every game feels like a live event, a broadcast and a social-media moment all at once. We are not just producing baseball—we are creating an experience that has to work in the stadium, on television, on YouTube and on every short-form platform where fans discover us. That is exactly why Sony’s Ci Media Cloud has become such an important part of our workflow. Before this year, our media process was much more fragmented—we were relying on hard drives, laptops, and a very old-school sneakernet system to move footage around. It worked, but it was slow and it made it hard for everyone to stay connected. We were capturing a huge amount of content every weekend, but the process of getting that footage into the right hands took too long. That changed when we began using Ci Media Cloud.

MULTIPLATFORM SPEEDSTERS Now, everything lives in one place. That may sound simple, but for us it has been a huge shift. We can upload footage on-site, organize it and share it instantly with the people who need it. Our editors can get to work faster and our marketing team can find what they need

Sony’s Ci Media Cloud helped the Savanah Bananas quickly upload, organize and share video footage.

without waiting for drives to arrive. Even our cast members can log in, pull clips and create their own content. That kind of access has completely changed how quickly we can move. We shoot about a terabyte of footage every weekend, so speed matters. With Ci Media Cloud, we can collect all of that material and start shaping it into clips almost immediately. That helps us get the best moments out while they are still fresh and still relevant. In our world, timing is everything: A great play, a wild fan reaction or a funny moment can become a viral clip fast, but only if we can move quickly enough to package it the right way. Ci Media Cloud has also helped us control the quality of our storytelling. Our fans see us across a lot of different platforms, so we want the image and the feeling to stay consistent no matter where they find us. With everything in one system, we can make sure the footage looks and feels like the Savannah Banan-

as everywhere it appears. That consistency matters because we want the broadcast, video board and social clips to all reflect the same energy.

SHAREABLE STORIES One of the best parts is how many people can use it. Our players and cast members can access footage and post their own clips, which has been huge for us, because so much of our growth comes from people sharing their own version of the Banana Ball experience. When our players can grab a clip and post it right away, they are helping tell our story in their own voice, making the content feel more immediate and more authentic. Ci Media Cloud has also made it easier for us to support the moments that never make it into the main broadcast but are still a huge part of the fan experience. We can capture more from the plaza party, more from behind the scenes and more from the parts of the show that make

Banana Ball unique. Those moments matter just as much as the game itself. For us, Ci Media Cloud is more than a storage platform. It is the tool that helps us turn a fast-moving, high-energy live show into content fans can connect with everywhere. It has streamlined our workflow, improved our speed and made it easier for everyone on our team to create. Most importantly, it helps us stay true to what we believe: fans first, entertain always. Mitch Rubenstein, head of production services for Fans First Entertainment, can be reached at rubenstein_m@bananaball.com. Matt Webster, head of technology systems for Fans First Entertainment and the Savannah Bananas, can be reached at webster_m@ bananaball.com. Sean McCluskey, head of engineering at Fans First Entertainment, can be reached at mccluskey_s@bananaball.com. More information is available at www.cimediacloud.com.

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

equipment guide | cloud-based production & distribution/ott

Blackmagic Brings Mexican Film ‘Aquí Hay Dragones’ to Life USER REPORT By Jennifer Flores Online and Digital Intermediate Editor, Caffeine

MEXICO CITY—As a post producer at Caffeine, a global creative postproduction studio with a presence in Mexico City, Los Angeles and New York, my team and I work on projects for some of the world’s leading content providers and streaming platforms, as well as many independent films from Latin America and the United States. Caffeine was co-founded by CEO Adrián Geyer, and we offer editorial, color grading, VFX, motion graphics, sound design and finishing for a diverse clientele. At the heart of our post workflow is DaVinci Resolve Studio and Blackmagic Cloud.

MATCHING THE DARK SCALE OF THE NARRATIVE Recently, I worked on “Aquí hay dragones” (“Here Be Dragons”), a dystopian, preapocalyptic feature film directed by Iria Gómez Concheiro. Set in Mexico, the film is wrapped in a dark and tense atmosphere of totalitarian government and social betrayal. At the center of the story is a strong female character whose journey drives much of the film’s emotional and narrative force. What fascinated me about this project was the immense challenge of bringing such a dark, visually ambitious and complex world to life, requiring a postproduction infrastructure capable of matching the scale of its narrative. As the online and digital intermediate editor, I was the technical and creative bridge, keeping fluid communication across all the departments at Caffeine. My

main responsibility was ensuring that the media conformed perfectly and that the transitions between editing, VFX and color grading in DaVinci Resolve Studio were completely seamless. The main challenge in post was connecting our head colorist, working remotely, with two of our in-house colorists and me. To achieve this, we deployed a dedicated point-to-point network for high-speed media transfer and collaboraBlackmagic Cloud played a central role in postproduction for “Aquí hay dragones” by tive remote workflow keeping everyone involved in the project via a dedicated point-to-point network for high-speed media transfer and a collaborative remote workflow. with Blackmagic Cloud. This workflow is used exclusively for independent projReplacer. Handling these fixes In traditional workflows, remote ects; projects for streaming platwithin my linear timeline streamcolor-grading and multidepartforms follow their own required lined our finishing dynamics, ment collaboration often results security protocols and workflows. eliminating the need to generate in downtime, massive storage Using path-mapping mirroring, external plates for a separate VFX duplication and constant file our media was automatically department and significantly rendering. With DaVinci Resolve synchronized across locations reduced machine downtime and Studio and Blackmagic Cloud, the exact moment it was ingested rendering overhead. nobody ever had to stop operainto the project. This allowed our Generally, managing a nontions. Our local and remote team remote head colorist to conduct linear, multi-location workflow worked as if they were in the real-time remote grading sessions under tight deadlines without same room, drastically reducing on DaVinci Resolve Studio with halting operations is a challenge, delivery times while maintaining the DP, who was sitting in our but thanks to Blackmagic Cloud’s the highest creative standards. grading theater at Caffeine. This real-time synchronization and Tools such as Offline Referallowed the DP to see the live DaVinci Resolve Studio’s all-inence and Viewer Background changes at maximum quality and one architecture, we accommowere lifesavers, allowing us to with no perceptible latency while dated late editorial adjustments quickly check alignment and the colorists worked. seamlessly. We resolved complex detect any accidental blankSimultaneously, I was able to VFX cleanups, screen inserts and ing issues in the frame. On the handle conform and intermediate remote color grading on the fly, finishing side, the Compare With finishing tasks natively. This unitransforming what is usually a Current Timeline feature was infied ecosystem meant we could stressful bottleneck into a smooth, dispensable, as I was able to spot manage late editorial updates, everyday routine at Caffeine. ● changes instantly and conform handle finishing fixes and finethe new scenes without disrupttune color without bottlenecks. ing the ongoing color work. Jennifer Flores is online and On the online and finishing DI editor for Caffeine. She can be sides, the sheer versatility of Dareached at letstalk@caffeine. AGILITY, SECURITY Vinci Resolve Studio allowed me global or by visiting AND SPEED to perform essential cleanup tasks https://caffeine.global. The overriding benefit of our directly within the Fusion page More information is available at workflow was unmatched agility, using tools like Paint and Patch www.blackmagicdesign.com. security and collaborative speed.

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equipment guide | cloud-based production & distribution/ott buyers briefs Lawo HOME UDX Converter

LiveU Ingest

Ross Video Indigo Media Workflow

AWS Elemental Media Package Dynamic Multiview

The Lawo HOME UDX Converter with HDR Processing HOME App provides up-, down-, cross- and aspect-ratio conversion for IP media workflows. Running on standard servers, it can be deployed on premises, in private data centers or in the cloud, with centralized management through the HOME platform. Ideal for so-called glue applications, the app combines frame sync, deinterlacing, nonlinear edge enhancement, HDR/SDR conversion, color space conversion and scaling in a single processing instance. It supports SD, HD, 3G and UHD and ST 2110, SRT and NDI transport formats. Two independently configurable outputs can simultaneously generate different formats, overlays or clean and dirty feeds. Flexible audio handling supports up to four send and four receive streams, while HTML5-based graphics overlays and optional color correction enhance production versatility for broadcast and live-production applications. https://lawo.com

Indigo Media Workflow is designed to create fast-turn, digital-first content in a single, browser-based platform. Built on a shared core with modular capabilities, it combines ingest, editing, planning and publishing into a single ecosystem with Ross Video’s Indigo production platform. This simplifies operations and speeds up content creation. More specifically, Indigo Media Workflow is designed for time-sensitive production with faster turnaround for highlights, clips, news and short-form content to support continuous publishing. Its modular design allows users to start with what they need and activate new capabilities as workflows evolve, without rebuilding. It offers minimal complexity, so users can work end-to-end in a single, unified platform. A consistent environment across ingest, editing, workflow and publishing supports multiteam, multiplatform production. www.rossvideo.com

Editshare Media Drives

Media Drives extends MediaSilo’s cloud collaboration environment by connecting it with storage production teams already use. Authorized users can browse approved S3-compatible storage through MediaSilo, including on-prem EditShare EFS storage and supported third-party on-prem and cloud platforms. Teams can browse folders, search mounted media by file name and preview content where it is stored before deciding what needs to move. Selected files can then be copied into MediaSilo for AI-powered discovery, secure sharing, dailies, feedback and approval. This creates a more direct connection between production storage and cloud collaboration. External collaborators can work through a browser without joining the production network or using a VPN, while MediaSilo adds secure sharing, time-coded feedback, version management, watermarking, permissions and download controls for distributed production workflows. https://editshare.com

LiveU Ingest is an automatic recording and story metadata tagging solution for live video. Powered by the LiveU cloud video platform, it allows users to process video more quickly while significantly cutting production costs. As the number of televised live events reaches all-time highs, LiveU Ingest reduces the load by automatically recording any live transmissions from the field while applying the the respective metadata generated by the newsroom computer system (NRCS). With all content instantly available on the LiveU Ingest web portal, the user’s digital teams can accelerate the time needed to publish assets online, allowing field crews and production teams to view, trim, download and publish content from anywhere. Ingest is also compatible with other production tools, so users can edit and enrich videos as part of their existing workflow. In addition, trimming video before it enters the MAM cuts storage costs by ensuring only relevant content is saved. www.liveu.tv

AWS Elemental MediaPackage Dynamic Multiview combines multiple camera angles and video feeds into a single stream. Sources must only be encoded through AWS Elemental MediaLive once; then MediaPackage arranges them into any layout without re-encoding. The result is one stream that plays on virtually any device via standard HLS or DASH delivery. Viewers now expect to watch multiple feeds at once, whether that be different camera angles, several games on one screen or a mix of news, sports and entertainment. But today’s solutions all come with downsides: Some work only on certain devices and others require building custom apps for every platform. For large operators, this could add up to $2 million to $12 million in yearly infrastructure costs. Dynamic Multiview eliminates these trade-offs, delivering cost savings of up to 97% compared to solutions requiring separate feeds for every viewing combination. https://aws.amazon.com/media-services/elemental

Grass Valley AMPP Edge Live

Grass Valley’s AMPP Edge Live is a purpose-built production system designed to bring professional production capabilities to enterprise teams without the complexity of traditional multivendor environments. Combining Grass Valley hardware, NVIDIA Blackwell GPU acceleration and AMPP OS in a single solution, the platform enables organizations to deploy the capabilities they need, with the freedom to expand, repurpose and scale services as requirements change. Two models are available for different production demands: AMPP Edge Live 4000 and AMPP Edge Live 6000. AMPP Edge Live is built on a shortdepth 4 RU chassis with redundant power and modular AMPP I/O cards, so connectivity can be tailored to each workflow. AMPP Edge Live is available now in the L4000 and L6000 appliance models, with SDI 8 and SDI 12 AMPP I/O card options and media storage choices of 2 TB or 4 TB. www.grassvalley.com @tvtech.bsky.social | www.tvtech.com | October 2026

equipment guide | cloud-based production & distribution/ott

Building a Cloud-Based Streaming Network for Disc Golf Pro Tour USER REPORT By Jeff Tocci Vice President of Media, Technology and Distribution Disc Golf Pro Tour

FORT WORTH, Texas—Disc Golf Network is the subscription streaming service of the Disc Golf Pro Tour, providing live and on-demand tournament coverage to viewers worldwide. We worked with Big Blue Marble in August 2023 to connect our production capabilities with a scalable cloud distribution platform supporting reliable live coverage, instant VOD and flexible viewing. Our events can involve eight to 10 hours of coverage per day, and we believe the viewing experience should remain consistent from the opening coverage to the final moments of play. Our production workflows were capable of creating broadcast-quality output, but our previous streaming platform could not maintain that quality consistently across devices and locations. As our viewing audience grew, it became clear that reliability alone was not enough. We needed to be able to introduce features quickly and be more responsive to viewer expectations. For a direct-to-consumer sports service, continuous improvement is essential, and we needed a platform that could develop alongside our audience.

CLOUD-BASED QUALITY Our previous platform reduced live streams from 60 frames per second to 30 fps, affecting the fluidity of fast-moving sports coverage. Video-on-demand recordings were slow to become available, viewers could not pause or rewind live broadcasts and the infrastructure had

ing maintain reliable performance. limited capacity to scale when across 85 competition days this Audience peaks should be a sign demand increased. year. Supporting that growing auof success, rather than a threat to We needed a cloud platform dience makes it essential the platservice quality, and the platform that could preserve the quality of form can scale without comproautomatically expands capacity as our production output throughmising the viewing experience. traffic grows, helping us mainout distribution and give us The modular architecture tain picture quality and playback more control over development. gives us greater commercial stability when interest is highest. It also needed to scale during and operational flexibility with Multi-DRM protects live and major tournaments, protect our support for multiple subscription on-demand content, and responcontent and support different tiers, regional customization sive 24/7 support gives our team subscription tiers. and future integrations. It also access to technical assistance Big Blue Marble became our provides clearer insight into strategic architecture and systems integration partner, leading the platform rebuild and defining its architecture, integration standards and operational model. Its team redesigned Disc Golf Network around a modular, cloud-native framework using Cloud Video Kit and AWS Media Services. The migration was a significant undertaking for both teams because it had to be completed within a demanding Jeff Tocci explains how Big Blue Marble helped the Disc Golf Network connect its production capabilities with a scalable cloud distribution platform to deliver live timeframe, six months coverage and instant video-on-demand. before the new season started in February 2024. throughout live operations. Big Blue Marble was confident its service performance and viewing For sports audiences, the products and cloud technology behavior, helping us continue to value of coverage does not end could support the service we had refine the platform. with the live broadcast. Cloud envisioned. Close collaboration By connecting our production processing makes tournament helped us deliver the new platcapabilities with cloud-based coverage available on demand alform to our audience on schedule. processing and distribution, we most immediately after an event The new architecture brings have created a more consistent and gives viewers greater control encoding, packaging, recording, route from the live event to the over how they follow it. Autoad insertion and distribution into viewer. The platform has immated workflows support Live a unified cloud environment. Big proved the quality, reliability and DVR, so subscribers can pause, Blue Marble introduced higher availability of our coverage and rewind and replay coverage. ingest bit rates, more-efficient given us greater scope to keep encoding profiles and consistent developing the service. ● 60 fps streaming, allowing us to FOUNDATION FOR GROWTH retain the motion and picture Professional disc golf now has Jeff Tocci is the vice president of quality created by our production an active viewing audience of 1.5 media, technology and distribution workflow. million. We expect our live covat the Disc Golf Pro Tour. He can be Amazon CloudFront supports erage to reach more than 15,000 reached at jtocci@dgpt.com. content delivery, with redundancy unique viewers per broadcast and More information is available at and continuous monitoring helpover 200,000 viewers per event www.bigbluemarble.com/en/.

October 2026 | www.tvtech.com |

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equipment guide | cloud-based production & distribution/ott buyers briefs MediaKind Unified Video Portfolio

Globecast Globecast Content Exchange

Dalet Dalet Solution Suites

QuickLink QuickLink StudioEdge

Imagine Communications XVR Playout Engines

Tata Communications MIMiC Cloud Portfolio

Following its merger with Harmonic’s video business, MediaKind now offers a unified video portfolio that integrates on-premises and software-asa-service (SaaS) capabilities while continuing to support existing customer deployments. Many of these capabilities were proven during the recent FIFA World Cup, where MediaKind supported more than 20 brands and delivered 3 billion streams. These customer deployments ensured rock-solid reliability, with peak viewing concurrency exceeding 20 million across MK.IO and VOS360. These results underscore the scale and reliability of the combined portfolio, which was demonstrated at IBC2026 across selected partner stands throughout the show, highlighting the strength and reach of the company’s broader technology ecosystem. www.mediakind.com

Dalet Solution Suites is a new portfolio of cloud-native solutions designed to help media teams move like a startup and scale like an enterprise, combining speed and simplicity with the governance, automation and control needed for growing operations. Built on the Dalet Flex platform, its Production & Distribution offering unifies ingest, editing, review, collaboration, workflow orchestration and multiplatform publishing, while Catalog & Archive provides a centralized, AI-enhanced repository to organize, enrich, govern and activate media, making content easier to discover and reuse. Each suite combines more than 25 preconfigured workflows with automation, embedded media-aware AI and a conversational interface. Designed for rapid deployment, Dalet Solution Suites provide an intelligent operational foundation for managing growing volumes of media—increasingly critical in the AI era as organizations create more videos, clips, versions and personalized content faster and at greater scale. www.dalet.com

Built on modern Linux and data center technologies, Imagine XVR playout engines are designed for rapid, repeatable and secure deployment across onprem and cloud workflows. They are ideal for ingest, playout and unified origination environments of any scale, especially in SMPTE ST 2110 or cloud-hosted scenarios, and offer flexible pricing, including usage-based subscriptions. Supporting SDI, 12G SDI, ST 2110, TS, and SRT, XVR delivers a consistent feature set across deployment models, reducing training and total cost of ownership. XVR also natively supports major industry formats, including XAVC, ProRes and DNxHD, eliminating the expense and delay of transcoding. XVR playout engines are among the first to leverage the Intel Ethernet E810 Network Adapter with Intel Tiber Broadcast Suite components, delivering robust ST 2110 performance on all-COTS platforms. https://imaginecommunications.com

Globecast Content Exchange is a cloud-native platform that unifies content acquisition and delivery across complex hybrid infrastructures. Its software-defined orchestration layer abstracts satellite, fiber, IP and cloud resources into one cohesive environment, giving users a centralized “single pane of glass” to schedule, manage and monitor live and file-based workflows in real time. An intelligent orchestration engine automatically provisions transport resources according to availability, latency and service requirements, while dynamically rerouting content to maintain resilience and quality. Security is embedded through AES-256 encryption, private cloud tunnels and conditional access, including BISS-CA. Its modular, API-driven architecture integrates with existing systems and third-party tools, supporting scalability and automation. www.globecast.com

QuickLink has significantly expanded its StudioEdge remote contribution ecosystem with new integrations for WhatsApp and Cisco Webex, plus deeper functionality for Microsoft Teams. The update allows production teams to bring in guests through everyday communication apps while maintaining broadcast-quality audio and video. Enhancements for Teams include multicaller support from a single meeting, active speaker and screen-sharing capabilities, guest-join notifications and compatibility with Microsoft Teams Rooms. Together, these additions strengthen StudioEdge as a flexible, scalable solution for connecting remote contributors across broadcast, media and enterprise environments. The platform continues to evolve as a flexible, scalable and reliable remote guest ecosystem, giving organizations more choice and consistency when introducing remote participants into live or recorded productions. www.quicklink.tv

Tata Communications’ MIMiC Cloud Video Services portfolio delivers broadcast-grade, cloud-native workflows that enable agile, scalable, and cost-efficient production and delivery of live and near-realtime content. Built on Tata Communications’ global media network, MIMiC includes cloud-based distributed and remote production, clipping and editing, playout, transmission, monitoring and intercom services—all designed to minimize on-site infrastructure and accelerate delivery across platforms to power IP-based workflows. The addition of MIMiC Edge extends cloud-native processing to the premises via compact, secure units that handle encoding— eliminating racks of hardware and enabling contribution and distribution at scale with minimal on-site footprint. MIMiC Edge can be seamlessly linked to MIMiC Tx to provide low-latency transmission over the public internet. www.tatacommunications.com @tvtech.bsky.social | www.tvtech.com | October 2026

equipment guide | cloud-based production & distribution/ott

Kojo Relies on Signiant to Deliver Dailies, 4K Masters and More USER REPORT By Suriyna Sivashanker Data and System Manager KOJO

ADELAIDE, Australia—At KOJO’s global postproduction and FX operations, moving large volumes of media is fundamental to our business. Each year, we transfer hundreds of terabytes of data ranging from large-format camera files captured on set through to final 4K masters delivered to distributors worldwide. Historically, media of this scale was shipped on external hard drives or RAID systems. Using Signiant Media Shuttle allows us to accelerate transfers and deliver projects with greater speed and ease while eliminating the risks associated with transporting physical drives. Those shipments can experience significant delays and, in some cases, be lost altogether. Faster and more reliable transfers also help our clients meet demanding production schedules and delivery commitments.

Credit: Kino Lorber via YouTube

SHOOTING ‘JIMPA’ Recently, we completed dailies and picture postproduction services for the feature film “Jimpa,” directed by Sophie Hyde, and starring Olivia Colman and John Lithgow. Principal photography took place predominantly in Amsterdam, with additional filming in Adelaide, Australia, and Helsinki. KOJO’s Adelaide facility served as the postproduction lab. During the European legs of the shoot, Signiant provided a flexible and reliable way for us to receive terabytes of camera data from Europe in Australia. At the end of each shoot day, the camera data had to be backed

During the European part of the shoot for the film “Jimpa,” Signiant provided us with a fast, flexible and reliable way for to receive terabytes of camera data.

up and processed so editorial could start cutting the following day. Signiant’s flexible storage options allowed us to establish a project-specific portal using an Amazon S3 cloud bucket. We could configure the storage location in Europe, enabling the Amsterdam DIT to upload camera data more reliably and efficiently than if the storage had been tied to our physical location in Australia. Once the data was uploaded, I downloaded it to our local servers and verified it against the supplied checksum files and set reports. From there, I completed our usual dailies processing, generating viewing files for client review and editorial media for the assistant editor to sync and prepare. Alongside editorial feedback, we also provided media-clearance reports back to set. The DIT uploaded the camera data in packages of approximately 2 to 4 TB. Signiant allowed both teams to upload and download data around the clock across two time zones. Over the five-week shoot, we transferred approximately

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160 TB of data between Europe and Australia. Every upload and download through Signiant was secure, reliable and completed at speed. We adopted a similar workflow for another feature film, “Wicker,” directed by Alex Huston Fischer and Eleanor Wilson and starring Alexander Skarsgård and Olivia Colman. Filmed in Budapest, the production required a secure offsite backup of its camera media. Although we did not provide full dailies processing on this project, using Signiant, we were able to transfer approximately 6 to 8 TB per shoot day to Australia, where the media was verified, archived and securely stored as a secondary backup.

MEETS STRINGENT SECURITY REQUIREMENTS Signiant Media Shuttle has been KOJO’s preferred solution since July 2020. With TLS encryption, multifactor authentication and other robust security protocols, it meets the stringent security requirements of major studio

productions. Combined with exceptional support from our account manager, it gives us, and our clients, confidence that valuable production media is protected throughout every transfer. Ultimately, Signiant allows us to operate as a truly global post-production partner, securely connecting productions anywhere in the world with our facilities in Australia and enabling our teams to deliver world-class picture postproduction without the barrier of geography. ● Suriyna Sivashanker is a data and system manager for KOJO’s picture postproduction and VFX team. Starting at KOJO in a graduate position, Suriyna is affectionately known as KOJO’s “postproduction Swiss Army knife,” having also previously held roles in the team as VFX coordinator, VFX editor, editorial systems support, data wrangler and DI assistant. She can be reached at suriyna. sivashanker@kojo.co. More information is available at www.signiant.com.

equipment guide | cloud-based production & distribution/ott buyers briefs Cablecast Live Bridge

Ateme/Comcast Technology Solutions Live Video Services

PlayBox Neo Suite

Interra Systems Cloud-Based Media Monitoring

Live Bridge is a cloud service that pulls live RTMP feeds, like Zoom meetings, into Cablecast for cable, web, and social playout. Cablecast RTMP brings live RTMP feeds, such as a Zoom city council meeting, straight into the user’s Cablecast hardware for cable, web and streaming-app playback, as well as Facebook Live and YouTube Live. Users get up to three simultaneous RTMP sources per subscription so they can rebroadcast two meetings at once; playback to cable, web and streaming apps from a single dashboard; and simulcasting to Facebook Live and YouTube Live. Each subscription includes a 100 GB monthly bandwidth pool, roughly 40 hours a month at 5 Mbps, or about 160 hours of typical Zoom meetings. Every stream draws from that shared pool, and 10 GB add-ons are available when needed. Cablecast hardware is required to receive the feeds. www.cablecast.tv

PlayBox Neo Suite boosts productivity with cloud-based automation and flexibility. It brings together powerful tools designed to streamline workflows across media organizations. It features the Media Gateway live content delivery and distribution solution, installed in the cloud or on-premises and containing the “screen input” feature, to allow video and audio to be captured from desktop for live-feed delivery. Ingest lets teams manage multiple ingest channels across one or multiple servers from a single web-based interface. Extended support for EditShare’s collaborative editing includes media asset management, ensuring file tracking across playout and newsrooms. The new role-based management system improves security, accountability, and transparency in demanding production settings where multiple users, editors, and engineers operate simultaneously. Compatibility with SMPTE-ST-2110 and SMPTE-ST-2022-7 positions PlayBox Neo integration into next-generation media environments. https://playboxneo.com

Bitcentral Fusion Hybrid Storage

Video compression, delivery and streaming solutions provider Ateme and Comcast Technology Solutions (CTS) are partnering on managed services and media technologies for live video delivery. As part of the collaboration, CTS is leveraging Ateme’s TITAN video compression, NEA OTT delivery and monetization solutions, which can be packaged with Ateme+ SaaS services as part of the Comcast Media360 platform for intelligent media supply chain, including live encoding and distribution. This enables customers to benefit from outstanding video quality, greater operational efficiency and seamless scalability across broadcast and streaming workflows. Beyond technology, the collaboration establishes a framework for ongoing innovation, bringing together CTS’s proven global scale and media services expertise and Ateme’s expertise in compression, OTT delivery and streaming. www.ateme.com | www.comcasttechnologysolutions.com

Interra Systems delivers enterprise-grade, cloud-native media monitoring designed to ensure exceptional quality of service (QoS) and quality of experience (QoE) across linear broadcast and OTT streaming workflows. Built for flexible deployment in public clouds, private clouds, hybrid or on-prem environments, Interra Systems’ ORION and ORION-OTT solutions provide end-to-end, automated monitoring from ingest to delivery. Key features include real-time audio-video quality checks, comprehensive compliance verification (closed captions, loudness, SCTE-35 ad-insertion), and advanced DRM/encryption support for ABR formats (HLS, DASH). www.interrasystems.com

products & services marketplace

Fusion Hybrid Storage (FHS) is an intelligent hybrid storage solution designed to protect and manage high-resolution content and metadata. By combining the reliability and low-latency performance of on-premises storage with the flexibility and scalability of commercially available cloud resources, FHS provides a resilient storage environment that can adapt to evolving media requirements. FHS empowers media organizations to scale storage capacity as their content libraries grow, without the need for significant investment in additional on-premises hardware and infrastructure. Flexible commercial options, including contract-based and pay-as-you-go models, allow customers to select an approach that best aligns with their operational and storage requirements. By intelligently balancing on-premises and cloud-based resources, Fusion Hybrid Storage provides a flexible, scalable and cost-efficient approach to content storage and protection, allowing organizations to focus on creating, managing and delivering their content. https://bitcentral.com @tvtech.bsky.social | www.tvtech.com | October 2026

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

BRIAN DOHENY

JOHN ROBERTSON

RONNY VAN GEEL

JEN CARFLEY

Dalet

Hearst Television

Grass Valley

E.W. Scripps

Dalet has promoted Brian Doheny to CEO. Doheny joined the media software technology provider in April as president and chief revenue officer, leading the company’s go-to-market and customer experience organizations. As CEO, he will lead Dalet’s global strategy and operations. A 30-year technology industry veteran, Doheny joined Dalet from risk-management software provider Veriforce, where he had been chief revenue officer.

Hearst Television has elevated John Robertson to senior vice president, strategy and distribution. The new role expands his duties to involve strategic distribution and technology partnerships. Robertson, who had been Hearst’s vice president of distribution since 2021, will continue to report to executive vice president John Robertson. His promotion follows Chief Strategy and Business Development Officer Roger Keating’s announcement that he will retire at year-end.

Grass Valley has promoted Ronny Van Geel to vice president of cameras. The 25-year veteran had been Grass Valley’s director of product marketing, where he worked across the company’s portfolio and strategy, helping shape its strategy around such products as Grass Valley Media Universe, unified media operations and Dynamic Media Facilities. He began his career at Philips DVS in 1999 before moving into a product management role in 2005.

Jen Carfley has joined E.W. Scripps as head of small and medium business (SMB) growth and direct response advertising. In her new post, she will lead the station group’s strategy to connect advertisers with Scripps’ premium video advertising and performance-driven TV advertising solutions across local, national, linear and connected TV platforms. Previously she was vice president of the SMB growth team at NBCUniversal Advertising and Partnerships.

LUTZ RATHMANN

ADELE HIXON - DAY

STUART ALMOND

DEREK SCHNELL

Riedel Communications

C-SPAN

Techex

Hearst Television

Riedel Communications has elevated Lutz Rathmann to CEO, effective Jan. 1, 2027. He will oversee the company’s Product and Managed Technology divisions as part of a broader restructuring. The new setup is meant to more closely align Riedel’s product development and live-production expertise. Rathmann currently leads the Managed Technology unit, a position he has held since he returned to Riedel in 2020 after serving as CEO of APS. His appointment coincides with the retirement of Product Division CEO Jan Eveleens.

C-SPAN has named Adele HixonDay as chief development officer, a new senior leadership role focused on expanding philanthropic support for the nonprofit cable public-affairs network. HixonDay had been chief advancement officer at the Smithsonian Institution and vice president of development at the National Trust for Historic Preservation. She will develop support for C-SPAN’s journalism, civic education and digital innovation efforts, as well as the preservation and modernization of its archives.

Techex, a specialist in live IP video transport, has tapped Stuart Almond as chief revenue officer, tasked with driving its business strategy and development initiatives and supporting its continued expansion as broadcasters and content owners transition to dynamic, cloud-native production environments, the company said. A 25-year industry veteran, Almond has held senior leadership positions with such companies as Qvest, Microsoft and Sony Professional Solutions Europe.

Hearst Television has elevated Derek Schnell to vice president, news, responsible for overseeing a group of station newsrooms across its 27-market footprint. Schnell will also increase his involvement in companywide editorial strategy and initiatives. Since 2024, Schnell was regional news director and news director of KCRA-KQCA in Sacramento, Calif. He also provided management oversight and editorial support for Hearst’s station duopolies in Monterey-Salinas, Calif., and Albquerque, N.M.

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