ALEXANDRIA, Va.—A new research study from CTAM and Hub Entertainment Research highlights the high cost of bad app design and poor user experiences with survey data showing that a poor streaming user experience (UX) is cited by a surprising 36% of viewers, and 43% of viewers under 25, as the sole reason they’ve cancelled a streaming subscription, according to the study.

The result is notable because pricing and the quality of content are often seen as by far the biggest driver of subscription cancellations and churn, which can significantly add to a service's marketing costs.

“This research underscores the extent to which TV apps are compared not just to other TV apps, but to all of the apps consumers use across categories,” said Jon Giegengack, founder of Hub Entertainment Research and one of the research authors. “Viewers have high expectations, and even small moments of friction can quickly accumulate to cause frustration and abandonment. The findings are clear that improving even seemingly small frustrations can have a big impact on satisfaction, engagement and churn.”

The new research report, Value by Design: Building a Better Streaming UX and Discovery Experience, available to CTAM members, examines the importance of the streaming user experience to consumers’ overall satisfaction. Additional notable findings include:

• TV apps are evaluated against all apps across categories. Two-thirds (68%) of viewers do at least some of their decision-making outside of dedicated TV apps. Users judge their experience against all other apps across categories including Instagram and TikTok.
• TV apps are delivering. 90% of those surveyed were very or somewhat satisfied by their user experience. But there is room to improve. 72% experience at least one problem that leaves them “extremely frustrated” and 80% experience one problem that happens “all the time.”
• Hub tested also 20 UX problems to learn how often they happen and how frustrating they are when they do. Then 13 design solutions were tested, with five found to most likely add value to a subscription. The most damaging design and navigation issue was found to be “burying” of common tasks like having to scroll too far for “Continue Watching” and a hard-to-find “Watch List.”

The study identifies some potential solutions, with the two that would most impact viewer behavior including:

• Pinned “Continue Watching” – 46% loved this feature; 63% say they would absolutely use it; 42% think it would make their subscription more valuable; and 48% say it would make them more likely to keep their subscription.
• Pinned Watch Lists – 39% loved this feature; 56% say they would absolutely use it; 36% think it would make their subscription more valuable; and 43% say it would make them more likely to keep their subscription.
• Viewers reward apps that open straight into content – relevant, actionable, and free of decision fatigue.

One survey respondent over age 35 said: “When I open an app, I want it to already be where I left off or already doing what I need. The ones I like don’t make me figure anything out.”

Young viewers have less tolerance when the app experience fails.

For Gen Z viewers, the idea of more relevant recommendations was highly appealing, with 59% of viewers ages 13-24 saying that TV recommendations don’t feel like they are designed for them vs. 45% of older viewers.

Younger viewers also make viewing decisions well before turning on the TV, with 43% reporting they decide what to watch in advance vs. 35% of older viewers.

Plus, they look to social media for those recommendations; 48% of viewers 13-24 said they hear about shows and movies from trailers on social platforms vs. 38% of older viewers.

“This latest research highlights the pivotal role CTAM plays to give our members a big picture perspective on industry-wide challenges,” said Vicki Lins, president and CEO, CTAM. “Consumers by and large are satisfied with streaming apps, but a negative user experience can be a silent killer, quietly eroding loyalty while price and content grab the headlines. The full report for CTAM members reveals the extent of the threat posed by poor user experience, and how the industry can give consumers more clarity and control.”

The CTAM/Hub Entertainment Research study, "Value by Design: Building a Better Streaming UX and Discovery Experience", included both quantitative and qualitative elements: first, an online survey of 3,000 U.S. consumers ages 13-64, with the sample balanced to the U.S. census by gender, age, and race; and second, 24 in-depth interviews with a mix of Pay TV subscribers and cord cutters/cord nevers who subscribed to at least one streaming service. The research was conducted in April 2026.

CTAM members can access the full report on the group's website here.

ALBANY, N.Y.—The New York State Broadcasters Association, Inc., has announced a new class of inductees for the New York State Broadcasters Hall of Fame.

The induction ceremony will take place at a luncheon gala in the Rainbow Room, 30 Rockefeller Plaza, New York City, on Thursday, October 22, 2026.

“The Hall of Fame Class of 2026 sets the “gold standard” for broadcasters throughout New York State and the nation,” explained David Donovan, president of the New York State Broadcasters Association. “The inductees represent a lifetime of achievement serving their profession and their communities. We are honored to have them join the Hall of Fame.”

The group described the people being inducted as follows:

Bill Ritter – Journalist/ Anchor – WABC-TV, New York

Bill Ritter started at Eyewitness News in 1998, anchoring weekends while working full time Monday through Friday for ABC News and “20/20” as a correspondent. In 1999, he began anchoring the 11 p.m. newscast and then added the 6 p.m. newscast in 2001. Ritter stepped away from anchoring in June 2026 following a diagnosis of early-stage Alzheimer’s. He will continue to cover special projects for Eyewitness News, with a focus on Alzheimer’s and related conditions.

Ritter has reported major events since joining ABC as founding co-host of “Good Morning America Sunday” in 1993.

Originally from Los Angeles, he reported on both the Rodney King trial and the subsequent riots in the city for the Fox Television Network early in his career. Between August 1991 and February 1992, Ritter worked as a reporter for Fox Network’s nationally syndicated show “Entertainment Daily Journal.” From February 1990 to August 1991, he was an investigative reporter at KTTV-TV (Fox Television) in Los Angeles, where he also anchored coverage of the Gulf War. He began his television career as a business and investigative reporter for KNSD-TV (an NBC affiliate) in San Diego from February 1987 to January 1990. Before working in television, Ritter was a reporter and business editor for the San Diego County edition of the Los Angeles Times and worked as a reporter and editor at the San Diego Business Journal.

Ritter received the NYSBA Excellence in Broadcasting Award for “Operation 7: Save a Life,” which promoted fire safety. He was a board member and chairman of Crash, Inc., a San Diego drug prevention nonprofit, and served on the SDSU Business School Advisory Board from 1984 to 1985.

Ritter earned his bachelor’s degree in liberal arts from The New School in Manhattan. He graduated in May 2016, 44 years after initially being expelled from San Diego State University for leading an anti-war protest.

Rosanna Scotto – Journalist/Anchor - WNYW-TV (Fox 5), New York City

Rosanna Scotto has been a member of WNYW-FOX 5 News since 1986. The Emmy Award winning journalist is currently the co-host of “Good Day New York.” Scotto began her career at WTBS-TV in Atlanta where she was a reporter for two local programs and an associate producer of the station's evening newscast. She returned to her native New York in the early 1980s as a reporter for WABC's "Good Morning New York," which eventually became "Live with Regis and Kathie Lee." A year later, Scotto joined WABC-TV's "Eyewitness News" as a reporter, where she remained until she joined FOX 5.

Scotto has covered the tri-state area, and her assignments have taken her to Israel, Rome, across the United States. As a reporter, she won an endless string of coveted assignments including the first exclusive interview with Diana Bianchi, the other woman in the Christie Brinkley divorce case, the Woody Allen/Mia Farrow child custody battle, the notorious "Preppie Murder Trial," and the trials of Joel Steinberg and the "Swiss Nanny." Scotto also led FOX 5 News to the forefront in getting Marty Tankleff a new trial and was granted an exclusive interview with him in jail.

Scotto has won six Emmys for anchoring FOX 5 News at 10 and Good Day New York. She won the 1995 New York State Associated Press First Place Award for her report "New York Survival Guide." She is also the winner of three other Associated Press First Place Awards, including two special Associated Press Award nominations.

Scotto has received a host of honors and awards for her community service work. She is a graduate of Catholic University and received honorary doctorates from Mount St. Mary College and St. John's University. Born and raised in Brooklyn, Scotto lives in the New York area with her husband and their two children.

Sid Rosenberg – Morning Host – 77WABC Radio, New York City

Sid Rosenberg is the nationally known host of the morning show on 77 WABC in New York City. Sid connects with his audience because he is the audience. A native of Brooklyn, Sid is as New York as you can get –- he shares his honest opinion, and he doesn’t hold back. Sid has direct access to some of the most powerful people in New York, the country, and the world. His interviews are insightful and range from informative to entertaining — often both at the same time!

His radio career started in Florida in the late 1990’s, with the syndicated sports radio program, “The Drive on Sports Fan Radio Network.” In 2000, he returned to New York City to co-host WNEW-FM's morning show, the “Sports Guys.” A year later, he joined the “Imus in the Morning” program, sharing sports broadcasting duties with Warner Wolf before becoming the full-time sports reporter. In addition, he became the co-host of the midday show on WFAN, holding both broadcasting positions until 2005. Sid also hosted the radio pre-game shows for New York Giants home games. In 2016, Rosenberg became the co-host of the “Bernie and Sid Show” on 77 WABC, with Bernard McGuirk and was a sports contributor for “Imus in the Morning.” On March 8, 2018, Rosenberg and Bernard McGuirk replaced the retiring Don Imus. Following McGuirk's death, Bernie and Sid in the Morning became known as “Sid and Friends in the Morning.”

He is the author of “You're Wrong and You're Ugly: The Highs and Lows of a Radio Bad Boy” and “Sid-izens United: Salacious Spiels, Stories, Suggestions, and Solutions to Withstand a Woke World.” He has BA in Business from Baruch College. He and his wife Danielle were married in 1992 and have two children.

Dan Miner – Station Manager - WCKM-FM, WCQL-FM, WWSC-AM & FM, and WDKM-FM, Glens Falls

Dan Miner made his on-air debut in 1983 on SUNY-Adirondack’s college radio station WGFR-FM in Glens Falls, where he was also named student of the year. Miner made his professional debut less than a month later on WIPS-AM in Ticonderoga and WXTY-FM later that year. Miner would go full-time on WXTY after graduation. Miner not only took his regular air shifts, including mornings, but also covered local sports for the combo, including play-by-play duties for football, basketball and baseball. He also covered the Adirondack Red Wings for the stations. Miner was the station’s Operations Manager from 1986 to 1991. In ’91, Miner moved to WENU-FM where he would do afternoon drive, production, play-by-play and cover the Adirondack Red Wings. In the fall of ’92, Miner became the arena host for the Red Wings and host of Red Wings Rap, a weekly hockey show. Miner would take over for morning drive in ’94 on WSTL-FM. In June of ’96, he worked at WHTR-FM, WBZA-AM and WENU-FM as the morning drive host and Operations Manager. In 1997, Miner found his way to WCKM-FM as the host of “The Morning Club,” where he has been since. Miner is the 'Go-To' voice for local professional sports, having been on the mic for local professional hockey teams as the PA Announcer including the Adirondack Thunder since '99, where he was inducted into The Adirondack Hockey Hall of Fame in 2020. Miner is also the PA Announcer for The Glens Falls Greenjackets Football Team. Miner is also the host and owner of The Talkin' Smack Podcast. Miner, the winner of multiple NYSBA Awards, continues as the Station Manager for WCKM-FM, WCQL-FM, WWSC-AM & FM, and WDKM-FM.

Pete Cloutier – Morning Co-Host & Sales - WCKM-FM, Glens Falls

Pete Cloutier started on the radio in 1966 on WWSC-AM. Pete’s career started with “Saturday Night a Go-Go,” the first rock & roll show in the tri-counties. He took rock & roll, dedications, and requests for six hours every Saturday night. Cloutier also brought the first rock & roll show to Glens Falls in ’66 with Gary Lewis & the Playboys. Cloutier found his way into promotions with a very successful run of WWSC’s “Battle of the Bands” promotions to standing room crowds. Cloutier left WWSC in ’83 but found his way back to radio in ’87, creating a new Saturday night show, “Great Gold Plus” on WAYI-FM. Cloutier also made his debut in sales, capitalizing on his popularity from being on the air. In ’89, Pete began producing more rock & roll shows. He worked with the top names in the industry for a successful run of shows at the Glens Falls Civic Center and an almost 30-year run of “Summer Jam” shows. Cloutier moved over to WKBE-FM for sales, promotions and the continuation of his Saturday night show in ’91. In ’94, Cloutier was on the move again, this time for his last stop on WCKM-FM, once again with sales and promotions and also to take on the sidekick role on “The Morning Club,” which he still holds down today at the age of 81.

Chuck Samuels – VP & General Manager - WHAM-TV, Rochester (retired)

Chuck Samuels retired in November 2025 following a distinguished 19-year tenure as Vice President and General Manager of WHAM-TV, Rochester, New York’s ABC and CW affiliates, and WUHF-TV, Rochester’s Fox affiliate.

A 1983 graduate of the University of Florida with a master’s degree in journalism and communication, Samuels was also an All-American swimmer at UF. He began his broadcasting career at WDVH, a country music station in Gainesville, Florida, where he reported and anchored afternoon drive newscasts. He also contributed color commentary and pool-deck interviews for swimming events televised by ESPN. Samuels later held producing roles in Jacksonville and Tampa before joining KDKA-TV in Pittsburgh in 1988, where he advanced to Executive Producer and Assistant News Director.

In 1993, Samuels was named News Director at WKBW-TV in Buffalo, New York. Three years later, he moved to WHAM-TV in Rochester, where he served as News Director for nearly a decade before being promoted to Vice President and General Manager in 2006. Under Samuels’ leadership, WHAM-TV earned three National Edward R. Murrow Awards and numerous regional honors. His team also launched Buffalo Plus, a successful podcast focused on the Buffalo Bills.

Samuels was actively involved in the Rochester community, serving on boards for organizations that included the Rochester Ad Council, the American Diabetes Association, and the American Cancer Society. From 2008 until his retirement, Samuels served on the board of the New York State Broadcasters and served on the Executive Committee. Following his retirement, Samuels returned to Gainesville with his wife, Diane, bringing his career full circle.

Bob Krummenacker - VP & General Manager – WBNG-TV, Binghamton (retired)

Bob Krummenacker retired in October 2025 from a 44-year career with Gray Media’s Binghamton, New York properties, WBNG-TV (CBS), Binghamton’s CW and MeTV, serving in his final role as Vice President and General Manager. Bob dedicated the last fourteen years to developing the leadership and driving strategic direction of the market’s dominant station and news leader. In that time, Bob managed a complete station rebrand from on-air graphics, news set, and marketing to the station’s ever-expanding digital capabilities. He guided the sales operation to execute multiple new revenue generating programs to leverage the station’s leading position and strengths to deliver record setting accomplishments and business results to create value for WBNG-TV and its partners.

Krummenacker started his television career at WBNG-TV in 1981 as an Account Executive. His strong business skills and personable demeanor helped him advance quickly to other positions at the station including Local Sales Manager, Regional Sales Manager, New Business Development Manager and General Sales Manager. Throughout his career, Krummenacker committed to industry excellence through his involvement in the National Association of Broadcasters and the New York State Broadcasters Association. He is a graduate of NAB’s Broadcast Leadership Program completed through Northwestern’s Kellogg School of Management. In addition, he served as a past Chairman of the New York State Broadcasters Association. As a long-time member of the board of directors, he also served on the Finance Board and Investment committee for NYSBA. For his contributions to the industry, Krummenacker was recognized by the Radio & Television Business Report as a Top Local TV Leader in 2020.

Krummenacker’s commitment to the people of Binghamton is unsurpassed, serving as a founding board member of the Binghamton Ad Club, co-founder of Sock Out Cancer, giving more than 15 years of service to both the Binghamton Boys and Girls Club and the American Red Cross. He currently serves on the Board of Directors for Visions Veterans Memorial Arena and the Friends of the Forum.

Bob graduated from Fredonia University earning B.S. in Marketing with a minor in Economics. Prior to his career at WBNG-TV, he was an Account Executive at WQYT Radio in Binghamton, NY, rounding out a remarkable 46-year career in media in a single local marketplace.

For information about the New York State Broadcasters Association’s Hall of Fame, go to www.nysbroadcasters.org

LOS ANGELES—Beeble has unveiled the SwitchHDR, a new AI-driven model that reconstructs HDR imagery from conventional SDR video, producing scene-linear 16-bit EXR sequences for professional post-production. Designed for filmmakers, colorists and VFX artists, SwitchHDR is available through the Beeble web application.

SDR video captures only a fraction of the dynamic range present in a real scene. Once highlights clip or shadow detail is compressed or lost, traditional SDR-to-HDR methods can only redistribute the remaining signal, often introducing banding, noise and other artifacts. In contrast, SwitchHDR is trained on real HDR footage to reconstruct a plausible HDR representation rather than stretch the existing SDR signal. The result rebuilds highlight and shadow detail, suppresses shadow noise and preserves temporal consistency across entire video sequences.

Unlike automatic conversion tools, SwitchHDR offers direct artistic control over the process. Users can define highlight and shadow regions using luminance masks and guide the model with separate text prompts. HDR reconstruction is applied only to selected regions, while the remainder of the image is carried through without AI reconstruction.

Output is delivered as scene-linear 16-bit EXR sequences in ACES2065-1 (AP0), enabling seamless integration into professional grading, compositing and VFX pipelines.

SwitchHDR is designed for professional production and post-production workflows, including feature films, commercials, sports production, archival restoration and visual effects. The technology expands Beeble's suite of AI tools for production and post-production, building on its work in relighting, compositing and virtual production.

SwitchHDR is available through the Beeble web application.

More information is available on the company’s website.

ORLANDO—Melissa Medalie has been promoted to senior vice president and regional general manager of Fox Television Stations’ Florida properties, which consists of WTVT Fox 13 Tampa Bay, WOFL Fox 35 Orlando, Fox 35 Plus WRBW, and WOGX Fox 51 in Gainesville.

Medalie assumes this position effective August 2026, reporting directly to Jack Abernethy, CEO of Fox Television Stations (FTS).

FTS also announced that current senior vice president and general manager of the Fox Florida stations, Jeff Maloney, who has been with FTS for over 30 years, will retire at the end of July.

In making the announcement, Abernethy stated, “We would like to thank Jeff for over thirty years of service to FTS and particularly his dedication as a true steward of the Florida communities. As we celebrate his tremendous impact on the stations, we are confident that Melissa’s proven knowledge of our business and dedication to both our teams and viewers will be instrumental in the continued success of WOFL and WTVT.”

Melissa Medalie has been with WOFL Fox 35 for 17 years. Since 2019, she has served as vice president and news director for the duopoly, as well as WOGX Gainesville. Throughout her tenure at the station, Medalie held the roles of assistant news director, senior executive producer and special projects manager, executive producer of “Good Day Orlando” and she began at the station as an executive producer for “Fox 35 News at 5 p.m.” and “Fox 35 News at 6 p.m.”

Before joining WOFL, Medalie served as managing editor and executive producer for Ivanhoe Broadcast News. Earlier, she was a reporter for WHP-TV in Harrisburg, PA, WTVH in Syracuse, NY, and WENY-TV in Elmira, NY. Medalie began her career in broadcasting as a morning anchor and producer for WENY Radio in Elmira, NY. A graduate of Syracuse University’s S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communication, Medalie holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Broadcast Journalism.

“I am thrilled to lead these two powerhouse stations during such a dynamic time for our industry,” Medalie added. “By building upon the incredible success of the talented journalists and teams at WOFL Fox 35 and WTVT Fox 13, we will drive the next generation of innovation to better serve our communities across Florida.”

Jeff Maloney has been with FTS for 32 years, spending the last 23 with WTVT Fox 13 Tampa Bay. In 2024, he was named senior vice president and regional general manager for FTS’s Florida properties, adding WOFL Fox 35 Orlando, Fox 35 Plus WRBW, and WOGX Fox 51 in Gainesville to his responsibilities. Prior to that, Maloney spent 14 years as senior vice president and general manager of WTVT Fox 13 Tampa Bay, also overseeing the Fox Graphics Hub. Previously, he spent seven years as the station’s vice president of sales.

Prior to this, Maloney spent nearly ten years in sales positions for KSTU Fox 13, the then Fox-owned station in Salt Lake City, including roles as national sales manager, local sales manager and eventually, vice president and general sales manager. Earlier in his career, he was with Katz Communications in Los Angeles. Maloney began his television sales career as a Broadcasting Negotiator for the advertising agency J. Walter Thompson.

A graduate of Pepperdine University’s Seaver College, he holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Speech Communications.

“After 32 rewarding years of growth with the company, a journey with Fox from Salt Lake City to Florida, I am incredibly thankful for a career path that allowed me to learn from some of the industry’s finest leaders, including Jack Abernethy as he continues to guide us in connecting with our core customer. I leave immensely proud of our organization and the second-to-none dedication of our exceptional journalists at WTVT Fox 13 and WOFL Fox 35, confident that Melissa will build upon this legacy and drive us into the future,” Maloney said.

WTVT Fox 13 Tampa Bay, WOFL Fox 35/Fox 35 Plus WRBW Orlando, and WOGX Fox 51 Gainesville are part of the Fox Television Stations which owns and operates 29 full power broadcast television stations in the U.S. These include stations located in 14 of the top 15 largest designated market areas, or DMAs, and duopolies in 11 DMAs, including the three largest DMAs (New York, Los Angeles and Chicago). Of these stations, 18 are affiliated with the Fox Network. In addition to distributing sports, entertainment and syndicated content, the television stations collectively produce approximately 1,200 hours of local news every week. These stations leverage viewer, distributor and advertiser demand for the Fox Network’s national content.

JERSEY CITY, N.J.—Fox Television Stations, XR (Extreme Reach) and LTN completed a successful four-week live syndication initiative in May for game show “25 Words or Less LIVE,” using IP-based distribution to deliver the program to stations and let viewers play along.

“Live programming creates unique opportunities for stations to engage viewers in real time,” said Stephen Brown, EVP Programming and Development, Fox Television Stations, Fox First Run. “This initiative demonstrated how innovative distribution strategies can support new programming models while maintaining the reliability broadcasters require.”

Produced for Fox First Run and hosted by Meredith Vieira, “25 Words or Less LIVE” aired weekdays from May 4–28, originating from Parlay Studios in Jersey City, N.J. More than 38 live episodes were delivered twice a day to 18 stations, many of which were Fox-owned-and- operated stations in key U.S. markets.

The workflow was powered by Extreme Reach’s syndication services and LTN’s managed IP video transport network.

The milestone project proved the viability of live syndicated television workflows that let broadcasters create more immediate and interactive viewing experiences, the companies said. Live delivery created new opportunities for stations to engage with viewers through social media, local promotions and real-time audience participation, allowing fans to play along with contestants.

XR and LTN delivered a live syndication workflow that allowed Fox to distribute the programming to participating stations nationwide. XR managed the show’s distribution through its syndication platform, while LTN provided fully managed IP transport and master control services connecting Fox’s production facility to local stations.

Together, the companies leveraged XR’s content-delivery expertise and LTN’s proven broadcast infrastructure to bring the excitement of live television to viewers nationwide, allowing fans to watch, interact and play along with the show as it happened.

“Delivering live syndicated programming requires coordination, precision and dependable technology partners,” Matt Pagen, general manager of XR Media, said. “Together with Fox and LTN, we created a workflow that helps broadcasters and syndicators engage audiences in new ways while maximizing their content investments. This combined offering delivered the performance we needed, while providing a more cost-efficient alternative to traditional satellite distribution.”

The initiative received positive feedback from participating stations. It showed how cloud-based and IP-enabled distribution models can support live television workflows that typically depend on legacy infrastructure. It also highlighted the potential for significant cost savings compared to traditional satellite distribution, without sacrificing the reliability, scale or viewer experience required for live television.

“This project represents the kind of innovation content creators and broadcasters are actively exploring as they modernize their distribution strategies,” LTN Senior Vice President of Global Products Rick Young said. “By combining Extreme Reach’s syndication expertise with LTN’s managed IP network and operational services, we enabled a reliable live television experience to stations across the country.”

More information is available on the XR Extreme Reach and LTN websites.

CAMBRIDGE, U.K.— New research commissioned by Bango, a U.K.-based provider of subscription bundling platforms, finds that 43% of Americans would switch their mobile, broadband, or TV provider for a better sports streaming bundle, putting more than four in ten customers up for grabs.

That churn risk is the clearest signal yet that sports has become a frontline battleground for telcos fighting for customers. With sports rights fragmented across streaming platforms, telco providers are becoming a trusted way for consumers to consolidate sports content, according to Bango, which cites that more than half (52%) say they would trust their own provider above anyone else to pull all the live sports they care about into a single bundle.

This fragmentation is on full display right now. To follow the 2026 World Cup in the US, English-language viewers are split across Fox and FS1, subscription service Fox One, and free ad-supported Tubi, while Spanish-language coverage runs on Telemundo and streams on Peacock. Even the biggest event in world sport has fans hopping between apps and subscriptions to follow a single tournament: exactly the kind of confusion consumers are looking to their telco to solve, Bango said.

The findings also indicate that sports content now influences telco choice nearly as much as price, with 45% of respondents preferring a provider with a strong sports streaming bundle over one with a lower monthly price. In fact, 42% would pay more to their current provider if it included the sports they care about, according to Bango.

Sports bundles are also a strong driver of loyalty and growth; 46% of Americans say a sports streaming bundle would make them more loyal to their current provider, and 49% say it would be more likely to recommend them. On the other hand, if telcos remove access to sports, 48% of Americans would then consider switching to a competitor.

Bango notes that these findings highlight an ongoing shift in the telco sector, with providers moving beyond connectivity to bundle the subscriptions consumers value most.

“Just like on the field, telcos can win or lose with sport, and the numbers make that impossible to ignore,” said Giles Tongue, subscription expert at Bango. “More than four in ten Americans would switch telco for a better sports bundle, and almost as many would walk if their provider lost access to the sports they love. Connectivity alone has never held that kind of power over customer choice.”

"This is the clearest commercial signal telcos will get. Sports rights are scattered across a dozen platforms, and consumers are looking to their provider to pull them back together. They'll pay more, stay longer, and recommend whoever does it first. In this fight, bundling is the weapon. The telcos that move fast to bundle sports will win the customer, but the ones that hesitate will spend the next decade defending against churn."

The research, commissioned by Bango and conducted by an independent research agency, is based on a representative sample of 2,500 American consumers aged 18 and over and was conducted in May 2026.

ALAMEDA, Calif.—Mobile live production solutions provider Ross Production Services (RPS) has standardized on Clear-Com intercom systems across its fleet of mobile units, flypacks and production control rooms to support complex live production workflows.

RPS supports a wide range of productions, including sports broadcasts, entertainment concerts, rodeos, esports, political debates and corporate events. To meet the demands of these diverse environments, the company relies on a fully integrated Clear-Com ecosystem that spans headquarters facilities, production trucks and remote user workflows.

“Every show has Clear-Com involved, from party lines to point-to-point communication and IFB connectivity,” said Lance Bracale, RPS director of broadcast engineering. “Any time you step into an RPS mobile unit or control room, you will be using a Clear-Com panel.”

RPS has deployed a comprehensive Clear-Com infrastructure throughout its operations, including Eclipse Omega and Delta digital matrix frames, IrisX user panels, Agent-IC mobile app, LQ Series IP interfaces and FreeSpeak wireless intercom systems. The systems are integrated into Ross Ultrix routing environments and configured to support both local and remote productions.

According to Bracale, Clear-Com’s flexibility and hybrid workflow capabilities were major factors in the company’s decision to standardize on the platform.

“One of the biggest things is deploying two-wire comms in the field over network using the LQ interfaces, while also being able to add four-wire connectivity when needed,” said Bracale. “Agent-IC has also been incredibly valuable for at-home users and as a fail-safe option for remote connectivity.”

RPS engineers and audio teams also benefit from the usability of Clear-Com’s EHX configuration software.

“The ease of the EHX software has made it simple for engineers and A1s to program and control intercom workflows,” Bracale said. “The Go LIVE functionality makes changes instantaneously without needing to push a full configuration, and Supervisor Mode gives engineers visibility into what users are hearing and selecting in real time.”

RPS has expanded its use of Clear-Com’s wireless solutions, transitioning from standalone FreeSpeak systems to IP-based wireless deployments using E-IPA cards and FreeSpeak Icon beltpacks.

“We are slowly upgrading to IP antennas connected directly to the E-IPA cards along with the new Icon beltpacks to save time during setup and simplify deployment,” Bracale said.

The company has also leveraged remote panel connectivity and Agent-IC clients to support distributed production teams, allowing users working from home to connect directly into production environments as though they were onsite.

More information is available on the Clear-Com and RPS websites.

WASHINGTON—The National Association of Broadcasters (NAB) has released newly updated Broadcast Station Self-Inspection Guides for AM, FM and television stations that provide broadcasters with practical guidance for conducting self-inspections of their stations and complying with Federal Communications Commission rules and policies.

NAB and the Society of Broadcast Engineers (SBE) worked together to create the up-to-date, standardized guides for FCC compliance

In addition to helping broadcasters, the guides are also intended to be used by contract inspectors who are part of the Alternative Broadcast Inspection Program, which are administered by most state broadcaster associations.

The guides fill a gap that was created when the FCC stopped publishing self-inspection checklists in 2003 even though the agency has since made significant changes to its rules and policies.

The two organizations said that the guides are a free member benefit to NAB and SBE members. They are available for download from the NAB member portal and from SBE.

The Federal Communications Commission’s probe into whether the daytime talk show “The View” deserves an “bona fide news” exemption from equal time rules governing the appearance of political candidates on broadcast TV has produced an unprecedented 77,611 comments filed with the FCC as of 1 p.m. ET on July 7.

The deadline for comments was Monday July 6. As previously reported the number of comments in the controversial probe exploded after ABC began airing ads on June 22 urging viewers to file comments with the FCC.

The number of comments jumped to nearly 28,000 on June 23 and continued its exponential growth, topping 77,000 when the comment period ended two weeks later.

The ad can be viewed here.

The case stems from a wider policy by the agency to enforce public interest rules on broadcasters deemed to be airing biased news coverage. That enforcement push has produced ongoing investigations by the FCC into coverage of President Trump by stations owned by ABC, CBS and NBC.

Separately, the Media Bureau issued an advisory in January casting doubt on the 20-year-old exemption classifying late-night programming and talk shows as news programs, which means that they are not subject to equal time rules. The advisory said that stations airing `partisan' talk shows and late night programs must comply with equal time rules.

In May, the FCC’s media bureau issued a public notice asking for comments on whether ABC’s “The View” is a “bona fide news interview program” exempt from its equal time rules.

The FCC is also investigating Disney’s ABC for its DEI practices and has also ordered the ABC- owned stations to file for early renewal of their licenses. ABC blasted the early renewal demand as “unconstitutional retaliation” for news coverage that has been critical of the Trump administration.

A number of conservative groups have filed comments arguing that “The View” is biased and should lose the exemption while progressive public interest groups have generally been critical of the FCC’s probe.

Black Women’s Roundtable and National Coalition on Black Civic Participation, for example, said in its comments that "The View" continues to satisfy the same standards as it did in the FCC’s 2002 ruling and that reopening the issue could chill constitutionally protected journalism and disproportionately harm Black audiences.

“While previous Administrations abided by the Communications Act’s prohibition of government censorship of broadcasters, it is abundantly clear that the current Administration has chosen to ignore this provision in its mission to silence the broadcast voices of those with whom it does not agree– and is using the Commission to facilitate this censorship by imposing undue regulatory burdens such as legal requests and investigations of broadcasters,” the group said.

In its comments, Freedom of the Press Foundation argued that because the FCC previously determined that The View is a “bona fide” news program and since nothing has changed about the show, it still is a news program. “Beyond this matter, revoking the bona fide news exemption from `The View’ in these circumstances will open the door for future retaliation, dangling of exemptions, and threats of costly administrative proceedings by the FCC, to encourage capitulation to an administration’s demands for more favorable news coverage or otherwise attempt to shape constitutionally protected speech and editorial decisions.”

More comments from the ACLA, Free Press and others are covered in our earlier story on the issue here.

A newly released study argues that U.S. broadcasters face a content crisis, in part because up to 75% of journalists’ time is squandered on technical busywork.

Broadcast journalists are currently spending three-quarters of their time on technical workflows often referred to as busywork, according to a Caretta Research study sponsored by streaming technology firm Quickplay. That leaves just a fraction of their time available for doing what they’re best at, Quickplay said—delivering timely, accurate, trusted and relevant content to their local audiences.

This constraint is particularly troubling because it puts North American broadcasters at risk of losing viewers to third-party platforms, the researchers noted.

“When local broadcast journalists lose 75% of their days to technical workflows, they're not just facing a productivity problem, they're staring at an existential one,” Quickplay Co-Founder and Chief Business Officer Paul Pastor said. “While the demand for trusted and relevant local content remains high, new rules are in play for local broadcasters to survive.”

This “technical busywork…could be automated, accelerated and improved,” Ed Barton, research director at Caretta Research, added. “The shift to unified, software-orchestrated operations is no longer optional, it is the urgent step required to empower and accelerate key staff, enabling broadcasters to compete more effectively in the streaming age. The technologies enabling such a transition used to be expensive and required a lot of customization. However, vendors have worked hard to ensure adopting such capabilities is accessible to even the smallest broadcaster.”

The report, titled “The Broadcaster Revolution Will Not Be Televised,” examines how broadcasters can use their strengths—deep local knowledge, trusted brand equity and their content archives—to stay relevant and compete effectively as visual entertainment shifts decisively to streaming.

One major challenge is the fragmented state of broadcasters’ content archives, the report noted. Local stations hold vast amounts of content, but it is spread across many different media asset management systems and file types.

Without the right infrastructure, finding, retrieving and repurposing this content takes too long, the study reported.

Furthermore, many newsrooms and production teams lack a complete view of all their assets, according to the study, making the process of finding the right clip or footage too time-consuming for a busy news operation. As the report highlights, staff currently "just have to know where it is," often relying on the memory of experienced employees to locate specific video files.

Workflows designed for traditional linear broadcasting are too slow for the high volume and publishing cadence needed to satisfy the audiences and algorithms on social and third-party platforms, the study said.

Social media platforms reward consistent, relevant and rapid publishing that elicits engagement and reaction. Boadcasters who want to increase their video presence on these platforms, using the appropriate formats and distinct editorial voices expected by a given audience, need new workflows.

To address these issues, the study found broadcasters are increasingly adopting unified software or orchestration layers that offer visibility and control of their content, production and distribution workflows. Instead of risky “rip-and-replace” approaches to upgrading technology, such an approach reduces deployment, operational and economic risk while conferring significant performance and efficiency gains that quickly stack up, even in smaller operations.

By making core workflows visible and controllable from a single UI, or "one pane of glass,” editors and journalists can easily find, clip, package and distribute content without constantly switching between tools or moving files. This change transforms content archives from cost centers into potential drivers for audience engagement, enabling highly skilled staff to focus on doing what they do best. It also enables broadcasters to assert themselves and compete effectively on the platforms where their audiences spend the most time.

“Gone are the days where broadcast is always the first format and then recut for other platforms,” Pastor added. “Our digital-first world demands the flexibility to start with vertical before broadcast when appropriate. An orchestrated, content-to-value platform then turns one story into formats built for each of these platforms simultaneously, so broadcasters can compete at the same velocity and reach as anyone else without giving up their real superpower: local relevance."

For more information and to access the full research, click here.

MUNICH, Germany—ARRI has unveiled the ALEXA 35 Live Xtreme camera supporting high frame rate output of up to 8x for live productions using traditional SDI workflows.

With ARRI’s Live Production System LPS-1, the camera enables the emotion and drama of live entertainment events to be broadcast not just in ARRI image quality, but also in beautiful slow motion, enhancing creative options for producers and directors.

ALEXA 35 Live Xtreme comes permanently pre-installed with the existing High Speed License for ALEXA 35 and a new High Frame Rate SDI License. When combined with the ARRI LPS-1 Fiber Camera Adapter and Fiber Base Station (and a standard slow-motion playout server such as SimplyLive or EVS) the camera outputs HFR at up to 8x in HD or 2x in UHD. Up to 4x HFR can be output via a single SDI connector, and higher speeds are split across both SDI outputs.

Frame rates up to 330 fps use the camera’s full dynamic range of 17 stops, while a Sensor Overdrive mode enables frame rates up to 480 fps at a dynamic range of 11 stops. Whatever frame rate is chosen for the slow-motion feed, the system simultaneously outputs a live feed for broadcast, allowing operators to switch between the program frame rate and HFR in real time. A unique phase-blending feature provides control over motion blur and shutter effects in the live feed.

Broadcasters have embraced the ARRI Multicam System because it transforms the visual impact of live coverage, elevating production value and enriching audience experience.

With its Super 35 sensor, high dynamic range and sensitivity and exceptional color fidelity, ALEXA 35 Live Xtreme delivers a base look that stands out from the crowd. Users can choose looks from the ARRI Look Library, try ARRI’s Multicam looks or build their own LUTs—with traditional live painting still possible no matter what look is chosen.

Sports broadcasting is a key application area for the ALEXA 35 Live Xtreme with coverage of indoor, outdoor, individual and team events set to benefit. The camera’s wide dynamic range helps capture high-contrast environments, such as winter sports, while the cinematic image quality conveys the full emotion and drama of decisive moments—all in slow motion.

Since a separate high-speed camera is no longer required, the HFR content now has the same ARRI look as the regular feed, and a consistent visual style is assured across both the live coverage and highlight reels.

Seamless integration is fundamental to the ARRI Multicam System. When using ALEXA 35 Live Xtreme for a live production, everyone from the engineers and operators to shaders and directors can do their job in the normal way. The LPS-1 Fiber Base Station simply plugs directly into the slow-motion playout server, and an HFR signal is available from the camera via a standard baseband workflow for easy incorporation into the live coverage.

The ALEXA 35 Live Xtreme is now available to order.

More information is available on the company’s website.

SAN FRANCISCO—LucidLink has expanded its workflow integration with Adobe Frame.io, giving globally distributed production teams unified access to their Frame.io projects and offering support for production media in separate cloud storage environments.

By extending the Frame.io ecosystem, LucidLink said it provides a complete production workflow where editors and producers can access Frame.io assets alongside all supporting production media, including B-roll, audio, graphics and archives—all within a unified LucidLink file space.

Using LucidLink Connect, files stored in such cloud environments as Microsoft SharePoint, Dropbox, Google Drive, Box and Amazon S3 appear instantly for the editor. No data migration, downloads or file duplication is required and existing cloud-storage systems remain unchanged.

This approach extends LucidLink’s file-streaming technology to assets outside Frame.io, bringing local, real-time performance to the rest of the production workflow. Creative teams can collaborate in Frame.io while keeping assets synchronized across the rest of the production toolchain, providing a true camera-to-timeline experience, LucidLink said.

“Creative teams don't work in a single application anymore,” LucidLink CEO Peter Thompson said. “They move across NLEs, MAMs, review and approval tools and VFX platforms. Our integration with Adobe Frame.io means customers can enjoy an exceptional review and collaboration experience, while LucidLink provides the persistent, tool-agnostic storage layer behind it. You get the best of both worlds: a seamless Frame.io workflow and a cloud filespace that serves every other tool in the production.”

As more vendors introduce their own integrated storage options, many media organizations are re-evaluating how to architect their workflows. While application-specific storage can simplify narrow use cases, it often creates silos when content needs to move beyond a single platform.

LucidLink Connect addresses this challenge by acting as an enterprise-grade access layer across the entire production workflow, the company said. Content reviewed and approved in Frame.io can simultaneously be used by other tools, such as NLEs, finishing systems, MAMs or AI services without additional exports, syncs or manual handoffs.

Key benefits of the LucidLink and Adobe Frame.io integration include immediate camera-to-timeline workflows, access to everything in one place, no need to move or duplicate files and enterprise-ready orchestration, the companies said.

“Over the years, Adobe and LucidLink have teamed up to help organizations like Brut, Casual and Minute Media, plus hundreds of other joint customers, do their best work. That success continuously informs our roadmap,” Thompson said. “This integration isn't about choosing one storage option over another. It gives customers the flexibility to design workflows that match the way they actually work. LucidLink Connect provides a neutral, high-performance storage layer that lets Adobe Frame.io shine at what it does best, while ensuring assets are always ready for the next stage in production.”

From high-end episodic and feature projects to live sports and fast-turnaround social content, organizations are increasingly relying on hybrid and fully cloud-based workflows, the company said. The LucidLink and Adobe Frame.io integration is designed for media and entertainment studios, broadcasters, sports and live event producers, agencies, brands, in-house creative teams and enterprise video teams.

More information is available on the LucidLink website.

HACKENSACK, NJ—LAt the 2026 IBC Show, Sept. 11-14, LiveU will showcase what it refers to as its "Q Era," which uses AI-driven connectivity intelligence in a modular, open IP-video EcoSystem to automate live production workflows across news, sports, entertainment and other live events.

Among the highlights at its booth are the LU900Q, LiveU's Intelligent Production Unit, the first unit built natively around LiveU IQ (LIQ). The unit applies AI-driven connectivity intelligence and smart operator selection to optimize performance in real time, helping crews stay reliably connected in challenging conditions, according to the company.

Built for multi-camera workflows, the LU900Q combines native LIQ connectivity, advanced eSIM technology, optimized 5G modems and a MIMO antenna array with support for SDI, HDMI, USB and IP camera input. It delivers HD/4K transmission with 10-bit HDR 4:2:2 encoding, up to 32 audio channels, dual video return, dual intercom with built-in Bluetooth audio and wireless file transfer for faster field-to-production turnaround.

LiveU will also showcase its expanded collaboration with Sony Corporation, first announced at the 2026 NAB Show. On display, and currently available, will be the LiveU TX1—a compact, camera-mounted unit purpose-built for Sony's professional camera range—delivering fast, reliable bonded file transfer directly from the camera. Also demonstrated will be the Sony RXS Connection License, enabling direct file transfer from compatible Sony cameras to the PWA-RXS solution via supported LiveU field units, starting with the compact LU300S.

LiveU has also announced that Cuez has signed up as its latest EcoSystem partner, extending workflow automation into cloud-based newsroom and rundown management.

As a member of the EBU's working group, LiveU is actively involved in advancing the MXL shared-memory architecture – enabling multiple applications to access the same video frame simultaneously, eliminating redundant processing and reducing latency.

Together, these developments reflect the broader LiveU EcoSystem approach, supporting the full arc of live production, across live and file-based workflows.

Also at the LiveU booth is LiveU Nexus, a universal gateway for digital and IP workflows that converts, normalizes, and routes feeds across LRT, SRT, and RTMP, bridging social, online, and remote sources with traditional broadcast operations. As well as offering seamless digital source integration for Zoom, Teams and YouTube, it can be used as a scan converter for any web content, the company said.

LiveU Studio is a cloud-native production service for video switching, audio mixing, graphics, and more. It enables multi-output cloud production, allowing teams to deliver multiple feeds in multiple formats from a single production. Together, Nexus and Studio give newsrooms and digital teams a faster, leaner path from live event to published content—across every platform simultaneously.

Also on tap, LiveU Ingest, which replaces fragmented, manual processes with a single story-centric workflow for live and file based—from planning and scheduling through ingest, and metadata enrichment.

Actus Digital, a LiveU company, will showcase the latest capabilities of Actus X – a modular, browser-based platform that unifies compliance logging, low-latency multiviewing, QA monitoring, clip creation, and AI-powered media intelligence.

LiveU will be in Stand 7.C24 at the RAI Amsterdam.

To improve efficiency, reduce travel and make better use of specialized staff, TV broadcasters are moving away from traditional facility-bound control rooms toward remote, distributed and hybrid production models.

“Broadcasters are rethinking the traditional control room,” said Costa Kokorogiannis, product manager at Matrox Video, a global provider of AV-over-IP solutions for live, remote and distributed broadcast workflows. “Instead of tying operators to dedicated hardware in a single facility, they want IP-based KVM and control systems that allow teams to access production resources from anywhere without sacrificing responsiveness.”

“Broadcasters are looking for flexible environments,” added Greg Lenczycki, chief operating officer of IHSE USA, which offers secure, zero-latency KVM and matrix switching solutions for 24/7 mission-critical environments. “The future of the industry is relying heavily on hybrid workflows—keeping latency-sensitive or high-resolution processes on-premises while leveraging IP for scalability and remote access.”

Layered Systems and Distributed Workflows
Today’s remote production architectures involve multiple layers of technology, combining on-premises equipment, transmission infrastructure and localized monitoring with virtualized or cloud processing utilities.

“It’s now common for production teams to work across multiple studios, broadcast centers or remote venues, requiring secure, low-latency access to equipment and resources regardless of location,” said John Halksworth, senior product manager at Adder Technology, which develops high-performance IP KVM (keyboard, video and mouse) solutions for the secure control of local and remote live production systems. “As a result, they’re looking for technologies that not only provide reliable remote access, but also integrate seamlessly into the wider broadcast ecosystem.”

Given this new operational reality, “broadcasters are no longer looking for one single ‘remote production product,’” said Matt Keske, director of business development, North America, at G&D and VuWall, which provides integrated KVM hardware and video wall management software for secure control rooms. Instead, “they are building layered hybrid infrastructures that combine on-site systems, IP-based transport, centralized control, monitoring, and cloud or virtualized services.”

Why Low Latency Matters
In this remotely connected world, fast data speeds are essential. This is why, “as broadcasters continue to adopt hybrid workflows and remote operations, they are increasingly seeking equipment that enables secure, low-latency access to systems and resources regardless of location,” said Thomas Tang, founder and president of Apantac, which offers multiviewers, KVM-over-IP and video processing solutions for the broadcast and pro AV industries.

“KVM-over-IP solutions have become a critical component of this transition, allowing operators, engineers, and production staff to remotely access and control servers, workstations, replay systems, graphics engines, and other mission-critical equipment as if they were sitting directly in front of them,” Tang said.

Connecting these low-latency solutions over standard IP networks lets remote operators feel as if they are sitting right next to the machines even when they are hundreds of miles away. In some KVM-over-IP deployments, standard 1 Gigabit Ethernet networks with transparent USB support can deliver responsive control with little or no perceptible delay, provided the network is properly designed for the workflow.

“Remote production really only works if operators can forget that they’re remote,” Kokorogiannis said. “In live environments, there’s no tolerance for sluggish keyboard response, delayed video or inconsistent switching between systems.”

The Challenges of REMI
In an idealized remote operational environment, the transition from a localized setup to a Remote Integration Model (REMI) workflow goes without a hitch. In the real world, there can be issues.

A case in point: “One of the biggest challenges in REMI workflows is maintaining visibility and control as operators, systems, and signals become distributed across multiple locations,” Kokorogiannis said. “In a traditional control room, everything is physically nearby. In a remote production model, broadcasters need to manage routing, monitoring and operator access across facilities without introducing latency or operational complexity.”

This is where IP KVM technology plays an important role. “By providing secure, low-latency access to systems regardless of location, operators can interact with remote resources as if they were local,” Halksworth said. “Combined with centralized management and monitoring platforms, engineering teams gain a single view of users, devices and system status across the entire environment, helping them identify issues more quickly and manage operations more efficiently.”

Ultimately, successful REMI deployments depend on more than moving signals between sites. “They require a consistent operational layer that allows people to monitor, access and control distributed resources with the same confidence and simplicity they would expect in a traditional facility,” Halksworth said.

Mixing Old and New
The move to remote workflows comes as money is tight in the TV industry. “Most broadcasters can’t afford to rebuild their entire infrastructure overnight, nor do they really want to,” Kokorogiannis said. “The reality for many facilities is that SDI, IP, and cloud-based workflows will coexist for years.

“That’s why flexibility and interoperability are so important,” he added. “Matrox Avio 2 is designed to integrate into existing environments using standard IP networks, allowing broadcasters to centralize and extend systems gradually rather than forcing a complete operational overhaul. Support for ST 2110 and NMOS also helps broadcasters align KVM workflows with the broader evolution of their IP infrastructure.”

Other companies interviewed for this article cited similar product flexibility. “Broadcasters can easily turn their existing Draco control infrastructure into a hybrid or fully remote platform by simply adding a tera IP gateway,” Lenczycki told TV Tech. “This addition to current systems allows users to effortlessly gain remote access to their matrix without a total replacement of their system.”

Added Keske: “G&D systems can be introduced step by step because they sit at the access and control layer, not as a replacement for the entire broadcast infrastructure. A broadcaster can start by centralizing existing computers in a technical room and connecting current operator positions via KVM. Later, additional workstations, systems, or KVM-over-IP components can be added as the facility grows.”

For most broadcasters, modernization isn’t a single project, but an ongoing process—including the transition from localized production to full REMI.

One of the key requirements is ensuring that operators can continue to work efficiently throughout this transition. “Broadcasters can’t afford to disrupt production workflows every time new technology is introduced, particularly in live environments where reliability is paramount,” Halksworth said. “This is where IP KVM can provide significant value.

“Because it sits at the user access layer, it allows broadcasters to connect operators to a wide range of systems regardless of whether those resources are based on legacy infrastructure, modern IP networks or cloud-hosted platforms,” Halksworth continued. “From the operator’s perspective, the workflow remains familiar even as the underlying infrastructure evolves.”

As for the future? Improvements in automation, artificial intelligence, network speeds and transport latency levels are all going to make REMI faster and more invisible than ever. In fact, the day may come when there is no perceptible difference between local and remote production for operators or viewers.

“Broadcasters are already demonstrating that talent, systems and resources can be distributed across multiple sites while operating as a single production environment,” Halksworth said. “Perhaps the most significant long-term trend is that physical location will continue to become less relevant.”

The technology toolkit available to broadcasters has evolved dramatically over the past quarter-century.

During television’s digital and HD transition era, “future-proofing” became a favorite phrase among systems integrators designing 3G-SDI facilities. Yet television has never actually exceeded 1080i/720p over ATSC 1.0, which is effectively half-bandwidth HD, or 1.5G.

So why did Arizona Public Media (AZPM) choose to build a 4K facility, deploy virtual production capabilities and install 4K cameras in radio studios? The answer lies in understanding where content creation and distribution is headed.

Analyzing the Need
Recent industry research shows audiences are consuming streaming media at a greater rate than traditional broadcast-delivered content. Our own metrics at AZPM reflect the same trend. OTT consumption continues to grow while over-the-air viewership remains relatively flat.

As AZPM began planning the $65 million Paul and Alice Baker Center for Public Media (with a tech budget of about $10 million), we examined our current and future needs across TV, radio, streaming and digital media production. Our goal was to eliminate traditional silos and create technology-agnostic production spaces that support current workflows and can adapt to future requirements.

Quality was also a major consideration. AZPM already captures field content in 4K HDR using Sony FX6 and FX9 cameras and edits in DaVinci Resolve to leverage its advanced color-grading capabilities. Historically, however, field-acquired footage never fully matched in-house studio productions due to limitations in our 1080i SDR infrastructure.

While a migration to 3G HDR would have been the simpler path and would have produced solid results, we chose to push further by designing our internal production environment around 4K HDR. That decision naturally led to discussions about adding a dedicated color-correction suite and a Dolby Atmos mixing room.

We wanted to eliminate the traditional silos that often separate TV, radio, cable television and conference-room AV systems. Too often, these systems coexist without integrating effectively. We believed there had to be a better way.

Searching for the Answer
Because the AZPM facility was funded entirely through donor and member support, one of our earliest goals was to create a facility that donors would be proud to invest in while supporting our long-term mission.

Research became a critical part—the AZPM team visited numerous recently completed media facilities, observing operations and asking candid questions about what had worked well and what they would do differently.

Some organizations had committed to HD and 3G-SDI as their long-term strategy. Others aspired to deploy 12G infrastructures but were constrained by budget realities.

My vision for broadcasting’s future has always included both over-the-air and streaming delivery. Each platform offers distinct advantages. With ATSC 3.0 now approaching a decade of deployment, I remain hopeful that NextGen TV, coupled with integrated streaming experiences, can elevate OTA broadcasting by bringing content quality and user experiences closer to what audiences expect from streaming services.

AZPM currently broadcasts in ATSC 1.0 and 3.0 and chose to deploy a 1080p HDR NextGen TV signal. In doing so, we planted our flag firmly where we believe the industry must go to remain competitive and relevant.

Building the Team and the Plan
At AZPM, the transition began well before the move into the new facility. We migrated field-production equipment and editing systems to 4K HDR workflows while still operating from our existing location. Giving teams time to become comfortable with new tools and processes before introducing a completely new facility significantly reduced organizational friction.

My internal design team included leaders from engineering, information technology and production. Together, they transitioned to 4K acquisition, DaVinci Resolve workflows, LUT-based color management and enhanced audio production techniques.

The results were evident. This year, AZPM received eight regional Edward R. Murrow Awards for excellence in journalism. While great storytelling remains the most important factor, there is little doubt that improved production quality helped strengthen audience engagement and presentation.

As a result, when our production teams moved into the new facility, they encountered familiar workflows enhanced by better spaces, newer tools and expanded capabilities. The transition proved remarkably smooth.

Of course, adopting new technologies also introduces new support challenges. High-bandwidth IP-based production environments require expertise in software, networking, cybersecurity and systems integration that extends well beyond traditional broadcast engineering disciplines.

AZPM invested heavily in staff development while simultaneously upgrading portions of our existing facility to serve as a testing environment. Moving from HD to 4K requires more powerful editing systems, increased network capacity, improved monitoring and measurement tools, and significantly more storage.

Concept testing also played an important role in validating new operational models. One example was transforming a radio program into content that could simultaneously serve radio broadcast, podcast, vodcast, streaming and traditional television audiences.

To test the concept, we equipped an old radio studio with PTZ cameras, upgraded lighting and branded visual elements. A small flypack in an adjacent control room enabled student operators to produce the program efficiently with a much lighter operational footprint.

The experiment proved successful. Today, our new Press Room studio provides expanded space, dedicated cameras, planned lighting and digital signage capable of supporting a wide range of productions while maintaining operational efficiency.

Finding Partners
Successfully delivering a project of this scale while maintaining normal operations is an enormous challenge. Choosing the right partners was therefore one of the most important decisions we made.

We issued an RFP seeking a fully integrated design-build team capable of addressing construction, power, HVAC, acoustics and media facility requirements as a unified effort.

After selecting our construction partner, we completed a Phase 0 broadcast design study. I cannot overstate the importance of providing architects and builders with detailed requirements regarding space allocation, cable pathways, cooling capacity, power distribution and equipment density.

Our builder had recently completed a Meta data center and a film school production facility. Even so, assumptions can be dangerous.

For example, their initial studio-floor specification mirrored what had been used in film production environments. Television production places very different demands on floor surfaces. Pedestal-mounted cameras require strict flatness and levelness tolerances as defined by ASTM E1155-20. Without those standards, camera movements can become unstable and unlocked cameras can literally roll across the studio floor.

Perhaps the most important long-term partner in any facility project is the systems integrator. During installation, we routinely had 10 systems integration specialists on-site for six months to complete cabling, infrastructure deployment and equipment commissioning.

We ultimately selected a midsized systems integrator that demonstrated a willingness to innovate, collaborate and help us achieve our goals.

Building one of the region’s first fully IP-based media facilities—from VITEC-powered cable and digital signage systems to TAG multiviewers and an EVS-managed SMPTE ST 2110 infrastructure—is no small undertaking.

I must commend KCM (Key Code Media) for their collaborative approach and commitment to project success. On multiple occasions, we activated studio resources for live productions before formal project acceptance. KCM staff worked alongside our teams to ensure everything operated successfully, including complex 11-camera productions that occurred before final commissioning was complete.

From Skepticism to Enthusiasm
Few organizations are fortunate enough to build a greenfield media facility of this scale.

No project of this magnitude proceeds without challenges, compromises and occasional disappointments. Throughout the process, my goals remained straightforward: keep the team engaged, provide clear direction to our partners, maintain rigorous oversight and ensure that our staff remained healthy and focused.

One of the more amusing aspects of the transition was watching some of the strongest skeptics become enthusiastic advocates. Several longtime employees initially doubted that the new facility would improve their work, enhance quality or make their jobs more enjoyable.

Today, many of those same individuals enthusiastically explain to colleagues how they use the new tools, appreciate the new spaces and cannot imagine returning to the workflows of our previous facility.

In the end, most obstacles proved manageable and ultimately minor in the context of the overall project.

What I will carry forward from this experience is not only the accomplishment itself, but also the belief that the investment made by our donors, members, staff and partners has provided AZPM with a platform for innovation that will serve the organization for decades to come.

If we have done our jobs well, this facility will enable Arizona Public Media to create, innovate, educate and thrive for the next 75 years.

PRAGUE, Czech Republic—CS live is a Czech Republic–based outside broadcast company that covers domestic soccer and ice hockey leagues, international UEFA competitions and large-scale mixed martial arts events. As our production work has grown in scale and complexity, we reached a point where our existing setup no longer matched how we needed to operate day to day.

When we started planning our newest OB van, the real question wasn’t just what equipment to use but how it would all work together once it was in the truck.

OB trucks have always pulled from multiple vendors—audio consoles, switchers, replay, monitoring—and each comes with its own way of working.

In practice, that often means juggling several control systems simultaneously. Operators learn each one separately, and even small changes, such as swapping out a device or reworking a setup between shows, can take more effort than necessary.

Streamlined Control
That complexity was becoming harder to manage across productions, so we set out to simplify it.

After thorough planning with Czech integrator Smart Informatics, we went for a Riedel solution. including the company’s “hi human interface” control system, a browser-based, platform-independent control layer that enables operators to manage a wide range of devices. Part of that decision came from prior experience with Riedel technology, but just as important was their approach to tying systems together rather than treating them as isolated components.

At the core of the truck is a MediorNet-distributed network built on 12 MicroN UHD nodes. Seven nodes handle signal routing, while five are configured as multiviewers. Two additional MicroN Standard nodes act as stageboxes, linking the truck to stadiums and other sources over a single fiber connection. SDI, MADI and Ethernet all run together, which helps keep the physical side of the build manageable.

For us, another advantage is flexibility going forward. We’re still working in baseband today, but the system gives us a way to move toward IP at our own pace without having to rethink the entire build.

On top of that sits hi, Riedel’s control system, which we use as a single layer across the truck. It brings control of audio, switching, replay, monitoring, GPI triggers and signaling together into one interface. Instead of moving between systems, operators stay in the same environment.

The setup includes five hiPush18 panels, a hiPush32 Shading panel, a hiPush36 panel and three hiContact panels, along with tablet control where it makes sense. We also use Riedel 1200 Series panels, where the intercom can sit on one layer and routing or device control on another—a practical option when space is tight.

From Days to Just Hours
The biggest operational change for us has been how hi separates the operator experience from the underlying hardware. The interface behaves the same way regardless of what’s behind it. In most cases, when a device changes or is reassigned, that update carries through automatically across the system.

What used to take days to reconfigure can now usually be handled in hours. That shows up most clearly in how we manage tight production schedules. Moving between venues or back-to-back events often means adjusting sources or workflows quickly. With a unified control layer, those changes are easier to implement without forcing operators to adapt at the same time.

There’s also a practical benefit in staffing. Because the interface stays consistent, operators don’t need deep familiarity with each system in the truck. That gives us more flexibility in how we crew productions.

This is the first deployment of hi in the Czech Republic, and it’s already shaped how we think about future builds. Moving to a distributed signal backbone combined with a single control layer changes the day-to-day experience of working in the truck in a meaningful way.

The system we’ve put together—MediorNet, hi, Artist intercom and Bolero wireless—isn’t tied to a fixed way of working. Instead of locking ourselves into one approach, we’ve built something we can adjust over time as our needs evolve.

More information is available on Riedel’s website.

With the fall football season only two months away, a major regulatory battle with far-reaching implications for the future of high-profile sports and the National Football League on TV is already well underway.

In what could be considered either a regulatory Hail Mary or a politically savvy power play to strengthen their negotiating position in upcoming NFL talks, broadcasters are pushing for legislative and regulatory changes that aim to reverse the ongoing shift of NFL rights from broadcast to streaming platforms.

“Games from the four major professional leagues are now spread across Amazon Prime [Video], Netflix, YouTube TV and Apple TV,” National Association of Broadcasters President and CEO Curtis LeGeyt told a House subcommittee in June. “Fans increasingly need multiple paid subscriptions to watch their favorite teams, and survey after survey shows fans are confused and frustrated. Some estimates suggest that accessing every NFL game over the course of a season would cost a consumer well over $1,000.”

Last Rallying Cry
How Congress or regulators might change current rules to address those complaints or how well any of the proposed changes might weather court challenges remains open to question. But there is little doubt that a powerful coalition of politicians, regulators and people who rarely agree on anything—President Donald Trump, Congressional Democrats and Republicans, the Federal Communications Commission, the Justice Department and long-suffering fans—are upset with the current system.

With the president and members of Congress openly criticizing the NFL, the FCC’s Media Bureau launched a public inquiry in March seeking public comments on how the changing broadcast and sports-rights landscape is impacting consumers. The DOJ followed in April with an antitrust probe of the league.

In a March interview on Fox News Channel, FCC Chair Brendan Carr said the experience of watching sports “has become frustrating over the last several years…It’s more complex; it’s more costly.”

“We’re all for sports leagues getting fair-market value for their product, but right now, they’re benefiting from a very unique antitrust exemption to pool their bargaining together,” he added. “[W]e’re at a tipping point where these leagues can push it so far [in] putting games behind paywalls that they undermine their ability to claim that anti­trust exemption.”

The NFL has so far been keeping a low profile on the controversy. Commissioner Roger Goodell declined to appear in June beside LeGeyt and other witnesses testifying before the House Judiciary Subcommittee on the Administrative State, Regulatory Reform and Antitrust, which is probing the issue.

In a private meeting with FCC staffers in April, NFL executives argued that “100% of NFL games have aired on broadcast television in the home markets of the competing teams” and that their contracts with ABC, CBS, Fox and NBC account for “more than 87% of all NFL games, a number that has varied little in the past two decades,” according to a letter describing the meeting.

In that letter, the NFL also insisted that ending antitrust exemption would mean “higher costs and confusion,” calling its current media distribution policy “good for our fans” and “for local broadcasters.”

Monopoly Money
While much of the consumer debate revolves around the larger issue of sports rights shifting to streaming TV platforms, many of the policy issues and recommendations stem from the 1961 Sports Broadcasting Act. One of its key provisions gave the NFL,
Major League Baseball, the National Basketball Association and the National Hockey League an antitrust exemption when negotiating broadcast rights. That exemption allows the leagues to negotiate deals on behalf of individual teams.

Such exemptions were not unprecedented. Nearly 40 years earlier, a 1922 Supreme Court decision gave MLB an antitrust exemption, and there is little doubt that the NFL’s ability to negotiate deals simplified the process of acquiring broadcast rights, which helped the sport and the networks. In 2025, 89 of the top 100 TV programs in the U.S. were NFL games, according to Nielsen.

Critics, however, argue that much has changed since the SBA was passed. In 1960, TV ad revenue (all of which went to broadcasters) totaled only $1.6 billion; this year, linear TV advertising for broadcast and cable is expected to hit $48 billion, a 2,900% increase, and connected TV ad revenues—which primarily go to streaming platforms—will total another $36.9 billion, according to ad agency Media Architects.

Data on the sports business of the late 1950s and early 1960s isn’t very reliable and estimates can vary widely, but the average NFL salary in 1960 was probably $12,000 to $15,000, and total NFL revenues were believed to be around $1 million, mostly from ticket sales. The league’s first post-SBA network deal with CBS in 1962 produced a massive increase in revenue but brought in only about $4.65 million a year, according to the Associated Press. That is a tiny fraction of the $111 billion in revenue produced by the NFL’s current TV contracts, which run through 2033.

Legislative Action Required
With the NFL pushing to extract many more billions from media outlets by renegotiating its current long-term deals, the league’s wealth has attracted increased political scrutiny. In the June House hearings examining potential changes to the SBA, Republicans and Democrats were united in their concerns about the NFL’s distribution strategy that has shifted more games to streaming.

During the hearing, FCC Commissioner Anna Gomez expressed serious concerns about how the NFL has sold its media rights and handled its distribution strategy. “The economics of how fans actually watch have shifted in ways that deserve serious attention,” she said, praising the FCC’s decision to probe broadcast sports rights. “For a family trying to follow their team through a full season, the cost of piecing together access across multiple platforms adds up quickly.”

But Gomez, a Democrat, also cautioned the FCC has limited authority to change the current system. “The commission can gather information, raise concerns and call out fouls where it sees them, but any meaningful update to the Sports Broadcasting Act will ultimately require legislative action,” she said.

For its part, the NAB doesn’t want to abolish the antitrust exemptions in the SBA, given the confusion and difficulties that would result in having to negotiate separate deals with all the teams.

“NAB is not asking to eliminate the Sports Broadcasting Act,” LeGeyt told Congress in June. “But this Committee should reaffirm that the SBA applies only to league-wide negotiations with media companies that will distribute games through broadcast television, not lock games behind streaming paywalls.”

How that could work in terms of the media business or the legal system isn’t clear. The major media companies that own the Big Four broadcast networks and ESPN—The Walt Disney Co., Comcast, Fox Corp. and Paramount Global—don’t just have the biggest NFL deals; they also have large streaming subscription services that have bought exclusive rights to stream NFL games in recent years. If approved, Fox’s proposed $22 billion acquisition of Roku in June would allow it to move even more games to streaming.

Nor is it clear how the courts will react to legislation that favors one medium (broadcast) or another (streaming). And if the antitrust exemption is changed, the alternative of having teams negotiating deals rather than leagues could easily fragment rights and cause more confusion than the current system.

Either way, as the NFL pushes to renegotiate its current contracts, expect this regulatory battle to last well into 2027 and beyond.

Cameras are not just the source of images for TV shows and live sports coverage, as well as—of course—feature films; they also help create the look and style of a production.

As with many of the previously standalone components in modern broadcast workflows, though, the camera is becoming part of a bigger system. Cameras are increasingly likely to be networked to other devices, with the consequent need for more interconnectivity on location or in the studio, which ultimately offers greater operational features and flexibility to both camera operators and the production team.

This is encapsulated by the acquisition of German camera and lighting manufacturer ARRI, a hugely influential name in cinema history that has moved more into broadcasting in recent years, by compatriot company the Riedel Group. Riedel made its name in intercoms and communications, but later moved into a wider, connected digital world with a range of distributed video networking systems.

‘Highly Complementary’
The deal was announced just before April’s NAB Show, where David Bermbach, co-managing director of ARRI with Christian Richter, described the combination of the two companies as “highly complementary,” as it blends Riedel’s infrastructure and audio and video communications systems with cameras and lighting from ARRI.

“In the future it [will be] not so much about selling just products but end-to-end solutions,” he said. “I see that for cinema as well as for the live broadcast field. End-to-end [is] where the potential really lies now business-wise.”

The general camera market is already moving towards this goal, and the latest developments from other major manufacturers in this direction were evident at the 2026 NAB Show. Blackmagic Design introduced a 100G version of its URSA Cine 12K LF (large format) camera, which is not only aimed squarely at live production but is also part of the company’s wider 100G ecosystem.

“The URSA Cine 12K was originally designed to be a cinematic camera, but a lot of customers [began] requesting to use it both in a live signal workflow [and] record locally in 12K for later use,” Bob Caniglia, director of sales operations for North America at Blackmagic, said. “A few things needed to change for that, the first being the ability to connect [the camera] to an ATEM switcher for the proper color correction you would have in a live situation.”

Initially, this was achieved through two SDI outputs, but Caniglia said the addition of a 100G port to the URSA Cine 12K enables it to be part of large workflows at that transmission rate. Blackmagic’s other major NAB Show launch this year was the URSA Cine Immersive 100G, which it says is the first cinema camera designed for live production using Apple Immersive Video. The camera has already been used to cover NBA games, Caniglia said, again with the 100G capability enabling it to work in a live-TV setting.

Increase in Signals
Sony’s NAB Show lineup also reflected growing connectivity to and from live production cameras. The 3000 and 5000 series, which have been on the market since 2019 and gradually upgraded in recent years—including four-times-4K support for the 5500 and higher frame rates on 3000-series cameras to enable slow-motion capabilities for high-end sports coverage—were, in the words of Rob Willox, director of product marketing for live media solutions at Sony, further “refreshed” through increased connectivity capacity.

“It was a big customer request to send many more signals between the cameras and the camera control unit,” Willox said. “This includes multiple channels of teleprompter, talent monitors, the secondary monitor and more return channels to the viewfinder overall, so just a little increased scope of signals that can be had between the cameras, the operators and the interface to the talent.”

Also in the last few years, Sony has introduced networks and software applications that provide greater connectivity to cameras through the CNA-2 camera control network adapter. This provides the ability to assign different cameras from different studios to different remote control panels, Willox said. This has now developed into a “backbone” for camera and network management that allows multiple venues to be controlled from a central location during major events.

Networked control was also a highlight from Panasonic at the NAB Show. The company introduced an Image Adjust Pro plug-in for Panasonic’s Media Production Suite that allows centralized management of up to 20 studio and PTZ cameras per license from a PC or tablet.

Mike Bergeron, senior product manager, live video production ecosystems at Panasonic North America, said the free plug-in is a conglomeration of the software tools Panasonic provides to manage its PTZ cameras.

“The Image Adjust Pro is a software master setup tool that displays itself as a bunch of our camera paint boxes, and it works across the board with the studio cameras and the box cameras and the high-end PTZ cameras and allows you to manage all of those on the same platform,” he said.

‘Cinematic Aesthetic’
Grass Valley focused on the continuing expansion of its AMPP infrastructure, which now includes support for NDI 6.3. This allows IP video workflows, such as HDR sources, to be carried in and out. The next step in terms of camera operation is how to automate such functions as shading, particularly for multiple cameras, Director of Product Marketing Klaus Weber said.

“Things like AI come into question,” he said. “How can it help, for example, to make sure all cameras are aligned to the same look? These topics are being discussed and there are no solutions yet but it is an area we are researching.”

On the camera front, the LDX 110, introduced last year as an entry-level model, was shown with three times the speed capability for super slo-mo. Also on display were the LDX 180 and LDX C180, again launched in 2025. These were designed with a Super 35mm imager front end to bring a “cinematic aesthetic” to live productions.

The difference between GV’s approach to this growing requirement—compared to its competitors—was to use an existing live camera system and add a film optical block, instead of modifying a cinematography camera, Weber noted.

ARRI began to move into broadcast more than five years ago. At its NAB Show press conference, management acknowledged it was continuing to address the growing trend towards using cinema tools to cover sports and live events. Blackmagic’s Caniglia aslo acknowledged there is now more “crossing of the streams,” with cinematic cameras used in live broadcasts. This has led it to market the URSA Cine as two cameras in one, covering live broadcasts as well as features and TV shows, he said.

Sony has a background in Super 35mm through its cinematography cameras, and although the company is seeing demand for the format in live broadcast, Willox said it would likely be best suited to one or two cameras in a production rather than all of them.

“That longer depth of field plays a little better on replays and being able to see everything that happened within the playing surface, rather than segments of the playing surface,” he said.

Cameras will doubtless continue to develop as they always have, but it is now clear this must happen as part of an overall production infrastructure.

In my last column, I wrote about what I saw and heard on the exhibit floor at the 2026 NAB Show; this month, I’ll talk about the NAB Show’s Broadcast Engineering and IT (BEIT) Conference sessions as well as the National Television Association (formerly National Translator Association) conference in Reno, Nev., that I attended in May.

Production and streaming sessions at NAB Show focused on content creation and distribution of TV programs. However, several sessions on over-the-air transmission focused on datacasting and alternative uses for our 6-MHz RF channel beyond TV broadcasting.

As in past years, sessions were devoted to the Broadcast Positioning System, showing BPS can be a worthy backup to GPS and the progress in testing and implementation.

In “Real World Coverage Analysis of ATSC 3.0 BPS,” Jim Stenberg and Paul Shulins of Over The Air RF Consulting showed how to calculate coverage from a BPS station using their table of “BPS UHF Reception Planning Factors” (Fig. 1). A map showed excellent coverage from WHUT Washington’s BPS signal. However, the map (Fig. 2) also showed spots blocked by terrain with no coverage. As more stations transmit BPS, these spots will likely have service from another station transmitting from a different location or market.

The Case for SFNs
“Only SFNs Deliver ATSC 3.0 Everywhere: Turning Broadcast Theory into Nationwide Reality,” a presentation from Louis Libin, Sinclair’s vice president of spectrum policy and engineering, showed how important is was for broadcasters to start planning for single-frequency networks now, as coverage from a single high-power, high-tower transmission site will not provide the coverage and reliability customers expect from today’s wireless services whether consuming data or video.

“Optimizing ATSC 3.0 networks requires balancing throughput, robustness, and coverage simultaneously, reinforcing the need for architectures such as SFNs to meet the diverse and competing service requirements at the edge of coverage,” Libin said.

SFNs require additional transmitter sites, many of which are already used by other wireless services. Libin warned that broadcasters will be competing for tower space with 5G and 6G providers, and the window for securing tower access is closing. Broadcasters need to secure critical tower positions and begin building SFNs without delay or risk, as SFNs will determine broadcasting’s long-term survival.

I did not hear any mention of 5G Broadcast (the Long Term Evolution version) in any of the BEIT sessions. A more universal evolution of ATSC 3.0 into and beyond the 3GPP/5G/6G domain called B2X (aka “Broadcast-to-
Everything”) was outlined in “ATSC 3.0 and B2X Interworking with 5G Core and IP-Based Service Discovery for End-to-End Broadcast Integration” by Michael Simon, director of advanced technology at ONE Media Technologies; Rashmi Kamran, senior technical adviser at Free Stream Technologies India; and Sangsu Kim, senior director, One Media.

The Broadcast Core Network component of B2X provides the functions needed to implement a B2X Radio Access Network (BRAN) using Open Radio Access Network (O-RAN) features. Use of O-RAN allows easier interworking with other networks using O-RAN principles and interfaces and decouples hardware and software, enabling new applications and reducing obsolescence.

ATSC 3.0 offers broadcasters the opportunity to become a wireless CDN (content delivery network). In “Hybrid Media Distribution Utilizing ATSC 3.0/NextGen TV,” Yuriy Reznik, chief technology officer at Streaming Labs, compared the cost of existing CDN services and the potential revenue from an ATSC 3.0 CDN to see if it is a viable business case. The analysis studied the various available ATSC 3.0 bandwidths and coverage.

In summary, the “main result under the right conditions, ATSC 3.0 offload can deliver meaningful savings and improve one-to-many availability,” Reznik found. But the transition path matters, he noted. “Receiver penetration, gateway adoption, and an eventual ATSC 1.0 sunset could improve the economics.”

Streaming as Backup
Rather than using a broadcast station as a CDN, how about using streaming as a backup to over-the-air reception? That was the theme of “Enhancing ATSC 3.0 Service Reliability By Combining Broadcast and Broadband Services,” by Peter Gogas, director of NextGen technology at Gray Media.

A broadband fallback mode could be useful in areas where the ATSC 3.0 signal is blocked by terrain, degraded by urban multipath or receives interference, as is often the case with indoor reception of VHF channels. Implementing a combined service requires some changes to the ATSC A/331 standard. Refer to the presentation for details.

A key point: Changes would be backwards-compatible, so any ATSC 3.0 set without internet would not lose over-the-air content. Synchronizing content delivery between over-the-air and broadband will be a challenge. It requires aligning media segments and maintaining the same presentation timeline and media segment time span. Gogas recommended formatting synchronization expectations as an ATSC Recommended Practice.

Recruiting New Talent
“Finding and Engaging New Talent for Broadcast/Media Engineering,” sponsored by the Radio Club of America, was hosted by Andy Gladding, vice chair of the Society of Broadcast Engineers Chapter 15 and engineering manager for Salem Media’s New York City stations, and Bud Williamson, president and chairman of SBE Chapter 15, leader of Digital Radio Broadcasting Inc. and managing member of Neversink Media Group.

The presentation discussed the challenges facing modern broadcast engineering, including the need for “advanced knowledge of electronic, audio and/or video systems, contemporary production and studio environments, IT systems, troubleshooting skills and communication abilities” and that “pay is often lower than similar technical fields.”

It also showed how to successfully recruit new talent into broadcast engineering by enlisting the help of local college radio stations—in this case, Hofstra University’s WRHU Hempstead, N.Y. The presentation showed students making audio cables, visiting transmission facilities at the Empire State Building, and working together on projects.

Key points were “create programs that the students can drive,” “provide progress reports for the student as well as your corporate leadership team,” “publicize success,” “keep it fun!” “bring friends (your friends and their friends)” and “buy pizza.”

While the focus was on radio, the ideas shown here should work for students interested in TV as well.

The View From Reno
A few weeks after NAB Show, the National Television Association met in Reno, Nevada. This was the first time I attended, and it was a pleasure to be around so many people passionate about over-the-air television.

Mike Schmidt from Heartland Video Systems presented an option I hadn’t thought of for reducing MPEG-2 bandwidth requirements: Rather than coding HD video in MPEG-4, with the resulting compatibility issues, simply reduce the horizontal resolution by half: 960×1080.

Surprisingly, many viewers watching the half-resolution video saw little difference between it and 1920×1080 video.

I gave a presentation on the impact that interference from post-freeze LPTV applications, if granted, will have on existing full-power and low-power station viewers, particularly those near and just outside the station’s protected contour. It is available here.

Have you ever heard the old movie cliché, “What’s a nice girl like you doing in a place like this?” Those of you who might recognize my name or byline from consumer and residential technology publications over the years might reasonably paraphrase that to ask, “What’s a consumer-centric journalist doing in TV Tech?” That’s a good question, but as an introduction to my new column, “The Other Side,” allow me to explain.

Over the years, I have been involved in exactly what the name of this publication is: TV technology. I’ve worked at post and duplication facilities, helping to initiate and market new technologies; spent more late nights supervising film-to-tape transfers back in the days of 3V film chains and quad recorders; and helped install and bring up and run massive RF distribution networks for early in-room hotel pay TV systems.

On the other side of the technology fence, I led teams that developed and marketed one of the first digitally converged three-tube video projectors; spearheaded one of the first complete home theater systems (including processors, amplifiers and speakers); and, more recently, helped lead product teams for immersive home audio products that play back the content TV Tech readers capture, edit and distribute.

‘Trickle-Up’ Electronics
That has given me a unique view of how both broadcast/professional and consumer electronics products are used and, often, misused for both their intended market applications but also as a physician might say when a drug is used for something other than its main intended use, for “off-label use.” As a good example, one need look no further than the use of DSLRs and even iPhones as production-level cameras for everything from local news to major sporting events and feature films. Let’s call that “trickle up,” as it is the use of consumer market products “off-label” in professional applications.

On the other hand, there has always been the opposite: “trickle down.” By that, I mean the use of professional products in a consumer environment. Back in the day, I recall more than a few high-end consumer installations where one might find those old Tektronix video monitors or “professional” video projectors in home theaters. Perhaps the ultimate trickle-down was the frequent use of the original Altec “Voice of the Theater” speakers in the home, or perhaps JBL and other studio speakers in home theaters. The same for high-end, high-power audio amplifiers or Ampex 300-series reel-to-reel tape machines. The best way to picture that is to do an online search for the classic image of Frank Sinatra’s home listening system.

The digitization of everything has meant that things are clearly blending together from both sides, and my goal here is to have you meet the technology in the middle. On one hand, you get maximum efficiency both in terms of time and costs by using things originally not meant for “pros,” while on the other hand consumers get to reap the benefits of “pro/commercial” products. I’m certain that most of you know nonindustry friends who use Resolve or similar video or audio production software tools for their vlogs, or what now passes for “home movies.”

Both Sides of the Fence
Last bit of my introduction to this space: As an industry professional, it would be astounding if each of you hasn’t been asked more than once by relatives or friends: “Hey, you’re in the TV business. Can you recommend a good display, camera, speaker or amplifier?” By jumping across both sides of the fence in this column, we’ll give you some answers to those questions.

Let’s start with something everyone has and needs, and which you use every day: video displays. For last-mile, precision applications there is still no substitute for a Sony BVM series or monitors from Eizo, Flanders, TV Logic, the Dolby PRM-4220 (as a successor to the now-discontinued Dolby Pulsar) and other brands. However, for noncritical use such as viewing rooms, offices and stages where image quality and price are key, but so is cost, there are new products from consumer brands that may fit the requirements.

You may not be as familiar with TCL and Hisense as you’ve been with the legacy brands such as LG, Samsung and Sony. However, keep in mind that from a global sales perspective, those two brands are right up at the top of the sales charts with LG and Samsung. In particular, the new TCL models with their SQD panel structure and the RGB MiniLED models from Hisense have an excellent price/value benefit. Similarly, the LG and Samsung Micro RGB models will also give higher-priced, “professional” models a run for their money. Just as I’ve seen high-end LG and Panasonic OLED models used as the main and “client” monitors for color grading, expect to see these in non-consumer use sooner than later.

As an aside, the Mini and Micro RGB backlit products—not to be confused with true direct-view LED display technology (dvLED) that is common for video walls, virtual production and staging—may just be the thing to recommend when your nonindustry friends ask you, “What should I buy?” Along with the standard set by OLED, these and the (non-RGB) TCL SQD won’t steer them wrong.

Crossover in Action
As one other example of where From the Other Side will take you going forward, let’s look at one other “trickle up” product drawn from the consumer/home office space that you might benefit from on the job and on the go.

TV technology professionals are often on the go, both traveling to and from gigs, at a remote event, or in recent times possibly even at home doing remote production. Particularly since the pandemic, we’ve all gotten used to multiple screens but what do you do when you have to finish an edit on the go at an airport lounge or coffee shop?

After all, taking a wall of monitors with you just doesn’t work in an era where, to paraphrase another now-obsolete advertising slogan, “bags don’t fly free” unless you have elite-level loyalty status. TSA wouldn’t like that too much, either.

One solution I have tested and used, courtesy of a sample provided by the manufacturer, is the Tri-Screen 3 from a company with the unique name of Xebec. It lists for $699 and consists of two 13.3-inch, 1080p/60Hz screens that fold up against one another to a compact form that isn’t much thicker than some larger laptops. It fits snugly to the laptop’s screen, has one USB-C connection and, after folding out the aluminum kickstand, you fold out the monitors. You then have three screens, counting the laptop or two screens facing you and one facing behind the laptop so others can see what you are working on.

Best example: sitting in a cold Boston airport this winter, having people wonder what I was doing with an edit on three screens. That’s nowhere near as interesting as continuing it with three screens on the plane and then uploading the job as soon as I landed.

These two examples are just a hint of the crossover potential between “work and play” or “home and office/studio/remote shoot” that this column will be bringing you as we all move forward into a future that is not only mixed in terms of media, but with respect to the tools and products we all use to navigate the ever-changing media landscape.

Editor's note: This article was written prior to the FCC's formal announcement on June 30 of the planned auction of 160 MHz of midband spectrum.

As broadcasters wait for the FCC to release the ground rules for the congressionally mandated upper C-band auction in July 2027, the gap is widening between what their lobbyists and suppliers say will happen if they lose all 180 MHz of the high-value block.

The contrasting perspectives, ranging from near panic to sanguinity that—with enough transition time—broadcasters will be fine—played out in interviews, recent Federal Communications Commission filings and a high-level executive C-band panel at NAB Show. It’s still unclear how much spectrum will end up on the auction block, how long stations will have to make whatever transitions to alternatives are necessary and what they can expect in the way of compensation for the costs.

The View From NAB and NABA
Messaging from the National Association of Broadcasters, the North American Broadcast Association (NABA) and other industry representatives expressed deep concerns on all points, starting with the possibility of losing more than 100 MHz of upper C-band spectrum. After 60% of the overall C-band total vanished in the 2021 lower C-band auction, losing all 180 MHz in the upper band could cause irreparable harm, NABA Director-General Rebecca Hanson said.

“We have members already suffering after the first auction,” Hanson said, citing evidence submitted in an FCC filing by the North American Spectrum Alliance, an independent project launched last year under NABA management. “I hesitate to say broadcasters will be just fine if we can keep 80 GHz. Current constraints are already having an impact.

“There are no viable alternatives that match what C-band delivers,” she said. “Ku-band has rain-fade problems; fiber has penetration problems; there can be multiday outages on internet connections. In research you find claims to the contrary, but what’s in the NAB filings challenges those claims.”

Indeed, earlier this year NAB advised the commission, “The record consistently demonstrates that claims of ‘viable alternatives’ are overstated, unsupported, and incomplete.” It went so far as to cite discussions with broadcasters that showed one vendor’s claims of offering a terrestrial alternative to C-band with “zero downtime” over several years “to be false, or at least misleading.

“Terrestrial circuits are vulnerable to physical cuts, congestion, vendor outages and first-mile failures, with restoration times measured in hours or days—conditions completely incompatible with broadcast operations,” NAB said. “No one offers a universal, one-for-one [C-band] replacement capable of delivering the same reliability, coverage, scalability and resilience nationwide.”

‘So Many Options’
But the no “one-for-one replacement” caveat is beside the point for many broadcasters hoping to orchestrate various combinations of these transport solutions to meet NAB’s requirements. Even if the whole C-band sky falls, they said there’s reason to believe technology will open ways forward that could even work to their advantage.

“If we lose all or substantially all of the spectrum, which I think we probably will, our plan will be to forklift the traffic to Ku-band and then supplement that with some number of terrestrial paths,” said Alastair Hamilton, senior vice president of distribution engineering and architecture at Fox, who spoke on the NAB Show C-band panel. “I’m glad we have so many options.”

On the satellite front, along with the Ku-band option, broadcasters could also use low-earth orbit (LEO) satellite capacity, Hamilton noted. Deepak Mathur, president of media at SES, said the satellite operator is aggressively working with suppliers to design and build a new set of Ku-band satellites enabling higher power outputs in heavy rain zones and “cross-strapping” tie-ins to uplinks that work in the C-band.

“We believe that we can come very close, not exactly all the way there, but very, very close to the network reliability that you’ve enjoyed with C-band,” Mathur told the NAB Show panel audience. Setting 2030 as the target date when broadcasters would be able to deploy retrofitted Ku-band antennas for the uplink strategy, he added, “We’re on a good track to get there.”

The ‘Last-Mile’ Challenge
For many broadcasters, a comprehensive C-band replacement solution will have to include support for off-shore connectivity, which in CBS’s case includes service in the Caribbean, parts of Latin America and Canada. Whatever the hybrid replacement solution turns out to be, “it’s going to put more onus on us to make sure the carriers and the service providers are indeed routing the paths and have the proper resiliency within their networks,” Fuller said, noting that the last-mile transition is the “hard part.”

Hamilton agreed. “That’s the bit that worries us the most,” he said. “Our broadcast markets for the most part have some reasonable connectivity, and we can go to the top five or six MVPDs on the cable side with fiber, internet, satellite. We’ve got whatever the number is, 90%, but it’s that extra 10% that’s going to be the real challenge. I think we’re going to have to get creative.”

Just how hard that will be remains to be seen.

There’s a well-proven solution readily at hand, said Rich Young, head of global products at LTN, who appeared on a second vendor panel at the NAB Show C-band session. Station groups and multichannel operators can “bring one feed in” on the IP network and “deliver it with synchronized latency to every location,” he said, noting the LTN Network coverage was on course to connect customers accounting for an aggregate 1,700-plus broadcast station affiliates plus multichannel video programming distributors reaching 98% of “the MVPD eyeballs.”

The range of possibilities was well illustrated by last month’s announcement that 330 PBS member stations are adopting LTN’s IP platform. Without mentioning the upper C-band issue, PBS said the move was aimed at “modernizing and future proofing” the PBS Interconnection system. The LTN Network will deliver up to nine linear broadcast feeds from PBS and affiliated networks to member stations while enabling always-on support for inter-station content sharing and contributions of locally produced content to regional and national broadcasts.

LTN is tackling the C-band replacement issue with multivendor integrations and network enhancements aimed at improving reliability, scalability and operational visibility. For example, a collaboration with Appear integrates that firm’s high-density X Platform to support encoding and decoding IP-native live video contribution and distribution payloads on the LTN network.

Harmonic is another supplier partnering with LTN, in this case through a tie-in with Harmonic’s XOS Advanced Media Processor software appliance used in MVPD headends to unify encoding, playout and delivery. As Andrew Hildenbrandt, Harmonic’s solutions director for broadcast and primary distribution solutions, makes clear, LTN is just one of the paths XOS customers can take in their adjustments to C-band replacement.

“At the affiliate edge, XOS acts as a ‘headend-in-a-box,’ offering a flexible and
future-proof solution for distribution via Ku-band satellite, managed IP through partners like LTN or Zixi, CDN or hybrid workflows,” Hildenbrandt told TV Tech. “With XOS media processor, we are embracing a very straightforward but powerful idea: broadcasters and programmers can deliver any content, over any platform, to any affiliate.”

Multiplatform Approach
Other suppliers said it’s possible to fashion a seamless flow of live-event feeds into production and out to affiliates without relying on C-band, but doing so requires a means of orchestrating support from more than one platform.

Synamedia, for example, has long enabled use of its workflows in multiple transport environments, including “delivering content over satellite securely for over 30 years,” noted Synamedia Director of Distribution Kenelm Deen, another NAB Show C-band session speaker.

“There’s no one technology that will solve this,” Deen said. “There will be multiple technologies for different use-case applications.” He said Synamedia, with an edge platform “that can receive across any network technology, be it Ku with BSF [bandstop filters], IP, Zixi, SRT—any protocol,” is working with broadcasters to shape post-C-band paths precisely to their needs.

Zixi is also working with broadcasters making the transition from C-band on the assumption that “there’s no one technology that can replace it,” as Alan Young, vice president of strategic business development, put it during the NAB Show session. “We act as a trust boundary for a lot of traffic as it passes through the workflow,” he said.

Zixi’s Zen Master manages all the complexity of orchestrating hitless switching across multiuse IP networks so latency is deterministically fixed “everywhere at every receive site” with transmissions in and out of multiple vendor workflows, Young said. “Doing that, you can create five 9s or maybe even better if you add more paths,” he added, noting that Zixi “is working with pretty much everyone on this panel and many others.”

Blended Connectivity
Coming from a different perspective on support for C-band replacement through hybrid transmission solutions, Dejero has been showing broadcasters how its TITAN Command platform can be used to orchestrate video flows at high performance across 5G and LEO networks utilizing the blended connectivity enabled by its field-based EnGo 3 transmitter.

At the NAB Show, Dejero teamed with other suppliers, including Clear-Com, GlobalM, Matrox Video and Ross Video, in a live “field-to-air” demo that leveraged use of the TITAN Command orchestration platform to combine cellular and Eutelsat’s OneWeb LEO constellation into a resilient alternative to C-band in a multivendor environment.

“We have the right technology and are in the middle of trying to understand what the business model looks like and what the next steps should be,” said Kevin Fernandes, Dejero’s chief revenue officer, adding that working out the business model includes figuring out a way that LEO network capacity can be monetized for as-needed broadcast industry use.

“These discussions don’t happen overnight,” he added. “Right now, we’re putting TITAN out there and showing it works.”

Other suppliers are bucking the perception that C-band replacement requires hybrid multiplatform approaches by offering single-platform solutions they say can do the job with C-band-caliber performance on the internet. One such advocate is BCNEXXT. In an interview, Graham Sharp, its sales and marketing vice president, noted successes in the playout arena, including providing Sky Europe with cloud-based playout support on 220 channels, as a foundation to providing a C-band alternative.

“Our whole system is developed around reducing CPU power and distribution costs,” Sharp said, noting BCNEXXT is hoping to close on its first large U.S. station group deal by year’s end. “That’s why we think it’s a good alternative to satellite distribution.”

Another executive expressing confidence in a single IP-based platform solution to the C-band replacement issue is Michelle Munson, CEO and co-founder of Eluvio. At the NAB Show event, Munson said Eluvio’s global broadcast fabric supports any-to-any networks at global scales “built on top of TCP/IP with a novel decentralized content routing protocol that allows distribution meeting latency targets…with deterministic global switching” and “multipath SMPTE 2022-7 routing throughout.”

“One distribution serves all receivers, and along with that, each receiver is dynamically able to become a new output,” she added. “We have the flexibility, I think, this is really about. It’s not just about replacing satellite. It’s the transformation of the industry into what could be a truly over-the-top, flexible, simple, data-driven kind of workflow that we’ve really not been able to take advantage of before.”

Learn more about the challenges facing C-band users in the TV Tech Talk, “C-Band Spectrum Changes: The Next Infrastructure Shift for Broadcasters,” July 29 at 2 p.m. ET. To register, click here.

NEW YORK—Versant Media Group continues to make acquisitions following its spinoff from NBCUniversal earlier this year with a definitive agreement to acquire Full Swing, a leading sports technology company with patented hardware and integrated software used by consumers, competitive athletes, coaches, and commercial venues for about $530 million from Bruin Capital and a group of minority investors.

Full Swing, which is best known for its golf simulators and its tracking and analytics software, will add an interactive sports platform to Versant’s portfolio, spanning immersive simulation, launch monitors, virtual greens, integrated software, and performance data.

Built first in golf and now extending into baseball and other sports, Full Swing supports data-driven practice, play, training, and entertainment across at-home, commercial and professional environments with simulated sports and family entertainment experiences.

At a time when traditional cable network brands are looking to expand their presence beyond the declining pay TV eco system, Full Swing will strengthen the company’s golf business, which includes Golf Channel, GolfNow and GolfPass, and will provide a new way to engage the growing golf community.

The acquisition will also create opportunities to develop content, commerce, training, and venues while supporting Full Swing’s continued growth as a sports technology company, Versant said.

“Full Swing is exactly the kind of strategic platform that reflects how we are building Versant: investing in our core markets, extending the reach of our iconic brands and creating new ways to serve passionate audiences,” said Mark Lazarus, CEO of Versant. “Sports are becoming more interactive, more data-driven and more connected, and Full Swing allows us to build on that momentum. Starting from our strength in golf, we see an opportunity to scale a multi-sports technology platform for athletes, coaches, consumers, and fans.”

"This is an exciting next chapter for Full Swing. Joining Versant gives us the scale and distribution to bring our technology to even more golfers, athletes and fans, while staying focused on what we do best — building the most connected and immersive way to play and train,” added Ryan Dotters, CEO of Full Swing. “We're proud of what our team has built, and we look forward to growing it alongside Versant's portfolio of iconic brands."

Following the closing of the transaction, Full Swing will operate within Versant’s Digital Platforms and Ventures portfolio, and Dotters will join Versant, reporting to McIntosh. The transaction is subject to customary closing conditions and is expected to close in the second half of 2026.

Gibson Dunn acted as legal advisor to Versant. Moelis & Company LLC. acted as financial advisor, and Kirkland & Ellis LLP acted as legal counsel to Bruin.

WASHINGTON—Digital Alert Systems, a major supplier of Emergency Alert System and common alerting protocol equipment and solutions, has filed a letter with the Federal Communications Commission rebutting some of the assertions Weigel Broadcasting has made regarding NextGen TV/ATSC 3.0 and the standard's limitations in delivering emergency alerts.

In a recent filing with the FCC. Weigel released a study contending that the transition to 3.0 broadcasts would cause problems with the public’s ability to receive vital emergency alerts.

Weigel has been a consistent opponent of proposals by the NAB and broadcasters to speed up the transition to ATSC 3.0 and set a firm cutoff date for ATSC 1.0 broadcasts.

In a June 3 meeting with FCC officials, Weigel reiterated its opposition to a mandatory cutoff for ATSC 1.0 broadcasts by arguing that: “(1) ATSC 3.0 makes a free service expensive and simple service complicated; (2) broadcasters may elect to degrade (or not improve) broadcasting in favor of non-broadcast services, such as gambling, pay television services, and private data delivery services; and (3) consumers, primarily those in rural areas underserved in terms of content and connectivity, may be the most harmed by a transition to ATSC 3.0.”

During that meeting, Weigel also “discussed Internet connectivity requirements to receive ATSC 3.0 DRM-encrypted channels” and shared its testing of “low-cost’ converter devices across four television markets. Weigel observed that when these devices weren’t connected to the Internet, EAS messages were not delivered. “In ATSC 1.0, there are no Internet connectivity requirements for EAS,” the broadcaster noted.

That study was strongly criticized by the ATSC 3.0 Security Authority (A3SA) in a June 26 letter that stressed “A3SA-suppported devices are designed to be fully compatible with the Commission’s Emergency Alert System (EAS) and to ensure that emergency alerts are reliably delivered to viewers. That is how the A3SA content protection framework was designed, and that is how it operates across the ATSC 3.0 ecosystem.”

In its FCC filing, Digital Alert Systems took no position DRM issues and praised Weigel for raising “an important and legitimate concern in that viewers must be able to receive essential emergency information over the air, including when broadband service is unavailable, unreliable, unaffordable, or disrupted by the very emergency for which public warning is needed.”

But the July 2 letter stressed that “the issues identified [by Weigel]...appear to relate more to the particular device configurations and options in those two particular products, rather than issues with ATSC 3.0, DRM, or broadcast technologies.”

The letter also attempted to “clarify the technical record insofar that a specific observed converter-device behavior is not read more broadly than the available evidence supports. The referenced ex parte presentation appears to document a particular result involving two converter devices, certain DRM-protected services, and certain offline test conditions. That result does not, by itself, establish that ATSC 3.0 inherently requires Internet connectivity for emergency alerting, that content protection necessarily interferes with EAS, or that a mandatory 19.3 Mbps `Broadcast PLP’ is the technical answer to the behavior described.”

Additional details can be found in the original filing, which is available here.

NEW YORK—Fox Television Stations has named Robert Lydick senior vice president of engineering, operations and technology for Fox Television Stations.

Lydick will report directly to FTS CEO Jack Abernethy and oversee all engineering, operations, and technology functions for the station group.

Lydick assumes his new role July 13, succeeding Tim Joyce, who retired at the end of June.

“Robert has been a key player at Tegna for over a decade and is a great fit for this role,“ Abernathy said. æHe has tremendous knowledge of our core stations business and a deep understanding of how to manage engineering and technology operations. He is a terrific addition to an already strong FTS bench of executives.”

Lydick was an engineering, technology and operations executive with station group Tegna for 15 yeears, most recently as VP of station operations and technology.

Before that, he was VP of information technology and station operations, overseeing day-to-day station operations, enterprise IT, cybersecurity and special projects. Before his coroprate roles, he was regional head of technology for Tegna stations KSDK St. Louis and KARE-TV Minneapolis.

Lydick began his media career more than 24 years ago at USA Today (then Gannett) where he held the positions of information analyst, project and planning analyst, and project and planning manager. A graduate of the University of Lynchburg, he holds a bachelor’s in business administration.

“Joining the Fox Television Stations is an exciting opportunity,” Lydick said. “I'm looking forward to working with an amazing team on some of local journalism's biggest technical challenges. I'm humbled to be in the role and can't wait to get started.”

Joyce was senior vice president of engineering, operations, and technology for FTS since January. Before that, he was senior vice president of media and broadcast engineering for Fox Corp. for nearly three ears.

Previously, Joyce served as the senior vice president of technology business relations for Fox Networks Group in Los Angeles, and before that, as vice president of broadcast operations for Fox Networks Group in Europe and Africa. He spent 6 years as vice president of operations and production services for National Geographic Channels International. Joyce began his career as a senior editor for Fox Latin American Channels. A graduate of the University of Southern California, he holds a bachelor’s degree in international relations and Spanish.

“Tim is an incredibly talented executive with experience across multiple roles and has been a vital part of transforming and advancing our engineering and technology systems," Abernethy said. "His intelligence, energy, and leadership skills have impressed me since his first day here and we wish him all the best on a well-deserved retirement even as we regret seeing him go.”

Added Joyce: “After 27 years at Fox—from Fox Latin American Channels to National Geographic, Fox International Channels Europe, Fox Tech, and Fox Television Stations—I've learned that while companies evolve and technology changes, it's the people who make the journey unforgettable. Thank you for being the best part of mine.”

FTS owns and operates 29 full-power U.S. television stations, including outlets in nine of the 10 largest DMAs and duopolies in 11 markets, including the top-3 DMAs of New York, Los Angeles and Chicago.

Comcast’s Sky unit has announced that it plans to acquire ITV Media & Entertainment from ITV plc for roughly 1.6 billion pounds ($2.14 billion), comprising 1.2 billion pounds ($1.6 billion) in cash, Love Productions, and up to 0.2 billion pounds ($0.27 billion) in performance-related earnout.

The announcement comes just a week after Comcast set plans to spin off its NBCUniversal and Sky operations into a separate company.

The proposed deal would create a U.K. media powerhouse and create the scale the companies say they need to compete effectively with global streaming players.

ITV already reaches around 40 million people every week and serves more than 16.5 million monthly digital users. Combined with Sky, the business would account for around 20% of all in-home viewing in the U.K.—second to the BBC and ahead of YouTube—and create a British commercial streaming champion.

But analysts point out that the combination would also control about 70% of the U.K. TV ad business and that the proposed deal will face extensive regulatory review.

The deal combines ITV’s ad-supported, free-to-air broadcast platform with Sky’s portfolio of pay TV, streaming, broadband, mobile and business services. Comcast and ITV said the combined entity’s diverse revenue streams would provide a resilient and durable business model.

“This is a defining moment for British media and an opportunity to build a stronger future for two of the U.K.’s most loved and trusted brands,” Sky Group CEO Dana Strong said. “We have huge respect for the transformation the ITV team has delivered, particularly its successful move into streaming through ITVX, which has brought fantastic British content to millions of viewers across the UK.

“Bringing Sky and ITV Media & Entertainment together combines the very best of free-to-air television, pay TV and streaming, ensuring viewers across the U.K. continue to enjoy outstanding British programming in a rapidly changing world,“ she added. “ITV will remain a public-service broadcaster at the heart of British life, and we’re excited about the future we can build together.”

The ITV channels and ITVX will remain free-to-air and will continue to meet their public-service broadcasting commitments, Sky said, with ITV’s entertainment and national and regional news programs remaining intact. ITV News and Sky News will also remain as distinct editorial voices, Sky said.

Sky also struck a five-year, 2.1 billion-pound ($2.8 billion) content supply deal with ITV Studios, effective upon the deal’s completion.

“ITV has successfully evolved in a rapidly changing media landscape—launching and scaling ITVX and developing ITV Studios into a major force in the global content market,” ITV plc CEO Carolyn McCall said. “This transaction builds on that momentum to deliver clear, tangible value for shareholders. At the same time, through the commitments made by Sky, the combined ITV M&E / Sky business will continue to deliver everything about ITV that our viewers and advertisers love and value and our people are hugely proud of—making programs that reflect and shape society, bringing people together for shared experiences and having the quality, diversity and plurality that are the hallmarks of our contribution to the U.K,’s creative industries. In addition, all of ITV’s PSB commitments, including regional and national news, are safeguarded under the terms of the Channel 3 Licences until 2034, which Sky is acquiring as part of the transaction.”

LOS ANGELES—Television City and Orbital Studios said they are collaborating on a new advanced virtual production facility on the lot in Hollywood’s Fairfax district.

The LED volume at 7800 Beverly Blvd. reflects Orbital’s steadfast commitment to providing best-in-class virtual production experiences for productions of all sizes, budgets, and creative aspirations, according to the companies.

“We could not be more excited to welcome Orbital Studios to Television City,” said Anthony Mazziotti, executive director of stage operations and marketing at Television City Studios. “Their work puts this lot among the most advanced production environments anywhere, while honoring everything these stages have stood for. This is exactly the kind of partnership that keeps Television City both iconic and essential.”

Originally CBS’s first West Coast videotape production facility, Television City opened on Nov. 16, 1952, at 7800 Beverly Blvd. in the Fairfax district of Los Angeles. Over seven decades, its soundstages produced “The Carol Burnett Show,” “All in the Family,” “The Price Is Right,” “The Young and the Restless” and many iconic programs. The city of Los Angeles designated the studio a Historic-Cultural Monument in 2018. That same year, CBS sold the property to Hackman Capital Partners for $750 million, and the lot remains an active production facility.

Founded in 2020 by A.J. Wedding, Orbital Studios is a Los Angeles virtual production company. The studio operates LED volumes with camera tracking and real-time rendering, supported by an in-house Virtual Art Department. Orbital develops virtual production workflows spanning mobile operations in the U.S. and worldwide, AI-assisted content creation, real-time rendering, and location reconstruction technologies such as 3D Gaussian Splatting.

Orbital is currently in production on the series “The Drop: A Snowfall Saga,” and its recent credits include the Netflix series “Nemesis,” for which the team rebuilt portions of downtown Los Angeles from digital scans, “Justified: City Primeval,” “History’s Greatest Heists” and the recently released 20-part docuseries “World War II With Tom Hanks.”

“Walking these stages, you feel the weight of what was made here,” said A.J. Wedding, founder and CEO of Orbital Studios. “Generations of crews poured everything they had into these rooms. That legacy makes us determined to get it right. We’re bringing the latest in virtual production technology and the most talented virtual art and AI artists inside spaces that helped define American television, because the best way to honor a storied place is to make sure the next great stories happen there, too.”

LAS VEGAS—The Mountain West Conference has launched MW+, a direct-to-consumer streaming platform designed to give its member universities a new way to generate recurring subscription revenue directly from their own fans.

Unlike traditional conference streaming services, a majority of subscriptions purchased through a member school’s dedicated page flow directly back to that institution, creating a new revenue model as conferences navigate the changing economics of college athletics.

The launch reflects a broader shift toward schools and conferences building owned media businesses rather than relying solely on traditional broadcast partners. In addition to live events, MW+, which is powered by Kiswe, features original programming, athlete storytelling, and interactive fan experiences designed to deepen engagement while creating a scalable, year-round business.

With the addition of men’s soccer and men’s swimming and diving, the realigned Mountain West will now sponsor 21 sports. Its all-sports members — Air Force, Hawaii, Nevada-Reno, UNLV, New Mexico, San Jose State, UTEP and Wyoming — will continue to compete across the full Mountain West portfolio, including football.

UC-Davis joins Grand Canyon University, which just completed its first full year in the MW, as all-sport members outside of football, while Colorado College (women's soccer), North Dakota State (football), Northern Illinois (football and women's gymnastics) and Utah Tech (baseball and men's soccer) will compete as affiliate members in designated sports.

In February, the Mountain West announced a new media rights package featuring CBS Sports, Fox Sports, The CW and Kiswe. The agreements with CBS Sports, Fox Sports and Kiswe run for six years (2026-27 through 2031-32), while The CW has committed to a five-year partnership through the 2030-31 season.

In addition to the launch of the new SVOD service MW+, there is now a new conference website driven by SIDEARM that delivers improved navigation, enhanced storytelling, streamlined statistics and a modern user experience.

MW+ is available on a variety of platforms and devices, including web and mobile web, iPhone and Android mobile devices, streaming devices such as Apple TV, Android TV, Amazon Fire TV, Roku, Amazon Prime Channels (coming soon) and more.

NEW YORK—BIScience’s AdClarity said it has expanded its connected TV (CTV) ad intelligence product to 19 new countries, bringing total tracked CTV ad spend to $70 billion across 20 markets.

With CTV now representing 10% of all tracked ad spend globally and 16% of the U.S. ad spent, BiScience has added CTV coverage in Canada, the United Kingdom, Germany, Australia, Brazil, France, Indonesia, Italy, Norway, the Philippines, Singapore, South Korea, Switzerland, Thailand, Saudi Arabia, Poland, Spain, New Zealand and Denmark.

Each market includes local platform depth. For example, the United Kingdom features Channel 4 and ITV, Germany includes Joyn and Sky, and Australia covers 10 Play, 7plus, 9Now and Stan.

With this release, BIScience reported that AdClarity now combines the industry's widest cross-market CTV coverage with AI-powered ad intelligence. Built on one consistent methodology across markets and media, including CTV, AdClarity gives teams a unified way to compare activity, uncover competitive shifts, and move from data to decisions faster. The company said that customers can now generate insights in under 10 seconds, reducing manual analysis by 85% through AI-driven automation, and saving an average of 7,980 hours annually per customer.

Currently, AdClarity's panel of 30 million opt-in users spans 132 streaming platforms, 5 million smart TVs, and 52 countries, with eight years of historical depth. AdClarity said it serves 27% of the Fortune 500, including Adidas, Amazon, Booking.com, Disney, Shell, Sony and Wix. The platform is also used by four of the five top global advertising agencies and seven of the top ten global market research companies.

"Global advertisers don't work in silos, and their intelligence tools shouldn't either. By expanding AdClarity's CTV coverage to 20 markets and integrating built-in AI, we've unified the cross-media view and bridged the gap between seeing data and taking action. One methodology, one platform. Total visibility across every screen," said Dorit Kaplan, VP Product and Strategy at BIScience.

To learn more, visit AdClarity’s website.

BINGEN AM RHEIN/MAINZ, Germany—Systems integrator Broadcast Solutions GmbH has announced that it is acquiring BFE Studio und Medien Systeme GmbH.

Financial terms were not disclosed.

The deal will strengthen Broadcast Solutions’ position as one of Europe’s leading providers of broadcast, media and communications systems, and expand its service portfolio to include in-depth expertise in the areas of studio and production technology, media IT, control center and control room systems, and customized hardware and software development.

“With the acquisition of BFE, we are consistently pursuing our strategic growth course,” said Stefan Breder, co-CEO of Broadcast Solutions. “In recent years, there has been only minimal overlap between the two companies’ service portfolios, but today they complement each other perfectly in technological terms. Together, we are creating the conditions to support our clients even more comprehensively in the future with the planning, implementation and further development of sophisticated broadcast, media and communications infrastructures.”

As an independent company with offices in Mainz and Vienna, BFE will become part of the Broadcast Solutions Group. The existing shareholders, Martin Dempf and Sven Hesselbach, will continue to jointly manage the company as managing directors. Peter Dinkel and Doris Hartl will continue to lead BFE in Vienna as managing directors.

In announcing the deal, the companies noted that the demands placed on technical infrastructure in the media industry are undergoing a fundamental shift and that the shift to IP-based production platforms, cloud technologies, automation and artificial intelligence are increasing the level of integration in modern systems as well as the complexity of projects.

That has created a growing need for technology partners who can cover all phases of a project—from consultancy and development through to system integration, implementation and continuing support—under one roof, the merger partners said.

With this deal, the two companies stressed their complementary areas of expertise and said merger creates an integrated offering that combines system integration, engineering expertise, vertical integration and long-term service.

As one of Europe’s leading system integrators, Broadcast Solutions will bring its extensive experience in the planning and implementation of complex broadcast infrastructures to the partnership. BFE complements this portfolio with its many years of experience in development and implementation of bespoke studio, production and media solutions. It also possesses particular expertise in media IT, workflow integration, control center and control-room systems, and the development of customized hardware and software solutions.

As a result, the combined company said it will be able to provide customers with a significantly expanded portfolio of technologies and solutions, additional engineering and development capacities, and greater implementation capabilities for complex national and international projects.

“Broadcast Solutions is the right partner for BFE to continue our development in the long term. Being part of an internationally successful group of companies opens up additional technological and international opportunities for us. At the same time, our brand, our corporate culture and our close relationship with our customers will remain intact,” said Martin Dempf, managing director of BFE Studio und Medien Systeme GmbH.

WASHINGTON—FCC commissioner Anna Gomez has issued a sharply worded statement criticizing the agency’s Media Bureau for dismissing a petition for special relief seeking a repeal of its “news distortion” policies.

The November 2025 petition, filed by a bipartisan group of former FCC officials, asked the agency to rescind the news distortion policy, which has “significantly chilled and otherwise altered the content of broadcasters’ speech, undermining First Amendment values.”

On June 22, Acting Media Bureau Chief Alexander Sanjenis dismissed the petition on procedural grounds without attempting to defend the FCC’s authority to investigate broadcasters for violations of “news distortion” policies or the First Amendment issues raised by its recent interest in enforcing those policies.

“Petitioners have failed to present their request in a manner that is cognizable under our rules,” Sanjenis wrote in a two-page June 22 letter. “ACCORDINGLY, it is ordered that the Petition for Special Relief IS DISMISSED WITHOUT PREJUDICE.”

In a July 1 statement, Gomez criticized the Media Bureau for abusing its authority to decide such matters without a full commission vote.

“The Commission regularly uses delegated authority to get the work of the Commission done, issuing licenses, seeking comment, granting rule waivers, etc.,” she noted. “Delegated authority allows the Commission to operate efficiently.

“Delegated authority, however, can be abused to shield significant actions from judicial review as only final Commission actions can be appealed,” she said. “That is what appears to be happening in this instance and the consequences for our democracy are serious. The Commission has repeatedly used the Media Bureau to take actions that are inconsistent with longstanding Commission precedent that violate both the Communications Act and the First Amendment.”

Gomez, the FCC’s sole Democrat, also insisted that these abuses were part of a larger pattern to crack down on news coverage that is critical of the government.

“The Commission has increasingly used its regulatory authority as a cudgel against broadcasters whose coverage it dislikes rather than as a neutral enforcement tool, and license renewals and merger approvals have been treated as leverage over editorial judgment rather than as the objective processes the Communications Act requires them to be,” she said.

“This is not an isolated tactic, and the Commission has repeatedly reached for rarely used or long dormant authority to discipline broadcasters it views as critical, including reviving a license renewal mechanism that had not been invoked in over half a century apparently to target a single company's news coverage,” she added.

“This includes repeated reliance on the previously rarely invoked news distortion policy at issue here," Gomez continued. "That pressure has had a real effect, and station groups and local broadcasters across the country have asked my office what topics are now considered too risky to cover, a question that should never need to be asked in a country with a First Amendment.

“When a federal agency with the power to grant or revoke broadcast licenses starts weighing in on editorial content, the chilling effect reaches far beyond any single station or story, and it is compounded here by the Commission's choice to resolve this particular petition through an unpublished staff letter rather than a public vote of the full Commission,” she concluded.

WEST PALM BEACH, Fla.—Jericho Receivers, a subsidiary of All 6G, this week launched its Software-Defined Atomic Clock (SDAC), which intelligently fuses multiple independent time references, including the ATSC 3.0 broadcast platform, to deliver atomic-clock-grade timing that remains accurate even when Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) signals are jammed, spoofed or unavailable.

“The Software-Defined Atomic Clock represents a major leap forward in timing technology,” said Dean Goodman, CEO of Jericho Receivers' parent company, All 6G. “When the primary timing source is lost, conventional systems enter holdover and begin to drift. There has long been a need for a true complement to satellite signals. Our software-defined approach fuses the best available sources—satellite, broadcast, terrestrial and network—into one resilient, atomic-clock-grade solution. This is precisely the kind of innovation All 6G was founded to deliver: bridging decades of broadcast expertise with the secure, resilient infrastructure required for 5G, 6G and beyond.”

“By leveraging the ATSC 3.0 Broadcast as a core terrestrial timing source, Jericho’s Software-Defined Atomic Clock directly supports the resilient national PNT infrastructure that Chairman [Brendan] Carr and the FCC have highlighted as essential,” Goodman added. “We are proud to deliver a made-in-America solution that strengthens timing security for critical networks while accelerating the broader adoption of ATSC 3.0 capabilities.”

Traditional systems that rely on a holdover mode during satellite outages in which the device keeps its own internal time, making time drift inevitable. Unlike those alternatives, the Jericho SDAC continuously cross-references GNSS, terrestrial ATSC 3.0/BPS signals and network-based precision time protocols. This multi-source architecture provides robust, real-time resilience for mission-critical applications.

“ATSC 3.0 was designed from the ground up to support advanced applications far beyond traditional video delivery, including precise time transfer and positioning through the Broadcast Positioning System,” said Madeleine Noland, president of ATSC. “We are thrilled to see Jericho Receivers’ software-defined atomic clock harness the power of the ATSC 3.0 standard as a critical terrestrial complement. This deployment underscores broadcasting’s vital role in building a more resilient national timing infrastructure.”

The Jericho SDAC combines:

• Global Navigation Satellite Systems (GNSS) for primary high-precision timing.
• ATSC 3.0 terrestrial broadcasts, including the Broadcast Positioning System (BPS), as a powerful GPS-independent complement.
• Network precision time references and protocols for seamless integration with modern IP infrastructure.

The architecture of the device ensures continuous, high-accuracy synchronization in challenging environments and eliminates the countdown to failure inherent in traditional holdover modes. Designed and manufactured entirely in the United States in accordance with All 6G’s strict no-Chinese-chip policy, the SDAC is well-suited for 5G/6G networks, data centers, power grids, financial systems, defense applications and other critical infrastructure that require assured positioning, navigation and timing (PNT).

The Jericho SDAC is now available for evaluation and deployment.

More information is available on the company’s website.

TORONTO—Lumine Group said it has acquired Imagine Communications Holdings Inc. for an undisclosed amount. Dallas-based Imagine Communications is a global provider of video connectivity solutions, channel origination software and hardware, and AI-enabled advanced advertising solutions. Lumine Group, with a market capitalization of $3.89 billion, is a publicly traded Canadian company that specializes in acquiring and growing vertical market software companies specifically within the communications and media sector.

“Imagine Communications is an important addition to Lumine’s growing Media ecosystem,” said Tony Garcia, chief operating officer at Lumine Group. “The business will provide origination to our already extensive video processing capabilities, while complementing and expanding TV monetization with its Landmark Sales AI-enabled advertising product, among others.

“Consistent with Lumine’s decentralized operating approach, Imagine Communications will continue to operate as an independent business, and as a buy-and-hold forever owner, we are committed to giving them the stability to keep building on their depth of expertise in the industry,“ Garcia added. “We look forward to welcoming this global team and its customers to Lumine, to share our best practices and to learn from their decades of industry insight.”

Steve Reynolds, current Imagine CEO will continue to lead the division.

“We are excited to become part of the Lumine Group global media ecosystem,” Reynolds said. “Lumine Group’s acquisition approach and buy-and-hold philosophy provide us with a solid foundation on which we can continue to innovate, while providing certainty to our customers and employees. Operating as an autonomous business within Lumine Group, we have a clear path and excellent support to achieve our vision and serve our customers’ most critical needs.”

Imagine was born amid the ashes of the broadcast division of Harris Corp., created when the company spun off its transmission business, rebranded as GatesAir (acquired by Thomson Broadcast in 2022) and its software and networking division, which assumed the new name “Imagine Communications” in 2014.

This acquisition follows Lumine’s purchase of the video network business of U.K.-based Synamedia, a provider of video software technology to broadcasters and media production companies.

Two unauthorized climbers who scaled to the top of the spire above the Empire State Building caused the New York City FM and TV stations broadcasting from antennas there to shift to backup antennas, on the same building but positioned lower on the structure, for about an hour Wednesday.

The shift followed building protocols as soon as the daredevils were reported, heavily driven by the extreme RF present on the live tower, two people familiar with the inner workings of the broadcast configuration at Empire told Radio World.

Many NYC FMs maintain backup antennas atop the Conde Nast Building at 4 Times Square.

The couple, identified by multiple reports as Angela Nikolau, 33, and Ivan Beerkus, 32, were seen holding a pro-peace banner atop the spire, 1,454 feet above the ground.

Radio and TV occupants returned to normal operations once the pair was off the spire.

Footage that multiple TV outlets revealed showed the couple dangling from the the former top mount master antenna that, according to Mike Fitzpatrick’s NECRAT website, once serviced the analog signals of WNBC and WNYW.

The couple had to make their way past the master antenna that 15 New York FMs call home, while two more—WPLJ(FM), WQHT(FM) and WCBS-FM—use the “Mini” master, which they also had to scale.

They also had to pass the VHF Hi Master antenna for WABC-TV and WPIX, plus the DTV master for WFUT and WXTV.

Police received 911 calls concerning the climbers around noon on Wednesday, according to reports.

The banner Nikolau and Beerkus hung read, “When the power of love beats the love of power the world knows peace.”

They were wearing masks during the ascent but were neither harnessed nor wearing any parachutes.

Visitors to the observation deck were also cleared as a safety precaution, according to reports.

After spending approximately half an hour at the top, the couple moved onto a platform where they embraced. Beerkus dropped to one knee and proposed to Nikolau, who accepted.

About 10 minutes later, they began descending.

Police officers from the NYPD’s Emergency Services Unit climbed up the spire to meet the two and placed them into custody just before 1 p.m.

The NYPD is reviewing surveillance from the Empire State Building, WABC-TV said. The two appeared to access the spire from a 102nd floor hatch used for maintenance, possibly by breaking a lock, WABC said.

Nikolau and Beerkus are known for their daredevil “rooftopping” climbs around the world. They were profiled in the 2024 documentary “Skywalkers: A Love Story,” currently available on Netflix.

Potential charges could include trespass and reckless endangerment, police sources told WCBS-TV.

[This article was originally published by our sister publication Radio World.]

TALLAHASSEE, Fla.—The Florida Association of Broadcasters has named Heather Lomagistro president and Chief Executive Officer, effective today.

Lomagistro most recently served as executive vice president and chief operating officer. She succeeds Pat Roberts, the association’s longtime leader, who will transition to the role of president emeritus.

“FAB is strong because of its people—the best executive committee, board and staff anywhere,” said Lomagistro. “My focus is on protecting what makes us special, sharpening how we operate, and making sure we are ready for whatever the future of broadcasting brings — with Florida’s broadcasters at the center of everything we do.”

She also paid tribute to her predecessor. “Pat leaves a legacy few in any industry will ever match. He has been the steady, fierce voice for Florida’s broadcasters, and he built something that will outlast us all,” she said.

FAB Chairman John Soapes and Immediate Past Chairman Lara Kunkler welcomed the transition on behalf of the Board and the Executive Committee.

Soapes reflected on both Roberts’ tenure and the Board’s confidence in his successor.

Roberts first joined FAB in 1987 as a consultant and became President in 1988. He has guided the Association ever since, helping grow it into one of the nation’s most respected state broadcasting associations and a leading voice for Florida’s radio and television broadcasters before state and federal lawmakers, the FCC, and emergency management partners. His nearly four decades of service make him the longest-serving president of any state broadcasters association in the country.

“Leading FAB has been the honor of my career, and it is a place I will always champion. What I’ll carry with me isn’t any one fight we won — it’s the people, the stations, and the communities they serve. Entrusting it to Heather makes this transition an easy one. FAB is in better hands than ever,” said Roberts.

As president emeritus, Roberts will serve in an advisory and advocacy-focused role, lending his decades of experience to support FAB during the transition.

More information is available on the association’s website.

LONDON—Synamedia appointed Dr Tzvi Gerstl Chief Executive Officer. Paul Segre, who has served as CEO for the past six years, will transition to the role of Executive Chairman, where he will continue to provide strategic guidance and support the company's long-term growth agenda.

The company said that the appointment marks the next step in Synamedia's development following the divestiture of its video network business.

Earlier in June, Lumine Group Inc. announced that one of its subsidiaries has entered into an agreement to acquire the video network business from Synamedia. As part of the agreement, Lumine is setting up a new independent company operating under the name of its primary product name, Quortex.

In the wake of the deal, which will give it a sharper strategic focus and a streamlined operating model, Synamedia said it will focus on helping operators and media companies attract, engage, and monetize audiences through exceptional video experiences.

Gerstl has played a central role in shaping and executing the strategy at the heart of Synamedia's next phase. He has driven significant improvements in innovation, execution, and customer outcomes. Under his leadership, the company has accelerated and established new momentum through customer wins with BFBS, MTN, Mileto, Partner Communications, and YES as well as the launch of GO Shorts and the award-winning Senza Ignite.

"We have spent the last several years transforming Synamedia, strengthening our portfolio and positioning the company around a clear strategy focused on our customers and the future of video," said Paul Segre, Executive Chairman of Synamedia. "With the simplification of our business model and strong momentum across the company, now is the right time to transition leadership to the person best positioned to accelerate our growth.

"Tzvi understands our customers because he spends time with them, our technology because he's helped shape it, and our business because he has been instrumental in its success," continued Segre. "The Board and I are confident there is no better person to lead Synamedia into its next chapter. I look forward to continuing to support Tzvi and the leadership team as Executive Chairman."

"The media industry is navigating profound change as audiences increasingly expect video experiences that are personalized, mobile, and available everywhere," said Gerstl. "At the same time, operators and media companies need to grow audiences, create new revenue streams, and reduce complexity. That is exactly where Synamedia can make a real difference.

"The future of video will be shaped by those who can attract audiences, monetize effectively, and simplify operations,” he added. “Synamedia brings together streaming, advertising, monetization, security, and audience engagement to help customers achieve those outcomes. I am proud to lead one of the most talented teams in the industry and excited about the value we can create with our customers and partners as we enter Synamedia's next chapter."

As audiences around the world stream the 2026 FIFA World Cup, the conversation will not only focus on the matches on the pitch, but on the production quality and scale of the delivery infrastructure behind them. According to a Harris Poll survey, more than half of Americans plan to stream at least one match. This massive, simultaneous global demand does more than reveal viewing habits. It actively tests the limits of delivery systems.

Even as encoding and streaming technologies improve, viewers encounter buffering delays and sudden drops in quality when demand spikes. While these issues are often blamed on the streaming platforms themselves, they actually point to a deeper structural constraint within the underlying network architecture.

Streaming this year’s tournament reveals a problem that has been quietly building for years as video has become the dominant workload on the internet. It’s a clear signal that the internet is approaching another major inflection point, one that will require completely rethinking how content is delivered at scale.

Every Network Evolution Starts With a New Application
Network evolution is not new. In the 1990s, telecom networks were built for voice traffic and predictable calling patterns. When consumers shifted in droves to the early internet, those assumptions broke down. Calls that typically lasted minutes turned into online sessions that lasted hours.

This resulted in regulatory filings to the FCC arguing that because dial-up users were holding switches open indefinitely, a non-internet user in the same neighborhood trying to dial 911 could receive a busy signal. The existing network was simply not optimized for how it was suddenly being used.

The industry’s answer back then was not to add more capacity, but build an entirely new architecture designed for data. The industry transitioned from a voice network that also carried data to a data network that also carried voice, enabling the modern internet economy we rely on today. Much of that lesson remains the same – as applications change, networks must change with them.

However, we’re seeing the cycle of reinvention being driven by a different kind of application categorized as real-time, high-bandwidth video at global scale. Unlike previous transitions, this shift is continuous and is starting to expose real strain on the network closest to the end user.

Pressure Is Building at the Edge
Historically, the default response to rising video demand has been to add more fiber. But the user experience still degrades during peak moments. Streams begin at a lower resolution to decrease startup time, and bitrates are automatically reduced when networks get congested.

During major streaming events, viewers regularly lose clarity or stability at the exact moments they care most about. These are not isolated glitches, they are symptoms of systemic, structural strain.

This constraint is most visible at the network edge—specifically in last-mile infrastructure connecting content to homes and devices. Every duplicated stream consumes capacity in a segment of the network that is already heavily loaded. At scale, continuing to rely on this level of delivery inefficiency becomes hard to justify.

The Internet Has Quietly Become a Video-Heavy Data Network
The internet today is now a data network carrying video—but more accurately, it has become a network dominated by massive, simultaneous "hot" data workloads. While streaming platforms and live sports have radically reshaped traffic patterns to the point where video now represents roughly 80% of internet traffic, this structural strain isn't exclusive to video.

We see the exact same architectural bottleneck when millions of devices simultaneously pull a critical mobile update, when gaming platforms drop a massive software patch, or when autonomous vehicle fleets sync hyper-localized HD maps.

However, nowhere is this delivery challenge more acute, or visible, than during a massive live sporting event. The core issue stems from an architectural reliance on a one-to-one delivery model (unicast) for content that is inherently one-to-many (multicast).

Under the traditional unicast model, every viewer receives an individual stream from the content delivery network, even when millions of people are watching the exact same frame at the exact same millisecond. Conversely, multicast is a one-to-many model, where a single transmission can be distributed efficiently to all recipients at once. Live sports are naturally shared experiences. Forcing networks to duplicate and deliver the same stream millions of times over severely strains the access networks closest to the consumer.

The Next Evolution of Internet Infrastructure
Stepping into the next phase of internet infrastructure requires recognizing that not all traffic should be treated equally. We must acknowledge that video is now the dominant workload on the network, and that live, high-demand content requires a specialized approach.

As video continues to dominate global traffic, pressure on today’s legacy delivery model will only intensify. The opportunity ahead lies in aligning network architecture with actual consumption habits to eliminate unnecessary duplication where demand is highest.

This means shifting away from repetitive one-to-one delivery toward more efficient distribution models where a single transmission can be broadcasted across the edge, rather than recreated millions of times over. Streaming the World Cup isn’t breaking the internet. It’s revealing that the internet has already evolved into a data network carrying video, and its physical architecture must now evolve to match.

SEATTLE—Cascade PBS has launched Local Public, a wholly-owned public benefit subsidiary that will be offering app solutions to public media stations across the U.S.

Local Public enables stations to offer a locally-branded, locally-curated streaming video service across connected TV, web and mobile platforms.

Cascade PBS reported that Local Public currently supports 18 PBS stations across the country with streaming applications available on all major platforms. Additional stations will launch in the coming months.

“Public media has always been strongest when it is deeply rooted in the communities it serves,” Rob Dunlop, Cascade PBS president & CEO, said. “Streaming shouldn’t diminish that connection—it should strengthen it. Local Public gives stations the tools to create digital experiences that reflect their communities, deepen audience engagement and build a more sustainable future for public media.”

The launch grew out of an initiative by Cascade PBS to strengthen its own digital future that evolved into a standalone business. That business is now helping a growing coalition of stations nationwide build stronger connections with their communities in the streaming era.

Stations that have joined Local Public span the country include:

• Arizona PBS
• Buffalo-Toronto Public Media
• Cascade PBS (Seattle-Tacoma and Yakima-Pasco-Richland-Kennewick)
• Houston Public Media
• KPBS (San Diego)
• KVIE (Sacramento-Stockton-Modesto)
• Lehigh Valley PBS
• Nashville PBS
• OPB (Oregon)
• PBS Charlotte
• Rocky Mountain PBS (Colorado)
• SCETV (South Carolina)
• Vegas PBS
• WCTE (Upper Cumberland, Tennessee)
• WETA (Washington, D.C.)
• WHRO (Norfolk–Portsmouth–Newport News)
• WHYY (Philadelphia)
• WQED (Pittsburgh)

In launching the new company, Cascade PBS noted that local stations have long been the essential link between national programming (such as “Masterpiece” and “Daniel Tiger’s Neighborhood”) and the communities they serve. Local stations curate schedules, produce their own shows and build relationships with viewers—who then sustain public media through their support of the station.

As audiences increasingly consume content through streaming platforms, maintaining that local connection has become both more challenging and more important.

Local Public aims to address this challenge by helping public media outlets deliver streaming experiences crafted for the audiences they know best. Rather than a one-size-fits-all experience, local outlets can showcase their own local stories, highlight community priorities, strengthen audience relationships and create a clearer pathway for viewers to directly support their local station.

“Local Public represents the possibilities when local public media organizations work together to build better products, faster, that meet the needs of our audiences and reflect what’s most important to our communities,” said Amanda Mountain, president & CEO, Rocky Mountain Public Media, which is already using their solutions.

Cascade PBS also stressed that its own Local Public-powered streaming products demonstrate the effectiveness of a local-first approach with:

• Higher Donation Revenue: Local Public-powered apps have increased contributions by 53%.
• Accelerated Donor Acquisition: Local Public apps have generated 30% more new supporters.
• Stronger Donor Retention: Donors acquired through Local Public apps have a 7% higher retention rate.

ATLANTA—Gray Media, Inc. has announced that it has concluded a deal with American Spirit Media, LLC (“American Spirit”) to acquire its six television stations for $50 million.

The deal builds on longstanding relationships between Gray and the stations. For more than a decade, Gray (and its predecessor company, Raycom Media) provided back-office services to five of these stations as well as local news to four of these stations.

The American Spirit being acquired are:

• DMA 81, Toledo, Ohio, WUPW (Fox)
• DMA 100, Jackson, Miss., WDBD (Fox)
• DMA 125, Wilmington, N.C., WSFX-TV (Fox)
• DMA 126, Columbus, Ga., WXTX (Fox)
• DMA 149, Wichita Falls, Texas, KAUZ-TV (CBS)
• DMA 176, Lake Charles, La., KVHP (Fox)

Gray also announced that the parties completed the first of two closings of the transaction with Gray paying $40 million to American Spirit and commencing a limited local management agreement for the stations. The consideration for the first of the two closings was funded with a portion of the proceeds of a private placement of $70 million of aggregate principal amount of the Company’s 7.250% Senior Secured First Lien Notes due 2033, which was completed on June 30, 2026.

As of May 15, 2026, prior to the deal, Gray owned 117 full-power television markets that collectively reach approximately 37% of US television households.

NASHVILLE, Tenn.—Gravity Media USA, a provider of production, content and media services and facilities, has hired Brittney Boston as head of business development.

Based in Nashville, Boston’s charge is to lead its business development strategy and drive revenue growth across its RF and wireless solutions, production flypack services and production and managed services offerings, the company said. She’ll work closely with Gravity Media USA’s leadership team to focus on strengthening customer partnerships and developing new opportunities across the region, Gravity Media said.

“The opportunity to join the team at such an exciting stage of growth is incredibly exciting,” Boston said. “I'm looking forward to working with talented teams across the business to build new partnerships, expand our client base and help drive the next phase of growth for Gravity Media USA.”

Prior to Gravity, Boston had founded and operated Supreme Republic Entertainment, a consultancy serving major record labels, production companies and Fortune 500 brands, the company said. She brings 13 years of experience on such major events as the Grammy Awards, Oscars and Emmy Awards, as well as with the National Basketball Association’s Los Angeles Clippers.

“Brittney joins Gravity Media as we continue to expand our U.S. operations and invest in the growing demand for RF, specialist cameras and live production services,” Nathan Spencer, managing director of Gravity Media USA, said. “Her extensive experience across sports and entertainment, along with her strong commercial track record, will be instrumental in strengthening customer partnerships and driving the next phase of the business’ growth.”

Gravity Media is a media services, facilities, production and content company that delivers end-to-end media services and solutions to broadcasters, rightsholders and production houses in 37 locations across 10 countries, including such highly watched events as the UEFA Euro Championships, Olympic Games, FIFA World Cup, Formula E, the Tour de France and the U.S. Open tennis tournament, as well as programs such as “I’m a Celebrity…Get Me Out of Here!” and “I Kissed a Boy.”

WUPPERTAL, Germany—Riedel Communications says it's expanding its partnership with SKAARHOJ, a Danish provider of tactile controllers for media production, bringing official SKAARHOJ panel support to SimplyLive production workflows. Enabled through the latest SimplyLive 2.1 release, the integration expands SimplyLive’s control options with a tactile switcher panel experience, complementing both its touchscreen interface and existing RCU-based workflows.

The integration addresses customer demand for dedicated hardware control in live production environments where operators want the speed, confidence, and familiarity of a classic switcher panel, Riedel said. With SKAARHOJ panels, SimplyLive users can control key live production functions such as source switching, program output switching, transitions, auxiliary output control, keying, graphics, and macros.

“SKAARHOJ was the obvious partner for this integration because of their strong reputation for high-quality products designed with the user in mind,” said Paul Macklin, Senior Product Manager, SimplyLive at Riedel Communications. “Their collaborative approach allowed us to tailor the solution around the specific needs of SimplyLive operators, especially in single-operator environments where speed, confidence, and ergonomics are essential.”

This operator-focused approach extends beyond the panel integration itself. To support fast deployment, Riedel and SKAARHOJ said they provide a curated starting configuration that helps customers get up and running quickly while preserving the flexibility to adapt the setup to their preferred production workflows.

“We're excited to expand our collaboration with Riedel through the SimplyLive integration,” said Kasper Skårhøj, CEO, SKAARHOJ. “Having previously integrated with Riedel SmartPanels and MediorNet, this is another great example of how our technologies can come together to create new and flexible workflows. While the solution is tailored for the Master Key 48, users can choose any SKAARHOJ panel that best fits their production needs.”

SimplyLive 2.1 introduces official support for SKAARHOJ panels through a gRPC API, enabling responsive communication between the panel and the SimplyLive ViBox application. Alongside a range of other enhancements and new features, the release also adds a new Venue Gateway license for SimplyLive Production Suite Flex customers, allowing the same server hardware to support Venue Gateway applications in addition to All-in-One, Replay, Ingest, and Review workflows.

Additional SimplyLive resources, including the curated starting configuration, are available via the MyRiedel portal. Further guidance on SimplyLive 2.1 workflows, including instructions for implementing the SKAARHOJ configuration, is available in the SimplyLive 2.1 user guide.

WASHINGTON—Broadcast Management Group (BMG), a leader in live production, creative services, and broadcast managed services, has appointed Kathy Samuels as director of creative services.

In her new role, Samuels will lead BMG's growing Creative Services division, helping clients develop, execute, and distribute live broadcasts, streaming channels, sports programming, brand activations, live events, enterprise communications and audience experiences that combine compelling storytelling with Tier 1 broadcast production execution, the company said..

Over the past year, Samuels was strategic accounts manager for BMG, overseeing key client relationships across sports, entertainment, media and enterprise organizations. In that role, she worked closely with clients to align creative strategy, production workflows, and operational execution while supporting some of BMG's most visible and complex initiatives, the company said.

“Kathy brings an exceptional combination of creative leadership, production expertise, and show format development,” BMG CEO Todd Mason said. “Her experience launching shows, building show formats, building content teams, developing talent and leading complex productions makes her uniquely qualified to lead our expanding Creative Services division as we continue expanding our work across sports, entertainment, financial services, news, and enterprise clients.”

Samuels has spent nearly 30 years as a producer, showrunner, media executive and content strategist across broadcast television, digital media and live production. She has helped launch such nationally recognized programs as Access Hollywood, Rachael Ray, and Katie, while holding leadership roles at NBC, CBS, ABC, Hasbro, Joyus and other media organizations.

A Daytime Emmy, Telly and Davey Award-winning producer and showrunner, Samuels has built a reputation for creating content and audience experiences that connect across television, streaming, live events, branded content and emerging media platforms, BMG said. Her expertise spans creative development, talent strategy, show creation, content production, studio production, and multiplatform storytelling, according to the company.

MIAMI—WFOR-TV, branded on-air as CBS Miami, is partnering with Neighbors 4 Neighbors and Global Empowerment Mission (GEM), to launch “Hope 4 Venezuela,” a relief initiative supporting families impacted by the devastating earthquakes in that country.

Doral, Fla.-based WFOR’s coverage area is home to the largest Venezuelan population in the United States. The station is using its community connections to mobilize aid, elevate critical resources and serve as a central hub for information and support for people affected by the recent earthquakes, it said.

“As a local newsroom, our role goes beyond reporting—we are here to serve, inform and activate our community in moments of need,” said Miguel Fernandez, vice president and news director of CBS Miami. “South Florida’s connection to Venezuela is deeply personal, and we are committed to using our platform to help families facing unimaginable loss.”

The initiative combines storytelling, fundraising and community engagement to drive immediate relief. Donations will be distributed through Global Empowerment Mission and Neighbors 4 Neighbors, while CBS Miami amplifies awareness across its broadcast, digital and social platforms.

“This initiative reflects the power of local journalism to bring communities together and drive meaningful impact,” said Kim Voet, president and general manager of CBS Miami. “We are proud to stand with our viewers, partners and the Venezuelan community to provide support and deliver real help where it is needed most.”

The campaign will include a dedicated Hope 4 Venezuela special on July 1, when CBS Miami’s 7 p.m. newscast will be transformed into a focused broadcast driving awareness, donations and community participation as part of a broader daylong effort.

“Local media plays a critical role in moments like this, connecting people to trusted organizations and turning compassion into action,” said Katy Meagher, president and CEO of Neighbors 4 Neighbors. “Together with CBS Miami and GEM, we are working urgently to deliver life-saving aid to those who need it most.”

CBS Miami is also engaging local businesses, advertisers and community members to support donation efforts, while its editorial coverage will continue to highlight the ongoing impact of the earthquake and the response from South Florida’s Venezuelan community.

Donations can be made via the Neighbors 4 Neighbors website, with additional information found on the CBS News Miami website.

LONDON & MILAN—The edge video delivery network, MainStreaming, has been selected by ITV to support the delivery of ITVX, ITV’s streaming service for premium on-demand, linear and live content in the UK.

As part of a push to become a more digital business, ITVX is an important part of the broadcaster’s long-term, streaming-first growth strategy. With nearly 10 billion streams delivered between December 2022 to December 2025, ITV realized that it needed to diversify its large-scale video delivery model to keep pace with shifting audience behavior and future consumption patterns.

As part of that decision, ITV has added MainStreaming to its multi-CDN strategy, recognizing the need for a more controllable approach to video delivery that enables greater visibility, optimization and performance management at scale.

MainStreaming will support the delivery of ITVX’s core catalogue, including flagship programs, news and live content, leveraging its distributed Edge architecture to deliver high Quality of Experience (QoE) while optimizing total cost of ownership (TCO).

“ITVX is a strategic platform for ITV, and our delivery architecture needs to be ready not just for today, but for where streaming will be in the next ten years,” explained Mark Ison, director of engineering at ITV. “MainStreaming’s video-first, capacity-based approach helps us enhance our platform as our expected demand evolves, and its proven ISP partnerships - including BT - give us confidence we can address quality, scalability and efficiency for a significant portion of our audience, while continuing to build on our already world-class streaming platform.”

A critical advantage, and a key factor in ITV’s decision to select the vendor was MainStreaming’s ability to integrate deeply within ISP networks, strengthened by its recent strategic partnership with BT, the UK’s leading connectivity provider.

With the largest fixed network and best‑performing mobile network, BT’s converged infrastructure is critical to enabling high‑quality, distributed video delivery. With BT customers making up a significant share of ITV’s audience, this collaboration creates powerful opportunities to further enhance streaming performance as ITVX continues to scale.

“ITV's decision reflects a broader shift in the streaming industry,” Antonio G. Corrado, founder and CEO of MainStreaming, added. “As audiences continue to grow and viewing increasingly moves towards streaming, broadcasters need new delivery infrastructures and technologies that provide greater control, scalability and efficiency. We are proud to support ITVX in this evolution and to help demonstrate how closer collaboration between broadcasters, ISPs and technology partners can deliver a higher-quality streaming experience at national scale.”

WASHINGTON—Federal Communications Commission Chair Brendan Carr has announced the regulator will hold a July 22 vote on plans to hold an auction of 160 megahertz of spectrum in the Upper C-band (3.98-4.14 GHz) next year.

As part of the Working Families Tax Cut Act passed in 2025, Congress required the FCC to auction at least 100 MHz of C-band spectrum by July of 2027.

The National Association of Broadcasters had pushed the agency to limit the auction to 100 MHz of spectrum, arguing that the Upper C-band is already “operating at its practical limit” and that less spectrum would create a “Tetris-like problem” that could endanger the production of major live events.

In response, the FCC indicated it would accommodate video programming delivery by enabling upgrades in satellite technology and content distribution.

[Editor's note: More detailed comments regarding the impact of the proposals from TV Tech columnist Doug Lung are available below.]

In a June 18 letter to the FCC, satellite operator SES estimated that its “total cost to clear 160 MHz of Upper C-band spectrum will be approximately $3.6 billion, with $150 million allowed for contingencies.”

The FCC does not plan to release its estimated costs of the transition until after the July 22 vote.

The NAB declined to comment at this time.

The proposed rules would effectively harmonize terrestrial wireless operations across the entire C-Band to create a single “super-band” spanning 440 megahertz (3.70-4.14 GHz).

The plan also aims to maximize the amount of spectrum repurposed while establishing a speedy transition for incumbent satellite services and the creation of a successful coexistence environment for critical aviation safety systems in the adjacent band, the FCC said.

“While more complex than your average spectrum auction, the FCC moved from NPRM [Notice of Proposed Rulemaking] to Order in record time,” Carr said in a statement. “We have also coordinated with aviation and satellite stakeholders so that wireless providers can light up the Upper C-Band and provide service to most Americans by the end of 2030—ahead of many expectations.”

“The draft Order, which the Commission will vote on during our July 22 meeting, sets the stage for the FCC to auction 160 megahertz of prime, mid-band spectrum next year—exceeding the 100 megahertz minimum established in the law,” he added. “The Upper C-Band auction will also unify a big and contiguous swath of 440 megahertz of spectrum when combined with the Lower C-Band, which the FCC freed up during the previous Trump Administration.”

The FCC said that the auction is expected to raise “many billions of dollars for the U.S. Treasury.” as well.

As part of the announcement of the upcoming vote and auction, the Federal Aviation Administration issued a statement saying that it “is confident that the use of radio signals from the FCC's 5G auction can safely coexist with aviation after years of FAA-led testing and technical analysis. The FCC worked closely with the FAA while developing its auction rule, which contains key safeguards that protect the band of frequencies that aircraft radio altimeters use. These safeguards include limiting the power of the auctioned 5G signals to levels the FAA has determined are safe for aviation; protecting the altimeter band with a buffer band between it and the band of frequencies that will be auctioned; and limiting the height of 5G transmission towers. Additionally, the FCC rule would ensure the functionality of key altimeter-based alerting systems including Terrain Avoidance Warning Systems.”

Later this summer, the FAA said it will issue its own rule to require aircraft altimeter upgrades to ensure altimeters can safely operate with signals from the 5G wireless signals that will be auctioned.

The FCC stressed that the draft Order, Order of Proposed Modification, and Order on Reconsideration, responds to the surging demand for additional valuable mid-band spectrum for wireless services and puts America on a path towards massive gains that could result in at least $264 billion in GDP, 1.5 million new jobs, and $388 billion in consumer surplus by freeing up additional spectrum.

The 2027 Upper C-Band auction will ultimately result in a 440 megahertz contiguous block of spectrum for the provision of wireless services by combining the Lower C-Band (3.7-3.98 GHz) and now the Upper C-Band (3.98-4.14 GHz).

The draft item, which will be made available to the public on July 1, would make available 160 megahertz of valuable Upper C-Band spectrum through the auction of 3,248 new flexible-use spectrum licenses throughout the contiguous United States.

It also proposes that winning bidders will be responsible for transition costs and incentive payments for in-band licensees, as well as rebates for the purchase and installation of upgraded radio altimeters. In addition, the draft item would allow winning bidders to commence wireless services in the Upper C-Band starting in December 2030 for top-75 markets, and in remaining markets starting July 2031.

The FCC also noted that specific dollar amounts on costs, incentives, and rebates have been redacted from the order prior to the July 22 vote given the sensitive nature of this type of financial information. The agency will release the figures publicly with the Commission’s vote.

The draft Order, Order of Proposed Modification and Order on Reconsideration will be made available to the public on July 1 via FCC.gov.

DENVER—The International Broadcaster Coalition Against Piracy (IBCAP) has announced the opening of a significantly expanded anti-piracy lab in Denver.

The new facility increases IBCAP’s operational capacity and, for the first time, gives broadcasters and content owners outside IBCAP’s traditional coalition model access to the organization’s specialized technology, expertise and lab services.

“This new lab represents a transformative step for IBCAP and for the broadcasters and content owners we serve,” said Chris Kuelling, executive director of IBCAP. “We have invested in developing proprietary automation and technology that allows us to monitor piracy at a far greater scale and speed. At the same time, we are expanding our model so organizations that need targeted, specialized lab support can work directly with IBCAP without becoming coalition members. As a nonprofit organization, IBCAP is uniquely positioned to offer the expertise and technology our members and new customers require at a cost-effective price. These enhanced capabilities position IBCAP to address the rapid evolution of piracy technology, including the proliferation of IPTV services and playlist-based piracy.”

In addition to more physical space, the new facility expands IBCAP monitoring capabilities and supports a broader portfolio of anti-piracy services. Powered by proprietary automated technology developed by IBCAP and first announced in April 2025, the lab enables IBCAP to monitor more IPTV and set-top-box-based services and at a faster rate, resulting in the discovery and removal of a greater volume of pirated streams.

Through relationships developed over the past 12 years, including widely used hosting providers and CDNs that cooperate with IBCAP’s takedown requests, the coalition typically achieves a 75% effective takedown rate. This cooperation, combined with enhanced automation, has helped IBCAP more than double its number of takedowns over the past year.

IBCAP described the capabilities of the new lab as follows:

1. STB / IPTV Service Monitoring. Automated, 24/7 monitoring of hundreds of IPTV and set-top-box piracy services for live and video-on-demand (VOD) content. New IPTV monitoring capabilities that identify assets belonging to a specific member or customer across pirate services
2. Web Live and VOD Monitoring. Scheduled monitoring of live channel streams and VOD piracy. Visual confirmation of infringement by analysts to support defensible enforcement actions.
3. Automated Evidence Capture and Extraction. On-demand screenshots, data exports and forensic network captures for any monitored service. Extraction of critical technical evidence, including hosting provider and CDN identification and IP addresses, and key infrastructure such as authentication, authorization, EPG and content servers.
4. In-Depth Understanding of Pirate Ecosystems. Comprehensive analysis of pirate operations and their underlying infrastructure. Mapping of relationships among services to support coordinated, multi-front takedown strategies. Analysis of payment and monetization models used by pirate services. Detection of emerging piracy-as-a-service operations before they scale.
5. Validation and Delivery. Review of findings through IBCAP’s analyst validation hub for quality assurance. Flexible delivery options, allowing members and customers to receive raw monitoring data or fully validated, actionable intelligence packages. A direct path from identification to takedown through IBCAP’s established enforcement workflow.

More information is available at www.IBCAP.org.

WASHINGTON—The NAB Leadership Foundation (NABLF) in partnership with Hearst Television has announced the participants in the 2026 Emerson Coleman Fellowship, an immersive program designed to prepare the next generation of leaders in broadcast television programming and production.

Paid internships at local television stations are an integral part of the fellowship, where students receive hands-on experience in live programming and production environments. They also attend virtual learning sessions, complete a capstone project pitching their original show ideas and receive mentorship to support their professional development.

The foundation is announced these details about this year’s cohort and their internship locations:

• Alana McBean – WABC-TV, New York, N.Y.
• Amarion Weathersby – WFLD-TV, Chicago, Ill.
• Jauntre' Gray – WOFL-TV, Lake Mary, Fla.
• Victoria Marchetti – Hearst Media Production Group, Glendale, Calif.
• Miriam Galica – WABC-TV, New York, N.Y.

"We are thrilled to welcome this outstanding group of students and excited about helping them at the beginning of their career journeys,” said NABLF President Michelle Duke. “Over the past four years, this program has created new pathways for students pursuing creative opportunities in media and broadcasting.”

The program is made possible through the continued support of NABLF sponsors: Brooks Pierce, CBS Media Ventures, Comcast NBCUniversal, Debmar-Mercury, FOX, Hearst Television, Katz Media Group, Locality, Nielsen Foundation, SmithGeiger, Soledad O’Brien and Brad Raymond, Sony Pictures Entertainment, Teen Kids News, The Walt Disney Company, Warner Bros. and Weigel Broadcasting Co.

CAMBRIDGE, England—Adder Technology, an IP, KVM and connectivity solutions provider, has tapped Neil Hillier as CEO, effective July 1.

Hillier’s appointment to succeed Adrian Dickens atop the company is part of a planned leadership transition that also includes changes to Adder’s executive structure intended to support its continued growth, innovation and global expansion, the company said.

Dickens steps down as CEO after 42 years leading the business and will transition to founder and executive chair. Chief technology officer Nigel Dickens will also shift to emeritus CTO. Adder said the appointments align with the long-term stewardship principles established through its recently announced Employee Ownership Trust.

“I am honored to take on the role of CEO, and I recognize my responsibility is to build on the foundations established by Adrian and Nigel,” Hillier said. “Adder’s commitment to being at the forefront of technology innovation remains unchanged, with continued investment in engineering excellence and product development central to the company’s long-term strategy. We have a relentless focus on customer success and remain the trusted technology partner our customers rely on around the world.”

Hillier joined Adder in 2016 and has played a key role in driving more than 70% revenue growth, building on its global market position and shaping its long-term strategy, the company said. His two decades of experience in the KVM industry span engineering, technology, operations and commercial management, Adder said.

“Neil has played a significant role in Adder’s growth and success, and I have complete confidence in his ability to lead the business into its next chapter,” Adrian Dickens said. “Adder enters this transition from a position of strength, supported by exceptional people, loyal customers and a culture of innovation developed over more than four decades. The future is bright, and I look forward to watching the company thrive with the next generation of leadership.”

Supporting Hillier is a revamped leadership team, including:

• Paul Allen as chief financial officer, who will take on a broader financial remit across the Adder group and support continued investment in operational and sustainable long-term growth.
• Jamie Adkin, an 18-year Adder veteran, as the newly promoted vice president of global sales.
• Duncan Miller as the newly promoted vice president, global marketing and customer experience, whose expanded responsibilities bring together marketing, customer experience and professional services and support.

“As we look ahead, our focus remains on helping customers operate more effectively in some of the world’s most demanding environments,” Hillier added. “We have an outstanding team, a strong culture and significant opportunities ahead. I believe the best chapters of Adder’s story are still to come.”

WASHINGTON—ATSC 3.0 Security Authority, LLC is once again defending the digital rights management features and the Emergency Alert System capabilities of NextGen TV/ATSC 3.0 with a sharp rebuttal of arguments made by Weigel Broadcasting to the Federal Communications Commission.

In a June 26 letter to the FCC, the A3SA stressed that “A3SA-suppported devices are designed to be fully compatible with the Commission’s Emergency Alert System (EAS) and to ensure that emergency alerts are reliably delivered to viewers. That is how the A3SA content protection framework was designed, and that is how it operates across the ATSC 3.0 ecosystem.”

While recent filings by Weigel Broadcasting Co. suggested that issues identified with the delivery of EAS alerts are somehow indicative of fundamental incompatibilities between ATSC 3.0 and EAS, the A3SA stressed that “this is simply not true. All broadcasters, and A3SA, share Weigel’s commitment to ensuring that EAS messages are reliably delivered to all viewers.2 Weigel’s filing, however, fundamentally mischaracterizes the source of the identified EAS issues, since those failures stem directly from implementation choices made by specific manufacturers – and have nothing to do with ATSC 3.0 or its key aspects including digital rights management (`DRM’) and other content protection features.”

The letter stressed that DRM systems in nearly all ATSC 3.0 capable devices are working as designed. “Every ATSC 3.0 television being manufactured today supports DRM and the millions of televisions and other devices operating today demonstrate that DRM does not impede, limit, or affect the reception of EAS messages,” the letter noted.

The problems, the group added, stem simply from two tested devices. “Weigel’s test results reflect the implementation decisions of the two particular manufacturers who produced the devices that were tested,” the group said. “They do not establish that DRM, content protection, or any other ATSC 3.0 features interfere with EAS delivery.”

In the case of the other box, “the BitRouter ZapperBox issue identified by Weigel is a device-configuration matter, not indicative of a DRM or ATSC 3.0 problem,” the group said. “ZapperBox is an outlier among A3SA-enabled set-top devices because, in its current implementation, it requires an initial Internet connection to obtain an over-the-top (`OTT') license needed to process encrypted content on a channel. That choice reflects ZapperBox’s connected-device use case: it is a higher-end set-top product, with DVR capabilities, intended for consumers who typically use it in an Internet-connected environment, where it operates as intended. However, the Internet connection is not a permanent requirement. Once the OTT license is obtained, the license persists and continues to function without an Internet connection. The box can then be disconnected from the Internet and will continue to operate, including decrypting video and audio and displaying EAS messages embedded in the broadcast stream. Weigel’s presentation again takes a connected-use device at a specific pre-license stage, removes the connectivity needed for that initial license acquisition, and then treats the result as evidence of a DRM problem. That characterization is false.”

The letter also complained that “Weigel’s presentation creates the false impression that Internet connectivity is a systemic requirement for ATSC 3.0 content protection. The opposite is true. A3SA specifically designed and engineered its content protection solution for OTA broadcast transmissions without ever needing an Internet connection. All devices that support the A3SA framework are provisioned with factory installed licenses which facilitates the “never-connected” to the Internet mode of operation. There are millions of devices sold into the ATSC 3.0 ecosystem – including all set-top boxes from manufacturers that support the A3SA content protection framework such as ZapperBox, Zinwell, ADTH, Shift2Stream, and GT Media, as well as every ATSC 3.0 television being manufactured today – operate with the same capability with factory installed licenses and the vast majority of those devices operate today without ever requiring an Internet connection.”

“As A3SA stated in its February 18, 2026 Reply Comments in this proceeding – and as Weigel’s own presentation acknowledges – more than 18 million devices can access all NextGen TV content, including EAS, whether encrypted or not, without needing an Internet connection or subscription,” the letter concluded. “Blaming ATSC 3.0 content protection for a device-specific implementation failure is akin to blaming a television broadcast station because its HDTV signal cannot be received on an SD-only television. The broadcaster’s signal is working; the standard is working; the missing capability is in the receiver. So too here: the issue is not ATSC 3.0 or the content protection framework, but the design choices made by particular device manufacturers.”

The full letter can be read here.

Weigel’s filing can be found here and the NAB’s comments on this issue are available here.

CYPRESS, Calif.—Video-production technology provider FOR-A America has expanded its U.S. sales organization, adding Fernando Cruz and Jaz Wray as regional sales managers.

Cruz and Wray bring experience in software-as-a-service (SaaS) platforms, AI-driven live production technology and IP workflows, as well as backgrounds in the pro AV, broadcast and live event markets, FOR-A said. They’ll report to Ernie Leon, FOR-A’s senior vice president and head of sales and strategic growth.

"Fernando and Jaz join FOR-A at a pivotal time as broadcasters, content creators, and AV professionals increasingly seek software-defined, IP-based, and AI-enabled solutions that can help them do more within constrained budgets,” FOR-A America President and Chief Operating Officer Satoshi Kanemura said. “They both bring extensive experience helping customers navigate technology transitions.”

Their appointments come as FOR-A expands its software-based solutions portfolio with products such as the MixBoard software-based switcher, powered by ClassX; viztrick AiDi, a 9:16 autocropping and tracking solution developed by Nippon TV and marketed by FOR-A; and the FOR-A IMPULSE live production platform, the company said.

Cruz comes to FOR-A from Macnica Americas, where he drove global promotion and sales acceleration of SMPTE ST 2110 and IPMX solutions. Previously, he led business development for the corporate, education and government segments at Sony Professional and Phantom/Vision Research.

“The transition to IP-based production and software-defined architecture is reshaping the future of content creation and delivery,” Cruz said. “Organizations are looking for practical pathways to adopt technologies such as ST 2110, cloud-connected workflows and AI-assisted production tools while protecting their existing investments. FOR-A is bringing innovative solutions and I look forward to helping customers build more flexible, efficient, and future-ready operations.”

Wray brings sales and project management experience in both the media and entertainment and telecommunications sectors, working with such companies as NEP, Ross Video and Barco.

"Across the media and entertainment industry, we're seeing customers re-evaluate traditional infrastructure in favor of more agile, software-based workflows,” Wray said. “FOR-A's expanding portfolio of software-defined and AI-powered technologies is well positioned to meet those needs and I’m excited to help customers modernize their production environments and unlock new business opportunities."

Wray can be reached at jaz@for-a.com and Cruz can be reached at cruz@for-a.com.

MIAMI—Telemundo and Peacock continue to report record-setting audiences for FIFA World Cup 2026 matches, with the USA vs. Turkey match ranking the most-watched U.S. Men’s National Team (USMNT) FIFA World Cup match in Spanish-language history. The match attracted 7.4 million viewers in total audience delivery (TAD).

The June 25 match was also +111% greater than the USA’s final Group Stage match in the 2022 tournament (3.5 million TAD) vs. Iran.

With this match, Telemundo and Peacock have now seen three of most-watched USMNT FIFA World Cup matches in Spanish-language history with USA vs. Paraguay delivering a 7.0 million TAD on June 12th and USA vs. Australia delivering 6.8 million TAD on June 19th. Over its three Group Stage matches this year, the USA delivered an average 7.1 million TAD, up +83% over its average Group Stage TAD in 2022 (3.9 million).

In addition, the Ecuador vs. Germany match on June 25th delivered a 4.1 million TAD, becoming the third most-watched Ecuador FIFA World Cup™ match in Spanish-language history, behind the June 14th match vs. Ivory Coast (6.8 million TAD,) and the June 20th match vs. Curaçao (6.0 million TAD). Thursday’s match also delivered +120% growth vs. Ecuador’s final Group Stage match in 2022 (1.9 million TAD) vs. Senegal. Ecuador’s 2026 Group Stage performance averaged 5.7 million TAD, up +90% vs. the average from its Group Stage in 2022 (3.0 million TAD).

Meanwhile, Japan vs. Sweden delivered a 4.7 million TAD, an increase of +104% vs. Japan’s final Group Stage match in 2022 (2.3 million TAD) vs. Spain, while its 2026 Group Stage matches averaged a 4.6 million TAD, surging +230% vs. 2022 (1.4 million TAD).