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Biographical Information

Adrian Pennington

Adrian Pennington is a freelance writer based in London whose articles have appeared in The Financial Times, Broadcast, Futuremedia, and New Media Age, among many others.

Articles for Adrian Pennington

MWC24: While 5G Lags, 6G and Quantum Wait in the Wings

Even while telco operators are scarred by their experience rolling out and paying for 5G, attention is turning to its successor 6G, which will begin to be adopted from 2030.

MWC24: Consumer XR Faces Reality Check

XR technology is forecast to rocket from a market value of $55 billion in 2023 to $490 billion by 2030, which holds both a promise and a puzzle. While business to business use of XR has taken hold, consumer applications have failed to move beyond the hype.

MWC24: Operators Struggle to Make 5G Pay Off

While AI was the future buzz at Mobile World Congress, operators debated how to recoup money from the millions of dollars poured into 5G networks, with repeated better regulation, wider cooperation, and promises not to repeat the mistakes of 5G.

For Loss-Making Paramount+ and Peacock, a Merger Makes Sense—but not Necessarily with Each Other

After courting WarnerBros. Discovery and AppleTV, Paramount is now eyeing up Comcast for a potential union of its streamer Paramount+, in this case with Peacock. Or it could be the other way around: Paramount Global has some hot properties making it attractive to rival streamers in a bid to compete better with Disney and Netflix.

The ESPN/Fox/WBD Mega-Bundle and the Vegas-ization of Live Sports Streaming

In Super Bowl week, when interest in sports in the U.S couldn't be higher--and when the clash between the Chiefs and the 49ers is likely the biggest single-game betting event in US history--old media titans Disney, Fox, and WarnerBros. Discovery are having one last throw of the dice.

Entertainment Industry Enters Age of Austerity

More than 260,000 global technology-sector employees were laid off in 2023 from 1186 companies, some 100,000 more than in 2022. The most recent is Amazon, which has announced job cuts in Prime Video and MGM Studios divisions together with 500 staff, a third of the total, from gaming platform Twitch. 

From Verizon/Netflix/Max to Apple/Paramount, Bundling Is the New/Old Method to Keep Subscribers Happy

Seasonal gifts have arrived early for viewers of streaming TV but the discounts on offer are not just for Christmas. Recent deals which have seen Verizon customers get a discounted package of Netflix and Max content and reports of a similar union between Paramount+ and AppleTV+ are the latest attempts by streaming service providers to stem churn and drive profit that will continue and spread throughout the industry well into the New Year. 

Spotify Remains Number 1 Music Streamer

Launches CTV ad business with Roku, expands audiobook inventory and doubles down on AI with huge room for growth identified by researchers Kantar

AI at IBC 2023: The GenAI Is Out of the Bottle

AI dominates IBC discussion but application remains thin on the ground

Report From IBC 2023 - Fremantle, XUMO, Tubi, and Fuse Talk FAST's Rush to Quality

FAST channels are beginning to look a lot like TV - and with good reason, agree executives at major FAST providers Fremantle, XUMO, Tubi, and Fuse. What has evolved is curation. Adrian Pennington reports from IBC 2023 about a panel on the future of the free ad-supported TV phenomena.

Report from IBC 2023 - Paramount, Warner Bros., Marvel Execs Discuss the State of MovieLabs 2030 Vision

Adrian Pennington reports from IBC 2023 on a panel of Hollywood CTOs from Paramount, Warner Bros., Marvel, and Universal Pictures focusing on the state of the MovieLabs 2030 Vision, which aims to create a shift from siloed legacy moviemaking workflows to software-based and interoperable cloud workflows.

Update from IBC 2023 – Warner Bros. Discovery Eyes “Massive Opportunity” for Ad-Lite VOD

Adrian Pennington reports from IBC about Warner Bros. Discovery's new "ad-lite" VOD approach, with its launch of an ad-lite version of Discovery+ in Germany and its new TNT Sports venture. He also reports on the recent YouTube Primetime European launch.

Disney vs. Charter: Another Feud in the Battle to Reshape Pay TV into Streaming

Charter says the video ecosystem is broken; proposes a new paradigm where ad-supported streaming apps from cable network brands are packaged into linear products at an affordable price-point. But Disney has its own plans.

Enter CNN Max: News, Then Sports the Differentiators for WBD’s Max Überplan

WBD hopes CNN Max, its latest attempt to solve news streaming, will finally crack the code. But it has its work cut out since the platform, launching September 27, is behind the curve of its competitors.

Creators Prepare to Fight for and Flee TikTok as Bans Take Effect   

Although governments around the world have restricted or outlawed the use of TikTok, the state of Montana last week became one of the first jurisdictions to extend the ban to consumer users as well. Other states may well follow and while there are challenges to the proposed law creators reliant on the platform would do well not seek out other options should the noose tighten in the run up to the 2024 presidential election. 

The State of Live Streaming 2023

2022 was the year in which sports, the appointment-to-view genre with massive audiences and revenues, moved to the center of major streaming provider strategies.

The State of OTT 2023

Netflix may have pioneered online pay TV on-demand with a model that every other SVOD chased. From April 2022, a pivot was required of every player, Netflix included.

Streamticker: The Biggest Streaming Media Mergers & Acquisitions of 2022

A look at the streaming industry's most notable mergers and acquisitions of 2022, from WarnerBros-Discovery to Microsoft/Activision to Limelight/Edgecast to Dolby/Millicast to Telestream/Encoding.com and more

MWC2023: The Metaverse Will be User-Generated

Almost every major stand at MWC2023 in Barcelona features some version of the metaverse whether that's a digital twin or volumetric capture studio. Day 3 keynotes at MWC2023 focused on current challenges to building the metaverse and growing the metavers economy.

European Telcos Bark that Netflix and Big Tech Must Pay Fair Share–But Their Bark Lacks Bite

Speaker after speaker at Mobile World Congress heralded a new era of cooperation and openness with US-based big tech at the same time as pleading for the heaviest data traffic streamers to pay their way—and urging regulators to step in if they do not.

AWS, Microsoft, and Google Partner with Mobile Operators to Scale Web3 from Cloud to Edge

In this report from Mobile World Congress 2023, mobile telecoms operators are uniting with major cloud providers in a bid to make it easier to unlock the full potential of the edge compute revolution. The aim is to enable greater interoperability between carrier networks and between networks and the cloud via APIs to accelerate development of applications such as immersive mixed reality experiences and Web3.

Netflix Steadies the Ship with a Smaller Piece of the Pie

With Netflix' new ad-supported service included for the first time in its earnings results, there were encouraging signs that the streamer has stemmed the crisis that had seemed to engulf it after losing customers in the first half of 2022.

BBC’s Internet-Only TV Is a Threat, Not a Promise

The BBC is preparing to shut down its traditional television and radio broadcasts and shift everything online, but will do so only if the principal of universal affordable access is maintained.

Gambling on Sports Is a Sure Bet for Streamers

The travails of FuboTV aside, streamers are advancing on incorporating Sportsbooks into their live product

Netflix Follows Broadcast-Centric Business Models After Years of Innovation

Netflix reported a strong third quarter after the market closed on Tuesday, with more growth anticipated in Q4 after its Basic with Ads tier launches November 1 in twelve countries as part of a wider development in the streaming ecosystem that will see streaming platforms engage with the metrics of linear broadcast for the first time.

Google and Paramount at IBC 2022: Use Data for Personalization, Storytelling, and Customer Retention

Data is worth its weight in gold to digital service providers who can mine it effectively. Power that data extraction with AI and ML and it will drive personalized content recommendations, and improved search and discovery to help differentiate a service and stem churn. This was a major topic across the IBC showfloor in Amsterdam this week. 

Warner Bros. Discovery Talks Synergies, Scale, and Live in IBC Keynote

"We want to be whatever we wish to be in the content landscape," said Warner Bros. Discovery CIO Dave Duvall in a keynote at the IBC media and entertainment technology trade show in Amsterdam. "Our ambition is not limited by resource. Now it's about product market fit with our D2C business and scale is a big driver." 

Encoding.com Talks Telestream Acquisition and Powering M&E VOD and Broadcast Workflows

"Now the same tools that power Vantage on prem are being incorporated into Encoding.com cloud," says Telestream VP Cloud Revenue Jeff Malkin (formerly president of Encoding.com). "We will leverage the framework to add new tools and make an unrivaled cloud solution." 

Discovery + HBO: Streaming App Merger Inevitable but Risky

As of summer 2023 for US customers, the two apps will be one consolidated service, with both an "ad-lite" and an ad-free version becoming available. A LatAm expansion follows, and the European market launch is in 2024. 

Comcast Urges Advertisers to Buy into FAST

In a report designed to focus advertiser attention on its own FAST service Xumo, Comcast finds that FAST penetration has more than doubled year-over-year. 

Netflix and Microsoft Team for Ads as Wider Consolidation Looms 

Having signalled its intent to launch an ad-supported service earlier this year, Netflix' announcement of Microsoft as its partner in the venture prompted immediate speculation about Redmond's intent to buy the streamer wholesale.  

SVODs Target Growth in Central and Eastern Europe

As more OTT services begin to look to the region as an expansion point, CEE's SVOD subscriber base is projected to grow over 60% from 2020 to 2022, primarily driven by Netflix. This strong growth is forecast to continue into the future, supported by the launch of new services including SkyShowtime and the steady improvement of broadband availability.

M&A in Media and Telecoms Hits Record $469 Billion in Teeth of Recession

Despite increasing interest rates, the stock market decline in the tech sector and a potential recession, M&A business among media and telcos is heating up.

Pay TV Fighting Decline With OTT Offerings: PwC Report

While pay TV revenues are down overall, as cable companies step up as OTT aggregators. That's one of the notable findings in the new Global Entertainment & Media Outlook report from PwC.

Comcast Report Suggests Advertisers Spend Up To a Third of Their Budget on CTV

Advertisers are advised to use a combination of tactics to achieve their goals: Reach more potential buyers with traditional data-driven TV and then use addressable advertising as a tactic to reach those more likely to buy sooner.

Live Streaming Carbon Cuts Are Working, But There's More to Be Done: Blackbird Report

TV production's carbon output in the UK dropped by more than half in 2021, and though some of that is due to production shutdowns, there are clear signs that industry efforts to become more sustainable are working. Still, there's a long way to go, according to a new report from Blackbird.

NFTs Come To Connected TV

"What we've created isn't TikTok or YouTube, it's straight art," says Kevin McCarthy of StreamNFT, which just launched on the Roku Channel Store, bringing non-fungible tokens to your TV set.

The State of Live Streaming 2022

There is little doubt that an accelerated switch to streaming is underway —in the sports world especially—and that this is probably happening more rapidly in the U.S. than in any other market.

The State of Video Monetization 2022

Since the bottom fell out of the advertising market in Q1 2020, the industry has been on a rebound across platforms—and shows no signs of slowing. FAST and AVOD are growing, SVOD services are trying to stay relevant, and NFTs are enabling a new creator economy.

The State of OTT 2022

If the story of 2020 and 2021 was largely of pandemic-propelled streamer growth, then 2022 and beyond is shaping up to be a period in which the industry has to adapt to a more complex ecosystem.

Blockchain and NFTs: Power to the Creators

Some say NFTs (non-fungible tokens) are a novelty, a status symbol for the crypto rich, and a bubble that's bound to burst. Others argue that NFTs will fundamentally change business models in the creative industries. It's early days, but there's plenty of momentum behind NFTs and blockchain. Here's what you need to know.

The Building Blocks of the Metaverse

The most important aspects of the entire metaverse project are the interchange standards and the tools, protocols, formats, and services that enable persistent and ubiquitous virtual simulations. Without them, there will be no metaverse.

IBC: We've Been Apart for Too Long

The international focus of events like IBC generate a sense of excitement and a critical mass of activity that drives the whole industry forward. That momentum has been noticeably lacking in 2021, and it's time to get the ball rolling again.

Kaltura Valued at $1.24 Billion After IPO

After the pandemic scuttled an IPO in 2020, the 15-year-old enterprise and education video platform company floated on NASDAQ and raised $150 million to grow marketing, sales, and tech efforts.

Fastly Outage Exposes Fragility of the Internet

The edge cloud delivery service identified a "service configuration" that triggered disruptions that took down HBO Max, Hulu, Twitter, Spotify, and more. Services began coming back online within an hour.

Telestream Launches Cloud Transform Service

Telestream has become the latest company to take core media processing and transcoding into the cloud

The State of Live Streaming in 2021

COVID caused a seismic jolt to live streaming business models, but the industry responded with invention and innovations that will impact live streaming for years to come.

The State of OTT 2021

Taking stock of where OTT is at, with a look back at an unprecedented year and how it will impact the rest of 2021

id3as: Streaming Tech Designed for When Things Go Wrong

With clients and partners like Nasdaq, Arqiva, and Limelight Networks, id3as has made a name for itself as providing technology that's "good on a bad day."

Cloud Native Production: The Next Level of Carbon Reduction

While many media organizations are starting to use the cloud for editing and post-production workflows—in part because of its merits to sustainability—they can go further by using fully cloud-native solutions, according to a new report commissioned by Blackbird and carried out by Green Element.

VR? AR? Today, It's All About XR

Interest in VR has waned, even as the technology has improved. But combine it with augmented reality and mixed reality to form extended reality (XR), and things get interesting.

CES 2021: The Dial's Not Moving on 5G

Mobile edge compute and in-person experiences provide the strongest use cases for 5G, but the pandemic has stalled progress. Wi-Fi 6, on the other hand, will have a real impact in the short term.

CES Talks Seismic Impact of Streaming

Netflix's "Ozark" led the SVOD original content pack in 2020 with 30 billion minutes viewed, in a year when the average U.S. household subscribed to four streaming services. 2021 looks even bigger.

Sony Is All Ears at Virtual CES

Sony showcased its 360 virtual mixing environment and 360 Reality Audio Services at its CES 2021 showcase

Mozark Improves QoE by Tightening App Performance

OTT platforms with greater control over third-party infrastructure perform better, says measurement platform Mozark

Verizon Preps 5G Edge for 8K Live with AWS and Zixi

Zixi's Software-Defined Video Platform and live protocol are being used to deliver the 8K stream with AWS and Verizon for a major global broadcaster

AWS Takes SDI in the Cloud to Next Level

Proof of concept of uncompressed live video workflow in the cloud demonstrates future production possibilities and opens up interop can of worms

Netflix Goes 'Direct' to Older Viewers in France

The new live linear channel being trialled in France could be rolled out internationally, including in the U.S.

Riding the 5G Wave

Carriers are moving to standalone networks to fulfill 5G's true potential, but it remains a work in progress

5G's Future Is Broken. Here's Why We Need 6G

InterDigital, one of the chief architects of generational telecoms developments, says true immersive video experiences are a bust at 5G

8K: History Repeats Itself

With production challenge solved, smarter AI upscaling and enhanced codec technologies will enable 8K streaming to the home—inevitably.

Moving Picture, Audio, and Data Coding by Artificial Intelligence: "A New Way to Make Money"

New standards body MPAI plans to develop new specifications for data coding, using AI to bridge the gap between technology and licensing.

IBC: 5G Live Broadcast Demo Shows Work Needs To Be Done

An ambitious demo for IBC's Showcase brought together multiple broadcasters and vendors to demonstrate 5G's potential for remote production, but showed that it's a long way from ready for primetime

Sky: "It's All Digital Now"

It's time to get beyond the notion that it's pay TV vs OTT, argued executives from Sky, ViacomCBS, YouTube, and Roku at a "virtual IBC" event hosted by Bitmovin

The State of Media & Entertainment Streaming 2020

Competition in live-streaming services has intensified, but there are warnings that consumers are nearing their limit. We look back on the last 12 months in our annual industry update.

Building the Future of the Video Industry Trade Show

Nothing can replace the efficiency and networking value of the international trade show, but environmental and health concerns are causing the industry to evaluate alternatives.

Sisvel Announces AV1 Patent Pool

Royalties for 2,000 patents in AV1 from at least 12 companies will be charged via Video Coding Licensing Platform administrator Sisvel, which promises "reasonable and transparent" cost

COVID-19: All Eyes on NAB

NAB is still on for now, but now that AJA, Nikon, Adobe, and Avid have pulled out, exhibitors are taking a "watch and wait" approach as concerns about coronavirus increase and conferences across the globe cancel or postpone

Ericsson Claims to Beat Huawei's 5G Streaming Record

Speeds of 4.3Gbps could download an hour-long 4K episode in just 14 seconds; the old record was 2.92Gbps

Is Linear On Demand the Future? 3SS Is Betting on It

Super-aggregation requires a user experience capable of understanding individual taste and serving content from all of a viewer's video services. 3SS believes it has the solution.

In-Vehicle and In-Flight Video Takes Off

Cars and airplanes are now moving entertainment platforms. Here's how you'll be connecting to your favorite video on the road and in the air.

8K and Beyond: How Much is Too Much?

With higher-quality source material, new forms of content can take shape, from top-shelf VR to immersive live event viewing, as home TVs morph into giant, modular, wall-sized viewing platforms.

Liberty Global Boosts Video Delivery with Teltoo P2P

First rollout will be in The Netherlands, with plans to deploy in all territories Liberty Global serves

Walking with Daemons: BBC Imagines Interactive His Dark Materials

Latest BBC research into object-based media takes its cue from low-latency game streaming and puts data and compute as close as possible to the user device; uses BBC/HBO drama as example

From Contribution to AR, 5G Is the Future

5G's commercial rollout is faster than expected with video-intense applications including VR and AR lined up for later releases

IBC '19: Facebook Shows Live and Interactive Tools for Publishers

The social network outlined how it grows partnerships with broadcasters and content owners, then unveiled new tools and a route to audiences and monetization.

IBC '19: Telestream Says High-Quality Streaming Is Table Stakes

"We want to be the defacto standard for video processing, workflow automation, and quality management," says Telestream CEO Scott Puopolo.

IBC '19: Facebook, Netflix, Google Talk AV1, HEVC, and Support

The world's biggest video streamers have been slow to adopt next-generation codecs like AV1. At an IBC panel, they explained why HEVC is still the most widely supported.

IBC '19: Harmonic Aims to Reinvent Live Sports on Android TV

Partnering with Google and 3SS, Harmonic promises personalized sports viewing experiences that bridge the gap between broadcast and OTT.

IBC '19: YouTube Makes Play for Broadcaster Support at Keynote

With a shift away from commissioning premium original content, YouTube wants broadcasters to see it as an ally, not a competitor.

Codec Complexity is a 'Nuclear Bomb,' Says Bitmovin Report

Video streamers want "broadcast-like" latency but device and codec complexity is holding back the entire industry, finds a new report from the company. Among other findings: 20% of respondents don't use any video analytics.

Has IBC Survived Its Identity Crisis?

The traditional broadcast world of "big iron" is shrinking, and the new OTT kids on the block are looking at commodity IT and cloud workflows. How will the biggest industry show outside of NAB keep up?

iSize Claims Massive Performance Savings for its Debut AI Codec

BitSave promises 70% bitrate savings via machine learning, and currently works with H.264, with H.264, H.265, and VP9 on the way

BritBox Launch Will Pile More Pressure on Netflix

The "Best of British" SVOD launches domestically soon with content pulled from rivals including Netflix. But with BBC keeping content on iPlayer for 12 months, will it offer enough to get people to pay?

Amino Acquires UX Specialist 24i Media for €21.4 Million

The acquisition will allow Amino to offer pay TV operators a better-integrated user experience solution; 24i will retain its brand.

Skinny Bundles Plus A-List Content Could Sway Cord-Cutters

Pay TV providers remain under pressure from cord-cutting but could use skinny bundle offerings to staunch the flow, finds a new report.

Facebook’s Video Strategy Shows Signs of Success: IHS Markit

In a finding that will support the case short-form content service Quibi is making to advertisers, mobile devices have become a key area of growth in terms of video consumption.

HBO Max Joins Multi-Billion-Dollar Content Battle

Sky and Netflix also announce moves to double down on original spend for pay TV and direct-to-consumer services

5G Speeds Just Aren't Good Enough: 6G and 16K Are Inevitable

Technological progress, Moore's Law: Call it what you will but the buck does not stop with 4K resolutions over 5G networks. Wait for 2030 when 6G will be here.

5G Technology Meets the Achilles Heel of Smartphone Hardware

The coming of 5G will mean a revolution for mobile phone video and gaming, but before that can happen smartphone technology needs an upgrade.

WarnerMedia Makes SVOD Case to Advertisers

With established content brands plus AT&T's reach and a new cross-platform marketplace, WarnerMedia hopes to win ad dollars for platform launch in early 2020

Video Codecs Today: Minefield, Muddle, or Multiple Choice?

Advances in video codec technology driven by the explosion in video over IP are creating heated competition and a fragmented market. Will one winner emerge or is this the new normal?

Apple Pitches Revamped Apple TV as One-Stop Content Aggregator

Onboarding Amazon Prime and Hulu's subscriber base to Apple TV alone gives the service the potential to become largest single VOD platform in the U.S., while Apple TV+ will feature shows from Hollywood A-listers like Oprah Winfrey and Steven Spielberg.

MWC's Inflated Claims for the Future of 5G Demand a Reality Check

The experts at Mobile World Congress were certain 5G will change the world and weren't shy about making exaggerating claims. But how much is hype and hot air?

MWC 19: Liberty Media Calls 5G a Pipe Dream Turned Bad Dream

5G's massive cost outlay is a concern for mobile operators, while Liberty Media's boss says increases in broadband speeds will feed a growing demand for content.

MWC 19: 5G Begins Rolling Out in 2019, But Look for 6G in 2030

5G networking is being phased in and will be transformative to society. But operators are already looking to its successor, theorizing plans for far-faster 6G.

MWC 19: AR, VR, and 5G Create the Future of Online Entertainment

Speakers from Magic Leap, Niantic, HTC, RYOT, and the Olympic Committee talked up immersive media and entertainment experiences made possible with 5G.

Huawei Chairman Has a Message for Trump: There Are No Back Doors

Despite the White House's accusations, Huawei tells an MWC audience it doesn't plant back doors—but that's not true for its U.S. competition.

MWC 19: 5G Operators Promise the Moon But Won’t Shoulder the Cost

"Don't get short-term greedy to kill the long-term goose," mobile operators warn governments. They want governments to ease up on regulations and spectrum costs.

MWC 2019 Preview: Manufacturers Look Beyond the Handset

Mobile World Congress starts next week, and it won't be all about the phone. 5G, driverless cars, and the internet of things will bring a whole new world of cellular connectivity.

Sling TV Readies its Offerings for the Coming SVOD Onslaught

Dish Network's live streaming service tackles mass personalization and aggregation in an effort to create something viewers can't get anywhere else.

Viacom Follows Disney's Lead, Bets on Digital Short-Form Video

"If you do the math, it works out your favor," Viacom Digital Studio's Kelly Day tells an IBC audience, all the while praying that Disney's Jeffrey Katzenberg is right about short-form content.

YouTube Owns the Living Room: Fastest Growth Is On TV Sets

Over a half-billion living room devices have the YouTube app, the company announced at IBC. While this has profound implications for broadcasters, YouTube insists it wants to be a partner, not a competitor.

NASA Channel Lands on Roku, Streaming Video From the ISS

Roku owners can now enjoy a live view of the solar system, and Harmonic technology is behind the UHD HDR service, which it claims is a world first.

HQ Trivia and the Race to Ultra-Low Latency Live Streaming

Live video is getting interactive requiring bidirectional communication with low latency. Companies like Ex Machina, Haivision, nanocosmos, and Wowza—as well as the SRT Alliance—are working on solutions.

Eurosport Grounds Ambitious Olympics in IP Connectivity and the Cloud

Discovery Communications' sports division spent €1.3 billion on pan-European digital and linear rights to Olympic Games until 2024, and aims to make every second of every event from PyeonChang available on multiple platforms

Phenix Wants to Stream to a Billion Viewers—And Says It's Halfway There

Eschewing the term "P2P" for the friendlier "peer-assisted," Chicago startup Phenix claims it can offer unprecedented scale and unmatched latency

Can Better Monitoring Prevent a Replay of Class Action Against Showtime?

Showtime faces a class action after problems with the Mayweather-McGregor fight stream. Continual and complete testing might mitigate future brand damage if the issue was not with the content provider.

IBC '17: Cisco Says It Will Make IP Better Than Broadcast

Cisco says "IP better than broadcast" initiative is about video-aware networks

IBC '17: Cheap SVOD Bundles Cannot Support Content, says Fox

Fox executive Brian Sullivan argues for a return to aggregation, new mid-priced pay-TV bundles, and traditional media to retain control over premium content

IBC '17: Kantar Offers Facebook Video Metrics

Comparisons between video performance on Twitter and Facebook offer advertisers and broadcasters a new layer of understanding audience behavior

Facebook Primes Watch for Video Explosion in IBC Keynote

The social network pitches its new video service as the community-based OTT platform broadcasters have been waiting for.

HBO Uses AI to Combat Buffering, with Conviva's Help

Conviva says quality internet streams are only possible with intelligent realtime detection, and HBO is using Conviva's new Video AI Platform to do just that with HBO GO and HBO NOW

360° Video Is No Gateway to VR, Says BBC

BBC R&D is not convinced of the case for producing news in VR, and warns against the perils of relying too heavily on tech company sponsorship of branded 360° or VR news content

Beware the Android TV Revolution

The pluses of Google's platform should be approached eyes wide open by operators, says 3 Screen Solutions MD Kai-Christian Borchers

Hyperreality and the Urgent Need to Scale Content

The demand for realistic CG content to fuel immersive media applications requires new production methods and a new codec

Getting Ready for Video Over 5G: How Should the Industry Prepare?

With operators at risk of a ‘build it and they will come' approach, can a converged video contribution and delivery network monetize 5G?

The State of 4K and HDR 2017

4K is making inroads, but it's the profound visual richness of high dynamic range video that will really revolutionize how people watch television. Streaming networks are leading the way.

Why Mixed Reality Is the Future of Immersive Broadcasting

Intel and Microsoft are among those building tools for a merged reality video experience that could be streamed directly to the home.

SVOD Is the Clear OTT Winner

Amazon Prime Instant Video's expansion and the introduction of BritBox drive home the point: SVOD will be the leading OTT business model for the foreseeable future.

An Object Lesson in Personalized Streaming Video Experiences

What custom content does each viewer want to see? As broadcast and broadband converge, object-based media is showing the way to the future, and the BBC is taking the lead.

Sky Launches Into VR

Sky is committed to seeing VR succeed where 3D failed, and has established the 10-person Sky VR Studio to spearhead innovation and content creation

VR's Two-Tiered Takeoff

Despite a year of content and production experimentation by studios and broadcasters, poor quality experiences could yet impede VR take-off

Unified Remix Combats Ad Blockers

Unified Remix is a software engine that creates a single stream from a playlist created by a call to an ad network, a rule set, or by CMS generation, preventing ad blockers from identifying ad server URLs

IBC '16: Google Says Nobody Owes Publishers a Living

Google blames some publishers' ineffective digital strategies for "waterfalls of intrusive ads" but says technology offers opportunities to innovate out of the impasse

Nagra: TV Is Now a Connected Play

Company releases findings from its Pay-TV report and introduces TVkey USB device, which enables users to sign up for pay-TV services directly on selected Samsung TVs

IBC '16: Sony Stresses Open IP Systems

The firm also trials cloud switching with Swisscom and IP production with Euromedia

IBC '16: Google Tells Broadcasters to Wake Up to Mobile

Broadcasters are in the midst of an unprecedented revolution, and according to Google it's not IP

IBC '16: Imagine Communications Says IP-Based Production is Ready for Primetime

A well-architected IP-based production facility can provide the same robustness, reliability, and performance as SDI-based infrastructures, says Imagine Communications CEO Charlie Vogt

IBC '16: Netflix Re-Engineers as a Premium Play to Drive Growth

The SVOD service is overhauling its program library to move from a longtail warehouse to a premium platform

Harmonic Claims 50% OTT Performance Improvements with EyeQ

Unveiled at IBC 2016, EyeQ is the product of eight years' research and several filed patents, and will be released in the fourth quarter.

LiveU Launches New Portable HEVC Video Transmitter

The new LU600 will offer HEVC encoding at up to 20Mbps, file transfer at 80Mbps, and a latency of 0.5 seconds. Units will ship after IBC with H.264 cards, which the company will upgrade to H.265 when available.

DDVTech Updates MistServer, Claims Load Balancing Lead

The Dutch developer releases research which promotes claimed industry leading load-balancing and latency improvements for MistServer

NewTek To Debut IP Switcher at IBC

NewTek set to debut the NewTek IP Series production system at IBC, while other vendors will get behind the Alliance for IP Media Solution in Amsterdam

Electrifying OTT Services With the Cloud: Going Beyond the Box

Though fraught with challenges, the move to the cloud for DVR, UI-UX, and ad insertion is helping service providers and operators maximize revenue and deliver a better experience to their subscribers.

Voddler To Launch Live Streaming Solution

The Swedish group is also targeting emerging markets in APAC and MEA with its VoddlerNet peer-assisted delivery platform

Live VR/360° Video Gets Social

NextVR, LiveLikeVR, Greenfish Labs, and others are pushing to make live sports VR/360°viewing more social with avatars, spatial audio, and more

Twitter NFL Feed Will Only Offer 'Low-Level Streaming': NeuLion

Noting that Twitter's upcoming Thursday night NFL streams will provide a bare-bones experience, NeuLion calls it a sales tool for Game Pass.

Euro 2016, Then Olympics, Set to Break Live Streaming Records

Official streams may reach peaks of 15-18TB per second for the Rio Olympics, but the IOC is banning social streaming from the games, without saying how it plans to police or punish fans who use Periscope, Facebook Live to share the games

MCNs Grow Up

MCNs have gone from being aggregated networks of channels to sophisticated organizations that encompass the entire range of content creation and distribution, says Digiflare co-founder Mano Kulasingam

Ad Fatigue is Deterring Viewers; What's to Be Done?

As part of a move away from QoS to QoE, Conviva is introducing Ad Insights, which will apply the capabilities of its video playback experience monitoring to the ad experience

NFL: TV Has Flatlined, Online Is the Future: Streaming Forum 2016

The NFL looks to a post-TV future as it builds a digital portfolio of superior viewing options that will soon be worth over $1 billion per year.

Engineering a TV-Like Streaming Experience: Streaming Forum 2016

ITV's director of broadcast and distribution technology shared the broadcaster's strategy for merging catch-up and live linear TV into a universal consumer experience during the Streaming Forum 2016 keynote address.

Taking IP to the Wire: NewTek's Boss Talks Tough on Transport

Standardizing an industry move to video-over-IP is generating considerable confusion, but NewTek claims its approach is the only one focused on IP's real-world capabilities.

What Happens When the Super Bowl Stream Buffers? Buffer Rage!

Previous Super Bowls offered less-than-satisfactory live streaming experiences. Will CBS Sports get it right for the masses this Sunday?

For the Win! Live Sports Are Driving Streaming Video Innovation

The desire to keep sports relevant to the younger audience and connect with mobile media consumption habits is driving innovation online.

Resistance Is Futile: How Broadcast and Cable Are Embracing IP

Broadcast is moving to an IP-first, software-defined video infrastructure, and in the process reducing costs and creating new editorial opportunities.

Telstra Acquires Cloud Asset Management Specialist Nativ

As part of a strategy to create a comprehensive personalized TV and video platform, Telstra's Ooyala acquires U.K.-based Nativ for an undisclosed amount.

The State of Transcoding Solutions 2015

What are operators and MVPDs looking for from today's transcoding solutions? Automation and flexibility are high on the list, and the hardware vs. software debate continues.

Transcoding Trends for 2015

What are operators and MVPDs looking for from today's transcoding solutions? Automation, flexibility, and future-proofing are high on the list, and the old hardware vs. software debate continues.

Telstra and Sky Buy Into Elemental Technologies

Two global giants take minority stakes in the software-based video processing developer as Elemental predicts a tipping point for video over IP in 2015

Sony Demonstrates a Live 4K Video Over IP Production System

Partnering with Level 3, Sony offers a vision for the future of live broadcast production, one that saves money and builds in flexibility.

TV Will Move to IP in Two Years, Says Imagine CEO Charlie Vogt

Imagine Communications launches a software management platform to transition broadcasters to IP delivery; partners with Microsoft Azure.

Harmonic Simplifies Media Orchestration With Polaris Suite

Trading hardware for software-based solutions, Harmonic is promoting Polaris at IBC, a suite that streamlines playout management.

Elemental to Test 4K HEVC MPEG-DASH in NAB Demo with Akamai

The software video processing developer powers half a dozen 4K demos at NAB, is partnering with Ericsson EVE, and claims to be the fastest growing vendor around

Hang w/ Developer Plans Unlimited Broadcast for Google Glass

The popular live broadcasting mobile app could soon find a home on Google Glass featuring an unlimited option for constant video streaming.

Sochi Games to Set Record for Live and VOD Streaming

Adobe, NBCU, Elemental, Deltatre, LiveU, and more are readying streaming platforms that will deliver coverage to desktops and mobile devices around the globe.

Google Glass Primed for Entertainment, Adobe Report Finds

According to the latest Adobe Digital Index report, Google Glass will mainly be used to access online entertainment, with sports being the key driver.

CES 2014 Roundup: Sony, Panasonic, Sharp, and an Answer to the 4K Bandwidth Question

At Monday's Sony press conference, Netflix CEO Reed Hastings finally addressed the issue of 4K bandwidth, saying 15Mbps would be required for 4K encoded in HEVC

CES 2014: Sony to Launch Live and VOD Cloud TV Service

Focus will be on recommendation, personalization and "watch and resume" functionality across devices including tablets, phones, and of course PlayStation and PS4.

CES2014 : Marissa Mayer Announces Sweeping Yahoo! Revamp

The internet giant introduces a revised suite of ad tools, declares 2014 year of video, and buys contextual search specialist Aviate

CES 2014: Dolby Vision Strives to Make Ultra-bright Displays the Future of 4K

Netflix, Amazon Instant Video, Microsoft Xbox Video, and Vudu have already signed on, as has Sharp and Vizio. But the drastic image improvement brings with it a 20% data overhead, and may be incompatible with current 4K displays.

CES 2014: Samsung Announces 4K Streaming with M-GO, Amazon

Latest range of Ultra HD TVs from Samsung—from 55 inches to 110 inches—will include access to M-GO and Amazon Instant Video, with future partnerships planned with Comcast and DirecTV

CES 2014: Ultra HD/4K Rollout Slower Than Expected

At the CES curtain raiser, the Consumer Electronics Association heralded the age of mass customization and an explosion in wearable computing, while sounding a cautionary note about Ultra HD/4K adoption

CES 2014: China Holds the Power in Consumer Electronics Spending

The value of the global tech market is on the up and China's massive domestic market will now dictate trends in consumer electronics, says the Consumer Electronics Association

Full Steam Ahead for Haivision's SRT-Optimized HEVC

The first commercial implementations of Haivision's HEVC encoding allied with the company's Secure Reliable Transport (SRT) protocol, are due in the new year

Kaltura Releases MediaGo, a Netflix-Like Experience for Any Site

Calling it the killer app for media, Kaltura says MediaGo is an out-of-the-box solution with flexible sales models.

Google Glass and the Future of Second Screening and TV News

Beginning next week CNN is to expand its Google Glass experiment by integrating citizen journalist service iReport with its existing Google Glass News Alerts. In Europe, TDF Media Services sees potential in the device for second second TV apps.

MPEG-DASH: Making Tracks Toward Widespread Adoption

Despite all the hype, the move to embrace MPEG-DASH and the DASH264 spec has been slow-going. We look at the history of DASH and the roadblocks it faces moving forward.

NAB Vendors Demo 4K, Talk 8K

Blackmagic, FotoKem, Sony, Red, and other are not only showing off 4K solutions at NAB. They're also beginning to talk about 8K, which Japan's NHK plans to move to within a decade

NAB Preview: HEVC Is the Next Big Thing

Encoding and video processing specialists are highlighting their H.265/HEVC solutions at next week's NAB show in Las Vegas

RGB Networks Launches Next-Gen MPEG-2/H.264 Transcoder

Company says Video Multiprocessing Gateway Gen 2 increases video quality and operational efficiency by doubling the capacity of each transcoding module

Videoplaza Releases Karbon 2, Arming Media Owners with Data

Advertisers often have more information about online video metrics than the content owners. Videoplaza aims to change that.

MPEG-DASH: Struggling for Adoption?

MPEG-DASH, and particularly the DASH264 spec, will help standardize and unify online video delivery, but the move to embrace has been slower going than the hype might suggest

Deltatre and Elemental Target Multi-Screen Sports Delivery

Companies partner to offer a turnkey digital video solution for sports rights holders and broadcasters

KIT Digital Content Solutions Rebrands as "utd. by content"

No longer a part of KIT Digital, the company has a new name, logo, and focus on content management software.

CES Report: Sharp Adds Netflix and Split-Screen Mode

Viewers can use mobile devices to select Netflix content to watch on Sharp TVs, as well as view the web and TV content at the same time

CES Report: Panasonic Personalizes Viera; Adds YouTube Control

Simplified YouTube viewing and facial recognition for user accounts led the way in Panasonic's CES announcements.

CES Report: Samsung Puts Recommendation First in New Line of Smart TVs

New flagship range features revamped Smart Hub, HEVC compatibility, Ultra HD, and intelligent navigation

Haivision and iStreamPlanet Go Live for Olympics Streaming

Created specifically for the Olympics, Haivision and iStreamPlanet's GoLive service offers an end-to-end solution from signal acquisition to player

ATEME Claims 4K and 8K Over IP with New EAVC4 Codec

While ATEME and others work on HEVC, the company says its new codec can deliver 4K and 8K video over IP using existing MPEG-4 compression

CES 2012: Technicolor Announces M-GO Cloud Media Storage App

New service will launch in U.S. this spring on Intel, Samsung, and Vizio devices

CES 2012: Amazon Joins DECE, Backs UltraViolet

Amazon says it has signed a deal with a major Hollywood studio for UltraViolet rights; Netflix pulls out of DECE

CES 2012: MySpace TV Lands on Panasonic Viera Connect

Justin Timberlake helps announce MySpace's new video venture at Panasonic CES press conference

CES 2012: Ooyala Brings Content to Smart TVs with Panasonic

Publishers can distribute to Panasonic's VIERA Connect smart TV platform using Ooyala's Universal Syndication solution

CES 2012: Sharp TVs Get Smart with Content Hub

Sharp's SmartCentral will add Hulu, Netflix, YouTube, and Facebook to its connected TVs, including an 80-inch Aquos 3D

Akamai Announces UltraViolet Solution at CES

CDN also announces availability of Adobe HTTP Dynamic Streaming on the Akamai HD Network and SecureHD content protection

CES 2012: Focus on the User Experience

CEA research director says gadgets at this year's Consumer Electronics Show will boast simpler, better user interfaces and emphasize device personalization

Facebook Not Getting Into Content Creation, Says IBC Keynote

The social networking giant wants to connect its members with video creators, rather than making its own programs.

Cloud Video Production Takes the Spotlight at NAB Conference

Video production and management is being freed from the desktop or server, and is going online. Avid leads the way with a web-based production portal called Interplay Central.

4K and 3D Are 1 and 2 at NAB

Sony wowed NAB attendees with its 4K camera, while Meduza showed off its new 3D unit. Both could have serious implications for digital cinema.

Panasonic and Sony Introduce New 3D Cameras at NAB

With James Cameron set to give a keynote about 3D at NAB Monday, Sony and Panasonic unveiled their latest entrants into the 3D camera market

Royal Wedding Coverage Will Marry Online and Broadcast

KIT Digital is handling many of the video feeds for online outlets, and the Royal Wedding of Prince William and Kate Middleton is expected to draw 400 million viewers online

7 Reasons Why Google Will Launch YouTube Streaming in Europe

Despite Google's denials, there's plenty of reason to believe that the company is indeed planning to launch a YouTube movie and TV streaming service in Europe

NewTek Releases New Hardware Interface for TriCaster

NewTek TriCaster TCXD850 CS provides a physical connection including a three-axis joystick controller

Woomi Begins Worldwide Rollout at CES 2011

Miniweb aims to provide an alternative to both Google TV and other connected devices by offering a marketplace between content providers and CE manufacturers

Sony Looks to Redefine TV

Sony announces at CES that all of its new TVs are now connected, and that Time Warner will begin to deliver all its content directly to Bravia HDTVs, without a set-top box

Rovi Opens to the Cloud

The program guide and metadata company announces Rovi Media Cloud, a new suite of web services for CE manufacturers and service providers

Smart TVs Take Center Stage at CES

LG, Samsung, and Sharp all emphasized market strategies based on internet-connected televisions and other smart devices

Cisco Puts TV in the Cloud with Videoscape

At CES 2011, Cisco said its new Videoscape suite will integrate voice, linear and online video, high-speed data, Wi-Fi, and network traffic routing

Skype Adds Qik to Go Mobile Ahead of IPO

Skype CEO Tony Bates talked about the acquisition this morning at CES 2011; reports suggest deal worth $100 million

Global Consumer Electronics Market Rebounds to $873 Billion; Tablet and Connected TV Sales Expected to Skyrocket

Worldwide sales up 13% from 2009; CEA also predicts 30 million tablet device sales in 2011 and that more than half of TVs shipped by 2014 will be internet-connected

Social Graph is Key to Engaging Audiences Online

SAY Media is intent on addressing the implications for advertisers of consumer propensity to create and move content across devices and social platforms

Akamai Talks Up Video Packaging Ahead of Next Month's Launch

CDN strives to take the burden of formatting for multiple platforms off of the content provider

Perform Launches ePlayer in the U.S. with Sports Coup

Having succeeded in the U.K., video service brings aggregated sports content to the U.S.

TV Sets a High Bar for Streaming Media to Match

Online video needs to solve the problem of too many choices, says Ben Schofield of Red Bee Media.

Turning Online Video Complexity into Opportunity

As the online video world grows more fractured, solutions are needed to streamline publishing, says David Mendels of Brightcove.

Without Standards, Beware the Connected TV Car Crash

A panel discussion looks at the challenges facing the growing market for set-top boxes and connected TVs.

SeeSaw to go International

Arqiva announces that it will begin licensing the VOD technology behind SeeSaw to third parties, and boasts that SeeSaw has received more than 3 million unique visitors in its first eight months

KIT Digital Continues Acquisitions Spree with Megahertz and Accela

Megahertz and Accela bring the number of KIT acquisitions to five in the past 11 months

Canvas Sets Out to Meet the Connected Content Challenge

There's no shortage of connected TV initiatives in the works. Richard Halton, likely CEO of the UK's Project Canvas, argues that what makes the initiative different is that it's owned not by technology companies, but content companies

Bestfrontseat Comes Out of Stealth Mode With Advanced Compression

The live event distribution service applies a compression technology derived from medical imaging to reduce infrastructure load.

Kontiki And BT Conferencing Tackle The Enterprise

Kontiki has gone from less than a dozen customers a year ago to more than 60 today, with BT Conferencing as the latest.
Mon., Feb. 22, by Adrian Pennington

Forbidden Technologies Brings Cloud Editing To Brightcove Users

Users of Brightcove’s online video platform are now able to edit video using Forbidden Technologies’ web-based application FORscene.

Company Profile: KIT digital

Headquartered in Prague, KIT digital has crept under the radar over the last couple of years to become a leading player with grand ambitions in the IP video management space.

KIT Digital Lining Up Another Acquisition

KIT digital, a provider of IP-based asset management solutions to enterprise customers, is lining up a new multi-million dollar acquisition by the end of March after raising $31.3 million through a share offering.
Tues., Jan. 26, by Adrian Pennington

CES 2010: New Smartphones Push Boundaries of Wireless Streaming

2010 will mark the first year that voice-centric phones account for less than 50% of all mobile phones sold, and video-capable smartphones are leading the way.
Sat., Jan. 9, by Adrian Pennington

CES 2010: Apps Flock To The Connected TV

Samsung, LG, Sharp, and Sony are all pushing their connected TVs, home theaters, and Blu-ray players at this year's CES in Las Vegas.
Fri., Jan. 8, by Adrian Pennington

CES 2010: NVIDIA Powers Touch-Screen Tablet Video Revolution

NVIDIA's new Tegra 2 chip features a dual-core CPU for mobile applications and eight independent processors, and is featured in more than 50 tablets in development.
Thurs., Jan. 7, by Adrian Pennington

Video Advertising Network Smartclip Breaks Into U.S. Market

The German-based interactive video advertising network has set up shop in New York, and already boasts Viacom, Last.fm, and blinkx as clients.
Mon., Nov. 16, by Adrian Pennington

Doubts Cast On BBC's $180m Project Canvas

The BBC's highly publicized broadband-to-TV project still hasn't received approval from the broadcaster's governing body, and may never see the light of day.
Thurs., Nov. 5, by Adrian Pennington

BBC Trust Puts Kibosh on Open iPlayer Federation Plans

Proposals to allow the BBC to share or licence the technology and expertise behind catch-up service iPlayer have been axed as unexpectedly as they were announced in September, but the BBC still plans on international expansion.
Tues., Oct. 27, by Adrian Pennington

Streaming Media Europe Keynote #1: The Online Video Experience—Viewing Into The Future

Dr. William Cooper of informitv says that, while the internet is still playing catch-up with TV, broadcast will be no more immune from online video than radio was from TV.
Thurs., Oct. 15, by Adrian Pennington

Streaming Media Europe Keynote #2: Video Advertising: Setting Standards For Success

The spend on online video pre-rolls is up 195% over last year. That's just one bit of the good news Guy Phillipson of the IAB shared about the UK online video ad market in his Streaming Media Europe keynote.
Thurs., Oct. 15, by Adrian Pennington

KIT digital Acquires Nunet and The Feedroom for $21 Million

Acquisitions expand KIT digital's presence in both the mobile and enterprise markets, while also giving the company a foothold in North America.
Mon., Oct. 5, by Adrian Pennington

BBC Plans To Open iPlayer Technology To Other Broadcasters

The proposal, which still awaits approval from the BBC Trust, is part of the BBC's initiative to form partnerships and establish standards for online video delivery.
Sat., Sept. 12, by Adrian Pennington

Convergence Is A Major Theme At IBC 2009

Announcements from Vidiator, ADB, and Active Video show how companies are looking to break down barriers between TV, web, and mobile

Livestation To Expand Live News Over Mobile

UK-based Livestation has already rolled out apps for Al Jazeera and BBC Worldwide, and is in talks with CNN, Deutsche Welle, and Russia Today. Delivery is via Akamai Media Delivery, and so bypasses operators.
Wed., Aug. 5, by Adrian Pennington