Johan Bolin, CTO at Agile Content argues that successfully re-defining broadcast comes down to incorporating web-based technologies throughout the end-to-end content production process
By Contributor
Published: May 13, 2021
Johan Bolin, CTO at Agile Content argues that successfully re-defining broadcast comes down to incorporating web-based technologies throughout the end-to-end content production process
target=_blank title=Share on LinkedIn class=share-linkedin>
The TV broadcasting industry has gone through a huge amount of change in recent years - all driven by the ongoing digital revolution. On the one hand, this has opened up a world of new possibilities, enabling broadcasters to provide new services, drive operational efficiencies and reach different audiences.
On the other hand, the increasing focus on the internet and other technology-driven trends has significantly intensified the level of competition in the industry. Traditional broadcasters are now having to compete with a wide range of streaming services, all of which have a global reach and the expertise to quickly capitalise on the technological opportunities that come their way.
This has accelerated the consumer shift towards on-demand services. The likes of Netflix and Amazon Prime are able to offer the user experience, range of content and video quality that consumers are looking for. Then there's user-generated content from influencers and the public, which is enhancing the challenge even further by forming close, direct relationships with their loyal following.
As such, traditional broadcasters are having to rethink their approach. Although many are adopting OTT delivery models to meet customers' evolving expectations around on-demand content, there is still a technical disconnect between how live content is distributed and how it is produced.
Mind the gapThe big issue facing linear TV providers is that they are currently restricted when producing content. They are restricted by physical connections, i.e. the cameras they have access to for each show. A cooking show and a news show will both have access to a specific, pre-determined set of cameras, presenting a clear lack of flexibility when it comes to quickly adding new feeds.
Having production processes and technology designed in this way makes it difficult for video content to be contributed upstream. For example, when broadcasters create a live news show today, the production pipeline tends to be pre-defined and limited by their SDI infrastructure. They can only use sources and cameras - whether connected to the SDI switch in the newsroom or remotely connected via satellite links - that have been plugged into the environment hours before the live event happens. Spontaneously adding a new camera to the production pipeline during the show is very complicated, and even more so if it is a different kind of camera - whether that's a smartphone or professional camera.
The syncing, mixing and curation of live content is all carried out in the local, high bitrate SDI domain. This means that the cameras and feeds that will be used during the broadcast have to be connected and established in the process in advance, and that the curated output is limited to those sources only.
This continuing reliance on legacy processes and specialist equipment as opposed to web-based technologies and today's highly capable consumer devices - even though the internet has been well proven as a distribution channel - illustrates the disconnect that has emerged between content distribution and production. The distribution model is no longer the limiting factor it once was and, as a result, more broadcasters are starting to realise that there are now alternative options available.
The simple truth is that TV needs to transform, as the way content is being produced and distributed is currently out of sync. This gap must be effectively bridged if broadcasters want to remain competitive in the future.
The future callsIt has quickly become clear that successfully re-defining broadcast comes down to incorporating web-based technologies throughout the end-to-end content production process. By moving the production stack over to the same technology as the distribution stack, broadcasters will open up new ways to produce and curate content.
For example, taking a web-based approach means any connected device can contribute to the production process. Broadcasters can quickly and easily connect a wider range of devices, such as smartphones, via the internet and gain access to different types of content - which can be controlled by policies rather than by physical access.
Roaming citizen reporters' could share live video from their smartphones on-site at events or incidents to add local insight to news reports. Team coaches could provide a closer and more intimate perspective than broadcast cameras, or backstage content recorded by a popular music artist could be used as part of an awards programme such as the Grammys.
Also, by adopting a web-inspired approach that treats video sources as global resources, producers in the curation process can find themselves accessing and tapping into a larger repository of both live and on-demand content. And since the distribution is unicast anyway, significantly more content variations can be produced and delivered.
As a result, the viewer experience and content can be personalised to the user and context. Content can be selected and curated based on users' interests and location in a cost-effective way. That's the beauty of cloud and the internet. Content formats that benefit from public' contributions - e.g. local news or sports and entertainment - can significantly benefit from the speed, flexibility and scalability that web-based technologies can provide.
This is all just scratching the surface of what's
Most recent headlines
05/01/2027
Worlds first 802.15.4ab-UWB chip verified by Calterah and Rohde & Schwarz to be ...
04/08/2026
Dalet, a leading technology and service provider for media-rich organizations, t...
04/07/2026
April 7 2026, 19:00 (PDT) Detective Conan: Fallen Angel of the Highway Opens in...
01/06/2026
January 6 2026, 05:30 (PST) Dolby Sets the New Standard for Premium Entertainment at CES 2026
Throughout the week, Dolby brings to life the latest innovatio...
31/05/2026
Olivia P rez-Collellmir to Premiere Original Work at Gaud Centennial in Barcelona The Berklee graduate and faculty member will debut her choral symphony with...
30/05/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
30/05/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
30/05/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
30/05/2026
Zero in on one that says yes (and no)
Andy Marken May 29, 2026
0 Comments
Hero image courtesy of Deposit Photos
For content creators the most difficu...
29/05/2026
With InfoComm 2026 just weeks away, NDI is giving attendees plenty of reasons to...
29/05/2026
Reaffirming a partnership that has defined Canadian sports broadcasting since 19...
29/05/2026
Mobile/tablet is No. 2 device for watching TV, suggesting that the sports-production industry needs to take another look at the format
Ring Digital's Sprin...
29/05/2026
Berliner Ensemble, one of Berlin's five major theater companies, has expande...
29/05/2026
Solid State Logic will showcase its new compact, fly-away TCA Tour audio product...
29/05/2026
Gerald (Jerry) Pierce, a pioneering technologist who helped shape the digital transformation of the motion picture industry, passed away last month on April 12 ...
29/05/2026
Paramount+ will be the English-language U.S. home for Barclays Women's Super...
29/05/2026
Further strengthening its virtualisation strategy to fully support broadcasters ...
29/05/2026
Swiss broadcaster Canal Alpha has deployed Harmonic's award-winning, software-based XOS Advanced Media Processor to modernize playout operations across cant...
29/05/2026
PTZOptics will showcase a new generation of intelligent video workflows at InfoComm 2026, June 17-19, Las Vegas. Visitors to booth N8227 will see how PTZOptics ...
29/05/2026
Arizona's Family has launched the Arizona's Family Sports (AZFS) streaming app, a new direct-to-consumer destination for live, local sports. The app is ...
29/05/2026
Starting in 2027, DAZN will be the exclusive home of The Canadian Football Leagu...
29/05/2026
Comcast Business has detailed the advanced network infrastructure it has deploye...
29/05/2026
In two-day event, leaders from academia and industry explored solutions to chall...
29/05/2026
The Basketball Tournament (TBT), now entering their 13th year of competition, ha...
29/05/2026
Roku has launched FOX One as a Premium Subscription on The Roku Channel in the U.S. Roku customers can now subscribe to FOX One using their Roku account for liv...
29/05/2026
In its sixth year, the broadcaster's coverage has become a global brand and ...
29/05/2026
Ratings Roundup is a rundown of recent ratings news and is derived from press re...
29/05/2026
The days are getting longer, the temperatures are rising, and playlists are filling up for the season. With summer around the corner, Spotify's global edito...
29/05/2026
New retro-inspired MPC announced
There are few devices that have gained the status held by Akai Pro's MPC range, and in recent years, the company have s...
29/05/2026
Save up to 30 on acclaimed titles
Following a successful launch at Superbooth 2026, Bjooks have revealed that they will be continuing the Kickstarter campa...
29/05/2026
Binaural monitoring application improved
Genelec have just released an update that brings some powerful new features to their HRTF-based binaural headphone ...
29/05/2026
6 June 2026 at SAE Institute, London, UK
IMSTA FESTA 2026 is almost upon us, with some of the biggest names in pro-audio set to descend upon SAE Institute i...
29/05/2026
Gerald (Jerry) Pierce, a pioneering technologist who helped shape the digital transformation of the motion picture industry, died April 12, 2026, at his home in...
29/05/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
29/05/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
29/05/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
29/05/2026
Comparing 5 AI Video Enhancers for Restoring Old Video Quality
Kate Luvis May 29, 2026
0 Comments
Digitizing VHS, MiniDV, and other legacy formats doe...
29/05/2026
Studio Hamburg Builds New Post Pipeline with DaVinci Resolve Studio
Brie Clayton May 29, 2026
0 Comments
Workflow replaces a patchwork of legacy tools...
29/05/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
29/05/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
29/05/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
29/05/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
29/05/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
29/05/2026
At the Intersection of Music and Dance, an Epic Collaboration Boston Conservatory musicians and dancers found creative parallels in their recent performance o...
29/05/2026
Back to All News
Latino Film Institute Fellows Screen Their Short Films at the Egyptian Theatre
The Inclusion Fellowship and Spark Animation Grant uplifts 15 ...
29/05/2026
GLOOKAST LAUNCHES CINNAFILM TACHYON PLUGIN FOR MEDIA PRODUCER AND MEDIA SERVICES
This release first appeared here.
Visit our Tachyon product page or contact...
29/05/2026
May 29 2026, 09:00 (PDT) Dolby and rednote Bring More Immersive Storytelling to...
29/05/2026
Something fundamental has shifted in how people consume media. Audiences aren't abandoning television or radio content; they're just expanding how, wher...
29/05/2026
Youtube exclusive special drops today
Watch now
UKTV today announces another e...
Johan Bolin, CTO at Agile Content argues that successfully re-defining broadcast comes down to incorporating web-based technologies throughout the end-to-end content production process
