WASHINGTON—The NAB Show has announced the agenda for the Broadcast Engineering and IT (BEIT) Conference, taking place April 5-9 (Exhibits April 6-9) during the show in Las Vegas.

The event will “launch” with a keynote session featuring a live 4K UHD conversation with NASA astronauts aboard the International Space Station, showcasing new live UHD switching and routing capability at the agency’s Johnson Space Center in Houston.

"Live from the International Space Station: The BEIT Conference Opening" will explore the evolution of global broadcasting, from the grainy 1969 Moon landing to the upcoming Artemis III mission, expected to be the largest live-streamed event in history. This session will examine the challenges and innovations that will define the future of broadcast technology, content distribution and media consumption on April 5 at 9:30 a.m.

Moderated by Bob Jacobs, retired senior communications executive at NASA, the keynote panel will feature insights from NASA astronaut Tracy C. Dyson, Rebecca Sirmons, general manager and head of NASA+, John Lysic, VP Americas Engineering Services, Harmonic and Frank Governale SVP Production Technology and Operations, Paramount.

This is not the first time the ISS has been in the spotlight at the NAB SHow. In 2017, the NAB Show, NASA, and Amazon Web Services hosted a similar live 4K conversation with the space station.

Engineering the Future: AI, Cloud, Streaming and Next-Gen Broadcasting
The BEIT Conference will feature more than 70 expert-led sessions, panel discussions and technical paper presentations, focusing on the latest advancements in AI-driven workflows, software-defined broadcasting, cybersecurity and Next-Gen TV implementation.

In a recent interview, John Clark, senior vice president, NAB Emerging Technology, previewed what he thought the hot topics would be at this year’s BEIT.

“AI is big everywhere, so we have some pretty interesting sessions around AI and using it in different ways,” Clark said. “Cloud virtualization is also a hot topic, as well as streaming/OTT.

“The conference is focused on broadcasting, but it's actually a bit broader, something I call ‘more broad media,” Clark said, adding that ATSC 3.0 will also be front and center, specifically the Broadcast Positioning System (aka “BPS”). “You can't have a broadcast conference without talking a lot about NextGen TV.”

Clark said the conference has evolved over time to attract a wide variety of technologists in the media and entertainment space. “Attendees include broadcasters, whether it be managers or chief engineers—we even see some programmers and coders attached to a traditional broadcast entity,” he said. “We see the R&D folks as well as universities, researchers and equipment manufacturers as well.”

Attendees will gain firsthand insights into how broadcast engineers and technology leaders are leveraging AI to enhance newsroom integrity, combat deepfake threats and improve production workflows. Sessions will also cover the expanding role of cloud virtualization in media production and distribution, the evolution of streaming/OTT services and emerging trends in ATSC 3.0 and Broadcast Positioning Systems (BPS). Featured brands presenting include Amazon Web Services, Google Cloud, Intel, Nvidia OneMedia and Paramount.

Key Sessions Include:

• NextGen TV: the New Frontier for Content Interactivity and Immersive Experiences
• From Camera to Cloud: Unlocking Global Collaboration and Real-Time Editing for Live Sports
• Integrated Newsrooms with Generative AI: Efficiency, Accuracy and Beyond
• Software Defined Broadcast: A New Way Forward for Video Production

Recognizing Innovation and Excellence at BEIT
The BEIT Conference will spotlight the groundbreaking research and technical achievements shaping the industry. The Best Paper Award and Best Student Paper Award, co-sponsored by IEEE BTS, will be presented during the opening session, recognizing the most impactful contributions to broadcast engineering and IT. Selected papers will be featured in the official Proceedings of the 2025 NAB BEIT Conference and presented by leading professionals and emerging scholars to share expertise, discover breakthrough technologies and shape the future of media.

Long-Standing Partnerships
BEIT 2025 continues its long-standing partnerships with the IEEE Broadcast Technology Society (BTS), the Society of Broadcast Engineers (SBE), the North American Broadcasters Association (NABA) and the Society of Cable Telecommunications Engineers (SCTE). This year also features a new relationship with the Public Media Venture Group (PMVG). Notable session collaborations include:

• IEEE BTS Student Paper Award: Recognizing outstanding contributions from emerging scholars in broadcast technology.
• NABA: Is WMAS (Wireless Multichannel Audio System) the Future for Wireless Mics?
• PMVG: A showcase of NextGen TV applications at its laboratory station in Cookeville, Tennessee.
• SBE Ennes Workshops: Two days of specialized tracks covering RF 101 Bootcamp and Media Over IP Essentials.
• SCTE’s Maximizing FAST Channel Revenue: A deep dive into revenue-generating strategies for free ad-supported streaming television (FAST) channels.

Register for the NAB Show and BEIT here.

WASHINGTON—The National Association of Broadcasters announced the promotions of four staff members in several departments to senior vice president.

Nicole Gustafson and Josh Pollack were promoted to senior vice president, Government Relations. Both joined NAB in 2017 and advocate before Congress and the Administration on behalf of broadcasters regarding legislative and federal policy issues. Gustafson previously served in offices of Majority Whip Steve Scalise (R-LA); former Majority Leader/Minority Whip Eric Cantor (R-VA); and Sens. John Cornyn (R-TX) and Chuck Grassley (R-IA). Pollack previously served as special assistant to the President for Legislative Affairs during the Obama Administration and as a congressional aide to former Sen. Paul Sarbanes (D-MD).

Laura Kaufman has been promoted to senior vice president and corporate counsel, Legal and Regulatory Affairs. She joined NAB in 2019 and also serves as secretary and corporate counsel for the NAB Leadership Foundation. She previously worked in the law firms of BakerHostetler and Seyfarth Shaw.

John Clark, who joined NAB in 2016, has been promoted to senior vice president, Emerging Technology and executive director, PILOT. In his position, Clark leads NAB’s PILOT initiative, a coalition of innovators, educators and advocates dedicated to advancing broadcast technologies and cultivating new media opportunities. He was previously the executive director of the Reese News Lab in the School of Media and Journalism at the University of North Carolina.

“These well-deserved promotions recognize the leadership and integral role that Nicole, Josh, Laura and John have played in so many of NAB’s recent accomplishments on behalf of broadcasters,” said NAB President and CEO Curtis LeGeyt. “NAB is fortunate to have individuals of their talent and experience working every day to ensure a bright and vibrant future for broadcast radio and television stations across the country.” 

PISCATAWAY, N.J.—As the executive director of NAB’s Pilot, which focuses on industry innovation, John Clark has been tapped to speak during the upcoming IEEE Broadcast Technology Symposium in a keynote titled “Inspiration for Innovation.”

Prior to joining Pilot, Clark worked for 18 years in the digital media space as the general manager of the local news website WRAL.com and as the executive director of the Reese News Lab in the School of Media and Journalism at the University of North Carolina.

Clark says that he will focus on “the powerful inspirations for innovation regardless of industry, specific technology, or even our own expertise.”

The keynote address will take place on Friday, Oct. 14, during the BTS Awards Lunch. IEEE BTS will run from Oct. 12-14 in Hartford, Conn. Online registration and more information is available here.