For the better part of a decade, there's a word the broadcast industry has been using to describe the move from traditional to software-defined production.

That word is transition.

But transition implies a journey from one state to another. What broadcasters are really living through is more permanent than that. They're not crossing a bridge. They're building one while keeping traffic moving on both sides.

The hybrid reality that most production operations face today isn't a phase. It's the terrain they're operating in. And the industry is only beginning to work out what that really demands.

Two Worlds, One Team
As IP and cloud-based production matured, the assumption in most technology strategies was that organizations would eventually retire traditional hardware workflows. But that hasn’t happened. Client commitments, capital cycles, rights agreements and the genuine complexity of software-defined environments have all kept legacy infrastructure in service.

This means that production teams manage both at the same time, and engineers who once worked in a single signal chain are now expected to be fluent across various architectures. That pressure isn’t always obvious, until something goes wrong.

Client expectations are moving in different directions at the same time. Some rights holders won't compromise on premium quality. Others are under real pressure to deliver faster and cheaper, sometimes for the same content through a different window. In some cases both demands land in the same contract.

The Cost of Keeping Both Engines Running
Operating in a hybrid environment is costly in ways that aren’t always easy to quantify. Maintaining two categories of infrastructure, training staff on both and building workflows that flex between them: the obvious costs are significant. But the subtler ones are too.

Every infrastructure decision now has a strategic dimension to it. Whether to extend the life of traditional kit, push harder toward software workflows and take on the short-term risk that comes with it, or route projects through different models depending on the brief, none of it is straightforward and each path brings its own complexity.

None of these are easy calls. They involve trade-offs between cost, speed, quality and flexibility. The right answer shifts with each client and project. The teams that navigate this skillfully have stopped looking for one cohesive answer and instead relied on the judgment to make the call differently each time.

Remote and Cloud: Real Gains and Real Limits
Remote and cloud production have proven their worth. The ability to draw on the right talent wherever they are, scale infrastructure around event demand and cut crew travel has truly changed how operations plan and staff major events.

But the limits of working fully distributed are also getting clearer. Some productions benefit greatly when people are in the same room, where decisions need to be made quickly and creative judgment is built through proximity. The best hybrid operations aren’t choosing between remote and on-site. They’re developing the discipline to recognize which approach will work best for any given brief, and then investing in the infrastructure to support both.

Flexibility: The Baseline Requirement
The most important shift in thinking may be that flexibility isn’t something to sell anymore. Clients expect workflows that flex to last-minute changes, support teams who are spread across different technical environments and scale without everything falling apart.

That’s a structural challenge. Not a technology challenge. The tools exist, but what production operations are still building is the confidence to lean on them and the organizational design to deploy them well.

The broadcasters and service providers who define the next phase of this industry will not be those who complete the move to software-defined production fastest. They will be those who build the judgment and workflows to operate effectively in a world where both models coexist, indefinitely, at the same time.

Hybrid production isn’t a problem to be solved. It’s the operating environment. The sooner the industry plans accordingly, the better.

LONDON—Gravity Media, a global provider of production, content, media services and facilities, is powering an innovative reverse remote production setup for ITV’s FIFA Football World Cup coverage, connecting Gravity Media’s London Production Centre with ITV Sport’s live studio operations in New York through a fully integrated workflow.

In this three-hub production model, match feeds are received via the International Broadcast Center in Dallas and transmitted to Gravity Media’s London Production Centre, where production galleries are operated and enhanced with live editorial and presentation content.

Meanwhile, ITV Sport’s presenting team based in New York delivers the live studio segments, creating a seamless workflow across three international locations rather than a traditional single-site production. The result is a highly resilient, flexible production model that brings together transatlantic collaboration and state-of-the-art infrastructure.

The production also incorporates venue injects, with game-side presentation elements seamlessly integrated into Gravity Media’s London galleries, elevating storytelling and live coverage.

This project highlights Gravity Media’s continued investment in advanced remote production technologies and its ability to deliver complex, multi-location workflows at scale for major international sporting events, according to Kate Rendle, Global Sales Director at Gravity Media.

“This is a perfect example of how Gravity Media is redefining what’s possible in remote production. By integrating our London Production Centre with live presentation in New York, we’re able to deliver a seamless, resilient and highly creative workflow for one of the world’s biggest sporting events. Our investment in infrastructure ensures that we can support our clients with true operational flexibility and continuity, no matter what challenges arise. It’s about delivering innovation and reliability at scale, and we’re proud to be doing that for ITV.”

ITVX says it achieved its strongest monthly performance to date in June, crossing the 400 million monthly streams milestone for the first time in its history.

ITV Sport showed seven out of the top ten biggest matches in the group stages, including England's two winning games, with peak audiences of 16.4 million and 13.8 million respectively, as well as the opening match of the tournament, Mexico vs South Africa, Norway vs France, Netherlands vs Japan, Scotland vs Morocco, and Germany vs Cote D’Ivoire.

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

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

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

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

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

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

MELBOURNE, Australia—Gravity Media, a global provider of production and content and media services and facilities, delivered the Australian Open 2026 with a bespoke international broadcast centre and large-scale IP production environment. Together, this formed the technical backbone for Tennis Australia’s creative, editorial and operational delivery of the tournament to audiences worldwide.

Across the 15-day tournament, Jan. 23-Feb. 1, Gravity Media delivered more than 200 hours of coverage to international and domestic rights holders, including Nine Network in Australia, ESPN, Eurosport, CCTV, and WOWOW.

The 2026 tournament marked the 12th year of the broadcast and technology partnership between Gravity Media and Tennis Australia, and the 22nd year Gravity Media provided host broadcast technical facilities for the Australian Open.

A dedicated team of 75 specialists from Australia, the UK, the Netherlands, Belgium and Germany designed, deployed, and operated the Melbourne Park broadcast centre, managing over 100 tonnes of fly-away infrastructure and more than 150 broadcast cameras across the precinct.

Across Melbourne Park, 172 camera sources captured every match and surrounding activity, including:

• Spidercam above centre court
• Sony HDC 3500 / 5500 cameras, with super slow-motion and ultra-motion camera channels
• Robotic camera systems
• 22 roving RF cameras and two remote RF robotic cameras delivering mobile and panoramic views across the venue

An extensive RF and communications network supported seamless operations throughout the site, with 48 Bolero antenna positions enabling 150 belt packs for presenters, production staff, and rightsholders.

The production galleries and audio control rooms were housed at Tennis Australia’s headquarters and was connected via 500 metres of fibre and dual 700-gig data links to the central equipment room at the broadcast compound.

The facilities comprised 10 production galleries, nine audio control rooms, and 11 ViBox systems covering the outside courts. In total, the environment supported over 130 operating positions and more than 150 multiviewers displaying approximately 1,700 picture-in-picture sources.

Signal routing was managed through a large-scale IP and baseband system providing a 4,000 x 4,000 routing environment, while over 2,500 audio signals were handled through a hybrid Audio Live and Calrec solution. This fully IP-based architecture enabled the integration of live match coverage, highlights production, and digital content workflows, according to Gravity.

As part of the 2026 deployment, Gravity Media refreshed the technical furniture across the production facilities, replacing workstations that had been in service for more than a decade while maintaining the established layouts developed with Tennis Australia.

In the lead-up to the Australian Open, Gravity Media delivered broadcast and technical facilities for the United Cup in Perth and Sydney, as well as the Brisbane International and Adelaide International.

For the United Cup, Gravity Media provided outside broadcast production trucks and facilities in each city, accessing 28 cameras, multiple EVS replay and edit suites and Livetools equipment for use by teams and players. Additional bespoke fly-away production systems were implemented in Sydney so that Tennis Australia could integrate coverage from multiple cities into a fully produced “world feed” for delivery across international broadcast and subscription platforms.

The Adelaide International and Brisbane International were supported with state-of-the-art high-definition outside broadcast trucks, using 22 cameras across each site to deliver bespoke coverage for Tennis Australia and its domestic and international broadcast partners.

In addition to its role as host broadcast technical partner, Gravity Media continued to support international broadcast partners, including ESPN and Eurosport, with production and technology services for their Australian Open coverage.

“The Australian Open continues to be one of the most complex and rewarding productions in the world of live sport,” said Eamonn Curtin, Chief Commercial Officer of Gravity Media. “Delivering this coverage is a true demonstration of the collaboration and expertise of our teams across Australia and Europe. 2026 builds on our legacy of collaboration and we’re proud to support Tennis Australia in bringing this iconic tournament to audiences everywhere.”

Mobile production company Gravity Media has signed a long-term contract with ATP Media, the media arm of the ATP Tour, to deliver global coverage of over 60 of the ATP Tour’s world-renowned tennis tournaments including the ATP Masters 1000s, ATP 500s, ATP 250s and the season-ending Nitto ATP Finals.  

The companies term the new deal as “the beginning of a new and exciting next chapter” to “deliver a new approach to the production of tennis across the world.” As part of this new approach, ATP Media has worked closely with Gravity Media on the specification of the  galleries and working areas for ATP Media Studios, which will be based at Gravity Media’s brand-new  Production Centre in London, White City which opened earlier this year.  

The 50,000 square foot ATP Media Studios is part of the newly commissioned Gravity Media facility housed  in The Westworks precinct, and features production, post-production and live studio capabilities coupled with best-in-class technology  to support both on-premise and distributed remote production workflows. 

Gravity Media’s state-of-the-art facility is based around a fully-fledged 2110 IP media fabric. ATP Media Studios will comprise two large production and sound control rooms for the ATP Masters 1000 tournaments,  two medium production and sound control rooms for the ATP 500s and a dedicated area to produce the 38 ATP 250 events as well as seven flexible control rooms, six craft edit suites, six voiceover booths, a vision  control room, EVS room as well as a dedicated office space, broadcast operations centre and media management facilities. 

To deliver new production outcomes for ATP Media, the partnership with Gravity Media also involves building  an innovative and bespoke outside broadcast truck solution which is integrated natively with ATP Media  Studios. This solution allows ATP Media to ensure the migration of broadcast feeds from onsite to ATP  Media Studios at Gravity Media’s Production Centre in London (White City)—beginning initially with remote  world feed management through to remoting replay operators, vision control and media management, and  then scaling to fully remote court production.  

At each ATP Masters 1000 tournament, ATP Media is also introducing new camera positions and increasing  the number of both on-court and off-court cameras, and will access specialist, robotic and on-court camera  technologies designed and developed by Gravity Media’s specialist camera team to enhance the overall  viewer experience.  

As part of the new agreement, Gravity Media and ATP Media will deploy Sony HDC series camera channels, EVS XT Via servers and Calrec audio core and consoles worldwide and at ATP Media Studios at the Gravity Media Production Centre in London. Further technology upgrades will also be rolled out as part of this new partnership with ATP Media and  Gravity Media committed to further enhancing television production values.  

ATP Media and Gravity Media said the new production solutions are designed to promote a greener and environmentally sustainable approach to coverage of the ATP Tour—an approach  that significantly the companies said increases efficiencies and reduces production freight and logistics undertakings.

The first tournament under the new agreement goes live from ATP Media Studios at the Gravity Media  Production Centre in London in June. 

“It is an extremely proud moment for me and the wider team, as we announce our long term production  partnership, delivering ATP Media’s global broadcast and creative technology innovation solutions—building  on an already long-standing relationship, said John Newton, Gravity Media’s CEO and Founder. “Ensuring we will deliver the most advanced remote broadcast solutions across the ATP Media assets as  well as from our brand-new media hub, Production Centre London means we are poised to lead the way in  the future of tennis broadcasts. 

“This contract will ensure the most environmentally sustainable approaches are embraced, whilst ensuring  we can provide more roles to the broadcast industry welcoming and encouraging a new generation of talent  to come on board with both Gravity Media and ATP Media,” Newton added. 

“Gravity Media has been an important strategic partner for ATP Media over an extended period of time and so when Gravity Media stepped up to the plate with its bid under our very detailed and transparent tender  process, we were naturally delighted, said ATP Media CEO Mark Webster.  "ATP Media has been acutely aware that, to ensure it continues to be at the forefront of live and non-live  sports content production, it needs to continually re-invest in its production capabilities. 

"With the unfortunate  Covid-19 pandemic, such re-investment naturally had to be put on hold, but the tender process addressed  that and this innovative and wide ranging deal with Gravity Media, an organization ATP Media has implicity trusted for many years, will now turbo-charge our production and take ATP Tour tennis to the next level for  its fans,” Webster added. 

SYDNEY, Australia—Gravity Media, a global media production, creative service and facilities company, has added several Fujinon 4K lenses to its inventory, using them to cover Australia’s Repco Supercars Championship races. 

“Our requirements were to upgrade the fleet of our large lenses from HD to 4K standard, with an industry leading manufacturer, said George Hennessy, Gravity Media’s Broadcast Project Manager – Supercars. ”Our criterium was based on the robust and dynamic environments of both outdoor fast-moving sports such as Supercars and Touring Car Racing (TCR) in locations around Australia through all months of the year. After a full and comprehensive assessment of all available 4K large lens options, Fujinon's UA125×8BESM and UA107x8.4BESM lenses were deemed the best and those that met our requirements perfectly.”

As well as covering Supercars races Gravity Media said it also has many productions in light entertainment with studio-based shows that require the camera and lens to operate and perform in highly dynamic lighting conditions with contrasting set and lights demanding the very best the industry has to offer.

Hennessy continued, “The motorsport calendar of Supercars and TCR takes the season of racing from sub-tropical to sub-Antarctic locations and experiencing all weather extremes. Heat haze with high humidity in some locations with cold winter weather and foggy conditions in other areas of the country require broadcast lenses not only able to perform in optimal conditions, but more importantly also in highly challenging atmospheric conditions when they are called to still perform and cut through these environmental challenges. 

"The cameras we use with the lenses are not only for the live action, but also extreme slow-motion replays with both foreground and background framing to shot composition vital to the production’s storytelling narrative," he added. I’m happy to say the new FUJINON 4K box lenses suit and meet these styles and requirements perfectly.”

Fujinon’s UA125×8BESM achieved both the highest magnification 125x and 4K optical performance of any zoom lens and the UA107x8.4BESM was specifically designed to produce 4K UHD performance from the latest 4K 2/3″ Ultra HD cameras. Both lenses are ideal for live sports coverage particularly when they are used together in a production, the company said. 

Most recently Gravity Media used the UA125 and UA107 lenses at Supercars races in Darwin, on the Gold Coast and in Adelaide. 

“On the Gold Coast Street circuit we used six of our new Fujinon lenses on field of play cameras to shoot field coverage of the Gold Coast Street Circuit," Hennessey explained. "Typical shots included fast panning and long throw zooming to tight shots from 400 metres down to 15 metres in distance. The Fujinon lenses gave good throw and could easily go further if needed. 

"The lenses performed brilliantly with zero issues despite very high temperatures and significant humidity," he added. "It was the same story for the Adelaide 500 where we used eight of the Fujinon lenses in a similar way for similar shots and again, all of the lenses performed perfectly and without any issues.”

LOS ANGELES—In an upcoming edition of SMPTE Hollywood’s “Meet an Industry Innovator” webinar series, the organization will tackle new approaches to producing sports and other live events.

Taking place on Oct. 8, “SMPTE Hollywood Meet an Industry Innovator: Remote Production Comes to Sports Broadcasts” will feature Mobile TV Group COO Nick Garvin and Director of Technology Dale Canino to discuss the company’s IP-based mobile production unit. Marc Genin, executive vice president, and Will Wright, head of production and content/executive producer, of Gravity Media will also be on hand to discuss their efforts to help move sports and other broadcasters off-site

Greg Ciaccio, creative technologist, has been tapped to moderate.

PLUS: Your Guide to the Latest Industry Webcasts

The SMPTE webinar will take place at noon PT/3 p.m. ET on Oct. 8. To register for the free event, click here. 

WATFORD, ENGLAND—Gravity Media Group is spreading its reach by acquiring European sports production company Input Media. Under the deal, Input Media will retain its branding, current leadership team and staff, and continue to work with its client base.

With this acquisition, GMG adds to its group of subsidiaries—the company also owns Gearhouse Broadcast and Hyperactive Broadcast—as well as increases its ability to provide end-to-end production and technical facilities. Specifically, Input Media will offer services for remote production through its fiber and satellite infrastructure.

Input Media’s clients include UEFA, The FA, BBC Sport, ITV Sport, the French Tennis Federation, the International Tennis Federation, Pitch International, Box Nation and Premier League Clubs Chelsea, Arsenal and Tottenham Hotspur.

The deal was a multi-million pound transaction according to GMG’s official press release. It is also the first major acquisition the company has made since securing an investment from TowerBrook Capital Partners in September 2016 to fund future growth.