FEED NAB ISSUE 2026 Web

The NAB 2026 issue of FEED is here, and this edition features your ultimate guide to this year's event, packed with must-see booths, key talks and industry voices shaping media tech. Our core theme for the issue explores how media asset management (MAM) has evolved into a strategic powerhouse, driving faster workflows and new value. Other highlights include an exclusive interview with NASA on the challenges of livestreaming from space ahead of the next moon landing, as well as cloud innovation, supply chains, and the global complexities facing broadcasters ahead of the FIFA World Cup 2026.

feedmagazine.tv | NAB ISSUE 2026

Exclusive: NASA speaks on space streaming Snowed under: Delivering the Winter Olympics

Exploring the future of media technology

NAB Show 2026: Our annual guide

Exposing the MAM matrix secretly propelling the content machine SPHERES OF INFLUENCE

Yes MAM!

EDITORIAL

EDITOR Verity Butler +44 (0)1223 492246 veritybutler@bright.uk.com EDITORIAL DIRECTOR Nicola Foley SENIOR STAFF WRITER

rather than a storage solution. If content is king, MAM is the kingdom. Plus, we’re thrilled to bring you an exclusive interview with NASA, which shares the challenges (and sheer coolness) of livestreaming beyond Earth. With the next moon landing fast approaching, and since it’s due to be streamed live to millions, the conversation dives into handling latency and what it really takes to broadcast from space. Spoiler alert: buffering is not an option – especially not with so many moon landing conspiracy theorists out there! Elsewhere in the issue, you’ll find our update on the media-tech supply chain as well as two cloud deep dives, where we explore its sustainable benefits and meet up with IABM’s CTO to discuss its international adoption. Finally, with broadcast’s biggest challenge of the year fast approaching, we talk to the media- tech vendors gearing up for the Men’s FIFA World Cup. Involving multiple countries, dicey politics and a maze of rightsholders and time zones, it’s sure to seriously put the media-tech space through its paces!

hether you’re heading to Las Vegas or tuning in from afar, think of this issue as your

show handbook; packed with industry insights, and even a view from space just to keep things interesting (more on that later!). Let’s start with the April event we’ve all been ferociously preparing for: NAB Show 2026. Across several pages, we’ve mapped out this year’s unmissable booths, the talks worth sneaking into (even if you’re double booked) and the voices driving the industry forward. From speaker highlights to innovative product launch news, this is your shortcut to navigating the chaos and making your precious time at the show count. But if NAB is the broadcast industry stage, media asset management (MAM) is the engine humming behind it all. Once quietly tucked away in the background, MAM systems are now front and centre, powering faster workflows and entirely new ways to unlock value. In this issue of FEED , we dig into how broadcasters and tech vendors alike are rethinking MAM as a strategic powerhouse

Katie Kasperson FEATURES WRITER Oliver Webb

CHIEF SUB EDITOR Matthew Winney JUNIOR SUB EDITORS Tabitha John & Kezia Kurtz

CONTRIBUTOR Neal Romanek

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CONTENTS NAB ISSUE 2026

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NEWSFEED The latest scoops in media tech, featuring everything from fresh product launches to major mergers

COVER STORY: MAM FOCUS Media asset management systems quietly form broadcast’s backbone. We explore them further 42 FAN ENGAGEMENT: SOCIAL INTEGRATION Social media is a key part of the fan engagement question, but is integrating it truly the answer?

62 WINTER OLYMPICS: DO s AND DON’T s Following the Milan-Cortina

NAB SHOW 2026 GUIDE With the Las Vegas trade show right around the corner, we’re back with our annual show handbook

Games, we invite experts to discuss delivering Olympic-scale broadcast

72 PREPARING FOR THE FIFA WORLD CUP 2026 With politics all over the place, we reveal how US/Mexico/Canada plan to handle the World Cup broadcast SUSTAINABLE OR SUBOPTIMAL? Cloud has often been used as a response to sustainable production issues. But how green really is it?

SPECIAL INTERVIEW: SPACE STREAMING The moon landing was a huge leap for broadcast and mankind. NASA talks livestreaming the next edition

NEWSROOMS: BEHIND THE POLISH News studios may look glamorous, but it’s the technology behind the scenes that lets them shine

UNDERSTANDING CLOUD ADOPTION IABM’s CTO sits down to share an update on cloud adoption in the industry and what’s coming next

SUPPLY CHAIN UPDATE Covid saw the media supply chain wobble like never before. We look into its current state six years on

VIEWER HABITS REPORT We’ve compiled an array of data from a range of reports to help build the big picture on audience trends

AD-TECH EVOLUTION Advertising tech is a constantly moving machine, so we highlight its latest, cutting-edge innovations

This issue’s cover was designed by Carl Golsby at Bright Publishing

NEWSFEED

STREAMING SERVICES

Sky Atlantic launches on Virgin TV

ky Atlantic will be available to over a million Virgin TV

customers from 1 April 2026. The addition of Sky Atlantic is the latest boost for Virgin TV customers, following news HBO Max will also be available for subscription via Virgin TV 360 and Stream boxes when it launches in the UK. New and existing Virgin TV customers who gain access to the channel can enjoy Sky Originals and exclusives like Heated Rivalry , as well as ones coming soon to Sky Atlantic such as The Miniature Wife (9 April), The Good Daughter and the second season of Sweetpea . The channel will also air upcoming seasons of much-loved HBO shows like Euphoria and The White Lotus .

ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE

INDUSTRY EVENTS

iveU has announced broadcasters used its AI- driven LIQ connectivity LiveU announces LIQ L system at scale during the recent Winter Olympic Games, as media organisations increasingly shift towards internet-based production. The company said about 60% of supported transmissions at the multi-venue event used its LiveU IQ (LIQ) technology, which analyses network conditions in real time to manage connections. According to LiveU, the system delivered average bit rates more than 36% higher than typical bonded IP set-ups, helping

broadcasters maintain 4K and HDR video feeds. More than 980 LiveU units were deployed by broadcasters from 37 countries, generating over 15,000 hours of live coverage across nearly 12,000 sessions. The implementation highlights the growing use of IP networks for large-scale sports production, particularly in complex environments such as remote mountain venues and crowded arenas. ORF, Austria’s national public broadcaster, used 23 LU800 units to support 17 camera crews across northern Italy.

NAB SHOW 18-22 April 2026 London, UK MPTS 13-14 May 2026 London, UK CABSAT 2-4 June 2026 Dubai, UAE

IBC 11-14 September Amsterdam, Netherlands

DELIVERING MAJOR STORIES IN MEDIA AND TECHNOLOGY

PRODUCTION

New production bases from Sony

ony is opening a third Digital Media Production Centre (DMPC). The new site, located at the Sony Group headquarters in Minato-ku, Tokyo, will serve as a hub for working with creators and exploring new approaches to media production. Visitors will be able to try a range of production workflows and tools for everything from filmmaking and virtual production to XR-based spatial content creation, post-production and S

test screenings. The centre will also collaborate with Sony’s existing DMPC locations in the US and UK, enabling teams to share production techniques and ideas internationally, as soon as they are thought of and tried. DMPC Japan will feature cinema cameras, lighting systems, production studios, as well as a dedicated virtual production stage. The facility includes CineAlta VENICE 2 and Cinema Line cameras,

professional monitoring and grading environments and an in-camera VFX stage constructed around Crystal LED VERONA displays. Spatial content tools, including XYN and motion capture technologies, will also support experimentation across the full production process, from shooting through to finishing. The new global base is more evidence of Sony’s dedication to developing technologies and expertise for the industry.

INDUSTRY

PRODUCTION

Irish production boost

Battle of the Giants P

aramount Skydance outbid Netflix to acquire Warner Bros Discovery’s iconic

reland-based company BiggerStage is set to create a global

inception, BiggerStage has made over 250 hours of prime-time programming in Ireland, such as The Floor , Next Level Chef and Beat Shazam . Central to its success is a cost-effective EU- based production model with a common travel area to the UK. “We are truly entering a golden age for the TV industry in Ireland. Europe’s first unscripted tax credit will help Ireland compete effectively on the world stage to become the home of global formats, the fastest-growing area of TV production,” said Pat Kiely, CEO and founder of BiggerStage.

Hollywood studios and streaming operations, after the streaming titan declined to raise its offer. The $110 billion deal concludes a fierce bidding battle between the two media giants, although the acquisition still faces regulatory scrutiny and criticism from those concerned about a potential rightward shift in US media. “From the very beginning, our pursuit of Warner Bros Discovery has been guided by a clear purpose: to honour the legacy of two iconic companies while accelerating our vision of building a next-generation media and entertainment company,” promised David Ellison, chairman and CEO of Paramount.

unscripted production hub in Limerick. Thanks to multi- million-euro agreements with Hackman Capital Partners’ Troy Studios and the MBS Group, it hopes that the development will expand its presence in the international television market. Ireland has already seen big growth in international television production over the past three years, supporting dozens of SMEs and creating hundreds of skilled jobs. Since its 2021

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INDUSTRY

SPORTS BROADCAST

INDUSTRY

HOPPR GOES GLOBAL Hoppr has announced a strategic

ITALIAN BASKETBALL IS STREAMLINED Lega Basket Serie A (LBA) has paired with ScorePlay to streamline its digital content operations across its clubs and events. It generates volumes of content for multiple venues and competitions throughout the season. With ScorePlay, the league can create a unified media hub that connects clubs and internal teams under one centralised platform.

LAWO APPOINTS JAMIE DUNN AS CEO Lawo has appointed Jamie Dunn as chief executive officer. Dunn joined Lawo in 2011 and has served as ‘Vorstand’ and deputy CEO since 2024. As CEO, he will play a key role in shaping the continued development of the Lawo Group. His long tenure with the company, deep market understanding and global experience form a strong foundation for the future.

partnership with Lotier Consulting and confirmed plans to establish a European headquarters in London, accelerating its global growth strategy. The relationship with Lotier marks Hoppr’s formal entry into Latin America, covering Brazil, Spanish-speaking south Latin America, Mexico and northern Latin America.

hannel 9 Sydney Headquarters has unveiled its upgraded Australia’s Channel 9 gets XR upgrade EXTENDED REALITY C

and dynamic storytelling on the studio floor. The project was designed to create a broadcast space capable of supporting a range of programming for major sports and special broadcast presentations. With a large central display and extended visual environment, the studio enables the in-house production team to build tailored visuals.

INDUSTRY

World Cup spurs spending figures A

Studio A, a state-of-the-art XR broadcast environment for sports programming and special broadcasts. Having been delivered by Creative Technology Australia, the installation was powered by ROE Visual’s Meru, featuring a 14x3m video wall that delivers immersive visuals

s football fans eagerly prepare for the upcoming FIFA World Cup, recent data

from a report by Epsilon suggests that over two-thirds of UK-based fans are already planning purchases relating to the tournament – from new TVs to outdoor equipment and home furnishings. Based on a survey of 1000 consumers in the UK, the Match Ready: World Cup Audiences report shows the different motivations, interests and habits of the fanbase. It also revealed that only 50% of the 34-million-strong audience is made up of regular league fans, with many only tuning in during big events.

See p72 for more on the World Cup

INDUSTRY

LTN and MediaKind form partnership L

he Royal Television Society (RTS) has opened applications for its 2026 RTS launches new bursary schemes T

“Over 400 scholars have benefitted from our bursary schemes, gaining not only financial support but the confidence, networks and industry insight to thrive in their careers,” said Theresa Wise, CEO of the RTS. “We are proud to open applications once again and look forward to supporting this year’s students at a pivotal stage in their professional development.”

TN and MediaKind have partnered to integrate the latter’s MK.IO Beam edge

bursary schemes, a programme that has already helped hundreds of talented young people from low-income backgrounds break into the TV and media industries. Applications are open from 25 February to 24 June.

devices with the LTN Network, to support broadcasters shifting from satellite to IP video distribution. The integration connects MediaKind’s on-premises processing hardware to LTN’s global IP transport infrastructure. The companies say the set-up enables redundant delivery of compressed video streams for both contribution and distribution workflows. The system allows MK.IO Beam devices to send and receive streams over dual IP connections, while letting processing functions such as transcoding and multiplexing run locally at the network edge. The partnership comes as media companies move away from C-band satellite distribution and look for IP-focused alternatives that match satellite reliability while also offering more flexibility.

CLOUD

LucidLink launches Connect

ucidLink has launched LucidLink Connect, a new solution letting teams access and stream data directly from existing cloud datastores without duplication, migration or infrastructure changes. Applications only stream the file portions they need reducing bandwidth and access costs while preserving native formats and workflows. LucidLink Connect offers a unified workspace for data across stores, enterprise security controls and APIs L

for automated workflows and integrations with media asset management systems. “LucidLink has always made cloud data behave like a local file system,” said Peter Thompson, co-founder and CEO of LucidLink. “Connect extends that to the data in object storage. Rather than migrating or reorganising it, teams can point LucidLink at existing buckets and start browsing and working with that data through the workflows they already use.”

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INDUSTRY

PTZ s

STREAMING

ITV AND SKY TALKS RESUME ITV is continuing discussions with Sky regarding a potential £1.6 billion acquisition of its broadcasting division, the British broadcaster has confirmed. The UK television giant initially acknowledged these talks in November but reiterated on Thursday that there remains ‘no certainty’ that a deal will ultimately materialise.

VISUAL REASONING PTZOptics has announced the launch of its Visual Reasoning initiative that makes video more actionable by combining robotic PTZ camera systems, AI and open integration. The initiative supports an open, practical path for integrators and developers to build visual reasoning tools that fit real broadcast, pro AV, education, healthcare and industrial environments.

X PLATFORM GETS VERIFIED Appear’s X Platform has been officially verified by YouTube for Secure Reliable Transport (SRT) live streaming. This means rightsholders, broadcasters and production teams can deliver high-quality live content to YouTube using Appear’s X5, X10 and X20 hardware platforms, which offer a seamless, resilient and low- latency workflow for live event coverage.

INDUSTRY

Airtime report suggests major turning point for media tech

magi has released its March 2026 Airtime Report, which suggests we are at a major

year, with ad impressions jumping to 27%. Also, beyond North America’s dominance, APAC and EMEA both saw ad impressions grow by 43%. The report also concludes that AI integration is becoming a structural shift as significant as the original move to streaming. “The industry is entering a phase where AI is no longer just

about experimentation – it’s about embedding intelligence directly into operational workflows,” said Srinivasan KA, co-founder and president for global business. “Media companies that integrate Applied AI over ingest, localisation, scheduling and monetisation will unlock meaningful gains in speed, efficiency and scalability.”

turning point. While FAST continues its double-digit global climb, led by a 66% surge in LATAM viewing, the real story is the shift towards Applied AI in media operations. Other key stats show that hours of viewing (HOV) are up 21% year-over-

PTZ s

Within Visual Reason

TZOptics has launched its Visual Reasoning Initiative, which seeks to make video

more actionable by blending robotic PTZ camera systems, AI and open integration. The initiative supports an open, practical path for integrators and developers to build visual reasoning tools that fit broadcast, pro AV, education, healthcare and industrial environments. “The Visual Reasoning concept of turning cameras into intelligent teammates and video into action is too important to be let to one company,” said Paul Richards, chief revenue officer for PTZOptics. “We created this movement to help small teams deliver much bigger results and with fewer errors.” It’s partnering with Moondream – which builds rapid, open-source vision language models to enable applications to understand images and video. This helps make the Visual Reasoning concept a reality.

BROADCAST STUDIOS

Nebraska’s HuskerVision continues modernisation efforts

he University of Nebraska’s HuskerVision has

completed the second phase of a modernisation effort, with the deployment of an ST 2110- based video infrastructure powered by Lawo. Following an audio-first transformation in 2023, the video implementation brings all major athletic venues into a software- based production environment. The result is a media fabric that can handle simultaneous shows from multiple control rooms, while granting student operators access to the same tools used in top-tier broadcast facilities. The earlier audio upgrade introduced HuskerVision to

Lawo’s IP ecosystem through mc²56 production consoles, A__ UHD Core processing, A__stage 64 and A__mic 8 interfaces and HOME Management for routing and orchestration. “Doing audio first was absolutely key,” recalls recently retired chief engineer Scott Guthrie. “We learned timing, stream management, PTP, device discovery – all of the fundamentals.”

SPORTS BROADCAST

Redefined Riedel RefCams

he RefCam from Riedel Communications has marked its debut in

(DSHS), captured the game between EPG Baskets Koblenz and Bozic Estriche Knights Kirchheim in Koblenz. The RefCam shoots game situations from the referee’s point of view. For the Koblenz versus Kirchheim match, three RefCam units filmed everything for local recording, ready to support both live broadcasts and offline production.

“Working with scientific partners is crucial to advancing officiating standards,” argued Carsten Straube, B and C squad referee manager at DBB, explaining why innovative tools like RefCam are so valuable. RefCam’s use highlights its dual value as a tool to capture immersive game perspectives and a way to generate data that drives research.

German professional basketball, providing referee perspectives and supporting sports research for the future. The head-mounted compact cameras, used in collaboration with the German Basketball Federation (DBB) and German Sport University Cologne

SPORTS BROADCAST

EP Europe has redesigned an outside broadcast (OB) unit to help broadcasters Scalable and SMPTE-supported live productions N

The upgrade includes a full SMPTE ST 2110 IP transition and supports growing demand for reliable, high- quality 1080p HDR productions. According to NEP, EU-03 marks an important step in the continued evolution of live production services across the region. EU-03 introduces a more software-enabled production environment to the European market,

supporting the use of licence-based broadcast tools to scale dynamically based on production requirements. Strategically based in Oslo, EU- 03 – the unit’s new name under a refreshed naming approach for NEP Europe’s fleet – will primarily serve customers in the Nordics, launching in April to cover the Norwegian Football League and other projects.

and rightsholders across Europe scale live coverage more efficiently and reliably. The modernised unit, EU-03, manages broadcast tools using a software platform, providing customers with the ability to scale up or down depending on need.

FEED’s guide to NAB Show 2026

I t’s that time again. Sunny Las Vegas is soon to With expected key topics to include AI-driven storytelling, as well as the overall reinvention of broadcast spaces as we know them, one thing that’s for certain is that NAB Show isn’t just a trade show, it’s the event that sets the tone for the upcoming year – helping us understand exactly where the industry is heading next. This year, NAB has made it clear that 2026 isn’t about incremental updates, it’s about ‘major programme enhancements’, designed to reflect a rapidly evolving media technology sector. The organisers promise ‘a dynamic experience which mirrors the transformation across broadcasting, streaming and content creation’, and that idea runs through everything that’s been announced so far, with the emphasis also on the topic of convergence. It’s started to become apparent that broadcast is no longer just broadcast, streaming isn’t just streaming and sport isn’t just sport. Everything overlaps and intersects – and NAB Show 2026 is due to lean fully into that gear shift. A show floor that actually means something become the beating heart of media, entertainment and technology for the 103rd edition of NAB Show. But before you pick up your gambling chips or look into hiring the city’s finest Elvis impersonator, we’re here to help you prepare for what this year’s event has to offer. For years, industry events have wrestled with how to make physical exhibition spaces feel relevant in a hybrid, post- pandemic world. With that in mind, NAB has shared that its approach for 2026 is to reimagine it entirely. At the centre of this rethink is the newly designed TV and Radio HQ, which is being repositioned not as a niche The future of broadcast, streaming and content creation is due to land in Las Vegas for another year Words by Verity Butler

corner, but as a central and integrated hub. According to NAB, this space will feature ‘new programming and a prominent Central Hall presence’. The show aims to create a more cohesive and immersive experience for attendees, blending education, exhibition and networking into something that feels less segmented and more organic. “The TV and Radio HQ for 2026 reflects the way in which broadcasters want to experience NAB Show today, with relevant, high-energy programming that’s integrated directly into the show floor,” says Karen Chupka, executive vice president of global connections and events at NAB. “This new Central Hall presence makes it easier for broadcasters, exhibitors and attendees to connect, discover ideas and engage with the conversations shaping the future of television and radio.” The enhanced HQ will feature the HQ Theatre, offering entertaining sessions and live conversations showcasing the trends, technologies and talent impacting TV, radio and audio storytelling in the years to come. Alongside the theatre, the NAB Member Lounge has curated networking activations and offers members an elevated space to gather, exchange ideas and engage with peers. From live demos bleeding into panel discussions, spontaneous conversations turning into partnerships worth many a dollar, the ultimate aim here is to enable a cross-pollination that only happens when you stop separating ‘tech people’ from ‘content people’. Sports Summit sets new goals If there’s one sector where media innovation is happening at breakneck speed, it’s sports. Where other areas of the industry have struggled at times, grappling with the surge of the creator economy and social media, sports have remained as an ever-evolving, content-churning machine. And it’s a machine that demands increasingly complicated broadcast tools and solutions to sustain its enormity. This year, NAB’s Sports Summit is expanding to four full days, which serves as a clear acknowledgement that

LET’S TALK ABOUT TECH NAB Show hopes to bring tech people and content people together

» The show aims to create a more cohesive and immersive experience for attendees «

sports media isn’t just a vertical, but instead a driving force behind some of the industry’s most ambitious innovation. The language of the announcement of this expansion speaks for itself: the summit will spotlight ‘the new era of sports media and entertainment’. Headlining the Sports Summit is Jon Miller, president of acquisitions and partnerships at NBC Sports, who will have a fireside conversation on the Main Stage with John Ourand from Puck’s The Varsity in a session titled ‘NBC Sports Playbook: Rights, Partnerships and What’s Next’. It will examine the strategy behind NBC’s major rights acquisitions and distribution partnerships at a pivotal moment for the industry. The session comes after NBC Sports’ Legendary February, which packed the 2026 Milano Cortina Winter Olympics, Super Bowl LX and the NBA All-Star Game into the shortest month of the year.

A landmark show for Lawo

In the run-up to this year’s show, Lawo has announced the introduction of a groundbreaking innovation that forms the next major step in the company’s converged media-infrastructure strategy. First revealed during Lawo’s global online event on 8 April, the new solution is designed to accelerate system set-up and optimise operational efficiency across broadcast, recording, live performance and corporate AV environments. Its main mission is to make production workflows smarter and more agile on a daily basis. The new solution aligns closely with the broader industry movement towards dynamic, software-defined media facilities. Central to Lawo’s approach is the HOME platform, which serves as the operational backbone for Lawo’s IP ecosystem, where third-party solutions are more than welcome. HOME management provides key services such as device discovery, authentication and orchestration. These capabilities allow production

NO PLACE LIKE IT HOME Apps can be started and stopped on command

infrastructures to adapt available resources and processing power in real time. Extending this flexibility, HOME Apps offer containerised microservices that run on generic COTS servers and can be deployed, scaled and reconfigured instantly as workflow demands shift. Together, the systems enable a facility model defined not by bespoke hardware but by rapid, workload‑based resource allocation. At NAB Show 2026, booth C2108, Lawo will showcase an extensive suite of HOME Apps. Each application can be launched or stopped on demand, creating an adaptable processing environment

that supports rapidly changing production requirements and aligns with the Dynamic Media Facility (DMF) as well as the Media eXchange Layer (MXL) initiatives. Lawo will also present the latest software generation for its mc²36, mc²56 and mc²96 production consoles and its crystal on‑air mixing systems. The mc² release introduces a refined Strip Assign workflow that accelerates channel configuration and improves visual clarity, while deeper integration with Waves SuperRack via the ProLink protocol enhances real‑time plug‑ in workflows. EBU R 143-compliant security features provide protection for systems in interconnected IP production environments. Lawo’s full suite of software‑ based processing technologies, IP‑native routing and dynamic resource‑management tools will be on display at NAB Show 2026, booth C2108

SHINING STAR The mc²56 production console (pictured)

Some of the other the key talking points will include:

n Direct-to-consumer streaming strategies n Immersive fan experiences, focused on AR and VR n Creator-led sports content n Personalised viewing experiences The expansion signals that sports are now a breeding and testing ground for anything media-tech focused, from monetisation models to production workflows. The science behind the streaming One of the other major announcements for this year that particularly caught our attention is the keynote from neuroscientist and technologist, Poppy Crum, who will headline the Broadcast Engineering and IT (BEIT) Conference. That’s right, neuroscience is coming to NAB. Crum’s work sits between human perception, AI and storytelling, and seeks to ask: how do people actually experience content? Her presence signals a shift in thinking. It’s time to stop focusing solely on building better tools at a faster pace, but instead on what all this technology does to the audience and their experience of the content they’re consuming. Her keynote speech is set to cover some interesting sub-themes within that idea, including:

Blackmagic goes immersive

When attending NAB Show, it’s almost a rite of passage to check out the Blackmagic Design stand. It's virtually impossible to miss due to its size – and is usually packed full with attendees exploring its array of different products that sit across broadcast, live events and cinema. During this year’s show, Blackmagic will showcase its workflow line-up across the production chain, including the new URSA Cine Immersive. Designed for Apple Immersive Video and VR180, it uses a fixed- lens solution and dual 8K sensors to capture stereoscopic 3D to a single Blackmagic Raw file. This unique integrated design makes shooting 3D video simpler than ever, without the difficulty of complex multicamera 3D rigs. Blackmagic will also show a range of live production tools at the booth, including ATEM switchers, HyperDeck recorders and Blackmagic Replay, alongside its 2110 IP Converter range as part

A NEW LEAF The new URSA Cine Immersive (above) will be showcased at NAB

of a wider SMPTE 2110 workflow. The converters are designed to link SDI and IP systems, supporting uncompressed video, audio and metadata over 10G Ethernet, as well as PTP synchronisation and NMOS control. Blackmagic will also be demonstrating DaVinci Resolve

Studio and Blackmagic Cloud, including workflows which are built around ATEM ISO recordings, collaborative editing, remote review and finishing. Visit Blackmagic Design at booth N2502 in the North Hall, or learn more at blackmagicdesign.com

n How AI can adopt content in real time based on viewer response n How emotion and cognition influence engagement n How immersive formats affect memory and attention Hosted by NAB chief innovation officer John Clark, the BEIT Conference Opening takes place on Saturday 18 April from 9.30 to 10.45am in the North Hall, with remarks from BEIT Conference Committee chairman Sun Sachs, senior vice president, digital products, Townsquare Media, followed by the presentation of the best paper award and best student paper award, co-sponsored with IEEE BTS. Crum will then take the stage for her presentation ‘From Data to Mind: How Technology Is Reshaping the Minds of Storytellers and Media Consumers’, which will discuss how advances in AI and human-centred engineering are changing how people interact with broadcast content, media and technology. Drawing on research in neuroscience and immersive systems, the keynote will explore how emerging tools, from empathetic interfaces to AI, are beginning to understand human intent and behaviour, transforming how audiences engage with broadcast, digital media and advertising. This IS a laughing matter Believe it or not, not everything at NAB has to be about pipelines, codecs and cloud workflows. Sometimes, it’s good to remind the industry why any of this even exists in the first place: to entertain people. Cue Nate Bargatze,

» Believe it or not, not everything at NAB has to be about pipelines, codecs and cloud workflows «

ALL SORTS Don’t miss a variety of live demos, panel discussions, presentations and more

Our booth highlights

AJA Video Systems North Hall, N1927 Appear West Hall, W1531 Bitmovin West Hall, W3323 Blackmagic North Hall, N2502 Brainstorm North Hall, N2352

Clear-Com Central Hall, C5807

Matrox North Hall, N2451

EVS North Hall, N1841

Panasonic Central Hall, C3509 Projective North Hall, N3144 Ross Video North Hall, N2005 Sony Central Hall, C8401

Grass Valley Central Hall, C2408 Lawo Central Hall, C2108

LiveU North Hall, N1740

who has been named as the recipient of the 2026 NAB television chairman’s award. “Nate Bargatze has become one of the most important figures in American entertainment by making comedy that resonates across generations and platforms,” says Nick Radziul, NAB television board chair. “His work shows how broadcast television continues to be the cultural bridge between creators and audiences, delivering unparalleled reach and trusted, must-watch content that sparks shared moments viewers embrace.” Described as ‘America’s reigning king of comedy’, Bargatze’s recognition feels like a nod to the importance of storytelling and talent in a tech-driven landscape. “Nate Bargatze’s rise underscores the continued ability of broadcast television to build a sense of community and reach large audiences at a time when viewing habits are rapidly changing,” adds Curtis LeGeyt, NAB president and CEO. “His power to create and deliver widespread appeal among the broader public is central to what NAB Show represents and why Nate is such a fitting honouree.”

Brainstorm will unveil Suite 7 at this year’s show, introducing the latest evolution of its flagship solutions InfinitySet, Aston, Edison and the powerful eStudio. Designed around efficiency and streamlined workflows, Suite 7 empowers creators to produce cutting-edge virtual production, AR, XR and real- time 3D graphics faster and more easily than ever. A move that highlights Brainstorm’s commitment to sustainability and performance optimisation, Suite 7 introduces enhanced hardware and software efficiency, further improving the Dual GPU support. This capability significantly boosts performance within a single licence and workstation while simplifying system architecture. The workflow enables InfinitySet to deliver faster interoperability between Brainstorm’s eStudio render engine and Unreal Engine, supporting three camera inputs that can be composited in Unreal and output simultaneously from a single workstation. The system is also able to generate simultaneous LED wall rendering, set extension and AR graphics from a single render node, Brainstorm brilliance

HAND IN GLOVE Suite 7 enhances integration between InfinitySet and Aston

maximising efficiency and reducing infrastructure requirements. The eStudio render engine has also received major upgrades, including native Gaussian splatting support, as well as forthcoming Linux compatibility. Suite 7 also enhances integration between InfinitySet and Aston, introducing advanced video wall management tools for building sophisticated graphics across

animated presets and StormLogic interaction between templates. Additional highlights include 360º render output for VR-ready content, a redesigned internal mixer for greater usability and an expanded Edison ecosystem with Edison OnCloud and Eddie, a new, approachably named education- focused version that supports tools such as EdisonGO and StudioCall.

displays of any resolution or aspect ratio, while including

Check out the Brainstorm stand found at North Hall, booth N2352

One of the world’s most innovative organisations, NASA, only just broke into the streaming space. We take a closer look at what it’s doing right now – from live feeds of the International Space Station to the new(ish) NASA+ platform

Words by Katie Kasperson Images by NASA

t’s hard to believe that before 2023, NASA – the United States’ National Aeronautics and Space Administration, if you’re not familiar – didn’t have a dedicated streaming platform. For over half a century, it has been documenting its work through still photographs, video recordings and audio streams, with one-liners that have made it into mainstream vernacular (think: ‘Houston, we have a problem’, and ‘That’s one small step for man, one giant leap for mankind’.) A few years ago, NASA watched as the world turned to streaming. “That’s how people consume; we wanted to join the modern times,” states Rebecca Sirmons, general manager at NASA+, the government- funded organisation’s free streaming platform. “We undertook a multi- pronged launch,” she says, with the first major event being a live stream of the 2024 total solar eclipse. Right off the bat, the team won an Emmy (and a Webby!), marking a new chapter for NASA – one where education meets live entertainment. An international audience NASA isn’t short on content; you could spend days in its public photo, audio and video library ( images.nasa. gov ). Where NASA has struggled, historically, is live content. Streaming from space isn’t simple. In the early days (before digital workflows existed), NASA’s videos were shot on film, and it wasn’t until that film was developed that it could be broadcast. “Just last year, we showed our first live landing of astronauts in the water,” recalls Lee Erickson, lead streaming engineer at NASA+. “You saw the parachute open. You saw it splash down – that was all live. That’s the first time we ever did that.” NASA has, as keen followers will know, been streaming video from the International Space Station (ISS) for some time. “You can go on YouTube,

click on a link and watch a live feed,” says Erickson. The stream – usually an image of the Earth from above – regularly receives millions of viewers every day and is available online and via the ISS Live Now app. “We are a global phenomenon – it’s not just in the United States. There are people from all over the globe who want to watch our stuff.” Sirmons expects the next lunar landing, currently scheduled for early 2028 (Artemis IV), to be the world’s largest livestreaming event to date. “We’re looking at around 250 million, and it might be more,” shares Sirmons. “For us, it’s about laying the track, working with partners and making sure that we’re solid.” The Artemis II mission, scheduled for April 2026, will also be streamed on NASA+ and Sirmons expects an audience of 25 million. In its lead-up, viewers can watch Moonbound , a two-part series which details the mental and physical preparations involved in a lunar mission. “It’s the biggest hit we’ve had thus far,” says Sirmons. “Our premium docs give people something that only NASA can give them, and that is 100% accuracy and truth. You’re behind the curtain.” Other successful projects include Space Out , an immersive viewing experience that’s perfect to throw on in the background; Far Out , a kids’ programme that ‘does exceptionally well’, according to Sirmons; and Planetary Defenders , a portion of which showed at last year’s Sundance Film Festival. “Anytime we turn on the live spigot,” adds Erickson (they pre- schedule live events too), “there’s an instant million to two million people waiting. That’s where we start. It doesn’t matter what it is; it’s NASA. They’re tuned in.” Mastering the moonwalk When running a live stream through space, there’s a lot to consider –

REACH FOR THE STARS The live stream from the International Space Station regularly receives millions of views per day

» Sirmons expects the next lunar landing Artemis IV, currently scheduled for early 2028, to be the world’s largest livestreaming event to date «

» NASA isn’t part of the streaming wars, and its ultimate goal isn’t to compete. NASA+ is a completely free service built for the widest possible audience «

OUT OF THIS WORLD There are technical limitations to consider when live streaming, including weight limits and equipment

starting with the environmental conditions outside the Earth’s atmosphere. “You just can’t put anything in space because there’s radiation,” Erickson explains. “Our problem is having a camera sensor that doesn’t die, and can handle the G-force when it launches.” Other key elements include working within the spacecraft’s weight limits (“we can’t put a big antenna on it,” says Erickson) and ensuring that vitals and other health and safety data takes precedence over a video signal. “There are a bunch of compromises on what we can do, and we have to work with partners to get everything tested. The technology is all there, it’s just finding the right technology that meets all the engineering specs.” There are practical constraints when filming a lunar landing, too. For one thing, the astronauts will be wearing thick gloves, making it tricky to operate any camera equipment themselves. When they land, they’ll also be on the dark side, meaning they’ll have to take lights – and, once illuminated, the astronauts run a high risk of blending into the background, as both their suits and the moon’s surface are white. Despite all the barriers that stand in their way, NASA is testing various methods of sending live video signals from outer space – including using the Deep Space Network. “It’s a chain of satellites that you can send one signal to, and it bounces around to these other satellites, so it eventually gets to a position where we can send it back to Earth,” Erickson describes – in the simplest terms possible. “They’re testing being able to get data over lasers. They’re testing things like using mobile phone technology to get bandwidth on the moon,” he continues. “It’s really cool to see how everybody’s working together.” That’s one thing NASA isn’t short of: collaborators who are eager to lend a hand. “All we’ve got to do is pick up the phone, and the industry is willing to help us,” Erickson admits. NASA’s partnership with Amazon Web Services, for instance, allowed it to capitalise on the cloud. “AWS spun up a bunch of broadcast tools for us. As technology changes, we

won’t have to buy new hardware; everything is virtual now, so we can make quick changes.” NASA’s been able to expand its streaming service to external platforms like YouTube,

Netflix and Amazon Prime. Out of this world, every day

NASA isn’t part of the streaming wars, and its ultimate goal isn’t to compete. Instead, NASA+ is a completely free service built for the widest possible audience. The National Aeronautics and Space Act of 1958 – which officially founded NASA – states: “Activities in space should be devoted to peaceful purposes for the benefit of all mankind,” and that the organisation serves to expand human knowledge. NASA+ follows that same guideline. “It’s not about money; it’s to share NASA’s story,” says Sirmons. “We are doing just that. You’re watching history unfold in front of your very eyes and, to me, there’s something so beautiful about that.” While working within the confines of a government- backed budget presents challenges, ‘it’s the most creative place’ because it embraces experimentation. For Erickson, that’s exciting. “Every time we turn on a camera, there’s some first – there’s always something new,” he shares. “Here’s the new suit; here’s the new Orion capsule; here’s the new Artemis launch; or here’s the new thing that we’re going to put on the moon. You’re worn out and exhausted, but you’re happy because you can say that you contributed to humankind. “If we don’t see it, we didn’t do it,” he adds, and that motto guides Erickson’s work. “It’s our job to make sure that we have video and we have pictures – that people believe we went to the moon.” Of course, there will always be some conspiracists, but the hope is to persuade even the firmest non-believers. For Sirmons, working for NASA is, in short, a dream job. “I’m honoured every day that I get to come here and do this,” she gushes. “To me, NASA+ is our Field of Dreams . We built it, we set the stage. Now go – play ball.”

Follow along with the Artemis launches at plus.nasa.gov

Asset management is being transformed as even the oldest content prepares for a second life

Words by Neal Romanek

» Binary code, plus descriptive information «

he above quote is how David Lipsey defines an asset. Lipsey is one of the pioneers of modern digital asset management (DAM) and co-founded the world’s only professional training programme in DAM and MAM (media asset management) at Rutgers University. He is also a co-founder of the Lab of Excellence in DAM at Toronto Metropolitan University, the only institution in the world devoted to the study of what a digital asset is and what can be done with it. But even he believes we’re only just beginning to understand what digital assets are and what they can do for rightsholders and audiences. “Rights are the third leg of the stool,” he continues. “Being able to know whether you can use an asset and use it in a thoughtful way.” The all-digital media world means that rightsholders are continually accumulating assets – from dailies to finished shows, pre-production art and marketing materials – at an overwhelming rate. At the same time, more and more distribution channels are demanding to be fed, each with their own peculiarities and audiences. Media companies need to find solutions for storing and managing all those files, but more importantly,

new thinking about how to manage and monetise what they own – transforming data into genuine business assets. The descriptive information Lipsey mentions – metadata – is the key to unlocking value in an asset. In the first instance, it makes content search easier, but it also allows you to see how and why your content could become monetisable in any given circumstance. When we look at metadata, we can see much more clearly that the asset uploaded to storage in 2016 is not the same asset today. A particularly obvious recent example might be that footage of Prince Charles is now footage of King Charles III – or is it? Librarians and archivists have wrestled with these issues for many centuries, but in a digital world, where metadata might be input by an intern or a robot at scale across huge numbers of files, it’s easy for assets to get lost or become nonsensical. “Metadata decays,” says Lipsey. “Think about what we have seen in five years of vernacular and common language evolution, and the expense incurred to clean up metadata. If you and I were poking around museums in London or New York and asked to see the primitive art, we’d be

» The idea of having everything in one place as your gold standard of truth is not realistic «

laughed out of the room. Five years ago, it would have been: ‘Yes, we have a whole gallery of primitive art.’ “So what are we investing in metadata? It puts a whole different scale on the AI investment to look at return and time to value... maybe metadata improvement is a capital cost? This gets into interesting conversations different from ‘I can compress that file and get it to New York that much faster.’” The zen of unstructured assets For Chris Fournelle, director, content and marketing production at Signiant, establishing the best practices and finding the best tools requires giving up the idea that you’re going to have total control over all of your content all the time. It’s no surprise to him that many companies have moved away from a monolithic, centralised MAM for storing their content. “Content is everywhere, and the complexity, speed and creativity the industry is trying to achieve makes things messy. It makes things disorganised. It makes things unstructured. Content is everywhere at various stages of the supply chain

and it’s no longer a linear process. The idea of having everything in one place as your gold standard of truth is probably not realistic.” With assets spread out across companies and the supply chain itself, what’s needed is a way to see into relevant assets, regardless of where they live. A layer like the Signiant Platform can enable federated search across all of your storage, whether it is in the cloud, on the premises or in any partner storage you have permission for. It’s funny we’re still stuck with the word ‘storage’ when digital content turns storage into something very immediate, which updates instantly. The story of asset management has been one of moving out of archives and more and more into the present.

“You could shoot something while it is being immediately sent to the studio location, where it is able to be played at a high resolution without making proxies, and can be clipped, downloaded or transcoded for dailies. Legal or script supervisors or whomever can look at it while it’s still being shot. At every step of the production cycle, stakeholders with access to it do not have to wait for it to go into the final stack.” Coordination first, tech second Chris McMahon, senior product marketing manager at Backlight, notes that this ability to effortlessly access multiple assets in multiple places brings its own problems. “If there’s a challenge people still experience today, it’s less of

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