Platform strategy now spans four business models at once: OTT, SVOD, AVOD, and FAST. This category covers recommendation engines, content discovery, CTV app experience, player SDKs, and the subscriber engagement data that tells you whether a feature actually worked.
Franco-German broadcaster Arte is negotiating with the European Union for a multi-year funding framework to expand its streaming platform from seven to 24 languages by 2034. The initiative aims to bolster a pan-European digital network through increased regional co-productions and partnerships with 14 public service broadcasters.
Vodafone UK has selected Netgem's PLEIO platform to power its new branded television service, which integrates live TV, streaming apps, and cloud gaming into a single Android TV-based hub. The platform utilizes an AI-powered recommendation engine to index content across all sources into a unified interface.
x-dream-media is set to debut its x-dream-Fabrik NEWS solution at IBC2026, featuring a 'Social First' production workflow. The platform integrates AI tools for research, metadata enrichment, and cross-media adaptation while maintaining human editorial oversight.
OpenAI has detailed the architecture of its custom Jalapeño inference chip, which utilizes a weight-stationary systolic array and a custom programming model called Gluon to optimize inference efficiency. While the chip is designed to reduce inference costs, OpenAI maintains a strategic partnership with NVIDIA for its large-scale training infrastructure.
Brightcove has launched its Gen 2 platform, which introduces an AI Agentic Hub and a redesigned Prism user interface. The update includes over 30 advancements aimed at automating manual workflows and enhancing metadata management through a chat-based interface.
Virgin Media is migrating its Store movie library customers to the Rakuten TV platform as part of an expanded strategic partnership. The deal integrates Virgin Media's transactional video business into Rakuten TV's existing infrastructure, which already supports FAST channels and joint advertising monetization via Rakuten TV Enterprise.
TiVo has appointed former VIDAA executive Tal Bone as SVP and GM of TiVo OS while announcing platform updates including DVB-I support, generative AI discovery, and interactive commerce via IRCODE. The company also optimized its OS to run on lower-spec hardware, specifically devices with 1GB of RAM, to reduce bill-of-material costs for smart TV manufacturers.
Nokia has partnered with digital healthcare platform BeeHealthy to integrate its Network as Code technology, replacing SMS-based authentication with network-based verification. The companies are also exploring the use of Quality on Demand APIs to support latency-sensitive video consultations.
The Orlando Magic has selected DAZN as its exclusive direct-to-consumer streaming partner for the 2026-27 season, offering a team-branded subscription service with live games and multiview features. This partnership complements the team's existing over-the-air broadcast agreements with Cox Media Group's WRDQ and WFTV.
Eluvio has announced new features for its Global Broadcast Fabric, including sub-500ms latency distribution, decentralized multipath synchronization, and inline AI video intelligence. The platform aims to replace traditional satellite and cloud infrastructure with a zero-copy architecture for B2B and D2C streaming workflows.
DVEO is partnering with Stream Republic and 1Legion to offer an integrated stack combining cloud transcoding, managed operations, and bare metal infrastructure. The collaboration aims to simplify broadcast workflows by unifying hardware, AI-driven localization tools, and compute resources into a single managed service.
Dolby Laboratories has introduced OptiView, a modular platform designed for live sports streaming that integrates low-latency delivery, personalized ad insertion via Google Ad Manager, and viewer engagement analytics. The platform supports Dolby Vision and Dolby Atmos playback across devices and is scheduled for demonstration at IBC 2026.
VisualOn has integrated EZDRM’s C2PA Provenance Signature Service into its Open+ player suite to enable native verification of content authenticity metadata. This integration aims to assist streaming operators in meeting EU AI Act disclosure requirements for synthetic media by surfacing provenance data directly within the playback pipeline.
PlayBox Technology has published a guide detailing its Celebro Play orchestration platform, which integrates ingest, scheduling, and monitoring for linear and FAST channels. The platform is designed to assist remote playout providers and broadcasters in managing multi-channel operations through API-ready integration with existing AirBox and Cosmos infrastructure.
Blue Lucy is promoting a modular, service-based approach to media orchestration at IBC 2026. The company is encouraging operators to deploy specific workflow 'slices' for tasks like review, approval, and social publishing rather than replacing entire platforms.
Quickplay has introduced Live Operations, a cloud-native control plane designed to consolidate scheduling, signal control, SCTE-35 ad management, and monitoring for live-linear and FAST channels. The platform leverages AI orchestration to automate fallback protection and live-to-VOD clipping workflows for broadcasters and streaming operators.
Ocean Blue Software and DTVKit are demonstrating a production-ready, royalty-free DVB-I client at IBC 2026. The implementation uses a C++ architecture with a JSON-based API to enable cross-platform deployment on Android, Linux, and RDK devices.
beIN SPORTS utilized Skyline Communications’ DataMiner xOps platform to centralize live stream management and resource scheduling during the FIFA World Cup 2026. The deployment enabled the broadcaster to automate complex workflows and reduce manual operational overhead across its live production teams.
F5 and CrowdStrike have formalized a partnership to embed Falcon security sensors directly into F5 BIG-IP appliances. This integration enables real-time virtual patching at the network perimeter to mitigate vulnerabilities before they can be exploited by AI-driven threats.
Broadcom and Supermicro have announced an integration between VMware AI Factory software and Supermicro’s HGX systems and management suite. The partnership aims to provide a unified solution for managing AI infrastructure, including compute, storage, and physical systems like power and cooling, to support enterprise AI workloads.
Yospace has launched Ad Presentation, a solution designed to standardize the deployment of non-linear ad formats like overlays and L-banners across live, VOD, and FAST streaming workflows. The tool leverages IAB Tech Lab standards to simplify cross-device implementation for both SSAI and SGAI environments.
Broadcasters including Gray Media, Scripps, and TEGNA are increasingly utilizing ad hoc syndication models to distribute live sports content across local stations and streaming platforms. This strategy allows rights holders to achieve broad reach for secondary sports tiers without the high fixed costs associated with maintaining permanent national cable networks.
A study by Big Blue Marble of 5,027 consumers across seven countries indicates that 14% of sports viewers have considered switching providers due to latency issues. The research suggests that streaming operators can mitigate churn by offering premium features like alternative camera angles and personalized highlights, which a majority of fans are willing to pay for.
UK operator VodafoneThree has launched SuperMobile, a 5G standalone network slicing service that guarantees minimum 15Mbit/s speeds for streaming and gaming. The operator also introduced a 4K IPTV hub, marking its first major service rollout following the merger of Vodafone UK and Three UK.
Accedo and MediaKind have launched a joint white-label streaming solution that integrates Accedo's application framework with MediaKind's MK.IO platform. The production-ready system is designed to reduce deployment complexity for operators and is currently powering the EPICO service for Canadian operator Cogeco.
Netcracker and Google Fiber received a TM Forum Excellence Award for their deployment of an AI-native autonomous operations platform on Google Cloud. The project utilized TM Forum's Open Digital Architecture to improve service activation times and network performance for GFiber's 8 Gbps Edge service.
Major technology firms including Meta, Amazon, and NVIDIA are committing billions of dollars to secure long-term fiber optic supply agreements to support the infrastructure demands of AI-driven data centers. This shift toward fiber-heavy architectures is intended to provide the scalable bandwidth and low-latency connectivity required for modern AI workflows and edge computing.
Tersis Technologies and Flux Core have signed a memorandum of understanding to integrate waste-to-energy power generation with decentralized data center infrastructure. The partnership aims to address power grid constraints by deploying modular, on-site 10-30MW power plants alongside compute units for edge and enterprise AI applications.
Kaltura and Verimatrix have announced a strategic partnership to integrate Verimatrix's DRM and anti-piracy solutions into Kaltura's Cloud TV platform. The collaboration aims to provide broadcasters and telcos with enhanced content protection and security features for live and on-demand streaming services.
ESPN is scaling its college football production capabilities for the 2026 season by expanding HDR support to seven crews and implementing a cloud-based production control room powered by AWS. The network is also increasing its use of high-speed replay, remote production (REMI) transmission paths, and deeper officiating data integration across its conference partnerships.
The NFL is shifting its preseason broadcast distribution from local terrestrial affiliates to the NFL Plus streaming service and proprietary team apps. These platforms are leveraging advanced technologies, including Dolby OptiView and ATSC 3.0, to deliver low-latency, high-dynamic-range content directly to viewers.
Researchers at Nanyang Technological University utilized the iFinder multi-agent AI system to identify 84 previously unknown vulnerabilities across several 4G and 5G core network implementations. The findings, which include a critical session hijacking risk, underscore the urgent need for zero-trust security architectures in cloud-native telecom environments.
Descope has launched its Agentic Identity Hub, a platform designed to provide identity and authorization management specifically for AI agents and Model Context Protocol (MCP) servers. The solution offers features such as first-class agent identities, unified credential vaulting, and context-aware authorization policies to secure autonomous agentic workflows.
Qvest and 12 technology partners will demonstrate a multi-vendor Dynamic Media Facility (DMF) at IBC 2026. The showcase utilizes EBU architecture to demonstrate software-defined production workflows across cloud and commodity infrastructure using ST 2110 and MXL standards.
Uniguest has released version 26.3 of its Hub AV software, introducing SRT stream ingest for low-latency distribution of broadcast feeds within sports venues. The update also adds integration for Major League Baseball data visualizations and Microsoft OneDrive support to enhance digital signage and interactive TV management.
Data center operators and telecom firms are increasingly adopting sustainability-linked financing and green hydrogen production to address environmental impacts. However, hyperscale facilities from major tech companies are projected to account for 7% of U.S. power-related CO2 emissions by 2025, highlighting ongoing challenges in greening digital infrastructure.
Tottenham Hotspur Stadium is completing a multi-million-dollar infrastructure refresh, replacing VMware with HPE's VM Essentials and deploying Wi-Fi 7 across the venue. The project utilizes HPE's Aruba networking, ProLiant servers, and AIOps tools to manage stadium operations and reduce total cost of ownership.
Market Research Future projects the global data center server market to grow from $117.7 billion in 2025 to $471.9 billion by 2035, representing a 14.9% CAGR. This growth is primarily driven by the increasing computational demands of AI workloads, hyperscale cloud expansion, and high-performance digital services.
The latest edition of the EBU's tech-i magazine highlights software-defined production workflows from SVT, CBC/Radio-Canada, and France Télévisions. These case studies emphasize that successful implementation of modern streaming infrastructure relies more on organizational change and human factors than on the underlying technology itself.
YouTube has updated its phone-to-TV pairing mechanism to rely on account-based linking rather than shared Wi-Fi network discovery. This change enables users to interact with content on their mobile devices while watching on a television, creating a deterministic cross-device link that may impact future attribution and engagement measurement.
The Carolina Hurricanes have partnered with Amazon Prime Video to launch the Hurricanes Hockey Network as a direct-to-consumer subscription service priced at $19.99 per month. This move represents a shift in regional sports broadcasting as the NHL continues to centralize local rights and explore new distribution models following the decline of traditional RSNs.
RCS Worldwide is introducing RCSAI, a natural language interface for its SelectorCloud platform, at IBC2026. The company is also launching new programmatic advertising integrations with Triton Digital and a cloud-based guest management tool for radio broadcasters.
AWS has expanded its Lambda SnapStart capability to support functions packaged as container images. This update allows developers to reduce cold-start times for latency-sensitive workloads, such as ML inference and interactive APIs, by resuming from cached execution environment snapshots.
beIN SPORTS utilized Skyline Communications' DataMiner xOps platform to manage live stream orchestration and resource planning during the 2026 FIFA World Cup. The deployment enabled a unified operational view and workflow automation, resulting in reduced manual coordination and operational hours.
A VentureBeat survey of 170 AI infrastructure respondents indicates that enterprises are increasingly prioritizing non-Nvidia accelerators, with 39.4% planning to evaluate alternatives like AWS Trainium and Google TPUs compared to 25.3% for Nvidia's Blackwell GPUs. The data suggests a shift toward building infrastructure optionality and operational control, with organizations focusing on workload-level performance and reliability rather than immediate platform changes.
Paramount has updated the Pluto TV app on Roku devices to utilize the same underlying technology stack as Paramount+. This consolidation integrates shared recommendation systems, data pipelines, and advertising technology while maintaining distinct branding and content libraries for the two services.
Disney has begun migrating Disney+ subscribers in Egypt and other markets from a Hotstar-derived platform to its global streaming application. This infrastructure update introduces IMAX Enhanced aspect ratios, improved UI performance, and expanded feature sets to align these regions with the company's global technology stack.
Comcast Technology Solutions has unveiled a new suite of AI-powered workflow applications for its VideoAI platform, designed to automate tasks such as video verticalization, dubbing, metadata enrichment, and intelligent clipping. The tools are integrated into the company's existing Cloud Media Processing engine and are scheduled for commercial availability throughout 2026 and 2027.
The Naval Academy Athletic Association has deployed a 150-screen IPTV system at Navy-Marine Corps Memorial Stadium using FanConnect media players and LG webOS displays. The infrastructure replaces legacy cable boxes with a centralized, IP-based management system that supports live broadcast feeds, sponsorship graphics, and remote control for premium suites.
A coalition of five companies, including Kinema, Impact Partners, and Theorem Media, has launched the documentary 'Ask E. Jean' via a premium VOD model on the Kinema platform. This grassroots distribution strategy bypasses traditional SVOD services, utilizing community-hosted screenings and direct-to-consumer digital rentals.
