SMPTE targets AI and open media workflows at IBC2026 sessions

The focus on open-source standards and sovereign AI indicates a shift toward interoperability as media organizations move away from proprietary hardware silos. By formalizing the Dynamic Media Facility framework, SMPTE is providing a blueprint for software-defined production that allows for more flexible resource allocation in live environments. This move aligns with a broader industry push to reduce technical debt during the ongoing transition to IP and cloud-native infrastructures. Watch for the specific adoption rates of the OGraf standard among major European broadcasters following the IBC demonstrations to gauge the momentum of open-source graphics.

SMPTE's ST 2110 suite has become the de facto standard for IP-based media facilities, and CBC/Radio-Canada's Montreal greenfield project represents one of the most ambitious deployments to date. Francois Vaillant, executive director of engineering solutions at CBC/Radio-Canada, told TVNewsCheck that the broadcaster chose IP over HD/SDI to future-proof the facility, noting that the base infrastructure remains the same even as bandwidth demands grow for 4K transitions. The project uses Arista switches for its media IP network and relies on SMPTE 2110 for audio and NMOS for control, as detailed in Radio World's facility walkthrough. However, Vaillant acknowledged that interoperability between vendors using NMOS remains immature, citing specific conflicts between Lawo's broadcast controller protocol and Grass Valley's NMOS implementation for switcher control.

The business case for open standards in broadcast IP centers on reducing vendor lock-in and lowering per-bit transmission costs through commercial off-the-shelf networking equipment. CBC/Radio-Canada's engineering team worked with multiple vendors across several years to develop an all-IP solution, pushing the ST 2110 standard forward while using gateways where legacy equipment could not be replaced. Lawo's VSM was selected as the master IP control system for the facility, which hosts approximately 40 TV channels, 40 digital channels, and 160 radio channels in both French and English. CBC/Radio-Canada also selected Grass Valley's iTX platform for open-standards IP playout, unifying workflow between its Montreal and Toronto facilities and simplifying training and maintenance across both language services.

The technical challenges CBC/Radio-Canada encountered illustrate why SMPTE's IBC2026 sessions on open media workflows carry practical urgency. The Nouvelle Maison Radio-Canada won the AV Awards 2023 Broadcast and Media Project of the Year for its standards-based approach to SMPTE ST2110 and NMOS compatibility, but the project required joint development of tools and routines with vendors to achieve interoperability. The facility's requirement for Ember+ support and NMOS IS-04/IS-05 compatibility on audio consoles narrowed the field of eligible hardware to very few options, demonstrating that the open-standards ecosystem SMPTE promotes at IBC2026 still has significant maturation gaps in device-level control and discovery.