ToolsOnAir integrates CORE I/O with Iconik to accelerate remote live production

This integration reflects the primary industry shift toward hybrid infrastructure where high-resolution media remains on-premises for cost control while creative operations reside in the cloud. By removing the 'capture-then-upload' delay, ToolsOnAir and Iconik are effectively shrinking the production cycle for time-sensitive news and sports segments. For the broader ecosystem, this validates software-defined servers as the essential link between traditional hardware-bound facilities and distributed SaaS collaboration tools. Watch for similar integrations from competitive MAM providers as they race to support 'edit-while-capture' micro-workflows in 2026.

The integration coincides with a significant scale-up in the media management sector. According to the Backlight 2026 Media Stats Report released in February 2026, assets managed within Iconik reached 903 million, a staggering 9,306% increase from the 9.6 million assets tracked in earlier reporting cycles. The report also highlighted that while video represents only 14% of the total asset count, it consumes 64% of storage needs, underscoring the demand for hybrid solutions that keep high-bitrate files on-site while utilizing cloud metadata for speed.

ToolsOnAir's move to a Linux-native, software-defined architecture with CORE I/O, first introduced at IBC 2025, aligns with broader infrastructure trends. Per Market Research Future in June 2026, the global video streaming software market is projected to grow to over $20 billion in 2026 as organizations move away from fixed-function hardware toward programmable, API-driven stacks. This shift is particularly pronounced in Europe, where the enforcement of the Digital Services Act has increased the urgency for modular infrastructure that supports real-time content auditing and advanced archiving.

Furthermore, Backlight, which acquired Iconik in 2022, has positioned the platform as a core component of its 'Digital Media Factory' suite. Per company reports from April 2026, the platform now manages over 324 petabytes of global media, with cloud-hosted data accounting for roughly 75% of that volume. The addition of professional broadcast recording engines like CORE I/O to this ecosystem addresses a critical bottleneck in live production environments where manual file management previously delayed post-production readiness by hours.