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

Financial terms were not disclosed.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Supporting Hillier is a revamped leadership team, including:

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

MELVILLE, N.Y.—Chyron has launched “Chyron Academy,” which the company describes as a “ground-up redesign” of the company’s product-training platform. Built on a fully custom, Chyron-branded learning experience, the new Academy replaces Chyron’s previous training system based on a third-party platform and launches with learning content covering the latest version of PRIME, Chyron’s flagship real-time broadcast graphics platform.

Chyron Academy is designed to serve two audiences at once: customers and freelancers training on PRIME for the first time, and longtime Chyron users looking to become experts in the platform’s latest capabilities. Over the life of the previous legacy training program, more than 3,700 broadcast professionals registered to train on Chyron products, earning nearly 1,900 belt certifications across PRIME, PAINT, and Click Effects, including more than 60 Certified PRIME Black Belts worldwide. Chyron has transitioned that community to the new platform, migrating more than 950 current learners, along with the full certification history for every learner.

The redesigned Academy centers on a PRIME Belt certification path, taking learners through four levels: Yellow (Designer Basics), Green (Intermediate), Blue (Advanced), and Black (Expert), with earned badges and completion dates appearing on each learner’s dashboard as a visual record of skill mastery. Every course module pairs a demo with a hands-on, full-screen simulation, so learners practice real PRIME workflows, such as building a lower-third graphic step by step, rather than passively watching video.

An animated progress dial fills as learners complete demos, simulations, and quizzes, with a belt certification awarded automatically at 100 percent completion. Learners can enroll and move through the belt levels at their own pace. The program is suitable for individual learners, or supervisors or instructors can monitor the progress of their teams.The platform launches with five published PRIME courses spanning roughly 150 hands-on lessons, demos, simulations, and quizzes combined.

“Chyron Academy was inspired by, and has satisfied, a need we kept hearing from customers,” said Aldo Campisi, vice president of sales at Chyron for Latin America, Caribbean and French Canada. “A customer facing an end-of-life decision on their existing hardware chose Chyron, and this tool is what helped their team become experts in our workflow and our solution. That is exactly the value we set out to deliver: practical, hands-on training that gets a team productive and ready to launch on PRIME fast. Long time Chyron customers love it too. It is an effective way to bring their new hires up to speed quickly and ensure that even experienced users are fluent in everything PRIME has to offer.”

The new Academy also fully showcases the latest version of PRIME, ensuring teams train on current tools and workflows. A new Chyron LIVE production course is being added in the coming weeks to train users on Chyron’s all-in-one cloud production system for switching, graphics and illustrated replay. Additionally, training for PAINT (illustrated replay), Click Effects (venue display control), and AXIS (image creation and order management) is being re-platformed onto the new Academy, extending the same hands-on experience across Chyron’s product family.

Chyron says its Chyron Academy is also drawing interest from the academic world, with colleges and universities exploring adding PRIME training to their broadcast and media-production curricula, giving the next generation of operators job-ready skills before they enter the industry.

To mark the launch, anyone without a current PRIME trial license can claim a 90-day free trial of PRIME by logging in to the new Chyron Academy and starting a course. Access the service at academy.chyron.com.

“We originally launched Chyron Academy in 2020, with a strong commitment to ensuring that users anywhere in the world could become thoroughly fluid in the world’s most advanced live graphics platform, and that broadcasters would always have a pool of qualified users,” states Carol Bettencourt, vice president of marketing at Chyron. “We are proud of how our academy has enabled the professional development of so many people. With this new platform, we know we can deliver an even better learning experience and we welcome anyone who wants to join the growing community of Chyron experts!”

About one third of the way through the 2026 FIFA World Cup and Fox Sports is assessing the first two weeks of coverage in the quadrennial tournament. As the host U.S. broadcaster, Fox Sports is working out of the International Broadcast Center at the Kay Bailey Hutchison Convention Center in Dallas, where HBS, (Host Broadcaster Services). The facility serves as HBS's global broadcast operations center for 180 broadcasters covering the tournament taking place across 16 host cities in Canada, Mexico and the USA, June 11-July 19.

As expected, the technical operations have run smoothly with the biggest challenges being pure logistics and preparing for the unexpected, according to Kevin Callahan, senior vice president of field operations and engineering for Fox Sports.

“The biggest challenge is by far the weather and travel in North America and the size and enormity of the coverage,” he said. Criss-crossing between stadiums on the west coast to the east coast in one day while managing coverage of multiple matches simultaneously is no easy task but Callahan believes the network has created the kind of memorable event that resonates with soccer fans.

“What we are bringing to the viewer is truly amazing,” he said. “We want to be where the fans are, we want to create that sense of FOMO for fans—if you're not out at the matches, you're missing the big party of this tournament.”

NEVER ENOUGH
In broadcast, one can never have enough redundancy and that philosophy extends to the World Cup like perhaps no other event, especially one played in the middle of summer when weather plays such an important role, from whether a game is played on schedule or technical or on-air talent have to travel from city to city.

“We have plans in place for every scenario that we can think of,” Callahan said. "I have a firm belief, if you have one, you have none; if you have two, you have one. So, when it comes to equipment redundancy, we have that in place. We have some personnel redundancy, but we also have backup plans when it comes to travel.”

One area that Callahan noted was the impact of construction on maintaining connections.

“It’s construction season in the summer in the U.S., particularly in northern routes, and we've certainly dealt with our fair share of fiber cuts,” Callahan said, adding that none of those cuts have resulted in the loss of signal “because of the diversity that our network engineering and architecture team has put in place.”

All matches have commentators in-venue, but Fox Sports’ studio show travels to venues across the three countries as well, giving Fox a presence inside each stadium while keeping much of the production engine in familiar facilities.

Fox Sports is leaning on its HRP (Home Run Productions) workflows for both its match and studio coverage. Upgraded for the World Cup, HRP’s REMI infrastructure is a standards-based IP workflow that uses Appear’s X platform to support both JPEG XS and low-latency HEVC on a single platform.

Although the matches themselves are produced by HBS on behalf of FIFA, Fox picks up the feed at the International Broadcast Center in Dallas and sends it to production facilities in L.A.

The link between traveling studio teams and the L.A.-based hub includes Fox’s BRISK systems, which Callahan describes as ST 2110-based flypacks that integrate with the company’s permanent facilities, with JPEG XS encoding from Appear used to support low-latency feeds from venues back to the control rooms.

In practical terms, the model allows Fox to keep the live feel of a stadium production without having to replicate the same full-scale setup in every city. Commentators and hosts can remain close to the action, while core production staff work from a consistent base.

'MASTERS OF RESILIENCY'
When the HBS opened last month, FIFA President Gianni Infantino hailed the facility as "the most technologically advanced and top of the art international broadcast center that the world has ever seen."

Callahan sang the praises of HBS as well.

“They truly are masters of resiliency and redundancy as well—they have a plan for everything,” Callahan said. “The signals that they've been able to provide us in the world have been, the signals themselves look pristine. The super slow mo replays that they've added more of this year have been fantastic and really help share the emotion of the tournament.”

Callahan was particularly happy with HBS’s increased attention to audio.

"Over the years, we've been commenting to HBS that we want more field effects—we want to hear more of what's actually going on on the pitch,” Callahan said. “One of the challenges that you face when it comes to soccer is just the sheer size of the pitch and the distance you can actually put a microphone from where the sound is coming from. HBS has done a fantastic job at being able to capture those close ball effects a lot better, and what's going on on the pitch a lot better, and I think this tournament they've nailed it more than anything.”

Since early May, Fox Sports has produced all its content in HDR, and Callahan noted the progress the network has made on the standard.

“Fox switched our entire facility to HDR for the first time, so everything that we're doing in the building is coming natively as HDR, Callahan said. “In the past, when we've done these events, [some of] our studio programming would have originated in SDR. So this is the first time that truly everything is HDR.”

Having a consistent look throughout the expanded 104-match tournament has been a goal from the first day and Callahan says HBS’s role is crucial in this respect.

“You'll be hard pressed to be able to tell the difference between one vs. the other when it comes to the quality of replays, the quality of coverage, they're all consistent, which is really what you want.”

MCLEAN, Va.—As America marks its historic 250th birthday, Tegna has announced that it will culminate its year-long, cross-platform storytelling initiative “America’s 250: Red, White & YOU” with a one hour special on June 29.

The special will be hosted by Lesli Foster and Lorenzo Hall from Tegna’s WUSA station in Washington, D.C. It will be broadcast and streamed across all Tegna stations beginning June 29.

“Our journalists are uniquely positioned to tell the stories that together create a powerful portrait of who we are as Americans,” said Raquel Amparo, senior vice president of content at Tegna. “`America’s 250: Red, White & YOU’ is a reminder that local journalism creates a shared national experience connecting communities across the country.”

Throughout the year-long initiative, Tegna’s local news teams have shined a light on the neighbors who shape our communities—from passionate educators and artists to dedicated volunteers, veterans and entrepreneurs.

The one-hour special will air during the week of June 29 on Tegna television stations and stream on their digital and Connected TV platforms. An encore presentation will be available in July. Check local listings for air dates and times.

As the 2026 FIFA World Cup moved into the 32-team knockout stage, Fox Sports said viewer interest in the tournament is still strong.

Fox’s June 19 coverage of four matches set an English-language record for the largest full-day audience of men’s World Cup coverage in the U.S., the network said.

The United States-Australia match attracted 16.217 million viewers, making it the second-most-watched English-language group stage telecast in the U.S. ever, followed by 9.174 million average viewers (10.548 million peak viewers) for Scotland-Mexico.

The day also saw 8.741 million viewers (9.894 million peak viewers) for Brazil-Haiti and 2.752 million viewers (3.157 million peak viewers) for Turkey-Paraguay.

Team USA’s 2-0 defeat of Australia had a peak audience of 21.219 million and was the top-rated Friday-afternoon telecast on broadcast TV since Fox’s Christmas Day Minnesota Vikings-New Orleans Saints NFL telecast in 2020.

It was also the second-most-watched U.S. men’s national team game since the U.S.-Paraguay group-stage World Cup match on June 12.

KINGS PARK, N.Y.—MultiDyne Video & Fiber Optic Systems is acquiring the assets of MRMC (Mark Roberts Motion Control), a pioneering developer of robotic camera systems, motion control solutions and automated camera tracking technologies for broadcast, digital cinema, sports production and live events.

Nikon announced in April that it was selling MRMC.

As part of the transaction, MultiDyne has established MultiDyne Robotics and Motion Control, a new company that will maintain the well-known MRMC brand.

The acquisition brings MRMC’s core technologies, intellectual property, manufacturing capabilities and key engineering expertise into the MultiDyne organization, creating a powerful combination of complementary technologies that extend MultiDyne’s reach to the very beginning of the content creation chain.

"MRMC is a world-class brand with an exceptional reputation for innovation, engineering excellence and customer success," said Frank Jachetta, CEO of MultiDyne. "This acquisition represents a natural and highly strategic extension of our business. MultiDyne has long been focused on the transport, processing and management of video, audio and data signals. MRMC places us at the point of image acquisition itself, allowing us to participate in a much broader portion of the production workflow. Together, our technologies create a powerful end-to-end ecosystem for content creators, broadcasters and live production professionals worldwide."

MRMC has been recognized as a pioneer in camera robotics and motion control for six decades, developing award-winning solutions that enable precision camera movement, automated tracking, virtual production workflows and cinematic motion control for some of the world's leading broadcasters, filmmakers and content creators.

The move comes during a milestone year for MultiDyne as the company celebrates its 50th anniversary, marking five decades of innovation and strategic growth across broadcast, digital cinema, Pro AV and live production markets.

The MultiDyne and MRMC product portfolios have virtually no overlap. Instead, the two companies serve many of the same customers, channel partners and markets with complementary technologies.

MultiDyne's fiber-optic transport, camera interface and signal processing solutions are widely used throughout professional production environments to move video, audio and data across complex infrastructures. MRMC's robotic camera systems, tracking solutions, motion control rigs and automated production technologies complement those workflows by controlling the physical movement, positioning and automation of the cameras themselves.

The combined portfolio will strengthen MultiDyne's position across broadcast television, sports production, digital cinema, virtual production, corporate AV, houses of worship, live events and emerging content creation markets, the company said.

The acquisition also significantly strengthens MultiDyne's international presence, particularly in Europe, where MRMC has built a respected global brand and loyal customer base. MultiDyne plans to maintain MRMC's operations in the United Kingdom while preserving the engineering expertise, product innovation and customer relationships that have made the company a trusted partner throughout the industry.

Neil Maycock, a member of the MultiDyne leadership team, will run MRMC as Managing Director and emphasized the importance of continuity for customers and partners.

"MRMC has earned tremendous loyalty throughout the broadcast and cinema industries because of its innovation, product quality and commitment to customer success," said Maycock. "Our priority is ensuring continuity for customers, partners and ongoing projects while creating a strong foundation for future growth. We see tremendous opportunities to expand the reach of MRMC technologies through MultiDyne's global sales channels, customer relationships and long-term investment strategy."

The acquisition represents the latest in a series of strategic growth initiatives that have expanded MultiDyne's technology portfolio, geographic reach and market presence over the past decade.

TOMBOLO, Italy—Wisycom has announced further improvements to its ecosystem of professional wireless solutions with the MPR60 Wideband IEM/IFB Receiver with expanded multichannel IFB mode, MATF Wideband Antenna Matrix and PFL Portable RF over Fiber (RFoF) Box.

Together, these technologies deliver significant tech improvements for large‑scale, complex wireless infrastructures across broadcast, live events, corporate production and RF over Fiber applications.

The latest firmware update for the MPR60 Wideband IEM/IFB Receiver introduces a powerful three‑channel IFB mode, which enables up to three IFB audio channels to be transmitted over a single 200 kHz RF carrier. When paired with the Wisycom MTK982 transmitter, users can achieve up to 60 IFB audio channels within an 8 MHz TV channel or 45 channels within a 6 MHz TV channel, offering the most RF‑efficient IFB solutions available today.

Even in multichannel mode, the MPR60 maintains full wideband coverage from 470–1,260 MHz and preserves Wisycom’s renowned RF robustness. The receiver’s newly confirmed IP65 rating further strengthens its suitability for outdoor, mobile and high‑demand production environments. The new firmware, MPR60 v1.3.0, MTK982 v2.6.0 and Wisycom Manager 5.0.0, are now available. An optional multichannel IFB license enables users to replace three MTK982 transmitters with a single unit, which reduces rack space, cost and associated RF hardware.

Wisycom’s new MATF Wideband Antenna Matrix, designed for complex, multi‑zone wireless infrastructures and RF over Fiber deployments, supports both coaxial and fiber inputs. It also consolidates multiple rack‑based components into a single, highly flexible unit capable of combining up to eight RF zones in diversity. There are four coaxial outputs that act as either four equal buffered outputs in 8:1 or two equal buffered outputs in the 4:2 setup, which allows more receivers to be connected without the need for additional splitters.

With a wide operating range of 170–1,260 MHz, integrated ultra‑fast Frequency Spectrum Analyzer, remote‑controllable antenna modules and Ethernet‑based system management, the MATF provides unmatched configurability for CAR/CER‑based installations, OB units, TV stations and large‑venue productions. The MATF is available in four configurations, which allows integrators to select the version that best fits their architectural and operational needs.

Wisycom has also begun shipping its new PFL Portable RFoF Box, a rugged, quick‑deploy solution designed for high‑demand broadcast, OB, location sound and live production environments. The unit delivers true diversity over fiber with a dual converter architecture, Ethernet connectivity for remote control or Dante workflows and a Neutrik opticalCON DUO interface, all operable via both mains and a V‑lock battery power source, commonly found in effects camera equipment.

Each enclosure includes dual N‑connectors, integrated power management with temperature‑controlled cooling and protected I/O for field reliability. The portable box comes in three main versions — two for wireless microphone diversity pick-up and one for IEM/IFB applications. Beyond extending the placement of antennas in remote zones from 100m (330 feet) to several kilometers (or miles), the boxes also carry additional signals over the fibers. This includes effects Gigabit Ethernet that can be used to extend signals, such as FX Data, Dante, Shure ShowLink® and Sound Devices NexLink return channel information. The RF over Fiber solutions can also be used with most other wireless microphone systems.

“With the new MPR60 receiver, MATF antenna matrix and PFL Box, we’re giving our customers powerful new tools to manage increasingly complex RF environments,” says René Moerch, group product director, Wisycom. “These solutions were engineered for the world’s most demanding productions where efficiency, flexibility and RF robustness are absolutely critical.”

All three products are available for shipping through Wisycom’s global reseller network.

Clear-com has announced that the production teams for Wheel of Fortune and Jeopardy! have added Clear-Com FreeSpeak wireless and Arcadia Central Station to upgrade their production communications.

Audio Masterpiece’s Gary Vahling, who has worked in the professional audio industry since the early 1990s, served as the lead systems partner for the project. Known for his meticulous preparation and hands-on testing approach, Vahling made sure the communications system was fully validated before deployment, minimizing risk and guaranteeing reliability once it reached the studio floor.

Chris Savage, technical manager and project lead for both shows, oversaw the system design and installation.

“Both shows share a control room but have stages that are effectively miles apart due to walls, pathways, and even parking lots,” Savage explained. “We needed a system that could handle extensive travel between the control room and the stages without a single dropout, and that’s exactly what we achieved.”

The production team on Wheel of Fortune requested a more flexible and channel-rich system to accommodate a technically savvy crew with increased monitoring needs. Clear-Com integrated a combination of FreeSpeak II and FreeSpeak Icon systems, leveraging Bluetooth-enabled beltpacks for maximum ease-of-use, even for executives with minimal technical experience.

For Jeopardy!, reliability and streamlined communication were equally critical in supporting the show’s fast-paced production environment, where timing, contestant coordination, and precision cueing are essential, Clear-com said. The Clear-Com setup provides dedicated wireless coverage across the stage and production areas, giving crew members instant, uninterrupted communication throughout tapings.

The system now supports 30 FreeSpeak II beltpacks and 6 Icon beltpacks for Wheel of Fortune and Jeopardy!, with easy intersystem connectivity.

The upgrade also included Arcadia Central Station, allowing full interoperability with existing Dante-enabled audio networks. This approach enabled lighting and PA crews to continue using legacy FreeSpeak II beltpacks while taking advantage of FreeSpeak Icon’s advanced capabilities.

“The goal was a system that would last for years and scale with evolving production needs,” said Savage. “The team at Clear-Com, working closely with our Partners, delivered a solution that was simple and useful. From control room to stage, operators experienced zero downtime, even during high-pressure live productions.”

NBCUniversal’s Peacock and Telemundo said an average of 2.3 million viewers have watched some of their coverage of the 2026 FIFA World Cup during the competition’s first two weeks, up 277% from the same perioid during the 2022 World Cup in Qatar.

Peacock and Telemundo are the exclusive Spanish-language streaming platforms for the 2026 World Cup. Fox Sports holds the English-language rights to the competition, which runs June 11 through July 19.

Through the first 40 matches, the Average Minute Audience (AMA) across Telemundo and Peacock streaming platforms has averaged 2.3 million viewers, up 277% from the same stage of the 2022 World Cup (622,000 AMA). AMA is defined as the average number of viewers watching the stream in any given minute of the telecast.

Several variables drove the viewership increase, not the least of which is that marquee live matches are being streamed during primetime as the tournament is in North America. Also, Peacock now has a much larger subscriber base at 46 million, more than double the roughly 20 million it had in 2022.

Total Audience Delivery (TAD) over the first 40 World Cup matches averaged 5.5 million viewers, up 141% from 2022. To date, 19 matches have delivered a Total Audience Delivery of more than 5 million viewers, compared to just two matches at the same point in the 2022 tournament.

TAD measures the entire audience across every single platform combined—traditional broadcast television (Telemundo), cable, and all digital streaming platforms (Peacock and apps).

The June 19 U.S.-Australia match delivered TAD of 6.8 million, up 46% from the U.S.’s second Group Stage match of FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 against England (4.7 million). The match ranks as the second most-watched U.S. Men’s FIFA World Cup match ever in Spanish.

Audience engagement remains at historic highs, with 26.2 billion total minutes consumed across Telemundo broadcast, Peacock and Telemundo streaming platforms through the first 40 matches of the tournament, already surpassing the 22 billion total minutes consumed during the entirety of FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 in Spanish, Telemundo said.

Fox Sports, the host broadcaster for the World Cup in the U.S. has also reported record ratings in the early days of the event, with viewership of 18.4 million for the first U.S. men’s game against Paraguay, making it the most-watched World Cup in U.S. history. The second U.S. men’s match against Australia attracted 14.78 million overall viewers on Fox.

The 2026 FIFA World Cup continues across Fox, Telemundo, Universo, Peacock and the Telemundo app through July 19.

In Australia, the patch bay is called a tail board. In the United Kingdom, the engineer responsible for matching cameras is often called a “racker” rather than a shader.

At the FIFA World Cup, those differences disappear remarkably fast.

The world’s largest sporting event brings together hundreds of broadcast professionals from different countries, cultures and technical traditions. Within days, engineers from Australia, England, the United States and beyond must operate as a single crew delivering one of the most recognizable sounds in sports.

They arrive speaking slightly different technical languages. The same piece of equipment or role can have multiple names. Yet by kickoff, those differences largely vanish. The audience hears one broadcast, not the dozens of production cultures working behind it.

What viewers remember is the roar after a goal, the tension before a penalty kick, the swell of a national anthem and the eruption of a stadium after a dramatic winner. They remember how the World Cup feels. Audio is a major part of that feeling.

Australian broadcast veteran Tim Stapleton, audio guarantee for Host Broadcast Services (HBS) in Kansas City, is one of the people responsible for creating that experience. A veteran of UFC, cricket, combat sports in the Middle East and the recent Milan-Cortina Winter Olympics, this is his first World Cup. The scale stood out immediately.

"The World Cup is unique because of the sheer number of moving parts," he said.

Big Event, Big Undertaking
Commentary facilities are handled by a completely separate company, with 10 dedicated booths inside the stadium. Outside, the production compound fills a parking lot with mobile rack rooms and support units from multiple vendors.

The biggest difference from a normal match is the atmosphere. “The crowd makes it sound like a magical moment, not a regular weekly game,” Stapleton said. “You can tell it is something special.”

HBS deploys a standardized audio plan across all venues while adapting to each stadium's characteristics. In Kansas City, the bowl design allows crowd noise to rise naturally, giving the mix team exceptionally clean audience capture.

Capturing that atmosphere requires far more than the standard soccer microphone package. The foundation remains familiar: pitch microphones positioned around the field to capture ball strikes, player movement and referee whistles, along with microphones mounted on cameras to follow the action.

Beyond that foundation, the World Cup expands significantly. Additional crowd microphones and immersive audio arrays are deployed throughout the venue to capture the atmosphere that defines the tournament. In Kansas City, ambient microphone arrays are positioned on the roof, camera deck, and pitch level, allowing the team to capture everything within the roar of the stadium.

The goal isn't simply to make the crowd louder. It's to make viewers feel present.

GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium (or, FIFA is calling it during the tournament, Kansas City Stadium) presents a unique advantage in that regard. Stapleton noted that the stadium's bowl design allows crowd noise to rise naturally through the venue, creating excellent opportunities to capture clean audience reaction.

A Mix That Tells a Story
For Stapleton, however, the technical design is only part of the equation. His approach to mixing is rooted in storytelling. Rather than simply balancing levels, he actively follows the action around the field, searching for sounds that draw viewers deeper into the match. The crowd remains a constant emotional foundation while individual moments are allowed to breathe naturally. "You're telling a story," he said.

Goals are allowed to build organically rather than exaggerated artificially. As the action moves around the field, microphones mounted on handheld cameras, Steadicams and other mobile systems help bring viewers closer to the moments they are seeing on screen. There is even a microphone mounted on the referee, though it is only used during specific review situations.

The Lionel Messi hat trick in Kansas City was a perfect example. “The reaction inside the stadium was immediate and overwhelming,” Stapleton said. Moments like that are exactly why so much effort is placed on crowd capture. The goal isn't simply to hear the reaction; it's to transport viewers into the stadium and allow them to experience the emotion of the moment alongside the fans in attendance.

The technology behind those moments may be sophisticated, but for many of the visiting engineers, the most memorable part of the World Cup has been adapting to life in the United States.

For Felix Harris, an HBS A2 from London with extensive Premier League and Club World Cup experience, the technical approach feels familiar, just on a larger scale. American stadiums, compounds, and travel distances are noticeably bigger than what he's accustomed to in the U.K.

"It's really tomato-tomah-to as far as nomenclature goes," Harris said. "But it's definitely a bit more." A lot more.

Andrew Lilley, another U.K.-based HBS A2, pointed to one practical difference: U.K. vehicle-length restrictions limit how much equipment can fit in a mobile unit. American trucks simply have more room, allowing for larger technical footprints and expanded microphone deployments. “A good tech sheet keeps everyone on the same page,” Lilley said.

Teamwork Comes Quickly
While terminology and workflows may vary, crews quickly find common ground. According to Stapleton, the real key to building a successful crew has nothing to do with technology.

“The first few days are essential,” he said. Crews learn each other’s strengths. They figure out how people communicate. They discover who works best in which roles. Shared meals, a drink after work and long production days help transform a group of strangers into a functioning team. “You spend so much time together that you become a family.”

Harris described the welcome from U.S. crews as warm and accommodating. Lilley joked about adjusting to the food, the lack of public transportation and a level of humidity that felt different from anything he experiences at home. “You do not do green vegetables in the States,” he joked. “And everything is on a bun.”

Stapleton has been impressed by Kansas City itself. “The best part is the locals,” he said. "Everyone has been friendly and willing to help.”

By kickoff, the terminology has been sorted out. The accents have become familiar. The workflows have aligned. Engineers who arrived from different continents are now focused on a single objective, helping billions of viewers feel connected to a match happening thousands of miles away.

Shared meals, long production days and countless hours spent solving problems together have transformed a group of strangers into a crew. The microphones, trucks and technology make that possible. The people make it memorable.

Together, they create the sound of the World Cup.

ALAMEDA, Calif.—Clear-Com has announced the successful deployment and testing of FreeSpeak Cell by RTL Deutschland during a live event production at Germany’s Nürburgring race circuit. The test validated the system’s ability to deliver reliable, low-latency communications across both private and public 5G networks, demonstrating the potential of cellular-based intercom workflows for future broadcast operations, the company reported.

Conducted in collaboration with RTL Deutschland and supported by Deutsche Telekom’s 5G network expertise and connectivity, the proof of concept demonstrated how FreeSpeak Cell can extend communications coverage across large-scale production environments by leveraging existing 5G infrastructure. The test integrated with RTL's existing communications ecosystem and provided stable connectivity across areas that would traditionally require multiple DECT antennas or additional infrastructure.

“For us at RTL, the flexibility of our production workflows is one of our top priorities,” said Jens Schilder, Project-Engineer at RTL Deutschland. “The successful test at the Nürburgring proves that integrating intercom solutions into 5G infrastructures efficiently bridges the last mile of wireless communication. Thanks to FreeSpeak Cell technology, we were able to ensure stable communications coverage across almost the entire Grand Prix circuit, the paddock, and additional production areas without relying on complex infrastructure. This is a decisive step toward fully mobile remote productions that demand the highest standards of latency and reliability.”

By leveraging 5G connectivity, RTL achieved clear audio quality and reliable communications coverage across almost the entire Nürburgring Grand Prix circuit, as well as the paddock and additional production areas including Hatzenbach.

Key results from the text included:

• Successful operation across private campus and public 5G networks
• Extended communications coverage using existing 5G infrastructure
• Integration with RTL's established communications workflow
• Validation of cellular-based intercom technology for live production environments

“The partnership with RTL Deutschland shows our commitment to implementing innovative solutions directly in real-world applications,” added Alex Hemme, sales manager DACH at Clear-Com. “The market demands scalable systems that reduce operating costs while increasing freedom of movement for production teams. FreeSpeak Cell delivers exactly that kind of flexibility and investment security. Demonstrating these capabilities under the demanding conditions of the Nürburgring sends a strong signal to the entire broadcast industry.”

CENTENNIAL, Colo.—Mobile TV Group (MTVG) today launched its full-stack MTVG Production Platform, a comprehensive solution covering every stage of a live broadcast, from on-site capture and production through contribution, media control and final distribution.

Located at the Mountain Media Center, the MTVG Production Platform was built to deliver through a single, unified partner what previously required multiple vendors and a patchwork of systems.

“What we’ve built at the Mountain Media Center isn’t just a facility; it’s the cornerstone of a complete production platform. From the mobile unit through contribution, media control, and all the way to distribution, every piece is connected and purpose-built to work together, for better performance and cost efficiency,” said Nick Garvin, CEO, Mobile TV Group. “Teams and leagues no longer need to stitch together a dozen vendors to get on air. We built this because the industry needs it right now, and the Angels partnership shows exactly what’s possible when you have the full platform behind you.”

The MTVG Production Platform plays an integral role in the daily success of Angels Broadcast Television. In late March, the Angels partnered with MTVG to stand up a complete broadcast network from scratch in one month. Leveraging every layer of the platform, MTVG delivered a fully operational, end-to-end production and distribution solution for the Angels, with the first game airing May 1, 2026.

“As plans for a new broadcast network moved from concept to reality this past spring, we identified MTVG's Production Platform as the best solution for Angels Broadcast Television,” said Molly Jolly, president, Angels Baseball LP. “They leveraged every layer of their platform to provide a fully operational, end-to-end solution in a month. It is an incredible partnership, and the MTVG team proved they are a unified, trusted partner who supported our objectives and positioned us to continue delivering baseball games to our fans.”

The MTVG Production Platform operates across four interconnected capability areas, delivering comprehensive live media capabilities through specialized divisions, including content and production, contribution, media control and centralized production and distribution services.

One year after opening its doors, the Mountain Media Center has become one of the most capable live production facilities in the country. The 300,000-square-foot, Class A facility, located near the Denver Tech Center provides the infrastructure that makes the full-stack platform possible.

The platform includes:

• More than 30+ mobile units
• Over 70 live media control pods
• Two technical operations centers (TOCs)
• 25 Cloud control rooms built nationally
• 24 centralized cloud control stations
• Four Edge/REMI rooms for flexible remote production
• Redundant power stations serving power
• Four data halls with uninterruptible power supplies and redundant generators
• Four satellite uplinks and six satellite downlinks
• Hundreds of fiber strands from multiple providers
• Capable of operating entirely off-grid without external power
• 30 minutes from Denver International Airport; few natural disaster risks

More information is available on the company’s website.

ODENSE, Denmark and Santiago, Chile—Pixop and Dynamics Media Group are reporting that the Pixop platform is the real-time video enhancement layer behind one of the Americas’ only 4K World Cup broadcasts.

Working with Chilevisión, Chile’s exclusive free-to-air rights holder for the tournament, and ClaroVTR, the country’s largest pay-TV operator, Pixop is processing Chilevisión’s live 1080i HD signal and delivering a continuous 4K UHD channel to subscribers throughout the tournament.

The channel, which launched on 1 June 2026, operates 24/7 and is available on VTR channel 710 and Claro channel 557, covering 52 matches of the tournament. In South America, Chile and Brazil are the only territories where viewers can watch the tournament in 4K.

The deployment uses a workflow based as a hybrid cloud architecture. Chilevisión’s live 1080i SDR broadcast signal is contributed via an Appear X20 encoder over secure SRT transport to AWS, where Pixop, the real-time ML-powered video enhancement platform, performs motion-compensated deinterlacing, AI restoration, super-resolution upscaling, and color processing in a single pass at sub-second latency. The resulting signal is encoded and delivered through ClaroVTR’s Harmonic ProStream X, ATEME Titan Live, and Velocix Origin infrastructure to subscribers.

The production configuration delivers 4K SDR at 60fps. HDR conversion was successfully completed during testing; 4K SDR was selected for the production launch based on subscriber device compatibility across ClaroVTR’s installed base.

Several Pixop platform capabilities were developed and strengthened during the project, including a real-time monitoring dashboard, an auto-recovery engine, remote decoder reset controls, and live adjustment of sharpness, clarity and color parameters without requiring encoder restarts.

The origins of the project date back to early 2025, when Dynamics Media Group invited Pixop to conduct live demonstrations in Santiago for Chilean broadcasters and technology partners. Chilevisión attended and subsequently requested a dedicated 4K channel proof of concept, which was completed in March 2026 and demonstrated HD-to-4K upconversion, 60 fps output, long-haul SRT transport, and continuous operation. The PoC led directly to this production deployment.

Dynamics Media Group acted as local integration and coordination partner, organizing the initial demonstrations in Santiago, coordinating technical workshops between all parties, and facilitating the operational deployment.

“At Chilevisión, we are convinced that free-to-air television continues to evolve to stay closer to people every day, especially in today’s highly competitive environment for audience attention,” Edgar Spielmann, chairman of the board, Chilevisión.” That is why we have invested and innovated to make all our programming available in 4K, delivering higher quality in both our content and our audiences' viewing experience. This advancement goes beyond technology: it is an essential part of our brand promise, ‘Vamos Contigo’ (‘We Go With You’). It allows us to be present with greater proximity and detail in our news coverage, entertainment programming, and major sports broadcasts, such as the FIFA World Cup 2026.”

“This is the kind of deployment we built Pixop for. A major live event, a mixed-format contribution chain, a tight latency budget, and an audience that expects premium quality,” added Jon Frydensbjerg, CTO, Pixop. “The team has spent seven years getting the ML processing and the real-time architecture to the point where it can handle this reliably at scale. Delivering 4K World Cup football to Chilean viewers, in one of only a handful of territories in the Americas where that’s possible, is something we’re genuinely proud of.”

The deployment marks Pixop’s first major production in the Americas and the first deployment of the Pixop platform for a live sporting event of this scale in the region.

CHESEAUX-SUR-LAUSANNE, Switzerland, and PHOENIX, Ariz.—Nagravision has launched Nagra Venturi, a new intelligence-led streaming security offering that helps service providers and rights holders detect threats, combat piracy, and safeguard revenue.

Nagra Venturi brings Nagravision’s streaming security capabilities together under a single intelligence-led model, shifting anti-piracy from fragmented, reactive tools to coordinated, data-driven offering.

“With AI in the hands of pirates, the market has reached an inflection point,” said Morten Solbakken, executive vice president and COO at Nagravision. “As piracy becomes faster, more automated, and increasingly intelligent, the industry needs a new approach. Nagra Venturi is built to fight AI with AI, giving operators and rights holders the ability to move faster and with greater precision, providing the clarity to see the full picture, the focus to target the threats that matter, and the impact to protect revenue and the audience experience.”

The new offering is designed to address the fact that today’s pirate operations are automated and increasingly AI-assisted, scaling illegal services globally within minutes and targeting live sports during the narrow window when content is most valuable. That has put operators and rights holders in the difficult position of managing growing volumes of data and alerts, without clarity on which actions will make the biggest difference.

Nagra Venturi answers that challenge by transforming security data into prioritized, decisive action. It aggregates and analyzes data from across the streaming ecosystem to create a real-time view of piracy activity, identifies the highest-value threats, and coordinates targeted intervention where it will have the greatest business impact. Rather than reacting to every signal, teams can focus on the threats that matter most to their business.

Through its managed service option, Nagra Venturi includes Nexus, the Nagra Anti-Piracy Center, where analysts coordinate monitoring, intelligence, investigation, and enforcement against a global view of piracy activity. Because Nagravision tracks the wider ecosystem rather than a single network, it can uncover pirate infrastructure and leaked content that individual operators may never see, then coordinate disruption across multiple points at once to maximize impact. Individual solutions, including forensic watermarking and multi-DRM, remain available as standalone solutions within the Nagra Venturi portfolio.

“For more than 30 years, Nagravision has protected the world’s most valuable content,” adds Solbakken. “Built on that heritage—and informed by decades of front-line anti-piracy intelligence—Nagra Venturi moves content protection from a reactive, tool-based model to a proactive, intelligence-led one designed for today’s piracy landscape. Nagravision is proud to be leading the charge to help its customers demonstrate the impact of their anti-piracy strategy—one that proves its value in commercial terms, not just technical ones.”

To learn more about Nagra Venturi, visit nagra.vision.

This week organizers for the annual IBC Show offered a preview of its plans for the upcoming annual event, Sept. 11-14 at the RAI Amsterdam.

IBC CEO Mike Crimp said the show will increase its emphasis on networking opportunities both at the show and online.

To that end, the show is launching the “Braindate Lounge” an initiative that will help attendees prepare in advance of the show.

Braindate Lounge will enable attendees to form their own peer groups online prior to the show and will be seeded with expert discussions from IBC consultants and from the show’s conference program around key topics, according to Crimp.

“People can go on there and form their own key topics and gather a group of people around them to do that,” he said. “I suppose the power of IBC is, in a way, is the power to convene, so all of those people will be able to take their meetings online to create an actual meeting between them on site in the Braindate Lounge, and they will be able to sit down, discuss their topics, discuss what they've seen, create their own knowledge networks.”

The show’s “Future Tech” zone, in Hall 14, will increase its focus on startups with the launch of “Future Tech Ignite,” dedicated to startups, emerging tech, future talent, and the creative community, according to Joe.

“We're also extending our partnership with EIT Culture and Creativity, and they are going to become the Future Tech Ignite innovation partner, which will really help strengthen IBC links with Europe's creative innovation communities,” said Jo Mayer, head of marketing for IBC.

Expanded from a single day to all four days of the show, “Ignite Stage”in the Future Tech area, will feature startup pitches, future-focused sessions, and talent/skills content across all four days of the show, Mayer added.

Key themes for this year’s show are: the transformation of sport, trust and authenticity, and new commercial models, which tie into the show’s three guiding pillars of shifting business models, transformative tech, and increasingly, people and purpose, according to Crimp.

“Those pillars are a consistent framework for the conversations that matter most to the industry,” he said.

Exhibition space itself should exceed 45,000 square meters this year with more than 1,200 exhibitors across 14 halls, according to Steve Connolly, IBC’s director of sales.

Last year, the show had 46,000 square meters of exhibition space and an estimated 1,300 exhibitors.

“Some key areas of the show are performing particularly strongly,” Connolly said. “Future Tech in Hall 14 and Content Everywhere in Hall 5 are both significantly ahead of last year in terms of bookings.”

Crimp said that they’re confident that attendance will be strong and that they'll be able to weather some of the issues that plagued the NAB Show in April, where attendance was softer than previous years.

“I think at the moment we are tracking really strongly against last year,” Crimp said. “We're an international show and a very welcoming show. Who knows what’s going to happen in the Middle East, if that's going to get worse, but I at the moment we're very confident that we will deliver numbers sort of in line with last year."

To register for the show, visit https://show.ibc.org.

GRASS VALLEY, Calif.—AJA Video Systems has unveiled Io Xpand, a high-performance Thunderbolt 5-enabled PCIe expansion chassis for AJA KONA and Corvid video and audio I/O cards, at InfoComm 2026, June 17-19, at the Las Vegas Convention Center.

As demand for higher bandwidth, higher resolution content grows across industries, Io Xpand unlocks the performance of AJA PCIe I/O cards for video professionals leveraging Thunderbolt 5 laptops and mini-PCs on Windows, macOS and Linux.

Io Xpand is well-suited for creative or live production environments where space is limited and portability matters, including on-set, remote production and live switching. Video professionals can pair the new chassis with either a KONA 1, KONA 4or KONA 5 I/O card and a Thunderbolt 5-equipped computer to create a powerful, compact workstation with advanced throughput and video capture/playback functionality. For AJA Developer Partners, most AJA Corvid I/O cards can easily be used with the Io Xpand enclosure to develop smaller-footprint solutions.

The new chassis includes a 0.8-meter Thunderbolt 5 cable, Thunderbolt cable lock, power cable and universal power adapter. It will be offered as a standalone unit or in three bundles that include the Io Xpand and either a single KONA 1, KONA 4 or KONA 5 card. The KONA 5/Io Xpand bundle provides Thunderbolt 5 laptop and mini-PC users with access to the PCIe card’s high-performance 12G-SDI I/O, additional frame stores and full I/O stack, including AES/EBU audio and machine control in a portable, plug-and-play solution.

Io Xpand features include:

• Thunderbolt 5, 4, 3 and USB4 compatibility.
• Windows, macOS and Linux support.
• Support for full height, half length, x4 Gen 4 PCIe cards.
• Compatibility with double-width PCIe cards and PCIe cards with daughter cards.
• Up to 6000 MB/s of bi-directional PCIe bandwidth to the installed card.
• Support for PCIe 4.0, 3.0, 2.0 and 1.1 cards.
• Nearly silent operation via a temperature-controlled fan.
• Thunderbolt daisy-chaining support via a second Thunderbolt port.
• A portable, lightweight and rugged aluminum internal enclosure.
• A two-year warranty.

Io Xpand will soon be available AJA’s reseller network of resellers for $499. Bundle packages that include an Io Xpand chassis and either a KONA 1, KONA 4 or KONA 5 I/O card are also coming soon, with prices ranging from $1,249 to $4,455, depending on the KONA model.

See AJA Video at InfoComm 2026 booth N7744.

More information is available on the company’s website.

LONDON—Cascade Studio has announced the Open Beta launch of Cascade, an AI-native production platform that aims to democratize storytelling by bringing Hollywood-grade storytelling infrastructure to creators of any size.

"Too many great stories never make it to screen – and we built Cascade to change that," said Simon Windsor, CEO of Cascade Studio. "We didn't set out to build another AI generation tool. That's not what the industry needs. What we've created is the all-in-one production environment we wished we'd had throughout our careers.”

Cascade was co-founded by Simon Windsor, co-founder and former co-CEO of Dimension Studio; Junaid Baig, former lead of DNEG rendering and pipeline whose credits include “Avengers: Endgame”, “Tenet”, “Fantastic Beasts”, and “No Time To Die”; and Darren Hopkins, technology entrepreneur, former CFO of Dimension Studio, and CEO of AI-focused investment firm Mollyroe PLC. The company has also appointed games industry pioneer Dominic Wheatley, co-founder and former CEO of Eidos, as Chairman.

Described by its founders as "the Unreal Engine of storytelling", the Cascade platform is powered by a proprietary agentic AI framework that acts as a creative co-pilot throughout production, helping creators develop ideas, build assets, manage projects and orchestrate workflows through natural interaction, while keeping every creative decision firmly in human hands.

Cascade Studios stressed that the platform has been built for scaling productions and IP. Its unique asset-based system enables creators to maintain character consistency, visual coherence and IP integrity across entire projects – from shot to shot, series to series, and across expanding story worlds and sequels. Cascade brings AI-generated content, existing creative assets and live-action production together seamlessly in a single platform.

The result is a scalable production environment where solo creators or agile teams can build everything from teasers, trailers and advertising campaigns to episodic series, animation, films and music videos without juggling multiple tools, subscriptions or disconnected workflows.

"The creativity has always been there, but what the industry has been missing is a platform that connects everything – one that supercharges high-grade production while respecting the creative process and helping storytellers bring ambitious ideas to life,” Windsor added. “That's what Cascade is. The production platform modern storytelling has been waiting for. We're redefining who can make films, how fast they can make them, and at what quality."

The Open Beta of Cascade is available now: Sign up at www.cascadestudio.ai.

LAS VEGAS—Pliant Technologies is launching CrewCom Flex, which the company is calling the world’s first frameless matrix intercom system and the only complete matrix IP-based intercom solution that converges wired, wireless, and virtual voice communication on a standards-based AES67 / SMPTE ST 2110 backbone.

Making its official debut at the 2026 InfoComm Show (Booth N6151), Pliant Technologies reported that CrewCom Flex represents a major evolution in professional intercom technology, seamlessly uniting Pliant’s proven CrewCom wireless intercom system with powerful new wired panels, desktop panels, wired belt packs, and browser- or app-based virtual intercom panels that can be deployed in cloud-native or local infrastructures.

Designed for demanding productions and critical communication environments, CrewCom Flex delivers a complete communications ecosystem built for hybrid, remote, distributed, and highly scalable workflows.

“With our truly distributed architecture, there is finally an intercom system with no single point of failure,” says Gary Rosen, vice president of global sales for Pliant Technologies. “CrewCom Flex delivers lower total cost of ownership, reduced hardware inventory, simplified configuration, and effortless remote production workflows. It’s intercom with fewer limitations and far more possibilities.”

At the core of the CrewCom Flex platform is the new CrewCom Flex Main Panel [CKP-16] and Desktop Panel [CDP-16], designed to combine the familiarity of traditional hardware with the flexibility and advantages of frameless distributed IP communications.

Expansion panels can be added to create highly customizable user stations, while each panel and desktop panel functions as its own intelligent distributed matrix. Unlike traditional matrix-based intercom systems that rely on centralized hardware frames, CrewCom Flex utilizes a unique distributed processing architecture, eliminating single points of failure while enabling almost limitless scalability.

CrewCom Flex is standards-based with AES67 and SMPTE ST 2110 support for seamless AoIP and VoIP integration and includes ST 2022-7 redundancy compliance for maximum reliability in mission-critical applications.

During the show, Pliant is also introducing new CrewCom Flex BeltPacks, available in two-channel [CBP-22] and four-channel [CBP-24] versions. Designed for flexible production workflows, the beltpacks feature integrated microphones and speakers, allowing users an option to communicate without requiring a headset.

The platform also includes CrewCom Flex Virtual Intercom, a browser-based VoIP communications solution available in 4-, 8-, 16-, and 36-key virtual user configurations. Flex Virtual Intercom can operate as a standalone communications system or integrate seamlessly into larger CrewCom Flex deployments. Accessible from PCs, Macs, tablets, and mobile devices, it provides unprecedented deployment flexibility for remote and distributed production teams.

CrewCom Flex integrates directly with existing CrewCom wireless intercom systems through CrewCom’s 32x32 Dante/AES-67 Digital Audio Network Interface [CXD-32CF], which provides routing and expansion capabilities into and out of a CrewNet infrastructure using EtherCon copper and dual LC fiber connectivity.

System configuration and management are handled through the updated CrewWare 2.0 software platform, featuring intuitive drag-and-drop tools that simplify deployment, control, and management of all resources within a single unified ecosystem.

“There are virtually no limits on size, geography, or project type with CrewCom Flex,” adds Rosen. “Whether your workflow requires traditional panels, desktop panels, wireless users, virtual panels, site-to-site communications, or cloud-based deployments, every user experiences the same intuitive interface and streamlined communication workflow.”

More information about Pliant Technologies is available at www.plianttechnologies.com.

New data from Nielsen shows the New York Knicks triumph over the San Antonio Spurs in the NBA Finals attracted the largest audiences since the Michael Jordan era in 1998, with all five games averaging 20.6 million for ABC and ESPN. That was up 157% over last year.

Saturday’s NBA Finals Game 5 on ABC delivered an average audience of 24.5 million viewers and peaked with 33 million viewers watching the closing moments of the New York Knicks Championship victory, the teams first in 53 years. It was the most-watched NBA Finals Game 5 since 1998 as well.

Game 5 also generated the largest viewing audience of the day across all of television and in every key male and adult demo, according to Nielsen Big Data + Panel.

The Game 4, which saw the Knicks make a record breaking comeback from a 29 point deficit, was up 123% from last year’s Game 4 with 20.9 million viewers and peaked with 23.2 million viewers at 11:15 p.m. ET.

The XR Sports Alliance (XRSA) has announced that a new cohort of members has joined the strategic initiative: ActionStreamer, Antigravity, Creative Artists Agency (CAA), Freeride World Tour, HOVERAir, Manchester United, Pico, Rezzil, San Diego Wave FC, Specs, Inc, and Trigger XR.

Founded two years ago in June 2024 by Accedo, Qualcomm Technologies, Inc. and Host Broadcast Services (HBS), the XRSA is designed to accelerate time-to-market and commercialization of XR sports services.

The new members are the fourth group of organizations to join the XRSA, bringing the total number of members up to 33.

"Two years in, XRSA has started to build genuine momentum across sports, media, and technology,” Michael Lantz, CEO, Accedo, commented. “This fourth cohort reflects the breadth of what the alliance is becoming and continues to expand its capabilities across the immersive sports value chain. We are now several deployments in, proving our value as a structured testbed for real-world XR experimentation—with each new member strengthening what we can achieve together in accelerating the time-to-market and commercialization of XR sports experiences."

The new cohort of members spans rights owners, technology and hardware providers, and one of the world's leading sports and entertainment agencies—extending the alliance's reach across action sports rights, professional football, and aerial capture technology.

It includes ActionStreamer, a live-streaming software and wearable technology company, Antigravity, maker of A1, the world’s first 8K 360-degree drone for immersive capture; Creative Artists Agency (CAA), a global sports and entertainment agency; Freeride World Tour, the global series of competition for elite freeride skiers and snowboarders; HOVERAir, a technology and robotics company with a range of self-flying cameras; Pico, a VR technology company; Rezzil, a leading sports technology company focused on performance, insight, and engagement; San Diego Wave FC, a professional women’s soccer team, Specs, Inc. a technology company building the next generation of wearable computer; and Trigger XR, a sports and performance-focused agency. Manchester United, a UK Premier League football team, has also joined, as part of its partnership with Qualcomm.

"Bringing together organizations with expertise spanning capture technology, creative services, sports rights and fan engagement gives XRSA the range it needs to generate learnings that are genuinely transferable across the industry,” added Sylvain Lebreton, head of digital, HBS. “Meaningful experimentation requires diverse environments — different sports, different audiences, different production conditions. This cohort delivers exactly that breadth, and that is what will make our outputs valuable beyond any single deployment."

MELVILLE, N.Y.—Chyron has released Chyron Weather 2.4 with an enhanced DataFlow module, offering a managed framework of modern open-source tools designed for future-proof workflows, third-party Climate Data Operators (CDO) integration and expanded Time Referencing capabilities to increase data flexibility and smarter weather data validation to ensure accuracy and reliability.

"This release was fully designed based on customer insights. We listened carefully to their needs, analyzed their workflow, and, as a result, developed exciting new functionalities to elevate their weather storytelling," said Michael Harter, product manager of Chyron Weather. "We are deeply grateful for the close relationship we have with our clients, since their valuable feedback contributes to our development plans and helps make our weather solution more flexible."

Weather 2.4 supports future-proof workflows via a managed framework of modern open-source tools integrated into DataFlow, helping teams to stay aligned with current and future industry standards. The release includes integration with Climate Data Operators (CDO). This allows users to process complex climate and meteorological data, such as GRIB and NetCDF files, directly from the same Weather platform.

Since CDO versions are packaged and managed by Chyron, teams can reduce setup time and avoid manual installation. Another improvement is extended time referencing capabilities, which provide more flexible file and folder pattern configuration to facilitate data ingestion from providers with inconsistent or non-standard naming conventions. Chyron Weather can identify available data, extract the relevant date and time information, and map it automatically to the standard weather timeline.

Future updates will add support for ImageMagick and FFmpeg for image and video conversion. The managed framework helps ensure users work with the same versions and settings, especially valuable in hub-and-spoke workflows.

Smarter weather data validation is now available via the new File Integrity Validator feature. Automated checking and gating nodes continuously monitor incoming data, trigger alerts and route files to quarantine if they don't meet quality standards (based on user-defined thresholds). This helps ensure data-driven graphics are based on accurate inputs, delivering air-ready weather visuals.

More information is available on the company’s website.

Fox Sports is reporting record viewing for early matches in the FIFA World Cup 2026, with 15,986,000 people watching the U.S. men’s national team beat Paraguay 4-1 across Fox, Fox One and Tubi on Friday June 12.

That made it the most watched USMNT FIFA World Cup English-language telecast in U.S. history, Fox reported, beating out the 7,763,000 people who watched USMNT playing Wales on November 21, 2022.

The 2026 match audience peaked at 18,860,000 viewers at 10:45-11 p.m. ET.

It was also the most streamed English language USMNT match on record, with 1,130,000 people viewing it on Tubi.

Fox also said Mexico beating South Africa 2-0 was the most watched opening English-language FIFA World Cup telecast in U.S. history with 6,309,000 viewers. The match peaked at 8,014,000 viewers.

ALAMEDA, Calif.—Clear-Com has unveiled the purpose-built Avalon 1RU IP intercom communication platform for modern networked production.

Designed to simplify and scale workflows across broadcast, live events and production environments, Avalon supports FreeSpeak wireless beltpacks, HelixNet digital partyline, V-Series and I.V. Direct within a compact 1RU form factor. The platform features scalable licensed port capacity and flexible IP interfacing, allowing users to configure systems based on current operational needs and expand over time without replacing hardware.

Built for fully IP-based intercom environments, Avalon provides a streamlined alternative for users who do not require analog audio connectivity. The platform combines scalable licensed port architecture with a compact rack-mounted design, helping users reduce system complexity while maintaining the performance and reliability. Optimized for modern network infrastructures, Avalon expands customer choice within the Clear-Com product family as a cost-efficient option for IP-only workflows.

“Avalon represents a major step forward in how intercom systems are designed and deployed,” said Dave MacKinnon, vice president of product management at Clear-Com. “We focused on simplifying deployment while maintaining the flexibility and performance our customers expect. The result is a modern IP platform that enables teams to scale efficiently and communicate reliably across a wide range of environments.”

Avalon complements the company’s Arcadia Central Station, which remains part of the Clear-Com product portfolio for applications requiring hybrid analog and IP connectivity, front-panel control and legacy system support.

The platform supports AES67, Dante and Clear-Com’s I.V. Direct technologies for local and remote connectivity. Avalon also offers expanded IP capacity and networking flexibility for productions and installations operating on converged infrastructures.

“With Avalon, we wanted to remove traditional barriers to system design and expansion,” said Frank Linton, product manager at Clear-Com. “The licensed port architecture allows users to scale capacity over time without replacing hardware, while support for open standards helps simplify integration into existing workflows.”

More information is available on the company’s website.

Gray Media is holding a groundbreaking for an expansion and renovation of its media facility in Lansing Mich. today.

The building, which houses WILX News 10, mid-Michigan’s local NBC affiliate since 1959 will now also be the home of Lansing’s WSYM Fox 47, which the station group recently acquired.

“We are bringing NBC and Fox operations together, uniting teams under the News 10 brand and creating the infrastructure needed to support both stations’ staff and service to the community,” the company said in an announcement. “This renovation will create a modern, collaborative, future-ready media center designed to support today’s broadcast operation, the fast-growing ways audiences consume local news, and the people who power it.”

The South Lansing campus will be expanded by approximately 14,000 square feet, with the addition of a new studio, master control, newsroom, and sales space. Renovations to the existing building will bring the total footprint to approximately 30,000 square feet, the company said.

Gray Media is working with Lansing-based partners Granger Construction and Colliers Engineering & Design, together with Huffman Keel Associates, on the renovation and expansion project. The building is expected to be completed in December 2027.

“This project is an investment in Lansing, and specifically the southside,” said Debbie Petersmark, Vice President and General Manager of Gray Media Lansing. “We are proud to continue to call this great city our home.”

Gray said it has evolved into a “digital-first, multiplatform newsroom serving viewers and readers across streaming, mobile, social, web, and emerging on-demand formats and that the expanded facility is being designed to support:

• Around-the-clock content creation for TV, web, apps, OTT/streaming, and social platforms, and a modern space designed to support staff who work 24/7;
• Modern workflows that allow the stations to deliver local news, sports, First Alert weather and other content across platforms, and
• Flexible production capabilities to expand live, local coverage and special-event programming, as well as award-winning commercials for its clients.

“This investment in Lansing reflects Gray Media’s long-term commitment to local journalism and to the communities our stations serve,” said Mike King, Senior Operating Officer, Gray Media.

With the FIFA World Cup 2026 now underway, a new study from Harris Poll finds that half of Americans plan to watch at least one match on TV, streaming, or social media over the next 39 days and that the World Cup is driving increased interest in soccer among Americans.

Slightly more than half (52%) of Americans say hosting major international sporting events in North America is making them more interested in sports they would not normally follow, a figure that is much higher among millennials (70%) and Hispanics (70%).

In the case of soccer, the presence of the FIFA World Cup 2026 in North America is driving a large new fan base for soccer. More than one quarter (26%) said they only recently started getting more interested in soccer and that their interest was specifically as a result of this year's World Cup.

Of this new U.S. fan base, 72% said it was because they watched matches on TV or streaming and 65% said they wanted to support the U.S. team.

The study also found that even before the start of the World Cup this summer, 39% of U.S. adults are already interested in the 2026 FIFA Women’s World Cup in Brazil.

Overall the study found that 27% of Americans are more interested in soccer than they were a year ago. Among this audience, millennials are the core audience, with 62% interested in the World Cup compared to 57% of Gen Z and only 24% of boomers. Hispanics are the most engaged group, with 63% interested compared to 37% of white Americans.

Building on the launch of augmented reality/virtual reality studios and technologies in many markets, CBS Stations is now using AR/VR to tell the story of America 250 and celebrate the semiquincentennial anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence.

As previously reported, CBS Stations began developing AR/VR studio technology in house at its KPIX-KPYX San Francisco stations in 2023 and has since been deploying the technology around the country in the CBS-owned stations for weather, news and sports.

Most recently, in February 2026, CBS Stations launched its 10th cutting-edge AR/VR technology-driven studio at CBS Baltimore (WJZ-TV).

The deployments are part of a larger push by the station group to reinvent the way it tells weather, news and sports stories with immersive new technologies.

Now the group is using the immersive technology to transport viewers into pivotal moments in American history. As part of the America 250 Celebrations, the CBS Stations that will showcase the people, places, and events that have contributed to the American story. Plans at specific stations include:

• CBS New York: Tri-State 250: Our Legacy of Liberty explores revolutionary-era landmarks and defining moments across NY, New Jersey and Connecticut, from George Washington’s farewell to his officers to the reading of the Declaration of Independence that sparked the toppling of King George III’s statue.
• CBS Philadelphia: Through its year-long “Founded in Philly” franchise, CBS Philadelphia highlights the city’s central role in America’s founding, bringing viewers inside the places, people and innovations that helped shape the nation.
• CBS Detroit is showcasing Michigan’s lasting impact on America through stories spanning the automotive revolution, the Underground Railroad, Motown Records and the Civil Rights Movement.
• CBS News Bay Area is telling America’s founding story exploring the arrival of Spanish settlers in Alta California in 1776 and using immersive AR/VR technology to recreate indigenous life during that era.
• CBS News Chicago is examining how the city’s industrial roots, iconic brands and spirit of innovation helped shape America’s growth and continue to influence its future.
• CBS Boston is developing original local reporting that spotlights New England’s foundational role in the Revolutionary era and the region’s enduring influence on the American story.

BARCELONA—Sony is reporting that around twenty cameras from Sony`s Cinema Line including the Venice 2, ILME-FR7 and ILME-FX6, were selected to cover the historic visit of Pope Leo XIV’s visit to the Basilica of the Sagrada Familia in Barcelona on June 10th. ​

The live HDR production, led by 3Cat (TV3), which is the National Catalan Broadcaster, covered Pope Leo XIV’s visit to the basilica as part of the centenary of the death of architect Antoni Gaudí. It coincided with the official inauguration of the Tower of Jesus Christ, the cathedral's main tower.

Paulí Subirà Claramunt, director of photography at 3Cat said that “Catalonia’s national television broadcaster has always been at the forefront of audiovisual technology and, as such, on such a special occasion—the completion of a monument as iconic as the Sagrada Familia—we had to rise to the challenge. We had previously produced the musical Mar i Cel in the Broadcast Cinematography format, gaining experience with the tools and workflows; the big difference is that, with the Sagrada Familia, the live broadcast adds an extra layer of complexity. When we began to bring the creative narrative to the screen, we saw clearly that the technology used had to be adapted to tell the story properly. Transporting the viewer to this very special moment, with an emphasis on aesthetics, using hybrid tools and workflows that blend television and cinema, and defining working standards at both national and European levels, has been a priority for the team and for the 3Cat group.”

The unique architecture of the Sagrada Familia – with its variable natural lighting, hard-to-access spaces and the colossal scale of the site – also placed exceptional demands on the team.

For the event 3Cat deployed ten Sony Venice 2 units, seven Sony ILME-FR7s and three Sony ILME-FX6s with Fujinon Duvo lenses and Sony E-mount lenses.

The Venice 2 deliverd the highest quality image for the main shots, with exceptional low light response during the night artistic show, where the light is the main protagonist.

As remote-controlled cameras, the Sony ILME-FR7s allowed for coverage of hard-to-reach angles without interfering with the proceedings.

The compact and lightweight Sony ILME-FX6s provide the mobility required for the most dynamic shots. All three models share Sony’s colour science, ensuring total colour consistency in the final result and simplifying the live production workflow.

The event holds dual historical significance. On one hand, Pope Leo XIV’s visit to the Sagrada Familia, the first papal visit to Barcelona since Benedict XVI consecrated the basilica in 2010. On the other, the official inauguration of the Tower of Jesus Christ, the central tower of the basilica, which, at 172.5 meters (566 feet), makes the Sagrada Familia the tallest church in the world. June 10 2026 marks exactly a century since the death of Antoni Gaudí.

The live television production of the show was handled by 3Cat, Catalonia's national television channel, with Pauli Subira at the helm.

The technical deployment of Sony Cinema Line equipment was combined with PhotoCine's OB3 mobile unit, integrated with the Sony XVS mixer and Sony PVM-X and BVM-HX reference monitors. The technical direction of the project was led by British broadcast consultant Hector Sole-Bradshaw Beltran,​ with a team from the 3Cat (TV3) Technical Department (IDT). ​

Hector Sole-Bradshaw Beltran, project manager / production technical manager, 3Cat Cine Live added that “with its Cinema Line range of products, Sony is able to provide solutions for all the necessary segments of a project of this scale. For the main cameras, the cinematic heritage of the Venice and the 4000 ISO sensitivity of the Venice 2’s sensor makes these cameras the perfect choice for a night-time spectacle where light takes centre stage. The FR7 and FX6 complete the line-up in roles where compact size is essential, yet image quality and consistency are of the utmost importance. For quality control of the international UHD-HDR HLG signal, having the technology of the 4000 cd/m² Grade 1 mastering monitor, the BVM-HX3110, allows us to work in HLG1000ETX and 2000EXT, guaranteeing the quality of the image distributed worldwide.”

‘We were looking for a cinematic image, rich and profound, capable of conveying the essence and narrative sensitivity inherent in this story,” explained Igor Cortadellas, creative director, Igor Studios. “We wanted the audiovisual language used to transmit a timeless message that blends immersion in the traditions of an ancient spiritual culture with its integration into the present. Ultimately, we found ourselves with a visual poem in which light is much more than a technical resource: it is the soul of the story. It is not simply about capturing reality, but about revealing the emotion that lives within it.”

Caretta Research has released its latest forecast predicting record revenues for the 2026 FIFA World Cup.

A record $8.9 billion in total revenue is expected, said the company, representing a 54% increase over the 2022 tournament. Growth will predominantly be driven by the rise in commercial and matchday revenues, with sports rights also having an effect.

FIFA’s decision to increase the number of teams from 32 to 48 is seen as a key driver for growth, with the number of games rising from 64 in 2022 to 104 this year, providing further opportunities to sell content. Commercial revenue is expected to rise by nearly $300 million, as traditional advertising opportunities are augmented with the inclusion of cooling breaks and an expanded half-time Super Bowl-style show.

Revenue from sports rights sold to media organizations is predicted to grow by $1 billion, a 32% increase on 2022, although its overall share will be reduced, falling below to per cent for the first time since at least 1998, said Caretta. The higher number of matches to be broadcast has diluted the rights value per game, which has decreased by 19%.

Regional time differences present a “significant difficulty for international media,’ said the company. The total volume of broadcast deals has fallen to 443 from 495 in 2022, a decrease of 11%. This highlights FIFA’s shift towards fewer broadcast partnerships with substantially higher individual values. Secondary broadcasters and sub-licensers have stepped away from the market, due to the challenges presented by time zone differences.

A clear regional split has been defined, with the total number of broadcast deals across Latin American and the Caribbean increasing by 18% while in Asia, the number fell by 21%.

Commenting on the findings, Evangelos Vrysellas, research analyst at Caretta Research, said, “Even though FIFA is set for record-breaking total revenue in 2026, the international broadcast landscape is becoming increasingly difficult. Media rights now represent a smaller portion of the overall revenue pie, with the value of each individual match dropping by 19%. The combination of middle-of-the-night kick-offs for major global markets and rising production expenses has discouraged many potential bidders, leading to a 11% drop in the total number of broadcast deals”.

This article original appeared on TV Tech sister brand TVBEurope.

MONTREAL—Grass Valley is launching AMPP Edge Live, a purpose-built production system designed to bring professional production capabilities to enterprise teams. The company will unveil AMPP Edge Live at InfoComm 2026 in Las Vegas, June 17 to 19 (North Hall: N7369-MR).

Media production teams within enterprise organizations such as education, government, corporate communications, houses of worship and live events are often asked to do more with limited resources, yet existing production systems often lack the flexibility to support new workflows without significant additional investment, Grass Valley said.

AMPP Edge Live addresses this challenge by providing a flexible production foundation that grows with organizational needs, by combining Grass Valley hardware, NVIDIA Blackwell GPU acceleration and AMPP OS in a single solution, according to the company.

“Production requirements are constantly evolving as audience expectations shift, creating challenges for enterprise organizations whose production infrastructures were not designed for today’s demands,” said Jonathan Lyth, Product Director for Enterprise Media, Grass Valley. “Businesses need production platforms that combine operational agility with the confidence of reliable performance. AMPP Edge Live delivers both, enabling organizations to adapt and scale production capabilities without adding operational complexity.”

The solution is available in two models that serve different production demands:

AMPP Edge Live 4000 is ideal for live event production and provides the performance to run solutions such as Event Producer X, which brings production switching, graphics, audio mixing, recording, streaming, monitoring and production control into a single browser-based interface.

AMPP Edge Live 6000 adds processing performance for more demanding production requirements and supports Sport Producer X, which combines switching, graphics, scoring, timing, data integration and instant replay for sports production.

Across both models, operators can manage workflows that previously required multiple specialist systems and dedicated personnel, all through one production environment, Grass Valley said.

AMPP Edge Live also simplifies lifecycle management through a unified ownership model. Grass Valley designs, validates and supports AMPP Edge Live as a complete solution, managing hardware validation, software compatibility, updates and support through a single point of accountability. This removes much of the integration burden associated with multi-vendor environments while helping ensure organizations remain ready for future production requirements.

AMPP Edge Live is built on a short-depth 4 RU chassis with redundant power and modular AMPP I/O cards, so connectivity can be tailored to each workflow. It includes enterprise-grade security, centralized management and role-based access controls, and forms part of the Grass Valley Media Universe, supporting on-premise, hybrid and cloud-connected workflows.

AMPP Edge Live is available now in the L4000 and L6000 appliance models, with SDI 8 and SDI 12 AMPP I/O card options and media storage choices of 2 TB or 4 TB.

With 11 host cities across the U.S., the 23rd edition of the FIFA World Cup requires intense coordination.

The global event began Thursday and runs through July 19. The Federal Communications Commission believes communications efforts are well positioned, thanks to what it described as a collaborative effort among multiple agencies.

In a release, Chairman Brendan Carr said that the agency’s experts spanning radio engineering, public safety and enforcement have partnered with federal, state and local officials to support the World Cup across the country.

“The FCC team has been working to support robust, resilient and secure communications networks across the host cities, including supporting the efforts of the private sector communications providers,” Carr said.

Those host cities and areas of New York/New Jersey, Dallas, Los Angeles, Kansas City, the San Francisco Bay Area, Houston, Atlanta, Philadelphia, Seattle, Miami and Boston/Foxborough have all received support to conduct advance planning, testing and coordination, according to the commission.

Special efforts

In May, the FCC designated Louis Libin as special frequency coordinator and RF spectrum manager for the World Cup. He is the point of contact for coordinating Broadcast Auxiliary Services operations.

Those BAS stations, under Part 74 of the FCC rules, make it possible for radio and TV stations and networks to transmit program material between various locations.

FWC 2026, a subsidiary of Fédération Internationale de Football Association, anticipates that approximately 2,700 pieces of equipment, such as interruptible foldback systems for real-time communication, wireless intercoms and talkbacks for production crews and RF audio links for sound mixing and audio routing, will be used to support around 300 media agencies.

Spectrum sweep

As crowds connect to their devices, international sporting events naturally apply a great deal of stress to communications systems. The commission explained that this creates a congested environment where thousands of people are trying to receive and transmit information on wireless and broadcast networks.

Priority number one, the FCC said, is to ensure that radio spectrum requirements essential to the World Cup — including broadcast operations, public safety, event security and national security preparations — are supported.

For example, Libin told TV Tech that a large number of pairs and single 450 MHz and 455 MHz channels will be in use for the event, for both two-way communications and IFBs.

To identify harmful interference, the FCC has deployed what it described as a “networked constellation of advanced spectrum sensors” across U.S. venues to conduct remote monitoring.

STAs

The commission has also issued 10 special temporary authorizations to date for wireless devices and broadcast operations.

Libin told TV Tech that the STA process has been simplified for the event due to the involvement of the White House Task Force. He also cited cooperation from the North American Broadcasters Association.

[Related: “Wireless Microphone Spectrum Alliance Pushes for Spectrum Access”]

In addition, it granted waivers to allow low-power auxiliary operators to operate within protected contours within the designated event areas. Those LPAS devices operating below 941.5 MHz will not exceed 250 milliwatts, according to FWC 2026, and those in the 941.5–960 MHz band will not exceed one watt of conducted power.

Event security

In public safety, the FCC has been preparing for interference detection and response during matches and related events to help first responders and emergency communications systems operate without disruption.

It has also been working with federal partners and FIFA technology teams to support communications readiness and event security.

In the host state of New Jersey, for example, all State Police radio communications transitioned to full encryption on June 1.

The commission has also partnered with local authorities to support lawful counter-drone operations in accordance with the SAFER SKIES Act.

Area challenges

Both before and during the games, the FCC is working to prevent wireless interference by supporting communications network capacity to meet the localized demand.

“There’s definitely a difference between venues,” Libin said. “They’re all big challenges, but each one is unique.”

In Miami, for instance, where the topography is flat, signals can carry much further than in Seattle, where there is varying terrain. At MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, N.J., meanwhile, transmitters from across the Hudson River in New York City are line of sight.

The commission is also working with industry partners to support high-capacity wireless and 5G connectivity in and around host venues.

The effort lays the foundation for the Los Angeles 2028 Summer Olympics and other future “mega-events” by strengthening national communications coordination frameworks, the FCC said.

MELVILLE, N.Y.—Chyron has introduced PAINT 10.4, the latest version of its illustrated replay and sports analysis platform.

PAINT 10.4 helps broadcasters create richer analysis, move faster to air and extend PAINT more effectively into the wider broadcast ecosystem with its deeper data-driven storytelling, faster operator workflows and stronger connectivity across the production environment.

The latest release includes pro football data integration, providing operators with synchronized player metrics for telestration and replay workflows. PAINT 10.4 also improves player-focused storytelling with an AI-enhanced Player Cutout feature that makes it faster and easier to isolate and emphasize key players in video.

It makes isolating a player faster and easier while keeping the process familiar for existing operators. AI helps identify players even in crowded scenes, including moments where a player is partially obscured, giving productions a stronger starting point for player-focused storytelling.

The pro football data integration enables PAINT 10.4 to expand football analysis by syncing video and player metrics through timecode on saved clips. Operators can access player-specific data on a per-play basis, making it easier to build visual analysis around the action on screen.

An automatic game selection list surfaces games happening today and over the next five days, helping teams get into the workflow quickly. Operators can then use key metrics, such as separation, air yards, time to throw, yards after catch, yards after contact, rushing data and expected player metrics, to create more compelling on-air storytelling. Graphics can also be styled through the data integration with VaultSync, which automatically pulls team colors and logos from the cloud.

PAINT 10.4 adds runtime chromakey mode switching, allowing teams to change between automatic and manual chromakey modes during production without restarting the application. The release also brings Formation Tool coordinate output into a released workflow, helping productions connect PAINT tactical analysis with external systems, such as virtual set and augmented reality (VSAR), to support more integrated on-air presentation pipelines.

This gives broadcasters new ways to repurpose analysis data for more immersive and visually connected presentations. It also helps teams create a smoother handoff between analysis creation in PAINT and downstream graphics or AR execution. Together, these updates help teams build richer analysis while connecting PAINT more effectively to the wider broadcast ecosystem.

“PAINT 10.4 is about making data-driven storytelling faster and more practical for live production,” said Andreas Olsson, product manager of PAINT. “With integrated pro football data available within just a few clicks, broadcasters can quickly access the information they need and turn it into clear, compelling analysis on air.”

More information is available on the company’s website.

DOWNINGTOWN, Pa.—PTZOptics and LayerJot will demonstrate how prompt-based AI, robotic camera control, and high-performance computing can work together to identify, follow, and respond to objects and events in real time at InfoComm 2026, June 13-19 in Las Vegas.

The demonstrations, which run on Intel Core Ultra Series 3 processors, combine LayerJot’s purpose-built AI software application with PTZOptics’ SimplTrack3 cameras, featuring advanced auto-tracking capabilities. The demos will show how natural-language prompting can guide the system to identify and/or track objects in the room, then use PTZOptics camera control to respond automatically.

The collaboration is designed to show integrators, educators, broadcasters, and pro AV teams a practical path for building on-site AI video workflows, according to the companies. By pairing PTZOptics camera robotics with Intel Core Ultra Series 3 -powered compute and LayerJot’s agentic AI application layer, both exhibitors will demonstrate how Visual Reasoning can move from concept to deployable workflow without requiring large teams, custom hardware stacks, or cloud-only processing.

"AV and enterprise buyers today are asking the same question: how do we deploy AI that actually works in our environment, without building a data center or waiting on the cloud?” said Dr. Ben Cope, Principal Engineer, Intel. “Intel Core Ultra Series 3 processors were purpose-built with that reality in mind, delivering the on-device AI compute performance that makes local visual reasoning practical at scale. Collaborating with PTZOptics and LayerJot lets buyers take that compute capability and turn it directly into deployable, prompt-driven camera workflows. Together, we're removing the barriers between AI potential and operational reality."

Visual Reasoning
For PTZOptics, the demo is part of its broader Visual Reasoning initiative, which focuses on turning video into actionable data by combining camera robotics, AI, and open integration. Visual Reasoning is designed to help systems describe, count, understand, and trigger actions based on what cameras see, supporting workflows across broadcast, pro AV, education, healthcare, manufacturing, houses of worship, and live events, the company said.

“Visual Reasoning becomes powerful when integrators and developers can adapt it to the needs of everyday environments,” said Matt Davis, CTO, PTZOptics. “This partnership shows what is possible when robotic cameras, local AI compute, and prompt-driven automation come together. Our goal is to inspire the pro AV community to build customized solutions faster, more affordably, and with more flexibility than ever before.”

LayerJot’s Agentic Visual Application (AVA) connects to the PTZOptics SimplTrack3 camera and uses AI prompting to identify and/or track objects in the space. The demonstration will show how developers can create custom AI workflows that connect directly to camera control, while giving users the freedom to direct camera actions using natural language.

“We’re focused on delivering advanced visual AI solutions that combine scene understanding, automation, and natural-language interaction to support critical workflows in real-world environments,” said Etay Gafni, CEO of LayerJot. “This demonstration shows how scene understanding and natural-language instructions can drive meaningful actions in live operations, enabling users to interact with complex systems in a more intuitive and efficient way.”

Example workflows include prompting the system to identify an object or person in the room, directing the camera to track that target, and showing how similar logic could be adapted for classroom automation, event production, training spaces, and other applications where small teams need consistent video coverage.

The demonstration also reflects a larger shift in the AV industry, the companies said. Cameras are no longer limited to passive capture. With Visual Reasoning, robotic cameras can become intelligent endpoints that help systems interpret what is happening, make decisions, and trigger workflows in real time. PTZOptics says it is working with a wide range of partners and integrators to combine their own domain expertise with PTZOptics cameras via open APIs – supporting teams and improving operations across multiple industries.

The live demonstration will be available at PTZOptics’ booth N8227 during InfoComm 2026. For more information, visit https://ptzoptics.com/book-a-demo/

WASHINGTON—National Association of Broadcasters President and CEO Curtis LeGeyt urged Congress to reform the Sports Broadcasting Act so that it “applies only to league-wide negotiations with media companies that will distribute games through broadcast television, not lock games behind streaming paywalls.”

The SBA, passed in 1961, gives the National Football League a limited antitrust exemption that allows it to negotiate TV rights deals with media companies on behalf of all of its teams.

In recent years, LeGeyt and others at a House subcommittee hearing argued, the NFL has pursued a policy of selling media rights to subscription streaming services that has enriched the league but harmed consumers.

“The Sports Broadcasting Act was built on a simple public-interest bargain,” he said in prepared testimony to the House Judiciary Subcommittee on the Administrative State, Regulatory Reform and Antitrust. “Professional sports leagues received a limited antitrust exemption so they could pool and sell broadcast rights, and fans received broad public access to their games … For decades, that bargain worked. Fans could watch most games on free, local broadcast television. Leagues benefited from the unmatched reach of broadcasting.

“Yet today, it is increasingly apparent that the public access goals of that bargain are no longer being met,” he added. “Games from the four major professional leagues are now spread across Amazon Prime [Video], Netflix, YouTube TV and Apple TV. Fans increasingly need multiple paid subscriptions to watch their favorite teams, and survey after survey shows fans are confused and frustrated. Some estimates suggest that accessing every NFL game over the course of a season would cost a consumer well over $1,000. That’s a long way from the broad, free access Congress intended when it created the SBA.”

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

FCC Commissioner Anna Gomez also expressed serious concern about the way the NFL has sold media rights and handled its distribution strategy.

“The economics of how fans actually watch have shifted in ways that deserve serious attention,” she said. “What used to arrive through an antenna, available to anyone regardless of income, has increasingly migrated behind a growing stack of subscriptions and league-specific apps. For a family trying to follow their team through a full season, the cost of piecing together access across multiple platforms adds up quickly.”

Gomez also noted that the FCC is currently probing the state of sports rights on broadcasting.

“The FCC has a legitimate interest in helping gather information on how the Sports Broadcasting Act is functioning in a changing media environment, and I support efforts to ensure fans can access the games they love without paying a fortune,” she said. “When sports programming migrates behind paywalls, fans lose access, local broadcasters lose the revenue that keeps their stations alive, and the local journalism those stations produce loses the funding on which they depend.”

But she added that “I also want to be candid about where the FCC's authority ends. The Commission can gather information, raise concerns, and call out fouls where it sees them, but any meaningful update to the Sports Broadcasting Act will ultimately require legislative action.”

Also testifying was Jim Hallers, founder and managing partner of Tailgators Pub & Grill and Citizens Grill, a chain of sports bars in Texas, who blasted the NFL’s 2022 decision to sell the rights to the NFL Sunday Ticket out-of-market game package to YouTube. He said the general shift of sports rights to streaming has imposed significant costs on restaurants and bars.

“Because we promise customers every NFL game, we now have to figure out how to deliver multiple simultaneous streams across dozens of televisions,” he said. “One commercial video switch with enough inputs and outputs can cost in excess of $15,000. A full upgrade including equipment, wiring and the labor will cost $30,000 to $40,000 per restaurant. And then there is the bandwidth problem. It is one thing to stream a game at home. It is another thing to stream ten noon games at once while also running point-of-sale systems, credit card processing, security cameras, online ordering, music, office systems and customer Wi-Fi. When a game freezes during a key play, the customer does not blame the provider. They blame the restaurant.”

“Beginning with the 2026 season, EverPass is the commercial provider for NFL Sunday Ticket,“ he said. “But EverPass does not replace the rest of the programming my customers expect. I still need DirecTV, cable or another provider for the in-market football game, and all the other channels and programming that make a sports bar work. So instead of simplifying the business, the transition is adding another layer of cost and complexity. I cannot simply replace 40 DirecTV boxes in one venue with 40 streaming devices. It does not work like this. The internet capacity, hardware, control systems and reliability are not there yet.”

We sat down with Paul Briscoe, TAG's chief architect, to talk about why TAG is developing MXL capabilities and what it means for broadcast operations directors navigating the complexity of IP workflows.

Q: Why did TAG decide to build MXL capabilities now?

Because our customers told us they'd hit a wall. And when that happens, you listen.

We've been in the room with broadcast engineers and ops directors through their SDI-to-IP transitions for years. They did everything right: they mastered ST 2110, got PTP timing under control, built out the infrastructure. And then they ran into a new problem: the complexity of 2110 itself became the ceiling.

Every time they wanted to add a workflow or move something to cloud, they were managing exponentially more timing constraints and engineering hours just to keep things running. The technology that was supposed to give them flexibility was now the thing limiting their growth. That's not only a technology problem, it's a business problem.

Q: What do 2110 operational challenges look like day-to-day?

Here's what we kept hearing: "We need to cover more events, but we don't have the engineering capacity to stand up another ST 2110 facility." Or: "We want to scale into cloud for certain productions, but the protocol conversions and timing challenges make it difficult to achieve."

One ops director told us they were burning 60% of their engineering time on commissioning and managing system complexity, not actually improving their workflows. That's the real cost. It's what you can't do because your team is buried in technical tasks that should be simpler.

Q: So how does MXL change that?

MXL takes the parts of ST 2110 that work really well, the formats, the capabilities, and strips out the complexity that's blocking people.

Instead of managing thousands of packets per frame with nanosecond-precision timing, media moves as straightforward memory-to-memory transfers. No PTP. No specialized UDP networks. And the same workflow runs on-prem or in the cloud without protocol gymnastics. For ops engineers, that means teams stop spending the majority of their time managing infrastructure and start spending it on work that actually drives value. That's the whole point.

Q: TAG is known as a monitoring company. Why get into transport layer technology?

We're a software company that specializes in monitoring, and because of that, we've had a front-row seat watching customers wrestle with IP workflow complexity for years.

Here's the thing: you can't monitor what you can't see, and you can't optimize what's technically constrained.

We're building MXL support into TAG's platform because monitoring needs to work seamlessly whether workflows are running on ST 2110, MXL, or any other format, on-prem or in the cloud. MXL also happens to eliminate a lot of the timing and interoperability issues that created monitoring gaps in traditional IP workflows. Our job is to make operations more efficient and workflows more reliable, regardless of transport technology.

Q: Where does an ops director start?

Start by finding where ST 2110 complexity is actually costing you.

Are deployment cycles dragging because your team is navigating integration challenges? Are cloud-hybrid workflows off the table because the complexity doesn't justify the business case? Those are the places where MXL delivers immediate value. You don't need to understand RDMA specs to make this decision. You need to understand whether eliminating PTP timing constraints or multicast networking would let you deploy faster or scale more efficiently. Then have a conversation with your infrastructure partners about how to architect for flexibility.

Q: What does MXL mean for broadcasters who are still mid-way through their ST 2110 journey, or haven't started yet?

Good news on both counts.

If you're mid-transition, nothing you've done is wasted. The video formats, audio, metadata, the fundamental constructs of 2110 are exactly what MXL moves. You're not ripping anything out. ST 2110 compatibility is fully retained, and TAG's platform already monitors both.

If you haven't started yet, you get to skip some of the hardest parts of the 2110 learning curve: the PTP domains, the specialized UDP networking, the timing dependencies that have kept IT departments at arm's length from broadcast infrastructure for years. MXL is built from an IT-centric viewpoint; RDMA and RoCE are standard IT services. That means your IT team can actually be part of this, which changes the economics and the operational model considerably.

Q: What should customers expect from TAG as MXL adoption grows?

The same thing they've always gotten from us: monitoring and multiviewing that works across whatever infrastructure they're running, with unified visibility that helps them operate more efficiently.

MXL support is already in TAG's platform. As customers deploy MXL-based workflows, whether that's in six months or two years, their monitoring keeps working and scales with them.

About TAG Video Systems: TAG Video Systems is the global leader in software-based integrated IP probing, monitoring, visualization and analytics solutions. TAG enables broadcasters, content creators, and service providers to streamline operations, cut through the complexity of IP media workflows, and keep infrastructures ahead of shifting technology and demand with Zero Friction agility. The TAG platform empowers users with innovative toolsets to ensure video quality, improve overall efficiency across all media workflows, and provides invaluable business and operational insights.

WILSONVILLE, Ore.—Eric Reese has been named vice president of Audix, the Videndum Creative Solutions-owned manufacturer of professional microphones for stage, studio and broadcast use.

He’ll be tasked with overseeing all of the company’s functions including sales, marketing, product development and operations, Audix said.

“My goal is to increase the awareness of Audix products and technologies with engineers, artists, and system designers, and to challenge more people to take the ‘Audix Challenge’ and listen to what they’ve been missing for over 40 years,” Reese said. “I look forward to utilizing my varied skillset and industry knowledge to collaborate with the team at Audix to continue the brand’s legacy and usher in a new era of quality audio.”

A 26-year veteran of the AV and entertainment industry, Reese began his career as a reliability engineer at Peavey Electronics. Since then, he spent 11 years with Sennheiser and five years with Shure, and has also worked for Peavey, Ford Audio-Video, AVI-SPL and Blizzard Lighting. He has a bachelor’s degree in electrical engineering from Michigan State University and an Executive MBA from Marquette University.

He also owns and operates live sound production company Loud and Clear Productions and is the frontman for a John Mellencamp tribute band.

“Audix has been an iconic, product-focused brand for over 40 years," Reese said. "Its passionate following is due to its dedication to unique products, for engineers and musicians, designed and built by engineers and musicians right here in the USA.

“Ironically, as a professional live sound engineer, my exposure to the full span of their catalog was limited, aside from their industry-leading drum microphones, which are ubiquitous,” he added. “Now that I’ve dug deeper into their products and technologies, I believe that Audix is the best-kept secret in microphones.”

WEST LONDON, England—Andrew Beaudet has joined video processing and control systems provider Brompton Technology as head of sales, Americas.

Beaudet, who brings almost 30 years of experience in the music and digital signage industries, will help lead Brompton’s sales efforts in North and South America as the company looks to expand its presence in the region.

“I have always sought out companies and products that give real value to their customers, rather than selling for selling’s sake,” Beaudet said. “Brompton offers superior image processing quality with a workflow and mindset to match. I am most looking forward to working with the team, getting to grips with the amazing work they’re doing and, of course, joining them at the forthcoming InfoComm show to meet existing and potential customers.”

Beaudet joins Brompton after a career that included work with major LED display manufacturers as well as 10 years in Barco’s live event and retail division. He brings extensive experience working with LED makers and end users in the live event and digital signage markets, Brompton said.

Brompton Sales Director Lotta Schiefer said Beaudet brings valuable experience to its senior sales team.

“His knowledge of LED manufacturers and experience of guiding end users to the correct product for their application will be key to our continued expansion in both North and South America,” she said. “We are excited to see how his leadership skills and industry knowledge complement our existing teams.”

Beaudet will be part of the Brompton team on hand at InfoComm in Las Vegas, June 17–19 at the Las Vegas Convention Center.

The 2026 FIFA World Cup will be one of the most-watched sporting events in streaming history. It will also be one of the most complicated for viewers to navigate.

For fans, the question sounds simple: where do I watch the match? But across connected TV, the answer is no longer as straightforward as turning on a channel. Viewers may encounter the tournament through a smart TV home screen, sports hub, streaming app, platform search, voice navigation, YouTube preview, or AI-powered recommendation.

With 104 matches and 48 teams, combined with multilingual coverage across multiple platforms, YouTube’s first 10-minute viewing window, and connected TV operating systems playing a larger role in content discovery, the tournament is shaping up to be a major test of the modern streaming experience.

The Home Screen Is the New Sports Guide
Today, the TV home screen is becoming the front door to live sports. The apps a viewer sees first, the events promoted in hero banners, the matches surfaced in live sports rows, and the results returned through search can all influence where audiences go and what they watch.

That matters because live sports discovery is different from entertainment discovery. A movie can be found later. A series can sit on a watchlist. But a live match has a start time, a halftime, and a final whistle. If fans cannot quickly find the right destination, the moment may be missed.

Because of that urgency, placement, timing, accuracy, and context all matter. A World Cup match prominently promoted on a TV home screen has a very different discovery advantage from one buried behind multiple clicks or unclear app navigation.

Live Sports Merchandising Is More Complex
The scale of the World Cup will make this even more complex. The tournament will include multiple daily matches, different kickoff times, national teams with varying levels of audience demand, and different viewing preferences across language, region, and platform. FIFA has predicted that 6 billion viewers will watch the tournament.

A fan searching for “Mexico live,” “World Cup highlights,” “soccer on now,” or “watch Argentina” may expect an instant answer. Whether that answer appears clearly will depend on how well platforms organize, tag, promote, and surface live sports content.

Apps still matter, but operating systems increasingly shape the path viewers take before they ever open an app. Sports hubs, recommendation rows, search tools, voice assistants, and AI-driven prompts can all guide fans toward one viewing path over another.

YouTube Could Reshape the Funnel
For the 2026 World Cup, match discovery could increasingly begin on YouTube, where official media partners will have the option to stream the first 10 minutes of every match on their YouTube channels.

That model adds an important new dimension to the viewing journey. By giving rights-holding broadcasters a way to showcase the opening minutes live on YouTube, FIFA is creating a new top-of-funnel entry point for fans who may encounter matches through previews, clips, creators, search, or algorithmic recommendations.

YouTube could become a powerful discovery channel, particularly for younger viewers and casual fans. But the real test will be the handoff: once the preview ends, can viewers easily find the full match on the correct app, language feed, or platform destination?

The more friction involved, the greater the risk that viewers drop off before reaching the full match experience.

Small UI Errors Can Create Big Problems
The 2026 World Cup will also expose the operational challenges behind live sports merchandising. At Looper Insights, our data has found an average of 1.3 user interface errors per live sports event. These can include incorrect tiles, incorrect start time listings, outdated promotions, missing event information, broken navigation paths, or inconsistent placement across devices.

For general entertainment, these issues are frustrating. For live sports, they can be costly. When a fan is trying to find a match already underway, even a small error can mean missed viewing time, confusion, or abandonment.

The impact extends to advertisers as well. If fans miss the opening minutes of a major World Cup match because the game is difficult to find, brands lose access to some of the most valuable live viewing moments: pre-game build-up, kick-off, early in-game attention, and the shared urgency that makes sports advertising so powerful. For sponsors and media buyers investing in marquee matches, discovery friction can weaken the value of campaigns that depend on audiences arriving on time and at scale.

That is why verification will matter as much as promotion. Broadcasters, streamers, rights holders, and platforms will need to know whether placements appeared as planned, whether event information was accurate, and whether issues were resolved before they affected viewers. At the World Cup scale, a missing tile, outdated promotion, or incorrect start time can affect tune-in, advertiser value, and the overall fan experience.

The Winners Will Make Discovery Effortless
The companies that perform best during the World Cup will not simply be those with the biggest campaigns. They will be the ones that make the viewing journey effortless: surfacing the right match at the right time, guiding fans from previews to full-match viewing, and ensuring promotions accurately reflect what is live now.

As streaming becomes more fragmented, visibility becomes more valuable. For live sports, visibility is not just about awareness. It is about access, timing, and conversion.

The match may start on the pitch, but for millions of viewers, the journey will begin on the home screen.

READING, Pa. and CHESTERTON, In—Miri Technologies has just signed a new distribution partnership with Midwich, a distributor of audio-visual and unified communications solutions for the United States and Canada. The agreement reinforces Miri's channel partnership strategy for meeting the rapidly growing demand for the X510 dual-cellular bonding router and the new V410 4K live encoder/decoder in the world’s largest commercial market.

The Miri X510 router enables resilient internet connectivity anywhere by forging multiple wired and wireless links—including Ethernet, Wi-Fi, 4G, 5G and satellite—together to overcome speed limitations and withstand network disruptions even in challenging environments, according to the company. Powered by Speedify channel bonding technology from Connectify, the X510 bolsters internet connectivity for any type of data and supports use cases ranging from live streaming and remote broadcast contribution to trade shows and disaster response.

The Miri V410 live 4K encoder/decoder combines intuitive interfaces with rich functionality, robust connectivity and flexible format support for live streaming, IP-based production and AV-over-IP distribution. It can encode one 4K Ultra HD output at 60FPS or two simultaneous QHD (2560x1440) channels, and can also transcode from NDI® sources to streaming formats. As a decoder, the device can decode two 4K Ultra HD streams concurrently from most supported source formats.

Midwich sees Miri as a great addition to its offering in the Broadcast & Media/Entertainment sector.

“The channel partners we service are constantly looking to create the most complete solutions that solve problems, simplify workflows and open the door to new revenue streams,” said Rich D’Angelo, Midwich executive director of business management for Media & Entertainment. “Miri solutions will complement our existing brands in helping our resellers and integrators achieve these goals. Miri's approach to resilient connectivity and the powerful yet simple interfaces in their products combine with class-leading levels of flexibility and insight that truly set them apart.”

“We’re excited to expand the availability of our solutions by partnering with Midwich,” said David Cohen, vice president of sales and business development at Miri Technologies. “We see tremendous opportunities for synergy between Miri and the many brands that Midwich represents and we're looking forward to growing our footprint across the continent with their support.”

NEW YORK—While U.S. interest in soccer continues to grow and viewing of the FIFA World Cup 2026 is projected to rise, new survey data across seven major markets shows the nation still lags the Europe and Asia-Pacific regions in men’s World Cup viewing, according to S&P Global Market Intelligence.

Only 13% of U.S. online adults surveyed said they “typically” watch World Cup matches, compared to nearly half of U.K. respondents and 28–43% of respondents in other surveyed markets.

Demographic patterns reveal a male-heavy audience, with splits approaching 70% men and 30% women in the U.S. and China and 57%-43% in India.

Cross-sport engagement is extensive. U.S. World Cup fans heavily favor football (78%) and basketball (70%), while cricket dominates India (89%), baseball peaks in South Korea (64%) and European markets show the strongest overlap with tennis viewership.

Younger cohorts show a more balanced gender mix, but the gap widens substantially among older viewers

EVS said it is changing its corporate name from EVS Broadcast Equipment to simply EVS.

Founded in 1994, EVS built its business with live replay systems that transformed sports production. Over the years, it has expanded its portfolio and capabilities.

EVS now delivers a product ecosystem spanning live production workflows, media infrastructure, content management, AI-driven capabilities and media production robotics. The simplified name better captures the broader portfolio and the central role EVS plays in bringing live moments to audiences worldwide, the company said.

While EVS remains deeply rooted in the broadcast industry, its technologies are increasingly deployed across a wider range of markets, including live news production, entertainment, corporate environments, venues and emerging applications.

The name change is closely aligned with EVS’s technology direction. As the industry accelerates toward software-defined architecture, cloud-enabled deployments and AI-powered workflows, EVS has positioned itself at the forefront of this shift. Its solutions are designed to operate seamlessly across on-premises, hybrid, and cloud environments.

“Our broadcast heritage remains a strong foundation, but our ambition extends much further,” EVS CEO Serge Van Herck said. “We now deliver a full ecosystem of solutions that enable our customers to produce and deliver live content in the most demanding environments, across industries and platforms. Simplifying our name is a natural step to better represent this transformation and to support our continued international growth.”

More information is available on the EVS website.

MAIDSTONE, U.K.—Glensound will feature its range of networked audio and intercom solutions for professional AV, broadcast AV, live events, esports, education and government spaces at InfoComm 2026, June 13-19, at the Las Vegas Convention Center.

At InfoComm, Glensound will highlight the DARK22M, a compact two-in, two-out Dante interface that combines analog, USB, and networked audio in a single unit. Each XLR input can be set independently for mic, phantom power or line level, while USB-C allows laptops, playback devices, recording systems or soft codecs to connect directly into a Dante workflow.

With copper and fiber network options, local and remote control and support for third-party UDP control, the DARK22M gives AV teams a practical way to add audio where it is needed without overcomplicating the system.

The company will also show its Parliament Broadcast System (PBS), built on Dante and combining chamber and committee room audio with software for voting, delegate management, camera control, logging and graphics integration. The modular system supports seated chambers, ad hoc chambers, committee rooms and remote participation, with independent feeds for broadcast, recording and sound reinforcement.

The company also will showcase its Beatrice R12 MkII as the first second-generation Beatrice intercom unit. The 12-channel Dante intercom adds multiple display screens showing source and destination labels taken directly from Dante Controller, alongside signal and status information. Each channel has a five-way lever control for talk, listen and level adjustment, giving operators fast, clear control in live events, production spaces, esports environments and installed AV systems.

For installed spaces, the MINOS AB22 offers a simple wall-mounted route into a Dante network. Designed for a U.S. dual-gang back box and compatible with Decora faceplates, it provides analog and wireless audio connectivity for meeting rooms, classrooms, presentation spaces and venue systems. Powered by PoE, it gives integrators a discreet way to add local audio access without adding unnecessary hardware.

See Glensound at InfoComm 2026 booth N6218.

More information is available on the company’s website.

MONTREAL, Quebec—Grass Valley has named Sam Craig as vice president, global pre-sales.

In the new U.S.-based role, Craig will work closely with Grass Valley’s regional pre-sales leadership across the Americas, APAC and EMEA to further strengthen collaboration, standardize back practices and support strategic customer initiatives to accelerate adoption across the Grass Valley Media Universe, the company said.

He returns to Grass Valley from Diversified, where he was vice president of advisory services, leading its technical consultancy and solutions organization.

“Sam brings a unique combination of technical expertise, operational leadership, and deep knowledge of the media technology industry,” Grass Valley Chief Revenue Officer Tim Banks said. “Having previously played an important role in the evolution of our global pre-sales organization, he understands both our customers and our business. We are thrilled to welcome him back to the team.”

In his prior, seven-year stint with Grass Valley, Craig had been VP, global pre-sales. A 20-year veteran with experience in broadcast engineering, enterprise AV, live production, IP-based media infrastructure and cloud-enabled workflows, he has held leadership roles across systems integration, broadcast operations and media technology operations, Grass Valley said.

“Our customers are navigating a rapidly evolving media landscape, and they need trusted partners who can help them move forward with confidence,” Craig said. “Grass Valley’s unique combination of software-defined innovation, proven mission-critical hardware and deep workflow expertise gives customers a practical path to modernize, transform their operations and protect their investments. I’m thrilled to be returning at such an important time and to help accelerate the impact we can deliver for customers around the world.”

COLOGNE, Germany—Qvest has introduced two new solutions that the company says will help drive more efficient processing in software defined architectures.

The two new open-source projects—mxl-k8s and go-mxl—address key challenges of modern broadcast architectures in the context of Dynamic Media Facilities (DMF) and advance their practical implementation in Kubernetes-based environments.

Qvest says its solution addresses one of the key scalability challenges in DMF-based architectures. Multiple applications often access the same stream simultaneously, leading to significant bandwidth inefficiencies, rising costs, and increasing complexity that grows with each additional application.

“With uncompressed UHD streams in the range of 10 Gbit/s and more, this is not a marginal issue but a major economic factor,” says Daniel Clasen, Practice Lead – Custom Software Solutions at Qvest. “Our approach ensures that streams are processed at most once per node within the cluster. This lays the foundation for more efficient and future-proof media platforms.”

Qvest addresses this challenge with mxl‑k8s, which enables scalable, converged use of MXL across multiple nodes within a cluster. Media flows are shared within a node, regardless of how many applications access them.

On a technical level, Qvest extends the DMF architecture with a cluster-wide orchestration layer for MXL: As a software layer, MXL provides a standardized mechanism for exchanging media flows between applications and can be directly integrated into products.

The automated orchestration of this exchange across multiple nodes and systems is deliberately outside the scope of the MXL core and has so far been implemented on a project-specific basis—with corresponding effort for vendors and integrators that can be significantly reduced using mxl‑k8s.

With mxl‑k8s, crossnode transport of MXL becomes available for the first time as an automated cluster feature, without the need to implement it within each media function, according to the company. This removes a key scalability limitation of modern media architectures. For applications, the need to account for the origin or routing of a flow is eliminated.

go‑mxl, Qvest’s Go binding for the MXL libraries implemented in C/C++, further simplifies integration into modern software stacks and makes the technology accessible to a broader developer base.

“MXL is designed as a layer for integration into software products. Across multiple systems, an additional orchestration layer becomes essential. This is exactly the layer we are now adding, enabling fully automated operation across the entire cluster. Initial feedback from the industry confirms the strong demand for this type of orchestration,” summarizes Daniel Clasen.

Qvest is providing both projects as open source, enabling the industry to further develop the approaches and integrate them into their own systems.

As part of Qvest’s broader industry engagement, in May 2026, the company upgraded its membership in the industry association AMWA to General Member and is now contributing this technical expertise more actively to the development of industry standards – including throughthe Joint Task Force on Dynamic Media Facilities (JT‑DMF).

Find mxl-k8s and go-mxl on GitHub: https://github.com/qvest-digital/go-mxl