HACKENSACK, N.J.—The European Broadcasting Union (EBU) has awarded LiveU a five-year contract to deliver 24/7 live news content through its Eurovision News Exchange.
The exchange project is the next step in an ongoing transition from a previously satellite-only system towards IP-based contribution and hybrid distribution. The Eurovision News Exchange will rely on LiveU Matrix for delivery of its members’ live signals throughout Europe and beyond, LiveU said.
"The project marks a decisive step for the broadcasting industry, as major public service media embrace cloud-based IP workflows for faster, more sustainable and cost-efficient live news delivery,” said Emilio San Pedro, EBU head of Eurovision News Exchange. “LiveU’s Matrix platform enables us to connect Europe’s leading broadcasters better than ever and ensure seamless, future-proof live news delivery for audiences everywhere."
The project connects all members with LiveU technology, extending to more than 60 public service newsrooms in Europe and globally, the company said.
The exchange conducted a rigorous evaluation of the company’s LiveU Reliable Transport (LRT)-based delivery with Secure, Reliable Transport (SRT) capabilities and chose the platform for its reliability and scalability, it said.
The project includes a phased rollout—currently in its pilot phase with 15 members—of LiveU Ingest for cloud recording and shared content workflows across both primary and backup channels.
"Following a very tight and highly competitive selection process, we are delighted to partner LiveU to replace the Eurovision News Exchange live contribution and distribution system,” said Piotr Kaszynski, EBU program manager for the renewal of the Eurovision News Exchange live network, said.
“By the end of 2025, the new solution will bring greater flexibility and faster setup times, enabling our members [to have] continuous, reliable access to Eurovision News Exchange live signals,” Kaszynski added. “With LiveU Matrix seamlessly connecting on-prem and field units already used across the News Exchange, this will strengthen collaboration and deliver even more value to our Members and partners."
LiveU's Matrix IP distribution platform sits at the heart of this transformation, enabling seamless contribution and distribution of live news content among members and ad hoc sharing with other sources. The solution integrates 125 LiveU Transceivers deployed at member premises, with Dual Active (active/active) redundancy ensuring that two parallel streams—via cloud and transceiver—guarantee uninterrupted service in each location. This premium layer of Dual Active reliability enhances Matrix's capability to serve as a primary distribution system complement to backup satellite distribution, it said.
The multiregion, multivendor contingency plan relies on global cloud providers in the various regions, further supporting a highly resilient, multilayered architecture. Proactive monitoring is also included in the solution as well as the option to scale up the distribution channels for high-demand events, LiveU said.
Deployment began earlier this year. LiveU Matrix has already been used for major news events, such as the papal conclave. It will be completed in January 2026, when the EBU plans to gradually phase out its satellite contribution workflow and transition to a hybrid distribution and IP-based contribution. The official go-live date for the new IP-based network is set for Jan. 1, 2026, it said.
More information is available on the company’s website.
