Nyx Hemera Technologies has acquired Comlab Telecommunications and its Davicom division.

The buyer provides intelligent lighting control and management systems for critical infrastructure, including smart-city lighting control systems for road tunnels and underpasses. Comlab and Davicom sell automation and control products for broadcast and telecom sites. All are based in Quebec City, Canada.

Nyx Hemera and Comlab-Davicom will continue to operate separately. But John Ahern, president of Comlab-Davicom, plans to retire next spring.

“This acquisition marks a significant milestone in the growth of both companies, as they possess highly complementary technological expertise; it will enable them to expand their engineering and product development capabilities while creating new opportunities for innovation in their current and future markets,” Nyx Hemera said in the announcement.

President Pierre Longtin was quoted, “The skills developed by Comlab/Davicom over the years in radio frequency electronics, antennas and telecommunications complement those of Nyx and give us access to new development opportunities.”

John Ahern told Radio World: “The company continues, the products continue, our support continues and the team continues. The main change is that I will be retiring after the spring NAB Show.”

This article initially appeared in Radio World, sister brand to TV Tech.

MELBOURNE, Fla.—Broadcast systems integrator USSI Global has tapped Ed McGivern as chief revenue officer.

Most recently president and general manager of Appear U.S., the 25-year industry veteran is tasked with leading USSI Global’s go-to-market strategy, customer acquisition and revenue expansion, the company said.

“USSI Global is entering a period of tremendous opportunity as our customers navigate another major C-band transition while also confronting broader changes in how they build, operate and support their technology infrastructures,” said USSI President and CEO Anthony Morelli, to whom McGivern will report. “Ed understands these customers, their businesses and the markets we serve. His leadership will help us capitalize on those opportunities while expanding our managed services and developing new business in markets such as government, sports, and live events.”

At Appear, McGivern built the company’s U.S. organization from the ground up, USSI Global said, growing its sales, operations and support function into a business that generated some $45 million in annual revenue in less than five years. Previously, he had held senior commercial leadership posts with several large broadcast and media technology companies, including Harris Broadcast/Imagine Communications, Grass Valley/Snell Advanced Media and Tektronix.

McGivern’s appointment comes as USSI Global preps its customers for the next phase of the Federal Communications Commission-mandated C-band satellite spectrum transition. USSI Global said McGivern sees an opportunity to turn large-scale projects like the C-band transition into longer-term customer relationships by extending its involvement into areas such as ongoing monitoring, connectivity management and other managed services.

“The commercial strategy starts with understanding the customer’s business and making USSI Global easy to work with,” McGivern said. “Customers don’t want to navigate complicated organizations. They want partners that understand what they are trying to achieve, can bring the right expertise to the table and can remain engaged throughout the lifecycle of the project.”

A group of state and regional cable industry organizations representing the nation’s pay-TV operators is asking the Federal Communications Commission to delay its decision last August to eliminate the 39% national TV station ownership cap, pending judicial review.

The organizations told the FCC that they would petition a court of appeals to review the commission’s decision when the order was posted. The group pulled the trigger this week after the order was published on Oct. 2. The order is set to take effect 60 afterwards.

In August, the FCC voted to modify the rule that limits the total reach of TV station groups to 39% of overall U.S. television households. The commission, which had been under pressure from station groups and lobbying groups like the National Association of Broadcasters, justified its decision in the name of local journalism.

“I don't want local broadcast TV to go the way of local newspapers, and yet the risk is real,” Carr said at the time, adding that over the last two decades “more than 80% of local journalism jobs have vanished.”

Cable companies, particularly smaller operators, have long opposed the move, telling FCC Commissioner Anna Gomez last summer that such a move would increase retransmission consent fees and cause “higher consumer bills.”

Those arguments were repeated in the petitioner’s case to the FCC.

“Despite the record clearly showing that retransmission consent fees and consumers’ monthly TV bills will increase substantially as a result of increased broadcaster consolidation following the Order, the Commission dismissed these affordability concerns,” the group told the FCC. “Instead, the Commission determined that retransmission consent concerns are better handled in transaction reviews, inexplicably reversing course after months of Media Bureau-level orders indicating that such concerns were to be addressed in industry-wide rulemakings.”

They also said there was no proof dropping the rule would benefit consumers.

"While the Commission justified its decision to eliminate the Cap based on alleged benefits to network-affiliate relationships, it cited no evidence to support its claim that improving these relationships would mitigate the downstream harms to consumers,” they said. “The Commission also failed to adequately address other substantial and material facts in the record, including the likelihood of public interest harms to localism and viewpoint diversity.

“As Commissioner Gomez summarized in her dissent: ‘I cannot support an action that so plainly exceeds the Commission’s authority while simultaneously overlooking the real-world consequences for the public we serve,’” the petition stated.

The group said it will take further action if the FCC does not pause the rule.

“If the Commission has not ruled on this stay petition by the date on which the Order is published in the Federal Register, Petitioners will conclude that the agency has ‘denied the motion or failed to afford the relief requested’ and seek a judicial stay.”

The group includes:

• Broadband Communications Association of Pennsylvania
• Broadband Communications Association of Washington
• Colorado Cable Telecommunications Association
• Florida Internet and Television Association
• Indiana Cable and Broadband Association
• Michigan Cable Telecommunications Association
• Minnesota Cable Communications Association
• Mississippi Internet & Television
• New England Connectivity and Telecommunications Association
• VCTA–Broadband Association Of Virginia

WASHINGTON—The Federal Communications Commission will take up three new proposals under its spectrum abundance agenda at its Oct. 29 open meeting, Chairman Brendan Carr announced.

The proposals include a new auction of 25 MHz of prime spectrum in the 1675-1695 MHz and 2020-2025 MHz bands, new rules to build on the success of “direct-to-device” services and final rules to allow drone operations within the 800-MHz cellular band.

“Our proposal to auction 25 MHz of prime spectrum will continue to create tremendous economic value for the American people,” Carr said in a statement. “The ‘direct-to-device’ proposals work to continue leveraging this cutting-edge tech to end cellphone dead zones and provide service directly from next-gen satellite constellations to your smartphone.

“And our final rules on drones … [will provide] the emerging American drone economy with usable spectrum to support the next generation of commercial and defense innovations,” Carr added. “This comes on top of our latest action to light up key spectrum bands purchased by SpaceX for its 15,000 satellite direct-to-cell system.”

D2D and Drones
FCC plans to solicit public comment on modernizing its rules for operating direct-to-device (D2D) services in licensed spectrum. The notice of proposed rulemaking would consider making an additional 482 MHz of spectrum available for Supplemental Coverage from Space (SCS), as well as other regulatory changes to promote more flexible terrestrial, satellite and hybrid business arrangements and incentivize high-quality D2D service for the benefit of consumers.

In addition, the commission will seek public comment on its proposal to auction off 25 MHz of prime midband spectrum in the 1675-1695 MHz and 2020-2025 MHz bands for D2D operations. Such a move would harness the spectrum for advanced communications services, the FCC said, including flexible-use terrestrial networks, innovative D2D operations, or a hybrid of both.

For drones, the commission will seek public comment on a proposal to eliminate an outdated restriction that prevents drone operations in the 800-MHz cellular band. If enacted, the move would unlock 50 MHz of licensed, nationwide, low-band spectrum for drone use and promote parity with other similar flexible-use bands.

The two new rules are expected to benefit companies such as SpaceX and Amazon, which have moved to expand D2D services with satellite networks.

New Test Lab Rules
Carr also criticized what he called the failure of past administrations to allow fair rules for lab tests for electrical devices. He called for new regulations that would ensure that such testing would only occur if other countries followed the same rules in a reciprocal fashion.

Carr said that if approved at the Oct. 29 meeting, new “reciprocal economy” rules would take effect by Dec. 1, 2028, requiring all testing, certifying, and accreditation activities to occur in the U.S. or a foreign nation following equivalent protocols.

He added that the current lab-testing scenario has diminished the commission’s confidence in lab testing from nonreciprocal countries, which has “led to a dangerous overconcentration in non-Reciprocal Economies, creating vulnerabilities and threatening the integrity of the entire equipment authorization program.”

“For decades, officials in D.C. looked the other way when foreign nations abused their relationships with America and adopted trade practices that failed to account for basic concepts of reciprocity and fair dealing,” Carr said. “Those efforts included the offshoring of testing capacity to foreign labs and the gutting of American jobs and domestic industry.

"Flash forward to now and less than 4% of all electronic devices are tested in labs located inside the U.S., and the lion’s share are tested in countries that do not operate a reciprocal economy," he added. "So today, we take appropriate action to insist on fair and reciprocal treatment in international commerce.”

These rules follow last year’s “Bad Labs” regulations, which prohibited Test Lab ownership or control by foreign adversaries or other entities deemed national security threats. These rules have led to 29 Test Labs losing their FCC recognition, according to the commission.

Carr said the FCC has also strengthened its enforcement game, withdrawing recognition from two Test Labs in nonreciprocal economies and beginning the process for two more, where the labs had copied-and-pasted test results, threatening consumer safety and communication network integrity.

Click here for more information.

NAB Show New York will again be held at the Javits Center this month.

Its conferences take place Tuesday, Oct. 20, to Thursday, Oct. 22, with the exhibits open on Wednesday and Thursday.

The show promises to explore “AI, creators, streaming, sports and broadcasting alongside the technologies and business strategies shaping the future of media.”

The list of 200-plus exhibitors includes names familiar in radio, including AWS, Calrec, Comrex, ENCO, GatesAir, Lawo, Nautel, Orban, Radio.Cloud, RCS, Telos Alliance, Wheatstone, WideOrbit, WorldCast Systems and Xperi.

On the show floor, four theaters will offer free educational programming.

Last year’s show drew a reported 11,500 people.

The session list for 2026 is heavy with content for TV professionals. There’s a conference on Local TV Strategies, as well as NAB Show New York Post|Production World, in partnership with Future Media Conferences, which is for editors, producers and motion designers in TV, film and video. One of the floor theaters will have a dedicated sports track.

Separately, a “SMPTE Bootcamp: Precision Timing for ST 2110” will discuss precision timing systems that keep distributed media in sync and the network mechanics that carry audio and video across IP infrastructure.

“Real-World Newsroom Results”
A Wednesday afternoon session offers highlights from NAB’s Google AI Training.

“Learn how broadcasters are applying Google AI tools following NAB’s Google News Initiative training program,” organizers stated.

That training was offered to NAB members and was conducted virtually this summer.

“Participants will share practical workflow learnings for deep research, document analysis, information integrity and building more resilient newsrooms, while discussing how AI can strengthen journalism, improve daily operations and better serve audiences across broadcast and digital platforms.”

Sports Betting
A session called “The Future of Sports Betting: Growth, Media & Responsibility” takes place Wednesday afternoon.

Christian Genetski is president of FanDuel, while Craig Carton of WFAN New York is an award-winning sports broadcaster and “Responsible Gaming Ambassador” for FanDuel as well as an inductee to the New York State Broadcasters Hall of Fame.

They plan to talk about the convergence of betting and media, the changing regulatory landscape, the future of fan engagement and the industry’s responsibility to address problem gambling.

Future of Media
Show organizers say that as legacy business models come under pressure and investors demand greater focus, media companies are rethinking their portfolios through mergers, acquisitions, divestitures and spin-offs.

What are the implications of this trend for audiences, advertisers and investors? The question will be explored on Wednesday in “The Future of Media: Consolidation or Spin-Off?”

It will be moderated by media and sports reporter Alex Sherman of CNBC. Among those speaking is Jessica Reif Ehrlich, managing director and senior media and entertainment analyst at BofA Securities,

Here’s a link to info about the exhibit floor.

Paramount Skydance officially completed their merger on Tuesday, bringing a nearly year long effort to combine two of among Hollywood’s most powerful entertainment franchises—Paramount and Warner Bros. Discovery—under one roof

The $110 billion deal includes two major film studios, two global streaming services, CBS, HBO, and Paramount's and WBD's cable networks, CBS News and CNN, as well as a content portfolio that includes live sports, an extensive programming library and expansive collection of iconic brands and franchises.

The new merged company, “Skydance” promises a minimum of 30 high profile theatrical films and more than 180 new television shows and series in the coming years,

As one of the largest media and entertainment companies in the world now, with nearly $70 billion in revenue, the company also announced that it is “targeting $6 billion-plus in run-rate synergies" (aka cost reductions) over the next three years through technology, integration and procurement, marketing and real-estate savings and layoffs.

These plans were made evident in a memo sent to employees on Tuesday from David Ellison, chairman and CEO, and co-CEO Ynon Kreiz.

In the memo, leaked to Variety, they said that “integrating two companies will bring change, including difficult decisions that affect our workforce,” and that “We are committed to handling this process thoughtfully and respectfully.”

Calling Tuesday, Oct. 6, “Day One,” they added that the new Skydance will “build the next-generation media and entertainment company, powered by creativity and technology. The goal was never simply to add more production capacity, brands or IP. It was to unite the talent, resources and capabilities of these companies into a stronger competitor, one with the scale to take on the biggest players in our industry.”

The two executives also said they would “embrace” the latest technology for storytelling.

“We will use technology, data and emerging capabilities to improve how we create, distribute and monetize content, from new production tools to personalization and entirely new ways for fans to engage with the stories they love,” they said. “We will embrace the opportunities AI provides to expand what our creatives can imagine and to make our businesses even more productive. The opportunities ahead are enormous, and we intend to seize them. But one principle will never change: technology must serve the art—never the other way around.”

Dan Larkman, founder and CEO of performance CTV technology company Keynes:

"What's exciting is that the commitment to keep making great content is still there. What changes is the flexibility to move money and content across channels. But this really shows the whole industry completing its migration into streaming. Tech giants like Amazon and Walmart led the way, and now traditional media is consolidating to compete at that scale. Through all of it, the constant is measurement. Advertisers still ask whether it drove an outcome, and CTV as a performance channel answers that."

In other news yesterday, RedBird Capital Partners announced an additional $4 billion in new equity financing for Skydance, bringing its total commitment to the new company to $6 billion.

As reported by The Hollywood Reporter, RedBird founder Gerry Cardinale called the merger “a defining moment for the industry” that will “build a stronger Hollywood” in a “media landscape that’s undergoing transformation change.”

BALTIMORE—Sinclair and New Media will launch The National Press, a new subscription digital news brand delivering reports from 1,200 Sinclair local journalists in over 60 content centers across the country to a national audience.

The National Press will launch on Substack with free and paid subscription tiers. It will also distribute programming via YouTube, podcast networks and social platforms.

The new service will draw on the expertise of Sinclair journalists who know their communities, people and institutions, the station group said. The partnership with New Media, a digital media company founded by former journalists and producers at The Free Press, will bring local stories to a broader audience, connect what’s happening and add context, it said.

“Our journalists cover the communities where national stories begin,” said Scott Livingston, senior vice president of news at Sinclair. “They know the people, the institutions and the history behind these stories. The National Press will give that reporting national reach without losing the local knowledge that makes it valuable.”

Led by award-winning journalist and broadcaster Lyndsay Keith, The National Press will debut three original programs:

• “The National Press”: A daily morning program hosted by Keith that goes directly to Sinclair reporters covering the stories shaping the day. 
• “The National Story”: A weekly deep dive that follows one consequential story beyond the headline. 
• “The National Debate”: A weekly conversation centered on informed, good-faith disagreement. 

The National Press is designed for inboxes, phones, podcasts, video and the web. Subscribers will also receive a daily briefing of the most important local stories shaping America, delivered directly to their inbox every morning.

More information is available on The National Press Substack.

Ahead of NAB Show New York (Oct. 21–22), TV Tech surveyed a group of key exhibitors to find out which tech trends are on their radar and what key products they plan to highlight at the Javits Convention Center, including Matt Williams-Neale, vice president of marketing and communications at Appear.

TV Tech: What do you expect will be the most significant technology trends this year at NAB Show New York?

Matt Williams-Neale: Recent conversations at IBC2026 reinforced demand for adaptable infrastructure, and we expect that to continue at NAB Show New York. Broadcasters want to combine hardware, software and cloud according to each workflow, while developments such as DMF [Dynamic Media Facility] and MXL [Media eXchange Layer] for interoperable, software-defined broadcast facilities are part of more practical discussions.

With the upper C-band set for auction by July 2027, broadcasters using C-band satellite capacity need to plan their move to IP now. They want a phased migration that maintains broadcast-grade control and reliable live services.

Live production workflow is equally important as sports coverage expands across more venues and increases in scale. Customers need low-latency transport from venue to production facility or cloud, with secure connectivity and resilience over networks with unpredictable performance. These requirements are shaping investment in remote production as teams look to cover more events without an increase in resources.

TVT: What’s your key product announcement for the show, and what problem does it solve?

MWN: At NAB Show New York, we're highlighting how our X Platform hardware and VX software solutions work together across live event contribution, IP distribution and live production workflows. Broadcasters need to deliver more content while controlling costs and making better use of their infrastructure.

X Platform provides low-latency processing and predictable performance at the venue, while VX extends contribution feeds into the cloud and enables processing and workflow functions to run in software. This gives teams more options for expanding remote production across different event scales.

Hardware-accelerated SRT enables secure transport over unmanaged networks, helping broadcasters transition from satellite, leased circuits and SDI infrastructure. Customers can introduce these capabilities in stages, retaining dedicated hardware where performance is critical and adding software as their production requirements evolve.

TVT: How does this new solution stand out from what’s available on the market?

MWN: Our approach combines X Platform hardware and VX software so customers can choose where to run different parts of their workflow while maintaining control over live production. VX is natively integrated with X Platform, allowing teams to introduce software processing while retaining dedicated hardware where predictable performance matters most.

Support for JPEG XS, SRT and ST 2110 gives customers the flexibility to accommodate changing formats and production models within the same infrastructure, reducing the need to replace systems as requirements evolve. Support for multiple codecs and hardware-accelerated SRT helps us address those requirements across different production scales, including contribution over unmanaged networks.

TVT: What makes NAB Show New York so essential for your business, and what brings you back each year?

MNW: We’re already successful in the U.S., and we strongly believe that there is further room for growth in North America. NAB Show New York gives us an opportunity to speak directly with customers and partners about their investment plans, from satellite-to-IP migration to expanding live event contribution and REMI. The value comes from the quality of those conversations and having the right people involved. Understanding how customers use our technology, where they need more flexibility and what they want us to develop helps shape our product priorities.

A successful show strengthens existing relationships and opens discussions around new projects. It gives us a clearer understanding of how U.S. broadcasters and production companies plan to operate, helping us support their requirements as we continue to grow in North America.

Visit Appear at NAB Show New York in Booth 129.

LOS GATOS, Calif.—Netflix has named IMG as its production partner for its coverage of the 2027 FIFA Women’s World Cup in Brazil.

Netflix is the U.S. and Canadian rightsholder for the 2027 tournament, which will run from June 24–July 25, 2027. IMG will produce coverage of all 64 matches in English and Spanish for U.S. audience and in English and French for Canadian viewers, as well as 100 hours of studio programming featuring top-tier talent and Netflix-exclusive in-tournament announcers, the streaming platform said.

IMG will also support Netflix’s live coverage of the soccer tournament’s final draw on Dec. 11.

“The FIFA Women’s World Cup is one of the fastest-growing events in global sport, showcasing the best football and captivating new audiences worldwide,” IMG president Adam Kelly said. “As Netflix makes its live football debut, we’re excited to help bring this tournament and its extraordinary athletes to new and existing fans in the U.S and Canada. Netflix’s scale, discoverability and storytelling, combined with IMG's best-in-class production expertise, make this a huge moment for football and women’s sport.”

More information is available on the Netflix TUDUM website.

NEW YORK—Last December, when the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences and YouTube struck a multiyear deal to give the streamer exclusive global rights to the Oscars starting in 2029, it marked an inflection point in the transition of live marquee TV events from traditional broadcast to streaming,

Now the Emmys have followed suit.

The Television Academy said it has inked a six-year deal to make Amazon’s Prime Video the exclusive home of the Emmy Awards starting next year.

The agreement succeeds the rotation among ABC, CBS, Fox and NBC, which concludes with this year’s telecast. This new alliance ensures that TV’s premier honors will continue to adapt to a changing media landscape, embracing the future of how audiences consume great television, the Academy said.

The 2027 ceremony will continue to anchor the fall TV season by streaming live in September and will not be paywalled, Amazon said. The Emmys stream will be made available free to audiences worldwide.

This year, the Emmys telecast on NBC and Peacock drew 6.7 million viewers, down from the 7.42 million that watched the 2025 ceremonies on CBS and Paramount+, its highest ratings since 2021.

Prime Video thinks it can greatly expand that number by leveraging its offerings and services to elevate the Television Academy’s mission, delivering new experiences and entry points for fans to discover, engage with and celebrate what they love about TV, it said.

“Television has never been more global, and the Emmys should be a celebration that the world can share,” said Cris Abrego, chair of the Television Academy. “Now Prime Video audiences in more than 200 countries will be able to experience the Emmys live with no subscription required.

Abrego thanked broadcasters but said it was time to move on.

“Our broadcast partners have been tremendous stewards of the Emmys for many years, helping to build them into the cultural institution they are today,” he said. “Having a dedicated home with Prime Video allows us to build on that legacy with unprecedented global reach and a broader commitment to the Television Academy and our mission throughout the year. Amazon shares our deep respect for the history of the Emmys and brings the investment, innovation and scale to help us shape their next chapter.”

More information is available on the Television Academy’s website.

WHYY has announced that Fred Vigeant has been named general manager of Pennsylvania’s WPSU(TV-FM), effective Oct. 26.

According to a release, Vigeant will lead a WPSU team already in place, with several staff members taking on new roles.

Vigeant’s appointment follows the Oct. 1 completion of WHYY’s acquisition of WPSU from Penn State University. WPSU is licensed to State College, Pa., and its full-power licenses and translators cover 24 counties for television and 13 counties for radio across central and northern Pennsylvania.

Philadelphia-based WHYY has retained WPSU’s name and call letters, and said the public media outlet remains locally focused and locally run.

WPSU’s updated personnel structure includes:

• Jeff Hughes, interim general manager during the transition
• Jon Widmer, director of technology
• Emily Reddy, news director
• Jeff Benzing, director of content and audience engagement
• Susan Chyzewski, director of education, grants and government relations

Search processes are underway to fill two additional leadership positions: director of advancement and director of broadcasting and programming.

Vigeant joins WPSU from WITF(TV-FM) in Harrisburg, Pa., where he served as vice president and chief audience officer since 2022. He previously served as WITF’s director of programming and promotion for TV and radio, a role he began in 2012.

He also spent 12 years at WRVO(FM) in Oswego, N.Y., serving in several roles, including program director and operations manager.

This article initially appeared on Radio World, sister brand to TV Tech.

DALLAS—Applications have opened for the 2026 LAUNCH Mentorship Program, a yearlong program run by Mentoring and Inspiring Women in Radio (MIW) and the National Association of Broadcasters Leadership Foundation (NABLF) that, for the first time this year, will be expanded to involve women working for broadcast technology partners and vendors.

LAUNCH, which began in 2023, is a program created to develop and advance women pursuing careers in broadcast engineering, audio production and technical operations. The yearlong program pairs a rising professional with an experienced industry mentor for one-on-one guidance, professional development and deeper exposure to broadcast technologies and operations.

Mentees will gain insight into Federal Communications Commission compliance, RF systems, the Emergency Alert System, IP-based broadcast systems, automation, network operations and other crucial areas. The program also explores IT, remote broadcasting, digital audio, streaming and systems integration. Participants will also have an opportunity to attend the 2027 NAB Show in Las Vegas.

“As technology continues to transform every part of the broadcast business, we need more women building, operating and leading the systems that will take our industry forward,” said Sheila Kirby, board president of MIW. “Expanding LAUNCH to include women working with our technology partners and vendors allows us to reach talented professionals across a much broader part of the broadcast ecosystem. This program is about giving women access to the mentorship, technical knowledge and relationships that can help turn career potential into long-term leadership.”

This year, organizers have expanded eligibility beyond those working directly for broadcasters to include broadcast technology partners and vendors, allowing more women pursuing technical careers to participate, MIW and NABLF said.

“By expanding LAUNCH to include women at technology partners and vendors, we can reach more professionals whose expertise is essential to how our industry operates and evolves,” NABLF President Michelle Duke said. “We are proud to continue partnering with MIW to provide meaningful mentorship, industry exposure and opportunities that help women grow their careers and become leaders in broadcast technology.”

Applications will be accepted from Oct. 6–30. To apply for the Mentorship, click here.

The LAUNCH Mentorship Program is sponsored by Mr. Master, a provider of content distribution and compliance software to radio stations.

WALTHAM, Mass.—Zixi, a provider of live IP video-transport software, has named John Towers as chief financial officer.

Towers is a 20-year media and entertainment technology veteran who most recently was chief financial officer at video metadata firm Fabric Data.

Towers is tasked with leading Zixi’s finance function as the firm scales up to meet growing demand from broadcasters, sports leagues and streaming platforms looking to shift live video delivery from satellite and legacy infrastructure to IP, the company said.

“John has spent his career inside the kind of transition our customers are going through now,” Zixi CEO Marc Aldrich said. “He understands the economics of moving from physical to digital and from legacy to IP, and he has scaled finance and operations at both a global media company and a fast-growing SaaS business. That combination is exactly what we need as Zixi grows.”

Prior to Fabric Data, where he was CFO for three years, Tower worked for two years in corporate development at Deluxe, which he joined following its purchase of Sony’s digital video distribution business, a transaction which he oversaw.

Towers had been chief operating officer and president of Sony’s digital video distribution division, having joined the unit in 2012 as CFO. Prior to that, he was CFO of the Sony division that handled U.S. Blu-ray Disc manufacturing. He worked on the launch of Blu-ray in 2006.

Tower started his career in pharmaceutical manufacturing, including a five-year stint in Paris.

“One theme has run through my whole career, from pharmaceutical manufacturing onwards: helping businesses move from old infrastructure to new,” Towers said. “I have lived through this kind of transition before, and I am looking forward to bringing that experience to the finance function as Zixi scales.”

Former Deluxe, Technicolor and Sundog Media Toolkit exec Richard Welsh has joined Molinare Creative Group in the new role of chief innovation officer.

Welsh, who is also president of SMPTE, will work across the company’s five specialist businesses to identify where emerging technology can “make a meaningful difference” to creative and production workflows, the client experience and how the Group operates.

His remit will span AI and automation alongside the development of new technology-led products, services and ways of working.

Welsh began his career at Dolby, working across film sound and digital cinema, before taking on a senior role at Technicolor. In 2013, he founded Sundog Media Toolkit, where he developed cloud-based automated mastering technology for film and television. Following its acquisition by Deluxe, he went on to serve as SVP of innovation at Deluxe.

Speaking about Welsh’s appointment, Nigel Bennett, CEO of Molinare Creative Group, said: “Richard is a significant appointment for Molinare Creative Group. He understands this industry, but also has a track record of looking ahead to where technology is taking it.

“This isn’t about technology for technology’s sake. It’s about making the experience of working with us better, giving our teams better tools and building services that respond to where our clients and the industry are heading.”

Welsh added: “I’ve spent much of my career working through major technology shifts in our industry, from digital cinema to cloud production, and AI has the potential to be the most significant change our industry has ever seen.

“What excites me about joining Molinare Creative Group is the opportunity to build on such a strong technical and creative foundation. I’m looking forward to working across the Group to explore how new technologies can solve real challenges, improve workflows and give our teams the tools and freedom to focus on creative work,” he added.

“I believe innovation is much broader than AI, of course. The goal is to harness technology to deliver practical improvements today, while developing the products, services and workflows our clients will need tomorrow.”

SAN JOSE, Calif.—TiVo One advertising platform revenue climbed 54% year over year in the second quarter as it garnered more than 6.3 million monthly active users worldwide as of June 2026, the company said today.

The company also continued to expand its advertising inventory, audience data capabilities and distribution footprint as brands increasingly sought more effective ways to reach engaged television audiences, it said.

"Advertisers are looking for measurable outcomes, premium experiences, trusted audience intelligence and incremental unduplicated reach," said Matt Milne, chief revenue officer at Xperi and president of TiVo Ads. "We're performing on all fronts. Over the last year, we've significantly expanded our footprint, grown advertising inventory, added powerful new audience data capabilities and helped advertisers achieve meaningful business results. As connected TV continues to evolve, TiVo Ads is proving that advertising can be both highly engaging for viewers and highly effective for brands."

The company released other metrics on TiVo Ads performance year-over-year, including:

• 310% increase in annual ad impressions.
• 90% growth in home screen advertising engagement.
• 320% increase in monthly viewership of FAST content on TiVo Channels.
• Significant expansion of advertising distribution through multiple reseller partnerships across North America and Europe.

TiVo Ads recently expanded its audience intelligence capabilities through the introduction of enhanced automatic content recognition (ACR) data across the United States and U.K., combined with clickstream insights to provide a more comprehensive view of viewer behavior.

The expanded capabilities support campaign planning, audience segmentation, attribution and measurement.

Beyond the TiVo Ads platform, Xperi continues to expand advertising opportunities across its broader entertainment ecosystem. Through the company’s AutoStage Broadcaster Portal, broadcasters can access enhanced audience analytics, content insights and emerging advertising opportunities designed to help radio operators better understand listeners, increase

engagement and unlock new revenue streams in connected vehicles. With over 17 million vehicles on the road, AutoStage is one of the largest audio and video platforms for connected cars worldwide.

WOOD RIVER, Ill.—Hollywood River Studios broke ground this week on a new film and television production campus here that will offer six large modular soundstages from global purpose-built modular structure specialist Spantech International.

Located about 15.5 miles north of St. Louis, the campus will give the U.S. market a permanent studio infrastructure capable of hosting major film, TV and streaming productions.

The project reflects a developing trend in the industry. As production incentives grow outside traditional locations, such as Los Angeles, London and Atlanta, new regions are building their own studio capacity.

Hollywood River Studios is built on a simple premise: productions follow infrastructure. The 45-hectare (110-acre) Wood River campus will combine six soundstages totaling about 144,000 square feet (13,400 square meters) of production space with production offices, warehousing, more than 1,000 parking spaces and a planned esports arena.

A second site—a 55,000 square foot (5,100 square meter) facility at America's Central Port in nearby Granite City, Ill., will serve as an equipment warehouse and base camp. Its position on the Mississippi River lets productions work across both Illinois and Missouri, and in some cases draw on both states' film incentives.

"Producers need two things before they commit to a region: the right incentives and the right stages," said Christopher Breakwell, founder and CEO of Hollywood River Studios. "Illinois has the first. Spantech's modular soundstages let us deliver the second at the speed this industry moves."

Spantech will deliver the soundstages using its Grand I-Novation system, a patented foldable steel truss structure. Each stage offers a column-free interior of roughly 130 x 160 feet (40 × 50 meter) and 42 feet (13 meters) high, giving crews the open floor and overhead clearance large sets, rigging and lighting require. The company expects stages to be ready in about 12 months.

The campus also benefits from Illinois' film incentives. In 2025 the state raised its film tax credit to 35% of qualifying in-state labor and vendor spending, with an extra 5% for productions filming outside the Chicago metropolitan area.

Hollywood River Studios projects that the campus could support more than 1,000 permanent jobs, with individual productions employing 300 to 500 people each and creating recurring business for local crews, suppliers, hotels and restaurants across the greater St. Louis region.

Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker was on hand for the groundbreaking.

More information is available on the Spantech International and Hollywood River Studios websites.

Nominations for the 2026 annual Media and Entertainment: Best in Market Awards are now open. The awards are open to companies that launched a product/service or brought new upgrades to an existing product/service in 2026.

They are comprised of three Future-brand categories: TV Tech, TVBEurope and and Radio World.

Winners will be promoted on the selected brand’s website, publications and newsletters as an official Best in Market award winner. They will also receive a fully-licensed winner’s badge that can be used to promote the product as a winner, both domestically and internationally.

All entrants—whether selected as a winner or not—will receive a nominee badge to promote their entry.

Entries must be submitted by 23:59 PST on Nov. 20th, 2026. Winners will be announced in mid-December.

More details are available here.

INDIANAPOLIS—Andrew Sveum has joined the Society for Broadcast Engineers as marketing and growth director, an expansion of the group’s leadership team under its new strategic plan.

The position is intended to reflect SBE’s commitment to expand its reach, strengthen member engagement and support long-term growth, the group said.

A 20-year business owner and nonprofit veteran, Sveum is the founder and executive director of Freedom Rising, a group that combats human trafficking and supports vulnerable communities around the world. His background in business ownership, nonprofit leadership, international experience, marketing grant research and partner development gives Sveum a broad perspective on organizational growth and community engagement, SBE said.

The SBE is a professional organization supporting television and radio engineers and those in related fields with more than 4,000 members in 117 chapters across the U.S., Hong Kong, Eastern Europe and in more than 25 other countries. It offers educational programs, networking opportunities, a U.S. technical broadcast certification program and an expansive list of educational programs for broadcast engineers, operators, technicians and IT professionals, as well as advocacy for its members with federal agencies and the U.S. Congress.

For more information, visit SBE’s website.

WASHINGTON—The U.S. Supreme Court on Monday rejected a request from Nexstar Media Group that could allow a DirecTV lawsuit against the nation’s largest TV station group to proceed, according to Reuters.

At issue is a 2023 complaint from DirecTV accusing Nexstar of colluding with Mission Broadcasting and White Knight to fix the prices of retransmission consent fees in markets where both Nexstar and either Mission or White Knight own a Big Four station.

DirecTV alleged that Mission and White Knight shared a common negotiator who was, in fact, an agent of Nexstar. It also claimed that this negotiator improperly shared confidential rates and other financial information with Nexstar, and that the three defendants coordinated their respective blackout dates and media responses. The satellite operator claimed that the station goups' actions resulted in channels that went dark for approximately 1 million of its customers.

A federal district court dismissed the case in 2024, but in December 2025, the 2nd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in New York affirmed DirecTV had standing to sue under antitrust laws and could prosecute its claims against Nexstar and its sidecars.

Nexstar has argued that it would only be liable for price fixing if the other party ended up paying the inflated price.

In its case before the Supreme Court, Nexstar argued that the December 2025 ruling conflicts with decisions from other federal courts; DirecTV claimed that there was no conflict. It also argued that the 2nd Circuit’s decision could broaden liability issues.

Skydance CEO David Ellison announced late last week that the combined Paramount-Warner Bros. Discovery will be named “Skydance.”

The merger, which took nearly a year to complete and will be finalized Oct. 6, is valued at approximately $111 billion and will create a studio that’s a “creative-first home for bold, quality storytelling,” he said. Ellison, son of Oracle founder Larry Ellison, founded the original Skydance production company in 2006.

“We chose this name for a few important reasons,” Ellison wrote in a post on X last week. “First and foremost, as we bring Paramount and Warner Bros. together, we wanted to preserve what has made each of these studios iconic. Both have distinct identities, extraordinary legacies and brands that have resonated with audiences for generations.\

“We never wanted a new corporate identity to diminish, alter or overshadow either one,” Ellison added. “Instead, we wanted a name that would give the combined company an identity of its own while allowing Paramount and Warner Bros.—and all our extraordinary brands—to remain in the spotlight.”

A federal judge gave the green light to the merger on Sept. 30. U.S. District Judge Araceli Martínez-Olguín called the deal a "reasonable factual and legal resolution“ and rejected objections seeking broader restrictions.

The merger has its share of opponents, not least from Hollywood. Actor Mark Ruffalo called the move "incredibly disappointing" and warned that creativity and people’s livelihoods will be threatened.

“This merger will stifle creativity, weaken free speech, and cost people their jobs—it is a bad deal for this country and should never have been approved,” Ruffalo wrote in a post on X.

“This is an incredibly disappointing outcome for the hundreds of thousands of us who stood up to block it, but it's also not the end,” he continued. “This grassroots movement isn't going to fade away and neither is our resolve. This was never about just one merger: this was about fighting back against corrupt oligarch billionaires trampling the interests of everyday people to line their own pockets.”

Ellison will probably have more immediate concerns when the merger is completed this week, given the disastrous debut of Warner Bros.’ movie “Digger” this weekend. Despite its Tom Cruise star power, the film—estimated to have cost upwards of $250 million, including marketing— grossed just $8 million domestically and $12 million internationally at the box office.

Local TV advertising has long been built around a core concept: reach. An advertiser buys a spot against a program or daypart, then the commercial goes out to the audience watching at that moment.

In 2026, that model remains hugely valuable, but it sits alongside a digital advertising economy where buyers have grown used to defining audiences more precisely and following campaigns across different screens.

Advanced advertising is beginning to change that relationship.

In simple terms, broadcasters can make parts of their inventory addressable and automate more of the buying process, while streaming and connected TV (CTV) create room for formats beyond the familiar 30-second spot.

Better measurement naturally also gives advertisers a clearer view of who they reached and, importantly, what happened next. TV and digital ad models essentially become mixed.

Hearst Television is already putting this new model into practice. At WLWT Cincinnati, selected inventory can be replaced at the household level for eligible viewers reached through an integrated multichannel video programming distributor (MVPD) partner, giving advertisers a more targeted way into a traditional local broadcast environment.

The technology has begun to move from concept to deployment; the harder work now lies in extending that reach and making the various systems behind it function as one coherent market. To make sense of advanced ads, TV Tech spoke to executives across the TV stack.

Local TV Gets Personal
For a local advertiser, the appeal of addressability is fairly simple: a business may want TV’s reach and premium environment without paying to cover every household in a market.

At WLWT, Hearst identifies specific inventory for replacement and sends the required SCTE signaling into a workflow shared with Viamedia and an MVPD distribution partner.

Viamedia’s ad-decisioning technology, Parrot ADS, can then insert a different commercial for an eligible household, while viewers outside the addressable footprint continue to see the original linear spot.

“We are still early, but we like what we are seeing from a performance standpoint,” John Robertson, vice president of distribution at Hearst Television, said. Based on its experience at WLWT, Hearst said the dynamic ad-insertion capability could unlock an increase of up to 25% in monetizable impressions.

Robertson is also cautious about reading too much into the deployment at this stage, saying there is not yet enough impression volume to draw broader conclusions around demand or pricing.

For Viamedia.ai, the audience comes first. Its president and chief strategy officer, Evan Rutchik, said advertisers can begin with viewers they want to reach, using demographic or geographic signals alongside first-party data where appropriate.

A car dealer, for example, could concentrate spend around its local customer base, while a healthcare provider can focus on communities close to its locations. “The point is not to make the audience as narrow as possible,” Rutchik said, but to give advertisers more control over who they reach while retaining TV’s scale.

Sinclair is exploring another route into advanced local advertising.

In June, Sinclair announced a strategic investment in IRCODE, a company specializing in computer vision and AI aimed at making television interactive and shoppable. It also set plans to roll out IRCODE Lens at stations in Salt Lake City and Austin, Texas, using station apps and image recognition to connect what viewers see on TV with interactive content and commerce. Sinclair’s ONE Media Technologies also included dynamic ad insertion in the test program for its June ATSC 3.0 interoperability event.

For Hearst, scaling household addressability will require a wider footprint. “We need greater scale across MVPDs and eventually vMVPDs,” Robertson said. Hearst also wants better ways to forecast and price the addressable share of a linear unit.

Ultimately, measurement has to value both sides of the break—the households receiving an addressable replacement and the linear audience that remains. For now, household-level targeting remains available across selected parts of the local TV audience, rather than the whole market.

From Spots to Audiences
Hearst said its addressable inventory can already be bought directly or programmatically, with the same basic aim of reaching specific households inside a local market.

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

Dan Walsh, senior vice president of product management at Imagine Communications, said his customers have largely accepted the case for convergence. The focus now is on how to make it happen.

“The technology is ready,” he said. “But it requires both advertisers and broadcasters to start shifting from a spot-based mindset and toward an audience-based solution.”

Imagine still sees limits to how much inventory broadcasters should hand to programmatic platforms. Walsh argues automation works particularly well for inventory that direct sales struggle to monetize, while premium spots can remain under tighter control. “The key metric is profit; optimizing both revenue and cost,” he said.

For local buyers, Walsh says automation could also reduce the cost and complexity of direct sales, opening TV to businesses that might otherwise avoid it.

The same convergence is reaching the back office. Operative’s recent platform launch combines advertising and broadcast management with agentic workflow tools that entered beta in September, with wider availability planned for December.

Beyond the 30-Second Spot
Streaming is creating more room to sell ads outside of the traditional TV break.

Yospace said it stitched 11.57 billion one-to-one ads into live streams during the 2026 FIFA World Cup, including 13 million in a 2-minute window at the start of halftime during the England-Norway match.

Server-Guided Ad Insertion (SGAI) is one route into a more flexible streaming environment, separating ad delivery from the main content stream while retaining server-side guidance.

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

“Pause ads have already gained meaningful traction because they create an ad opportunity when the viewer has already chosen to pause the content,” said Paul Davies, head of marketing at Yospace.

IAB Tech Lab finalized signaling guidance for its CTV Ad Portfolio in July, while Warner Bros. Discovery used its 2026 upfront to unveil shoppable pause ads and dynamic creative that can respond to the scene immediately before the break.

Creating Enough Ads
More precise targeting also creates a practical production problem: Advertisers may need far more versions of the same campaign.

Broadcast technology company ENCO Systems said generative AI is one way to make that manageable, especially for local businesses that lack the budget or resources for traditional video production.

ENCO President Ken Frommert said AI is already changing the sales process. “We have customers using SPECai to analyze an advertiser’s website and create a spec spot before they ever walk through the door,” he said. SPOTai extends the concept into video, making it easier to produce finished commercials and alternate versions.

“The more precisely advertising can be targeted, the less sense it makes for every audience to receive exactly the same creative,” he said. Frommert expects demand for versioning to grow, while keeping human approval in the workflow before anything goes to air.

Making Advanced Advertising Work at Scale
Advanced advertising is moving closer to the everyday business of local TV.

Hearst’s WLWT deployment shows household-level replacement working in a real market, and the wider industry is making audience-based buying and newer streaming formats easier to use.

The pace of adoption will depend on wider distribution support and the development of common standards. Broadcasters also need measurement that can follow campaigns across the viewing paths advertisers increasingly treat as one market.

“Addressable television really reaches scale when advertisers stop having to think of it as a specialized product,” Rutchik said.

That may be the clearest marker of where the market is heading. Once the machinery can disappear into the background, the shift from spots to audiences becomes part of the normal business of local TV.

NEW YORK—Ads aired during Spanish-language television broadcasts were 50% more impactful than English-language TV ads over the past year, according to research released today from EDO.

The research, presented in the analytics firm’s third annual “Spanish Language TV Outcomes Report,” is based on 1.3 million ad airings and 332 billion impressions across 631 brands. EDO said it applies the same measurement standard to each advertiser, network and language, giving the industry a single, comparable view of what's actually driving outcomes across an increasingly fragmented TV landscape.

The report comes following 2026 FIFA World Cup coverage and Puerto Rican rapper Bad Bunny performing a solo headline Super Bowl halftime show—two contributors to a landmark year in Latino culture, EDO said.

The average Spanish-language ad was 24% more effective than the average English-language ad on a per-person, per-second basis—even after controlling for audience size. That edge held across genres, with Spanish-language content outperforming English-language programming by 44% in scripted entertainment, 48% in news and 9% in reality programming.

“Spanish-language TV (SLTV) is no longer just the most overlooked opportunity in advertising—it’s also one of the fastest-growing,” said Laura Grover, senior vice president and head of client solutions at EDO. “For years, the average SLTV ad has delivered more bang for the marketer’s buck by driving stronger engagement than the average English-language TV ad. But over the past year, this delta has grown even wider, delivering stronger outcomes across brand categories and measurable business impact for advertisers.”

The report also highlights standout brand performance during the World Cup. Telemundo's on-screen hydration-break sponsorships, a first for the tournament, drove 39 times as much impact as a typical ad on English- or Spanish-language TV.

McDonald’s ads during the hydration break were 438% more effective than the average SLTV World Cup advertiser, while creative from Airbnb and Ford both outperformed the World Cup field by triple digits.

The value didn't end when the final whistle blew. Only 19% of creatives that debuted during the World Cup ran elsewhere on SLTV afterward, EDO reported, but those that did kept performing, driving 43% greater effectiveness than the SLTV average when airing during soccer coverage post-tournament and 15% more during nonsoccer programming.

The “Spanish Language TV Outcomes Report” is available for download.

PHILADELPHIA and UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa—WHYY and Penn State University announced the completion of WHYY’s acquisition of WPSU, ensuring the continuation of public media service for approximately 1.5 million residents across central and northern Pennsylvania and beginning a new chapter for the station and the communities it serves.

With the transaction officially complete, Philadelphia public broadcaster WHYY now operates WPSU’s television and radio stations under the WPSU name and call letters. WPSU will remain locally focused and locally run, serving viewers in central and northern Pennsylvania with local television, radio and digital content in addition to PBS and NPR programming.

“Today is both a continuation and a beginning,” said Bill Marrazzo, WHYY president and CEO. “For more than 70 years, WPSU has been a trusted resource for the people of central and northern Pennsylvania. Our responsibility now is to honor that trust while building an even stronger and more sustainable WPSU for the generations ahead.”

“We are deeply grateful to the growing number of generous donors from Centre County and southeastern Pennsylvania who have stepped forward at this pivotal moment. Their early support is providing the working capital necessary not only to keep WPSU’s vital service strong during this transition, but to begin investing in its future and growing its impact over time.”

The completion of the transaction follows nearly two years of planning and collaboration between WHYY and Penn State, culminating in the Federal Communications Commission’s September approval of the transfer of WPSU’s broadcast licenses to WHYY.

Prominent names and faces from across the media and entertainment industry gathered at New York’s Ziegfeld Ballroom on Sept. 29 for the Broadcasting+Cable Hall of Fame, the gala annual industry event that is a Future B2B sister brand to TV Tech.

Among the honorees this year were CNN’s Wolf Blitzer, Bravo reality maven Andy Cohen and celebrity chef Bobby Flay; leading executives including NBCUniversal Telemundo chairman Luis Fernandez, Fox News Media CEO Suzanne Scott and Disney President, Global Advertising Rita Ferro; franchise of the year “Star Trek,” celebrating its 60th anniversary and, from the tech world, smart TV pioneer William Wang, founder and CEO of Vizio.

Click the gallery below to view photos from the evening’s festivities.

For more on the B+C Hall of Fame class of 2026, read the digital edition of the event program here.

(Photos by Mark Reinertson)

LONDON—The International Swimming League (ISL) has appointed Gravity Media as its official broadcast content and production partner.

The partnership will focus on the ISL All-Star Match, a one-night relaunch event set for Dec. 19 at the London Aquatics Centre in Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park. The two-hour, head-to-head competition involves four teams of the world’s top male and female swimmers from the U.S., the Commonwealth, Europe and the rest of the world. Rather than the typical heats-and-finals swim meet, every race will count and only one team will leave London as champion, the companies said.

The partnership brings together ISL’s mission to reimagine competitive swimming as fast-paced, fan-first entertainment with Gravity Media’s three decades of producing complex, multicamera live events to the highest international standard, they said.

For the All-Star Match, Gravity Media will deploy a comprehensive production package designed to bring fans closer to the action.

“With the International Swimming League, we aim to bring the storytelling of swimming into a new dimension, transforming live sports production into an increasingly immersive and engaging experience,” said Claudio Cavalotti, Gravity Media’s Italy managing director. “Today, technology allows us to capture the competition from entirely new perspectives: from above and below the water, through robotic systems and dynamic poolside cameras to the integration of data and digital content.”

The Gravity Media production package includes:

• Underwater and specialty cameras that will deliver unprecedented views of strokes, turns and underwater technique.
• Robotic rail camera systems, capable of dynamic, high-speed moving shots around the pool deck at speeds of up to 42.6 feet per second (13 meters per second) to bring cinematic energy to every race.
• Gyro-stabilized robotic camera systems with three-axis stabilization and 8K-ready capability to deliver fluid, broadcast-grade visuals across the venue.
• Robotic minicams at the starting block and finish line, engineered for precision coverage of race-defining moments.
• Optional real-time data integration, including augmented reality graphics, live tracking and swimmer profiles layered directly into the broadcast feed.

Gravity Media’s full-service OB fleet and 19,700-square-foot (6,000-square-meter) production center in Cologno Monzese, Italy, will support the production.

“We are creating a visual spectacle that captures the speed, athleticism and drama of our event in a way audiences have never experienced,” ISL Chief Strategy and Commercial Officer Mario Medeiros said. “Gravity Media shares our vision of pushing creative and technical boundaries, and their track record with major international sporting events makes them the ideal partner as we relaunch the ISL on the global stage.”

More information is available on the company’s website.

NEW YORK—Emergent has named Tom Shelburne as head of business development, North America, tasked with driving the browser-native broadcast graphics provider’s expansion across such categories as sports, houses of worship, corporate media production, podcasts and new media producers and systems integrators.

A five-time Emmy Award winner, Shelburne is the former replay technical director for NBC’s NFL “Sunday Night Football” telecast. He has also held senior North America roles at Vizrt, Pixotope and Mo-Sys.

“Everything we learned over the years about workflow, render engines, and graphic design has been reimagined,” Shelburne said. “This isn’t a faster version of the old way; it changes how people think about making graphics.”

Emergent positions its product, built on the WebGPU standard that gives web browsers native access to local broadcast platforms, as a full-fledged broadcast rendering engine that eliminates the need for locally installed software. A cloud-native system, Emergent’s platform handles standard HTML and WebGPU rendering to replace traditional hardware render engines, the company said.

Emergent’s platform uses AI across the production lifecycle, from automated graphics creation and live-data population to automated social clipping and asset management, the company said. It is deployable via public cloud services or on-premises models.

At Emergent, Shelburne will rejoin several colleagues he once worked with at Vizrt, now on its leadership team, including CEO Greg Mindlin, Chief Business Officer David Jorba, Chief Creative Officer Miguel Yabrudes and Chief Technology Officer Wilson Li.

“Tom has sat in the TD chair and across the table from customers, and they trust him,” Jorba said. “When we built something so different, he was the first person we wanted to see it.”

For more on Emergent, visit its website.

LONDON—Telekom Slovenije, Slovenia’s largest provider of telecommunications and TV services is using Synamedia Iris to enable advertising airtime on international channels to be sold locally.

Managed by TSmedia, a wholly owned subsidiary of Telekom Slovenije Group, the service uses Synamedia Iris ad regionalization technology to replace international ad spots with locally sold advertising for Slovenian audiences. This allows TSmedia to monetize advertising opportunities on international channels that were previously unavailable to the local market.

The service currently supports advertising on AMC and BBC. TSmedia can plan and schedule local campaigns using its existing advertising workflows, while Telekom Slovenije can use its existing TV infrastructure with no changes required to viewers’ set-top boxes.

TSmedia chose Synamedia for its experience in delivering tailored advertising solutions for tier-one operators and its ability to integrate ad regionalization into existing broadcast and advertising workflows.

“Our goal is to provide advertisers with access to high-quality audiences and premium content environments,” said TSmedia managing director Igor Gajster. “Synamedia Iris enables us to effectively connect international television content with local advertising opportunities. With AMC and BBC, we are expanding our TV advertising offering and giving brands new opportunities to engage viewers through relevant and effective campaigns. This marks an important step in the development of our advertising ecosystem, bringing together linear television, digital media and targeted advertising solutions.”

More information is available on the company’s website.

Dish Network this week removed WTVQ (Channel 36), the ABC affiliate serving Lexington, Ky. from its lineup this week.

Station owner E W Scripps, responded to the removal by calling it a “clear violation of the agreement Scripps currently has in place with Dish following Scripps' acquisition of WTVQ earlier this year.”

Losing WTVQ at this moment means Lexington-area Dish subscribers would not be able to view ABC network programming including NCAA and SEC college football, WNBA playoffs and the upcoming NBA and NHL seasons, including local coverage of Nashville Predators hockey, as well as ABC series including “Grey’s Anatomy,” “The Rookie,” “Scrubs,” “Abbott Elementary,” and “20/20.”

The reason for the removal is unclear and Dish has yet to issue a statement. Meanwhile, Scripps suggested the usual alternative methods to access WTVQ, via antenna, as well as informing viewers that they can get local news, weather updates and sports coverage on WTVQ’s sister station, WLEX, which Dish still carries.

WTVQ is also available on vMVPDs such as Fubo, Hulu with Live TV and YouTube TV, as well as DirecTV.

This most recent kerfuffle is the latest in a series of ongoing conflict between Scripps and MVPDs; in August the station group was sued by Charter over carriage of its Las Vegas station KMCC.

NEW YORK—Multiscreen TV ad campaigns deliver a 2x incremental return on ad spending and drive 2.4 times more web visits compared to using only one or the other, according to new research from Comcast Advertising.

The ad division of Comcast today released its latest “Multiscreen Performance Report,” which reflects the evolution of its flagship multiscreen TV advertising report.

The report demonstrates how advertising impacts outcomes throughout the buyer journey by combining Comcast Advertising campaign data with insights from independent measurement sources to examine performance across attention, reach consideration, and website activity for advertisers of all sizes.

It also found that sports streaming campaigns, fueled by events like the Milano Cortina Winter Olympics, March Madness, and the FIFA World Cup 2026, had a 52% unique reach, capturing hard-to-reach households 10x more effectively than TV alone.

“Advertisers are under more pressure than ever to prove their media dollars are performing, which is often measured only during conversion. In reality, it starts earlier: when quality access meets the right data to capture true attention,” said Dawn Lee Williamson, chief revenue officer for Media Solutions at Comcast Advertising. “When TV and streaming are paired together, it helps brands capture attention and stay top-of-mind to help drive the measurable results they need. We hope this research helps advertisers make more informed decisions about where and how to invest their media dollars.”

Other report findings:

• Attention to ads drives memory of brands. Compared to social media, TV exposure leads to 36% more time viewing an ad and 2.2 times higher brand recall, and;
• Traditional TV delivers 71% of unique multiscreen; streaming delivers 21%. There is 8% overlap between the two, demonstrating advertisers need to leverage both to maximize reach, and;
• Multiscreen TV campaigns generate 2.4x more website visits than single-tactic campaigns and are 105% more efficient at delivering those visits, and;
• The impact of addressable advertising delivered a 38% incremental sales lift because it was 2x more likely to reach the target audience and increase delivery among priority households.

More information is available on the company’s website.

LOS ANGELES—California Gov. Gavin Newsom today signed the Community NEWS Act, a bill incentivizing newsrooms to hire and retain journalists.

The bill, supported by the SAG-AFTRA union, offers qualified news organizations a refundable employment tax credit of $20,000 for each of the first five full-time journalists hired and $15,000 for each additional full-time journalist hired, in addition to $7,500 for part-time journalists and a stackable $15,000 credit for new hires.

“Governor Newsom’s signing of the Community NEWS Act is a huge win for the quality journalism needed to build a healthy, informed society,” said SAG-AFTRA president Sean Astin. “Thank you Gov. Newsom, Assemblymember Chris Ward and AB 2222’s allies in the California Legislature for making the policy changes necessary to ensure continued access to the news and information that keeps our democracy thriving.”

Passage comes more than a year after Congress approved the Rescissions Act of 2025, which eliminated $1.1 billion in funding for the Corporation for Public Broadcasting, a longstanding source of grants for local PBS and NPR affiliates. These cuts have prompted staffing reductions and programming changes at stations across the country, leaving many to explore alternative funding strategies.

According to the 2026 Local Journalist Index, local journalist employment has fallen more than 80% since 2002.

Supporters of the act have argued that tax credits could help slow the decline of local news coverage by making it more economically viable for outlets of all sizes to employ professional reporters and storytellers. Vermont, Illinois, New York and New Mexico have incentivized support for local news.

More information is available on Newsom’s website and the SAG-AFTRA website.

HUNTSVILLE, Ala.—A majority of state residents polled wants Alabama Public Television (APT) to continue its relationship with PBS, but among those who expressed an opinion slightly more than half perceived a political leaning in its coverage.

The findings, part of a poll conducted by the firm Cygnal, were released Sept. 29 coinciding with a public meeting of the Alabama Educational Television Foundation Authority (AETFA).

An article by Ben Sessoms on the website Alabama Reflector website reported that at an October 2025 meeting of AETFA, an authority commissioner said he opposed PBS programming due to perceived political bias.

According to the Cygnal poll, of the 363 respondents that offered an opinion, 32% said APT programming leans politically liberal, 20% perceived a conservative bent and 47% said the programming is generally balanced. A total of 237 of the poll’s 600 respondents were unsure.

The poll also asked respondents about whether or not APT stays within the bounds of state law prohibiting the broadcasters from carrying propaganda, attempting to influence legislation or engage in political campaigns. Of the 341 respondents answering the question, 218 said the broadcaster stays within the requirement. A total of 123 said it does not, and 259 were unsure.

When it comes to news fairness, respondents gave APT high marks. Among those who watch APT coverage of the state legislature, “PBS NewsHour” and “Capitol Journal,” 158 found coverage to be fair and even-handed, while 73 thought it was unfair or one-sided. A total of 202 said they do not watch APT news programming, and 167 were unsure.

Despite the mixed bag when it comes to political leaning and news fairness, most respondents (54%) said they favored maintaining support for PBS programming, while 18% were against it, and 28% were unsure.

The poll of 600 Alabama citizens was conducted Sept. 20-23. It has a margin of error of plus or minus 4%. Known registered voters were interviewed via live phones and SMS, and the survey was weighted to a general population universe, Cygnal said.

Global media technology provider Qvest has elevated Katlyn Alexander to CEO for North America.

Alexander, who had been chief operating officer of Qvest in the U.S., succeeds the Qvest U.S. founding partners as part of a yearlong leadership transition.

She will be tasked with overseeing strategic direction, operational performance and market expansion across North America, with a focus on supporting customers in media and entertainment and other sectors in transitioning toward digitalization, cloud and AI, the company said.

“Katlyn is an integral part of Qvest and has played a key role in shaping our business in the U.S. market,” Qvest Group Global CEO Thorsten Sauer said. “Her operational depth ensures continuity and sustained business momentum, while her deep understanding of our clients and our business ideally positions her to lead the organization into its next phase of growth.”

Alexander’s promotion is part of a planned transition at Qvest’s North America operations in which its founding partners are gradually handing their responsibilities over to a younger generation of executives. She joined Qvest in 2014 and has held several leadership posts.

“We are thrilled to enter this next chapter of leadership under Katlyn,” Qvest U.S. Founding Partner Frank Leal said. “She has been with the organization for over 12 years and has our culture and drive for putting clients first in her DNA.”

In addition to North America, Germany-based Qvest operates locations in Europe, the Middle East, Southeast Asia and Australia.

Said Alexander: “I am grateful to our Founding Partners for their vision, leadership, and the culture they built—one that continues to attract and retain exceptional talent. I would also like to thank the Qvest Group management team for the trust they are placing in me, and I look forward to working together in my new role. Building on that foundation, we are focused on the future, accelerating AI-driven innovation, advancing technology-enabled solutions, and delivering scaled business transformation for our clients.”

MUNICH, Germany—ARRI, a camera brand usually associated with high-end film production, is going down market with the launch of the new HONOR Magic9 Pro Max smartphone. The launch, part of ARRI’s “Cinematic Imaging Partnership” is the second such smartphone with ARRI’s imaging technology, following the launch of the HONOR Robot Phone last month.

The difference with the new smartphone is that selected elements of ARRI Image Science have been integrated into the Pro Max, which also carries ARRI branding on the device and packaging for the first time, ARRI said.

The HONOR Magic9 Pro Max extends the company’s collaboration with HONOR, an “AI device ecosystem company,” into the flagship Magic Series, adding more ARRI Looks and access to the ARRI Look Library to further establish ARRI Image Science within HONOR’s mobile imaging portfolio.

“The HONOR Magic9 Pro Max gives us an opportunity to introduce up-and-coming cinematographers to the ARRI brand at an early stage in their creative journey,” says David Bermbach, Chief Product Officer of ARRI. “By giving them access to ARRI Image Science and a more cinematic image pipeline from capture through postproduction, we are extending what ARRI has stood for for more than a century: enabling inspiring images with tools, workflows, and expertise that serve the creative vision.”

The co-branding extends to the smallest design details, including a dedicated version of the ARRI logo optimized for precise, miniaturized reproduction next to the phone’s cameras. The device therefore represents more than a technology integration: it is a co-branded expression of cinematic image quality that visibly connects ARRI’s professional imaging heritage with HONOR’s premium mobile Platform.

The HONOR Magic9 Pro Max integrates selected elements of ARRI Image Science across capture, color management, real-time preview, and finishing. Native ARRI LogC3 recording in the ARRI Wide Gamut 3 color space is designed to preserve more usable highlight, shadow, and color information for postproduction, while ARRI Looks allow creators to preview distinctive visual styles at the moment of capture.

The device combines dual 200MP cameras with the HONOR Imaging Chip H1, APV 10-bit 4:2:2 recording, cinematic video functions, cinematic directional microphone, and optional creation accessories including the HONOR Teleconverter G200, HONOR Teleconverter G500, and the HONOR SmallRig Mobile Video Kit, supporting a more consistent path from mobile acquisition to professional postproduction.

ARRI says the launch supports the company’s expansion into Content Creation alongside its established Motion Picture and Live Entertainment businesses.

The HONOR Magic9 Pro Max will initially launch in China, with more markets following shortly thereafter. Product specifications, pricing, color variants, memory configurations, channel availability, and further market information will be announced by HONOR.

NEW YORK—FuboTV has launched “My Local Sports,” a new service that allows subscribers in select markets to purchase their local regional sports network (RSN) as part of an add-on package to their Fubo Sports subscription. My Local Sports also includes a selection of sports-focused FAST channels.

Fubo has marketed itself as a prime source for regional sports and local network coverage. This new service allows Fubo subscribers stream coverage of their favorite local teams packaged alongside the lighter Fubo Sports content service according to the company. A year ago, the streamer launched its first 'Fubo Sports' skinny bundle for $56/month.

“As we build FuboTV’s strategic plan for profitable growth, giving fans flexibility, choice and value is one of our key priorities,” said Alisa Bowen, CEO, FuboTV. “The launch of My Local Sports advances this by offering Fubo subscribers a competitively-priced lighter sports package together with their local regional sports network, for the best in local and national coverage. With My Local Sports, Fubo strengthens our leading position as the home for local sports while offering our subscribers new options to follow their favorite teams.”

The Fubo Sports standalone plan features 20+ sports and broadcast networks, including direct access to ESPN Unlimited, featuring national and local pro and college team coverage. Fubo Sports is currently priced at $54.99 for the first month (new customers only) and $64.99/month thereafter, following a free trial. RSN add-on package pricing varies per market.

RSNs/team coverage available in the My Local Sports add-on package to Fubo Sports currently includes:

• AB TV (Los Angeles Angels, Los Angeles Kings)
• Blue Jackets Hockey Network (Columbus Blue Jackets)
• Blue Note+ (St. Louis Blues)
• BravesVision (Atlanta Braves)
• Brewers.TV (Milwaukee Brewers)
• Cardinals.TV (St. Louis Cardinals)
• Chicago Home Sports Network (Chicago White Sox, Chicago Blackhawks, Chicago Bulls)
• Detroit Sports Network (Detroit Tigers, Detroit Red Wings)
• Diamondbacks.TV (Arizona Diamondbacks)
• Guardians.TV (Cleveland Guardians)
• Hurricanes Hockey Network (Carolina Hurricanes)
• Mariners.TV (Seattle Mariners)
• Marlins.TV (Miami Marlins)
• Marquee Sports Network (Chicago Cubs)
• MASN (Baltimore Orioles)
• NBC Sports Bay Area (San Francisco Giants, San Jose Sharks, Golden State Warriors)
• NBC Sports Boston (Boston Celtics)
• NBC Sports California (Athletics, Sacramento Kings)
• NBC Sports Philadelphia (Philadelphia Phillies, Philadelphia Flyers, Philadelphia 76ers)
• Padres.TV (San Diego Padres)
• Rangers Sports Network (Texas Rangers)
• Rays.TV (Tampa Bay Rays)
• Reds.TV (Cincinnati Reds)
• Rockies.TV (Colorado Rockies)
• Royals.TV (Kansas City Royals)
• Twins.TV (Minnesota Twins)
• Wild+ (Minnesota Wild)

ATLANTA—Gray Media announced updated financial guidance for the quarter ending September 30, 2026 that indicates the company is expecting more political ad revenue than it had previously forecast in August for Q3 2026.

Gray said that it was updating its guidance from August 7, 2026 in connection with lender meetings to potentially refinance its credit facility and presentations to investors.

The new guidance for Q3 2026 expects that core advertising (excluding political) will be down by 1% to flat compared to $355 million seen in Q3 2025.

Political advertising revenue will, however, increase to a new level somewhere between $188 million to $195 million in Q3 2026, compared to the $8 million of political ads in Q3 2025.

The new estimate is also significantly higher than the $165 million to $185 million in political ads that Gray had given in its August 7 Q3 revenue guidance.

Based on those revisions, Gray said it is expecting $305 million worth of political ad revenue for the first nine months of 2026, up from $247 million for 2024 and $260 during the last midterms during 2022.

Gray reported that the 2026 estimate for the first nine months assumes $192 million of third quarter political advertising revenue, the midpoint of Gray’s updated guidance, and includes an estimated $9 million of political advertising revenue from recent acquisitions through September 30, 2026, which is included in the updated guidance.

Overall the improved outlook for political ad revenue increases its guidance for total ad revenue to a figure somewhere between $950 million to $965 million, up from $749 million reported in Q3 2025.

This is also higher than the August 7 guidance, which told investors it was expecting between $935 million to $965 million in total revenue.

Gray stressed that it is in the process of finalizing its third quarter financial results and that the following updated estimates reflect the most current operational information and expectations available to the company as of the date of this release. For the estimates not listed below, our original guidance issued on August 7, 2026, remains unchanged. As always, guidance may change in the future based on several factors and therefore may not reflect future actual results.

CINCINNATI—The E.W. Scripps Company has promoted veteran news leader Sean McGarvy to head of news, effective Oct. 5.

As part of the company’s efforts to transform how it delivers trusted journalism and builds stronger community connections, McGarvy will lead news and content strategy and oversee news standards for Scripps News Group, bringing Scripps’ local newsrooms, digital operations and Scripps News, the company’s national streaming news network, closer together under a unified consumer focused strategy.

McGarvy will report to Dean Littleton, who was promoted to president of media in July.

“Scripps’ transformation is about evolving our organization to serve audiences and communities in new ways,” Littleton said. “Our journalism is central to that work, and Sean brings the news judgment, operational discipline and audience focus needed to help align our local newsrooms, digital operations and Scripps News around the needs of American news consumers. His leadership will help us move trusted journalism faster across platforms while strengthening the connection between our reporting and the communities we serve.”

Most recently, McGarvy served as Scripps’ senior director of digital news operations, leading strategy and audience growth across Scripps News Group’s digital platforms, including YouTube and Meta. He has helped expand the reach and impact of the company’s journalism through audience-driven news strategies and a coordinated approach to digital publishing and streaming news. Previously, as senior director of local news strategy, he worked with Scripps’ local TV markets to deepen community connection and strengthen collaboration across Scripps News Group.

Earlier in his Scripps career, McGarvy was news director at WEWS, Scripps’ ABC affiliate in Cleveland, and assistant news director at KMGH, Scripps’ ABC affiliate in Denver. His career spans almost 30 years in newsrooms across the country, including managing editor and assignment manager roles at local TV stations and Fox News Channel. His work has been recognized with seven Edward R. Murrow Awards and 10 regional Emmy Awards.

McGarvy holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in broadcast journalism from the University of Missouri in Columbia.

BOSTON—The Massachusetts Broadcasters Association (MBA) has announced that it will honor longtime Boston 25 (WFXT) anchor Gene Lavanchy with its Broadcaster of the Year Award.

Lananchy will received the award at the association’s annual Sound Bites conference to be held November 19 at the Renaissance Framingham Hotel and Conference Center, Framingham, Massachusetts.

Lavanchy, a Massachusetts native, has been a familiar face in New England homes for more than 37 years, informing, entertaining, and connecting with viewers through his approachable style, local perspective, and genuine appreciation for the communities he serves, MBA reported.

“Gene represents everything that makes a great broadcaster,” said Todd Brown, vice president and general manager of Boston 25, which is owned by Cox Media Group. “For years, he’s been a trusted and familiar presence in our community, bringing professionalism, passion, and a genuine commitment to the viewers we serve. Gene has been part of the stories that matter most to our local community- celebrating its people, highlighting its accomplishments and being there during its most important moments. Gene has not only been an important part of the station’s history but has helped shape the legacy we continue to build today. We are incredibly proud to honor him as Broadcaster of the Year.”

Lavanchy began his Boston television career in 1989 as the studio host for Boston Bruins hockey broadcasts on TV38, a role he held for four seasons. In 1992, he joined WHDH-TV as weekend sports anchor before rising to Sports Director and lead sports anchor. During his 11 years at the station, Gene also hosted the popular Sunday night program Sports Xtra. His work earned him multiple Emmy and Associated Press awards, as well as recognition as Massachusetts Sportscaster of the Year by the National Sportscasters and Sportswriters Association.

“Gene Lavanchy epitomizes ‘localism’ in broadcast television,” said MBA executive director Jordan Walton. “From his work in the sports world, which we take very seriously in New England, to his time 20+ years as a news anchor at Boston 25, Gene has developed an incredible connection with his viewers and we look forward to honoring him at Sound Bites 2026 this November.”

In 2003, Gene became a vital part of the launch of Boston 25 Morning News. Its “all local, all morning long” combination of news, traffic, and weather offered viewers a distinctly New England alternative to national morning programs. Since then, it has grown into a go-to source for busy viewers preparing for the day ahead.

For the past 23 seasons, Gene has also served as the field anchor for Boston 25 Morning News’ popular Zip Trips. Broadcasting live from cities and towns across Massachusetts, he has visited more than 300 communities and met thousands of remarkable people along the way.

Lavanchy will be the thirteenth recipient of the MBA Broadcaster of the Year Award.

Sound Bites is the MBA’s annual learning, meeting, and mingling event which provides seminars for sales, programming staff, and managers, offers a networking reception and dinner program led by the MBA’s annual meeting, industry guests and speakers, and the annual Sound Bites Awards, which recognizes the best in Massachusetts radio and television broadcasting over the previous year.

Tickets for Sound Bites can be purchased on the association’s website through November 12.

Visit www.massbroadcasters.org for more information.

The Society of Broadcast Engineers has announced the recipients of the Ennes Educational Foundation Trust educational scholarships for 2026. The winners—who are chosen from applications received by the July 1, 2026, deadline—will each receive $3,000.

Harold E. Ennes Scholarship
Diovany Deus, recipient of the Harold E. Ennes Scholarship. Diovany is a Broadcast Systems Technician at WESH 2/CW 18 in Orlando, Fla., and an SBE Certified Broadcast Television Engineer (CBTE) pursuing a Master of Science in Information Technology. He specializes in broadcast operations, streaming technologies and media automation, with a strong passion for advancing the future of television through innovation.

Throughout his career, Diovany has focused on developing practical solutions that bridge traditional broadcasting with emerging technologies, including cloud-based broadcast systems and artificial intelligence. His work is driven by a commitment to improving operational efficiency, automation, and the viewer experience.

Following graduation, Diovany plans to continue developing innovative technologies that modernize broadcast infrastructure and help shape the future of media.

Robert D. Greenberg Scholarship
Brendan Temkin, recipient of the Robert D. Greenberg Scholarship, is an active member of Hofstra University's award-winning radio station, WRHU. As part of Brendan’s role, he has engineered for the On-Air Ireland Show, hosted the Country Nation Show, produced highlights and engineered for the New York Islanders Radio Network, and delivered sports segments for Newsline.

Brendan’s technical work extends to audio engineering and phone AD for the Long Island Nets broadcasts, while holding on-air roles including color commentary and play-by-play for the Long Island Ducks. Next semester, he will serve as Lead Producer for the New York Islanders on WRHU overseeing live game broadcasts and attending games to interview players.

Brendan’s professional experience also includes promotions with the New York Mets, sales with the Long Island Ducks, and a recent internship in Broadcast Operations at Paramount, where he gained hands-on experience with major-network workflows and production systems. His goal after graduation is to work for a New York City company in broadcast engineering.

Youth Scholarship
Adrianna Taliercio, recipient of the Ennes Youth Scholarship, is a 2026 graduate of Wall High School in Wall Township, NJ. Her interest in broadcasting began during her freshman year when she enrolled in a television production and media creation course. She continued studying the field throughout high school and gained hands-on experience as a member of Wall High School’s Daily Morning Show. Through this experience, she developed an appreciation for both the creative process and the equipment and technology required to produce a live broadcast.

In Fall 2026, she will begin studying communication at Monmouth University, where she plans to focus on sports media and content creation. She looks forward to expanding her knowledge of broadcasting and media technology while gaining practical experience in college. Her goal is to pursue a career that combines the creative and technical sides of media, with a particular interest in sports broadcasting and content production.

John H. Battison SBE Founder’s Scholarship
Katie Herring is the recipient of the John H. Battison SBE Founder’s Scholarship. After high school, Katie began working for MH Corbin, a highway information systems company that manufactures, builds, and tests equipment such as traffic counters, beacon controls, and AM Highway Advisory Radio. Her interest in radio started by learning from her grandfather, Ralph Herring, who founded Wake Radio at Wake Forest University and built their transmitter while he was a student there in 1948.

This fall, Katie will graduate from Wake Tech Community College’s NCAB Broadcast Technology Academy with her CBT Radio certification. She plans to use the scholarship to pursue additional coursework in physics and electrical engineering while preparing for graduate school.

Gino Ricciardelli Scholarship
Tanner Denoyer, recipient of the Gino Ricciardelli Scholarship was born and raised in Liberal, Kan. He is a graduate of Liberal High School (Class of 2026) and a current student at Wichita State University. He possesses a strong interest in technology, actively developing his skills in coding and 3D modeling. Tanner has been actively involved in broadcast media since 2020, starting as a board operator for KSCB Radio in Liberal. He completed a semester-long studio engineering internship under John Mulhern at KSCB this past January.

After graduating from WSU, Tanner plans to leverage his background into a career in electrical engineering, focusing on designing and testing high-efficiency broadcast systems.

Applications for the next round of scholarships are being accepted now until July 1, 2027. More information about the Ennes Scholarships is available on the SBE website: sbe.org/scholarship

The Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) has announced that the 2027 IEEE Arun N. Netravali Video Analytics, Technology, and Systems Award will be presented to Benjamin Bross, Jens-Rainer Ohm and Gary J. Sullivan, who have played leading roles in the international video coding standardization community.

This award recognizes their leadership in video coding standardization of HEVC and the importance of the standard they successfully developed together with the video industry community.

Benjamin Bross is the head of video coding systems at Fraunhofer HHI. Jens-Rainer Ohm, is Professor emeritus and former Head of the Institute of Communication Engineering at RWTH Aachen University and Dr. Gary J. Sullivan is the director of video research & standards at Dolby Laboratories.

The development of the HEVC standard brought together the world’s experts from the International Telecommunication Union (ITU), the International Organization for Standardization (ISO), and the International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC) in a team known as the Joint Collaborative Team on Video Coding (JCT-VC), the IEEE said.

Prof. Ohm and Dr. Sullivan chaired the development of the standard, and Benjamin Bross was the lead editor of its specification document. Together they supervised and steered a process in which thousands of technical contribution documents from about a thousand technical experts in the international community were analyzed, and in which the features of the standard were selected and refined by consensus within the JCT-VC. Their leadership ensured the standard’s practicality for mass-market implementation and its complete and detailed technical specification.

The HEVC standard, also known as H.265 and MPEG-H Part 2, is a major advance over its predecessor, the well-established AVC standard developed ten years earlier. HEVC can provide approximately a 50% reduction in the bit rate needed to encode video at the same level of visual quality as AVC.

After coordinated research conducted by experts from ITU-T and ISO/IEC groups, the JCT-VC was formed in 2010 and worked intensely on the design and specification of the HEVC standard, completing the first version in 2013. The standard was rapidly adopted by industry. It was a major factor in the successful deployment of several other major advances in video technology, including ultra-high definition (UHD) resolution, 10-bit video precision, high-dynamic range (HDR) with wide color gamut (WCG), high frame-rates, and streaming video services.

By the end of 2015, most new personal computers and mobile handset devices and essentially all 4K UHD televisions were already including support for the ground-breaking HEVC standard.

The IEEE noted that the history of video compression standardization has been dominated by efforts to maximize compression capability. By the time when the development of HEVC was started an increasing variety of services, the growing popularity of HD video even in mobile applications, and the emerging beyond-HD formats (e.g. 4K×2K resolution) were creating even stronger demand for improved compression capabilities.

HEVC has been designed to address essentially all existing applications of previous standards while particularly focusing on two key issues: increased video resolution and increased use of parallel processing architectures.

While HEVC is a collaborative development by a large team of experts, managing to drive it into the direction needed by industry and supported by the processing capability of real-time systems is the celebrated accomplishment of its project leaders and chief editor.

The HEVC standard has already become the primary video broadcast format in several countries, such as Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, Poland, Croatia, and the Czech Republic.

It has also been adopted into the industry specifications of many other organizations in addition to those of ITU, ISO and IEC, including 3GPP, the 8K Association, ANSI/SCTE, ARIB, ATSC, BD ROM, CTA/CEA, Digital UK, ETSI/DVB, ETSI/EBU, IETF, NATO, MISB, and the Ultra HD Forum.

Low-power decoders are available from basically all video chip makers, and its encoding is supported in nearly all professional video production workflows. NASA even announced in March 2026 that its NASA+ streaming service was using HEVC, including its video for the Artemis II crewed mission beyond the lunar orbit, making the standard extraterrestrial as well as international.

In addition, HEVC is now supported in more than 90% of currently produced televisions, personal computers, mobile handsets, and web browsers, and it is very widely used by streaming service providers, television broadcasters, video recording devices and video security systems. The development of the HEVC standard received its first major award recognition with a Primetime Engineering Emmy Award for the JCT-VC in 2017.

NEW YORK—Comcast NBCUniversal and NBCUniversal Local announced that a total of $2.5 million has been awarded to 80 nonprofit organizations servicing one of the 11 NBC- and Telemundo-owned stations’ markets across the U.S. through the 2026 NBCUniversal Local Impact Grants.

Founded in 2018, NBCUniversal’s grant program has now provided $24.3 million to 695 nonprofit organizations.

“We’re proud to celebrate this year’s Local Impact Grant recipients and continue our support of impactful nonprofits in our markets,” said Valari Staab, chairman, NBCUniversal Local. “The impact of these organizations can be seen every day in the communities they serve, through the opportunities they create, the connections they build, and the lives they touch.”

For the ninth year, the competitive grant challenge is awarding unrestricted funding to eligible nonprofits making a difference in local communities. Applications were accepted in three categories: youth education and empowerment, next generation storytellers, and community engagement. The 2026 application window for 501(c)(3) nonprofits was March 24 through April 24.

“Local nonprofit organizations help expand opportunity, strengthen community connections and create lasting impact,” said Jessica Clancy, senior vice president of corporate social responsibility at NBCUniversal. “Through the NBCUniversal Local Impact Grants, we support organizations that are addressing the unique needs of their communities, opening doors for future generations, and making a meaningful difference in the lives of people across the country.”

Nonprofits receiving funds serve communities in the following NBC- and Telemundo-owned stations’ markets: New York (WNBC, WNJU), Los Angeles (KNBC, KVEA), Chicago (WMAQ, WSNS), Philadelphia (WCAU, WWSI), Dallas (KXAS, KXTX), Boston (WBTS, WNEU), Washington, D.C. (WRC-TV, WZDC), San Francisco (KNTV, KSTS), Miami (WTVJ, WSCV), San Diego (KNSD, KUAN) and Hartford, Conn. (WVIT, WRDM).

A full list of nonprofits receiving grants can be found here.

For more information on the NBCUniversal Local Impact Grants, visit localimpactgrants.com and the Spanish-language becasdeimpactolocal.com.

NEW YORK—Optimum Communications, Inc. and A+E Global Media have announced an expanded, multi-year distribution agreement that will continue to make A+E’s programming available to Optimum TV customers across the cable operator’s 21-state footprint.

The new deal spans A+E’s full linear portfolio, including A&E, The History Channel, Lifetime, Lifetime Movie Network, FYI, VICE, MHC (Military History Channel), CI (Crime +Investigation), Lifetime Real Women, and The History Channel en Espanol.

“Optimum is committed to delivering a best-in-class entertainment experience that gives customers the content they love with the flexibility, accessibility, and value they expect,” said Keith Bowen, president of news, programming and business services, Optimum. “This new agreement helps us build on that commitment by preserving access to A+E’s entertainment programming that our customers want to watch.”

"Optimum has been a valued partner for many years, and we are pleased to continue our longstanding relationship and bring its customers the distinctive storytelling, trusted brands, and premium entertainment that define A+E Global Media,” added Jane Rice, co-president, distribution, A+E Global Media. “Together, we are committed to delivering high-quality programming wherever and whenever audiences choose to engage.”

SAN FRANCISCO—Local television news faces a stark generational divide, according to new consumer research released by #FutureOfTV.Live, a quarterly research initiative from Ring Digital.

Just 10% of 18–24-year-olds watched local TV news during the previous week, compared with 64% of adults 65 and older—a 54-point gap.

Daily television viewing shows a similarly large divide: 31% among 18–24-year-olds versus 81% among adults 65 and older.

The findings are part of the Fall 2026 #FutureOfTV.Live Report, based on a September survey of 1,376 U.S. adults, weighted by age and gender to U.S. Census population data.

"The challenge for local broadcasters isn't simply that pay TV is declining. It's that the next generation of viewers is developing an entirely different relationship with news and television," said Brian Ring, founder of Ring Digital and #FutureOfTV.Live. "The question is increasingly how broadcasters bring their programming into those new viewing behaviors—and then turn discovery back into tune-in."

The Fall 2026 research is sponsored by Big Blue Marble, a cloud and streaming solutions provider serving sports, news and broadcast clients globally.

The report covers a range of topics—vertical video, interactivity, and mobile video news—as part of a larger exploration of news audience behavior.

Among respondents who watched a local newscast, 35% said they last watched through a pay-TV service, compared with 18% through social media or YouTube, 13% through a free streaming app, and just 7% through the station's own app.

The report also found mobile news consumption is substantial. Based on the data, #FutureOfTV.Live estimates 108 million U.S. adults watch news video on their phones daily. Among surveyed mobile news-video viewers, Facebook and YouTube Shorts each reached 46%, followed by TikTok at 37% and Instagram Reels at 33%.

The research also tested possible solutions to the challenges this shift presents. It reports a positive audience reaction to low cost, high ROI interactivity used in CNN's late-night programming. It also tests a "TikTok meets TV Guide" concept designed to use short-form, vertical video discovery to drive viewers into live and linear programming.

The full report is available here. Read the full research and analysis at #FutureOfTV.Live.

SAN JOSE, Calif.—Adobe has completed the acquisition of AI video and image enhancement specialist Topaz Labs.

The acquisition has been valued at $340 million.

Topaz Labs will continue as a standalone brand, and Adobe and Topaz will integrate its advanced capabilities into creative tools and workflows. In 2025, Topaz received an Emmy Award for its video technology.

Filmmakers, photographers and designers use Topaz Labs technology to recover detail, improve clarity, maintain temporal consistency and produce video and image, said Deepa Subramantam, vice president of product marketing for creative professionals at Adobe in announcing closing of the deal.

Topaz Labs technology is available in Adobe Firefly and Photoshop. It helps creators upscale and enhance images and video while maintaining a natural look and details of the original, said Subramantam.

With the company’s Neurostream technology, creators can process AI models on their own devices or Topaz Lab’s cloud-based option.

Its tools enable users to modernize content at scale. Studios with decades of archived films, broadcasters and others can use Topaz Labs tools to modernize content for high-resolution screens, said Subramantam.

“By integrating Topaz Labs’ tools and models into everyday Creative Cloud workflows, Adobe’s global community of creative professionals and enterprises will benefit from spending less time moving between tools and more time refining performances, shaping emotion and finding the perfect cut. Adobe will also optimize the performance of Topaz Labs models, while leveraging strong enterprise relationships and global reach to raise awareness of Topaz Labs among creative professionals,” she wrote.

The Topaz Labs brand will remain. Its apps and models will continue to be available as standalone products. Company CEO Eric Yang will join Adobe’s Digital Video and Audio team. Topaz Labs' customers will receiver the same level of support as they have, said Subramantam.

More information is available on the Adobe website.

STAMFORD, Conn.—Spectrum News has launched Spectrum News NECN, delivering hyper-local, community-based journalism to viewers across New England.

The network will feature reporting from Connecticut, Massachusetts, Maine, New Hampshire, Rhode Island and Vermont and remains available to existing NECN distributors across the region.

Spectrum News NECN will expand availability to additional viewers in the coming months and will launch a morning show, anchored by veteran New England journalist Matt Reed, later this year. Reed will also be the network’s primary anchor beginning at launch.

“For the past 10 years, I’ve had the opportunity to wake up New Englanders and deliver the news they need to start their day,” said Reed. “I’ve covered stories that have been shaping our region, including nor’easters, the 2020 and 2024 New Hampshire primaries, duck parades for three Patriots Super Bowl wins, one Red Sox World Series and one Celtics NBA Championship. It’s an honor to help launch this next chapter with Spectrum News NECN, and I look forward to covering issues impacting all New Englanders today.”

Senior news director Teisha Parker leads the network, which is hiring staff throughout New England.

NECN initially launched in 1992. The rebranded 24/7 news network now features local headlines every 15 minutes and weather forecasts every 10 minutes on the 1s. Spectrum customers can also find Spectrum News NECN through the Spectrum News App on mobile, Xumo Stream Box, Roku and Apple TV.

Spectrum News has continued to expand its reach in recent years, launching multiple local linear TV news networks across the country; the Spectrum News+ streaming news network; the Spanish-language Spectrum Noticias news network; and mobile and connected TV apps with more than 9 million combined downloads.

More information is available on the company’s website.

LOS ANGELES—Television Critics Association (TCA) members have voted to amend the organization's bylaws to prohibit generative AI usage in members' work and expand membership criteria to include new forms of content creation.

Recognizing changes in media, TCA—a nonprofit, member-run organization of more than 220 people who cover TV—now welcomes "professional television critics, reporters, writers, editors, and/or hosts who produce insightful, ethical, high-quality television criticism, reporting, and coverage that is distributed to the public."

That includes podcasters and creator-journalists whose work appears across mediums, such as e-mail newsletters and vertical video.

"People trust TCA members for their original reporting, insightful analysis, and helpful reviews, and should be able to find TCA members in any medium," said Andy Dehnart, TCA president and founder of reality blurred. "Our bylaws have always held members to high journalistic standards. These updates reflect how journalism has evolved and the work our members already do while welcoming professional creator-journalists and people who work across new platforms and formats."

TCA's new AI guidelines allow members to use industry-standard tools, but expressly prohibit publishing work produced entirely by generative AI.

"The addition of a clear AI policy ensures our audiences and those in the industry know that TCA members will not misrepresent a machine’s text as their own,” Dehnart explained. “This practice is especially concerning since generative AI is built on the stolen work of TV critics, journalists, media organizations, and other writers and artists. I’m proud that TCA members decided to make clear what is acceptable and what is not.”

The organization also reported that applications are now open at tvcritics.org/apply for those interested in membership. Applicants will be evaluated based on the quality of their work and vetted by TCA’s Board of Directors. TCA members have access to exclusive press conferences, professional development workshops, member-only discounts, and a vibrant community of other professionals who cover TV, among other perks.

During its annual meeting, members re-elected Kevin Fallon of The Daily Beast and Alex Reif of Laughing Place to new two-year terms as directors. The 2026-27 TCA Board of Directors also includes President Dehnart, Vice President Amy Amatangelo, Secretary Danette Chavez, Treasurer Megan Vick, and Directors Liz Shannon Miller and Matt Mitovitch.

Paramount has reached a settlement with a coalition of 12 attorneys general that would resolve the states' antitrust lawsuit alleging that the $111 billion merger of Paramount and Warner Bros. Discovery (Warner Bros.) would harm competition by lowering output and raising prices, hurting both workers and consumers in the process.

Separately the writers unions announced a settlement with Paramount that will prevent writer layoffs at CBS News for five years.

The settlement, which still must be approved by the court, includes a five-year court enforceable commitment to increase film output, a minimum of an additional $1.5 billion commitment to bolster domestic film production, a $47.5 million fund for workers who are impacted by the merger, and restrictions on how the company handles cable negotiations to help keep prices competitive.

In the wake of the settlement, Paramount is likely to move as quickly as possible to close the deal because it had promised to pay $7 million a day to shareholders if the merger didn’t close by Oct. 1.

According to the 12 AGs who brought the suit the settlement includes:

• An Annual Film Release Commitment: Paramount has agreed to a five-year term, where the merged company will commit to release 30 films a year, including 20 wide releases, in the first two years and 32 films a year, with 21 wide releases. in years three, four, and five. Paramount commits to release at least four independent films in each year of the commitment period. The proposed settlement stipulates that if Paramount fails to meet this film output requirement in any year, the company will be required to divest Miramax Studios and must pay $30 million per missed film toward the health care and retirement trust funds associated with the Writers Guild of America (WGA), International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees (IATSE), Directors Guild of America (DGA), International Brotherhood of Teamsters (IBT), and other unions, toward the Motion Pictures & Television Fund, and to the National Association of Attorneys General (NAAG) in support of antitrust enforcement.
• Domestic Production: Paramount has agreed to bolster the merged company’s U.S. film production and spend an at least additional $1.5 billion over five years over its 2025 U.S. spending levels. Importantly, this is a baseline. Right now, around 5% of all of Paramount’s production is in the U.S. If a federal film tax credit of at least 20% is passed, production in the U.S. would need to increase to be 20% of all film production for years one and two and at least 30% of all film production for the remaining years. If, in addition to a federal tax credit, a more expansive state film tax credit is also passed in either California or New York, then production investment would need to increase to at least 40% of all film production being in the U.S instead of overseas. In addition, Paramount has committed to follow through on all existing development efforts, which includes major planned investments in New Jersey.
• Independent Film Fund: The merged company will form and operate a fund for purchasing independent films and will make an annual contribution of $5 million per year, for a total of $25 million.
• Protections for Workers: The merged company will commit $47.5 million in a workforce fund over five years for training and career development for workers who are displaced by the merger. The merged company must also honor previously established collective bargaining agreements and bargain in good faith with unions in years to come.
• Cable Agreements: For five years, the merged company must conduct negotiations for Paramount basic cable channels independently from negotiations for Warner Bros. basic cable channels, preserving the existing competitive dynamic between the companies. Preserving competition helps to keep prices down for consumers. The merged company also must continue to offer a free streaming service, like Pluto TV, and maintain its current service and quality. Additionally, the company agrees to create an editorial-independence board for CNN and CBS.
• Ongoing Monitoring: The company also agreed to appointment of an independent monitor to oversee its compliance with this agreement.

Following the announcement of the settlement with the AGs, the Writers Guild of America East and Writers Guild of America West, also announced that they have settled their lawsuit to block the proposed merger of Paramount Skydance and Warner Bros. Discovery.

“We continue to believe the merger will cause damage to writers and the industry at large," the WGA said in a statement. "Now that the Attorneys General have settled with Paramount, however, as a nonprofit, the WGA must contend with the reality of forging ahead alone, with no backing from government enforcers, with a complex antitrust lawsuit that would cost millions of dollars to pursue through trial. Consequently, we have also settled our lawsuit with an agreement from Paramount to prohibit writer layoffs at CBS News Broadcast for 5 years, and to pay $17.5 million to our health fund along with our attorneys’ fees in the litigation."

"Though we were not successful in blocking the merger, our advocacy brought more attention to the harms that this merger—and others like it—will cause. We will continue to fight the harms of industry consolidation," the statement added.

FCC Commissioner Anna Gomez also criticized the settlement in a statement: “I am disappointed that this settlement appears to pave the way for yet another massive media consolidation deal that could raise prices for consumers, reduce content diversity, and weaken editorial independence. This settlement does nothing to resolve the FCC’s own unprecedented decision to approve near complete and unchecked indirect foreign ownership of one of America’s largest media companies from some of the most repressive governments in the world. Setting aside that worrisome arrangement, this transaction still represents a troubling new stage of media consolidation, with real consequences for consumers and for a free and independent press. The editorial independence protections included in this settlement remain untested, and there is good reason to be skeptical they will hold up once the ink is dry. Whether these commitments actually protect newsrooms inside CBS and CNN from political, financial, or regulatory pressure, or simply provide cover for further editorial interference, remains to be seen. I will be watching closely to see whether these promises translate into real protections or will be just words on a page.”

More to come as reaction to the deal becomes available.

HUNT VALLEY, Md.—Sinclair is expanding The National News Desk (TNND) by increasing news programming and adding additional news hours on various Sinclair stations around the country.

Beginning Sept. 21, a 5 p.m. edition of The National News Desk, anchored by Taylor Murray, will be added to the programming schedules in Seattle, Nashville, Baltimore, Columbus, Mobile, Wilkes-Barre, Flint, Savannah, Charleston, New Bern, Reno and Chico.

Sinclair will also add daytime half-hour editions of The National News Desk, anchored by Jan Jeffcoat, with Live Desk anchor Mark Boyle and National Reporter Angela Brown, within the afternoon programming blocks of stations in Seattle, St. Louis, Nashville, Pittsburgh, Las Vegas, Grand Rapids, Oklahoma City, Birmingham, Mobile, Wilkes-Barre, Omaha, Flint, Chattanooga, Syracuse, Tri-Cities, Reno, Tallahassee, Eugene, Bakersfield, Corpus Christi and Gainesville.

“The expansion of The National News Desk gives us another opportunity to increase the amount of news programming we provide and serve viewers with timely reporting throughout the day,” said Scott Livingston, senior vice president of news at Sinclair. “By leveraging the strength of our content centers and journalists across the country, TNND amplifies the local journalism our stations deliver every day and gives audiences greater access to reporting that goes beyond the headlines and helps inform and enrich their communities.”

TNND provides viewers with real-time national news and regional stories, utilizing the resources and content from Sinclair stations around the country to deliver the most impactful news of the day.

Since its launch in 2021, The National News Desk has expanded rapidly, now airing on 90 stations across the country with morning, evening, late-night, weekend and now, afternoon and early evening newscasts.

The National News Desk also airs on TheNationalDesk.com, which is available to all viewers, free of charge with no subscription, log in or authentication required. The National News Desk is also available live and on demand on YouTube.

Multiple reports from Bloomberg, Reuters and others indicate that Paramount has struck a deal with California State Attorney General Rob Bonta and other state attorneys general to settle their antitrust lawsuit against Paramount Skydance’s $111 billion takeover bid for Warner Bros. Discovery

The settlement, if completed, would stave off a antitrust trial in 2027 and pave the way for the deal to be quickly completed. On Sept. 17, the FCC’s Media Bureau approved foreign ownership waivers that were the last major regulatory hurdle.

Details of the settlement have not been made public but Bloomberg reported that the settlement would create an independent editorial board to oversee CNN and CBS. It also sets output levels for the combined studios’ movie production.

Bloomberg did not report any divestitures of the merged companies’ cable channel portfolio.

The potential deal was quickly criticized by some opponents of the merger, who argued that the concessions were “minor,” “largely unenforceable” and “in some cases promise less than the two companies are already doing as standalone competitors.”

In a statement, Free Press Co-CEO Jessica J. González said “[w]e are disappointed that Attorney General Bonta went back on his promise to enforce the law and protect consumers and workers…Based on all reports, this weak deal contains nothing but unenforceable, empty Paramount promises. It abandons the thousands of creatives and workers who risked speaking out, and the tens of millions of consumers the attorneys general should be fighting for.”

Over the weekend, some prominent Democrats also came out against any settlement with Paramount.

FCC Commissioner Anna Gomez also criticized the settlement in a statement: “I am disappointed that this settlement appears to pave the way for yet another massive media consolidation deal that could raise prices for consumers, reduce content diversity, and weaken editorial independence. This settlement does nothing to resolve the FCC’s own unprecedented decision to approve near complete and unchecked indirect foreign ownership of one of America’s largest media companies from some of the most repressive governments in the world. Setting aside that worrisome arrangement, this transaction still represents a troubling new stage of media consolidation, with real consequences for consumers and for a free and independent press. The editorial independence protections included in this settlement remain untested, and there is good reason to be skeptical they will hold up once the ink is dry. Whether these commitments actually protect newsrooms inside CBS and CNN from political, financial, or regulatory pressure, or simply provide cover for further editorial interference, remains to be seen. I will be watching closely to see whether these promises translate into real protections or will be just words on a page.”

The settlement would still need to be approved by the judge in the case and would likely face opposition from critics.

ATLANTA—Gray Media has promoted Tim Maloney to general manager and director of sales of WBKO, the ABC, Fox, and The CW affiliate serving Bowling Green and the surrounding South Central Kentucky region. The promotion takes effect Sept. 21.

A 20-year WBKO veteran, he began his tenure at the station as an account executive and most recently served as multimedia sales manager, directing station revenue strategies and servicing local and regional business accounts.

Prior to joining WBKO, Tim founded and operated a multi-location retail business.

Tim maintains an active presence in local civic affairs. He currently serves on the board of directors for Junior Achievement of South Central Kentucky, where he previously served as Board Chairman, and holds an associate membership with the Bowling Green Area Chamber of Commerce. In addition, he helps spearhead station events, fundraisers, and community initiatives that support active partnerships with more than 30 nonprofit organizations across the region.

Tim attended Xavier University and studied fine arts at the Rochester Institute of Technology.

WASHINGTON—NOAA has selected Tomorrow.io to provide contracting support for the Earth Prediction Innovation Center (EPIC), the backbone of the agency’s operational weather forecast modeling suite.

This contract is part of the federal agency’s effort to speed up the development of its next-generation Earth modeling system, the Unified Forecast System (UFS), through open science.

The effort is important for broadcasters who rely on NOAA data in their weather segments.

“With EPIC, we have a once-in-a-generation opportunity to cement U.S. leadership in weather prediction by leveraging the full power of the public, private, and academic sectors,” NOAA Administrator Neil Jacobs said. “We will accelerate the transition of scientific research into operations through a unified approach to model development in a cloud-based environment, which will advance our mission of protecting life and property.”

Established in 2019, the EPIC program provides community modeling infrastructure and engagement opportunities to foster collaboration with the larger weather research enterprise, including academia, public agencies, and private industry. The program aims to transition research innovations into operational forecast models used by NOAA’s National Weather Service more efficiently.

While the EPIC program oversees management and planning-related tasks, scientific innovation and other relevant projects, Tomorrow.io will be responsible for software infrastructure and engineering as well as user support services. The company will share responsibility for engaging the UFS community and collaborating on high-performance computing initiatives.

The goal of the UFS is to modernize and streamline NOAA’s operational modeling suite while accelerating the transition of scientific research into operations through a unified, community-driven Earth modeling system. By providing a single, flexible framework that integrates various components—such as the atmosphere, ocean and land—the UFS replaces numerous standalone operational models to better predict weather and climate across all timescales.

“We are proud to lead the team supporting EPIC and NOAA, the trusted global authority in weather science, in strengthening the nation’s forecasting models and infrastructure," said Thomas Cavett, vice president, U.S. federal business, for Tomorrow.io. “Our expertise in AI modeling and satellite observations reflects our commitment to NOAA’s mission of protecting lives and property. We look forward to helping realize NOAA’s vision and supporting continued progress in forecasting and early warning for partner nations around the world.”