Live sports provide huge business growth opportunities that linear TV providers cannot ignore. This is reflected by the numbers, with the Premier League being the most-watched league globally, NFL games accounting for 96% of the most-watched 2023 US TV broadcasts and Super Bowl LVIII bringing in a record 123.7 million average viewers. The growth has extended to streaming as well, with the NFL’s first streaming-exclusive playoff breaking records with 23 million viewers.
Appear – How to be an immersive and green broadcaster
Delivering immersive live events, whether it’s the thrill of the Olympics’ 100-meter sprint or the suspense of an awards ceremony, while simultaneously meeting sustainability goals, is no easy feat. Broadcasters are rising to this challenge by leveraging cutting-edge technologies and innovative production methods. Today’s audiences expect nothing less than best-in-class coverage, and the recent summer of sports presented broadcasters with the dual challenge of delivering high-quality live content, while adhering to stringent sustainability standards.
Imagine Communications – The long road to Paris: the rise of remote production in broadcasts of the Games
With Paris 2024 just around the corner, I can’t help looking back on the 2010 Winter Games in Vancouver, where I had the privilege of working with one of Imagine Communications’ broadcast customers. In all the excitement, one thing that struck me the most was the sheer size and complexity of the International Broadcast Centre (IBC). Broadcasters from all around the world had packed the space with a massive amount of equipment — including multiple control rooms and dozens of full editing suites — and thousands of people were working tirelessly to produce their programs. It was a spectacle on par with the games themselves.
Elevating the game: Star Media Production Services’ cutting-edge solutions in global golf broadcasting
During the period from October to November 2023, the international technical team of Star Media Production Services provided professional technical services for four of the world’s top golf events in just five weeks. These four events included the PGA Japan ZOZO Golf Open with a total prize pool exceeding $300 million, the ASIA TOUR Macau Golf Open with a total prize pool exceeding $40 million, the Shenzhen Volvo China Open, and the Hong Kong Open. These overseas golf event services spanned four different locations: Japan, Macau, Shenzhen, and Hong Kong. Utilizing three sets of advanced broadcasting equipment, Star Media’s technical team delivered comprehensive technical support, showcasing its robust technical capabilities, logistical expertise, and equipment supply prowess. We provided top-notch broadcasting technical services and production experiences for clients both domestically and internationally, earning unanimous praise from industry peers.
QD Broadcast Technology – Cloud and AI’s impact on Sports Broadcast
In recent years, with the rapid development of AI and cloud technology, my company and I have faced the impact of new technologies on the sports broadcasting industry, tried to apply cloud and AI to our business, and achieved good results. I will now share our practical experience in utilizing AI and cloud tech to enhance production efficiency and operational capabilities.
Synamedia – Why flexing your business agility muscles with SaaS matters
Headbands and sweatbands. Legwarmers and leotards. Step aerobics and jazzexercise. Fitness trends come and go but looking after customers’ needs and keeping an organization in good shape is always in vogue.
Times are tough for the media and entertainment industry. Alongside the ongoing debate about the death of linear and Pay-TV, there is growing unease about the underlying economics of streaming – especially for sports – with subscription income flatlining and high churn rates continuing as end-users evaluate whether they are getting value for money.
Keeping up with the industry’s relentless pace of change and staying competitive by scouting out ways to lower total cost of ownership while adding new monetization features to keep the balance sheet healthy have never been more critical.
RT Software – Why AI won’t steal our broadcast graphics jobs – but it might change them…
We have all seen the consternation in the media about the rising challenge of AI in a wide range of industries and the potential for mass job losses as a result. Should we be concerned that the same could happen to workers in the broadcast graphics sector? The trouble with these kinds of sweeping statements is that they cover such a broad set of roles that it becomes meaningless. To make informed comments we really need to address each niche within ‘broadcast graphics’ separately and look at what AI could do, or is already doing, to see how it affects the users involved. What is true for some areas may be very different for others.
Net Insight – Automation is shaping the future of media
The media industry is moving at super high speed. New business models, offerings, and business deals are changing the industry dynamics, leading players to rethink their strategies to remain competitive and grow. At the same time, consumer appetite for compelling and enriched content, including shoulder programming doesn’t seem to be subsiding.
Media companies are faced with a real opportunity and challenge — they need to be ready to manage a significant spike in live streams from acquisition right through to content delivery across platforms to tap into more audiences and revenue. This means more complex workflows and core media networks to acquire and deliver content to a plethora of destinations.
MainConcept – Juggling bitrate, latency and quality in broadcast
The broadcast industry is an incredibly exciting and dynamic place to be right now. Digital transformation is driving media companies to rethink their workflows and innovate, and as the industry continues its transition to IP infrastructure, many are adopting new technologies. Streaming has taken the broadcast industry by storm and has now reportedly overtaken traditional TV and cable viewing. But for a seamless viewing experience, content needs to be delivered with low latency, so viewers see the action on screen, as it happens. Getting the right balance can be challenging to achieve.
Amagi – Revolutionizing live sports and events coverage with unified cloud workflows
In 2023, live broadcasts overwhelmingly topped the charts of the 100 most-viewed telecasts, with a clear preference for live sports, which claimed 56 of the highest rankings. Remarkably, the coverage of Oscars and the Grammys stood out as the leading entertainment broadcasts. The historical interest in live programming can be attributed to its unique offering of immediacy and the opportunity for real-time engagement. This format excels in delivering the excitement of witnessing events unfold in the moment, creating a compelling sense of participation and community among viewers. So it is no surprise that the live streaming sector is expected to experience a significant boom, with projections estimating its value to reach $3.21 billion by 2027.