Looking back at 2025, one thing is clear: this was the year AI finally moved from experimentation to production in the media industry. At the beginning of the year, especially at the NAB Show in April, we still saw hesitation. Media technology buyers were curious but cautious, unsure whether AI would deliver real operational value. But very quickly after the show, that hesitancy faded. Broadcasters and content companies began requesting implementations, not just demonstrations. They tested AI capabilities and, most importantly, saw tangible benefits.
Transcription, translation, and other core AI-powered functions, once considered innovations, became table stakes. Once customers used them in real workflows, expectations shifted. As we step into 2026, the question is not whether AI belongs in media workflows, but where the industry goes next. The answer lies in two major shifts: first, a move towards autonomous, task-oriented AI components; second, a cultural embrace of agile, iterative approaches over traditional waterfall thinking.
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As new members of IABM, we wanted to share our thoughts on some of the big challenges affecting the industry and why personalization is no longer seen as a bonus feature but a necessity. As technology becomes more accessible, as well as the opportunities it brings, it can also raise questions about privacy, sustainability and scalability.
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What your IBC calendar can teach you about the hidden cost of inefficiency – and why preserving context is becoming critical for OTT growth.
You know that moment when someone says, “Let’s meet at IBC,” and your stomach sinks a little? What should be a simple, 30-second task rapidly becomes a multi-threaded puzzle. Which day? Which hall? Which meeting room? Who else is joining? Organizing one chat rapidly becomes a multi-day coordination of a dozen calendar checks and messages.
Sound familiar? That’s the hidden tax of context loss. It’s that invisible drag that turns simple decisions into logistical puzzles. And it’s not just an event planning problem. The same pattern quietly undermines efficiency across OTT operations every day.
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For decades, control systems have been the backbone of mission-critical operations, connecting operators to machines through fixed, point-to-point infrastructure. In sectors such as broadcast, energy, defense, and transportation, operational capability was determined by physical access and proximity.
However, the landscape has changed dramatically. Developments in virtual machines, cloud workflows, and distributed workforces have redefined what “access” means, fundamentally reshaping the requirements for effective control. Today’s workflows are increasingly complex, collaborative, and geographically distributed, with efficiency hinging on control systems that seamlessly span both physical and virtual environments. These systems must be intelligent and flexible, adapting to user needs in real time while delivering robust, centralized oversight.
Far from a simple technical upgrade, this evolution signals a deeper transformation in how organizations approach their infrastructure, user experience, and resource management.
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The video industry is drowning in data. Every device, app, stream, ad, and network connection generate a ton of metrics. In theory, this data should be a goldmine for smarter decision-making and competitive advantage. In reality, the data is often siloed, measured in inconsistent ways, and acted upon too late to deliver a real impact. As media services evolve, a key differentiator will be the ability to unify, interpret, and act on data instantly. That’s the next step in video analytics.
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The IABM Technology and Trends Roadmap isn’t just for industry technologists to use as a reference. IABM has discovered industry execs using it as a starting point for their keynote speeches: product line managers are using it to plot their own products; and corporate board members get a better understanding of where the company’s products sit on the adoption curve, hence a better grasp or risks vs gross margins. This also assists marketing activities by giving an indication of how best to promote products within M&E and adjacent/vertical market areas.
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The shift toward live IP video delivery has unlocked new possibilities for broadcasters, content providers, and production teams. This transition is enabling greater flexibility in content distribution by supporting delivery of high-quality video across multiple platforms with lower latency, improved scalability, and reduced infrastructure costs. However, with greater flexibility has come greater complexity.
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Digital transformation in the Media and Entertainment (M&E) market involves many applications that need to exchange content and metadata (data) in a fluid and efficient manner. For media companies operating in today’s digital world, producing, managing and distributing content requires an efficient and agile media supply chain, where metadata impacts all of these processes.
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The current state of content library management is either an insurmountable challenge or an unprecedented opportunity – it’s all a matter of perspective. An ever-increasing amount of content is being produced, stretching libraries to near breaking points with legacy formats and duplicate versions, so the overwhelming efforts to resolve the issues can feel daunting…or we can simply take advantage of the growing number of collaborative tools available to the media and entertainment (M&E) industry.
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In today’s fast-paced work environment, the constant influx of projects brings both excitement and challenges for businesses. As teams grow, the need for meticulous planning and organization becomes paramount. Effective coordination is crucial to prevent burnout and maintain high productivity levels.
To ensure smooth operations, it’s vital to streamline communication and focus on actionable steps amid the busy flow of emails, calls, and competing priorities.
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