What’s surprised you the most about the media technology industry in 2025?
What has surprised us most in 2025 is the pace at which broadcasters are moving toward software-based, IP-driven production models. Rather than adopting a single new technology, the industry is increasingly focused on flexibility, using a mix of cloud, on-premises, and virtualised workflows to reliably move content from anywhere into live production.
Remote production continues to mature, driven by the need to produce more live content with smaller teams and tighter budgets. Broadcasters are prioritising solutions that integrate seamlessly into existing workflows while reducing complexity and deployment time. Widely adopted IP technologies such as SRT have played a central role in making this transition practical, enabling secure, high-quality contribution across a wide range of networks. As a result, broadcasters are rethinking how and where live production happens, with far greater freedom to scale workflows beyond traditional infrastructure limits.
What news ideas/technologies have caught your attention?
One of the most compelling innovations we saw this year came through the IBC Accelerator Programme, particularly the project Conquering the Air(waves): Private 5G from Land to Sea to Sky. This initiative stood out because it moved beyond theory and delivered real-world proof of how new contribution models can work at scale.
Through collaboration with broadcasters such as France Télévisions, alongside academic and technology partners including Haivision, the project explored the use of aerial platforms including ultralight aircraft, to extend private 5G coverage into challenging and dynamic environments. Trials conducted in France, Italy, and the UK demonstrated how secure, high-bandwidth, and ultra-low latency connectivity can support moving cameras across difficult terrain.
What made this especially impactful was its practical focus on flexible, IP-based workflows that bring content reliably from anywhere into live production, pointing toward how future broadcast infrastructures will continue to evolve
What would you say has been the biggest talking point of the year, and why?
Cloud, AI, and 5G have been the biggest talking points of the year, as broadcasters look for more flexible and affordable ways to produce a growing volume of live content. Cost efficiency remains a major challenge, and software-based, IP-driven workflows are helping teams do more with smaller crews and tighter budgets. A key driver behind adoption is the ability to move content reliably from anywhere into live production, regardless of where processing takes place. Widely adopted IP streaming technologies such as the SRT protocol, alongside cellular bonding technologies like SST, are critical to securely delivering high-quality live video across diverse network environments.
As we come to the end of the year, are you more optimistic or pessimistic about the future of the industry?
I am highly optimistic. Demand for live, high-quality content continues to grow and audiences expect engaging coverage from more events, sports, and locations. Technologies such as 5G, HDR, and 4K are helping deliver a richer viewing experience in a more efficient and cost-effective way. At the same time, advancements in AI, cloud production, and IP video are simplifying workflows and reducing operational overhead.
These exciting innovations are no longer theoretical. We are seeing real deployments with measurable results, enabling broadcasters to further innovate and deliver great live broadcasts.
What one word would you use to sum up the industry right now?
Hybrid. Our annual survey, the Broadcast Transformation Report, shows that media organisations are moving to hybrid workflows—cloud and on-prem, SDI and ST 2110—made possible by the industry’s adoption of SRT as a protocol for remote production and ground to cloud transport.
What are you looking forward to in 2026?
In 2026, we’re looking forward to continued progress in IP-based and virtualised production workflows as broadcasters move from experimentation to more consistent, repeatable deployments. In 2025, we saw strong proof points around remote production, cloud integration, and flexible contribution models that make it easier to bring content from anywhere into live production.
Next year, the focus will be on scaling these workflows in a practical way, balancing cloud and on-premises deployments while maintaining quality, reliability, and low latency. Technologies such as private 5G will continue to play a role alongside widely adopted IP standards like SRT, as broadcasters look for cost-effective ways to produce more live content from more locations with smaller, distributed teams.
