he broadcast and streaming industry has always been shaped by technological shifts, but few have been as crucial (or certainly not as widely debated!) as the move to the cloud. What began as a gradual exploration of virtualised infrastructure has, over the past decade, evolved into a fundamental rethinking of how media businesses operate. Yet despite the near-ubiquity of cloud conversations at industry events, today’s reality is far from a simple, cloud- first narrative. On the other hand, what has emerged is a more complex, and arguably
more interesting, picture. A large portion of this shift is thanks to the rise of global, direct-to-consumer streaming platforms such as Netflix, Disney+ and Amazon Prime Video. These services didn’t just disrupt viewing habits; they completely changed the operational requirements of the entire industry. Suddenly, content needed to be delivered instantly to millions of users across multiple regions, devices and bandwidth conditions. Traditional broadcast infrastructure, designed for stability and predictability, struggled to match that level of elasticity. Cloud infrastructure, by contrast, was purpose-built for it. As Stan Moote, CTO of IABM, succinctly explains: “Cloud adoption in media and streaming has accelerated due to a mix of scale, flexibility and competitive pressure. Covid had some major effects on cloud adoption outside of playout. So I like to cover playout first, then look at other aspects.” Playout in practice For many broadcasters, playout represented the first meaningful step into the cloud – not because it was easy, but because it delivered immediate and tangible benefits. Cloud-based playout made it possible to launch channels quickly, localise feeds for different markets and experiment with new business models, like FAST channels, without the burden of physical infrastructure. It also aligned neatly with the shift towards on-demand viewing, where the distinction between linear and non-linear delivery continues to blur. Moote expands on this dynamic, noting that “the main driver is that the growth of direct-to-consumer platforms, such as Netflix, Disney+, Amazon Prime Video etc, required the ability to scale instantly to serve audiences globally. Cloud infrastructure makes this possible. Outside sports and more niche venues, viewers also want to view on-
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