Sony Pixel Power calrec Sony

Using blockchain to track media assets securely

23/12/2020

Blockchain remains a relatively unfamiliar concept to most people in the broadcast and media industries, writes Steven Bilow, SMPTE Member, volunteer, and contributor. But it has use cases for our industry

By Contributor

Published: December 23, 2020

Blockchain remains a relatively unfamiliar concept to most people in the broadcast and media industries, writes Steven Bilow, SMPTE Member, volunteer, and contributor. But it has use cases for our industry

target=_blank title=Share on LinkedIn class=share-linkedin> Blockchain remains a relatively unfamiliar concept to most people in the broadcast and media industries, writes Steven Bilow, SMPTE Member, volunteer, and contributor. But it has use cases for our industry

https://www.tvbeurope.com/features/using-blockchain-to-track-media-assets-securely title=Share via Email class=share-email>

How does it work?

Blockchain is a distributed data structure that supports creation of a digital ledger and sharing it across a network (or community) of users. Community members use cryptographic hashing algorithms to manage the ledger securely with no central repository or authority.

The digital ledger itself comprises a series of blocks', or chunks of digital data, arranged in a chain', or network. Each block stores information about a transaction and the parties involved, as well as a hash', which is a unique cryptographic code that distinguishes a particular block from every other and actually encodes all previous blocks to ensure traceability. Because this hash value includes all prior transactions, and because this digital ledger is distributed across a network, it is extraordinarily difficult to alter a transaction.

What does this have to do with the media industry?

The default way to create, record, broadcast, and exchange media is now digital. This reality brings about a whole new set of problems surrounding how we reliably, securely, and transparently manage all of the information associated with ownership and use. For example, how does a media asset itself keep track of who owns it, who's licensed to use it, and who owes whom the royalties for its use?

You can summarise all the security and licensing issues involved in one word: trust. Trust is a key concept when it comes to contracts. Imagine having a giant accounting ledger documenting all your trusted transactions. Now imagine that your ledger falls into the hands of just one bad actor. No transaction is safe. Trust is gone.

But if your ledger is distributed among 1,000 people, and every transaction requires validation from a subset of that group, then a single bad actor has a negligible effect on the whole. And if every transaction is encrypted, the details remain private. Finally, if you include the entire distributed ledger as part of every transaction, then any questionable transaction could be traced all the way back to the beginning of time. In short, you can count on the security and trustworthiness of every transaction. This is the beauty of blockchain.

Given the complexity of digital media, digital contracts, and digital distribution, now is the perfect time for our industry to consider blockchain solutions. Potential use cases for blockchain in media include rights management, royalty tracking and payment, validating the authenticity of an asset such as news footage, tracking content through its entire life cycle, and intellectual property management.

The application of blockchain technology to these use cases will make for simpler, more transparent media and advertising ecosystems. The accuracy of copyright tracking improves, and it becomes easier to distribute appropriate royalty payments. With blockchain documenting the chain of custody and validating every step in the production and distribution process, it will be easier to deter fake news' and deep fake' videos.

Perhaps the most compelling benefit of blockchain is that smart contracts can be built securely into transactions for licensed assets. These contracts are essentially computer code, stored in the blockchain, that is capable of performing specific actions under specific circumstances, and effectively eliminating the need for human intervention.

Facilitating secure, automated transactions, blockchain can make media distribution safer, faster, and less prone to piracy. Free from the need to continually monitor contractual agreements and related distributions, organisations can be more efficient in the allocation and distribution of royalty payments. While making illegal file sharing and other copyright infringements much more difficult, blockchain offers a mechanism for better visibility into usage and, ultimately, more flexible and effective monetisation of content.

Many of the organisations using blockchain to add contractual data to content are doing so with the API for Ethereum, which is an open-source, public blockchain-based computing platform designed with smart-contract scripting functionality. (Ethereum is also one of the largest distributed blockchain networks.) But it's still early days yet for implementation.

Today we are at a point where many media companies are doing exciting research on the challenges and benefits presented by blockchain technology. Some companies do actually use blockchain in practice, but it remains a very new technology. Over time, however, blockchain will solve a variety of security, privacy, validity, and rights issues. Blockchain isn't the only way to handle these issues. But it is a pretty enticing option both because it uses a hashing algorithm that's been proven for years as an encryption mechanism and because it is a distributed system that does not force users to trust a central authority.

Now that we have a way for every transaction to be initiated, concluded, and tracked as a permanent record with a verifiabl
LINK: https://www.tvbeurope.com/features/using-blockchain-to-track-media-ass...
See more stories from tvb

Most recent headlines

05/01/2027

Worlds first 802.15.4ab-UWB chip verified by Calterah and Rohde & Schwarz to be demoed at CES 2026

Worlds first 802.15.4ab-UWB chip verified by Calterah and Rohde & Schwarz to be ...

07/10/2026

Dalet Flex LTS Delivers Smarter Media Operations from Ingest to Distribution

Dalet, a leading technology and service provider for media-rich organizations, today announced the latest Long-Term Supported (LTS) release of Dalet Flex. Build...

06/09/2026

Dolby and MagentaTV Bring Fans Closer to the FIFA World Cup 2026 in Germany with Dolby Vision and Dolby Atmos

June 9 2026, 23:00 (PDT) Dolby and MagentaTV Bring Fans Closer to the FIFA Worl...

04/09/2026

Business Innovation Synergizer FAQ: What applicants need to know

Media organisations interested in the Media Innovation Europe 3.0 Business Innovation Synergizer (BIS) can now consult a new FAQ document providing additional a...

04/09/2026

IBC 2026: Eluvio Showcases Global Broadcast Fabric Updates

Eluvio will demonstrate updates to its Content Fabric platform at IBC2026 (Hall 8, Stand 8.MS5, and Future Tech Zone, Hall 14, Stand 14.A58, September 11-14). C...

04/09/2026

IBC 2026: LiveU Joins IBC Accelerator Smart Stories Consortium

LiveU has joined the IBC Accelerator's Smart Stories consortium, a multi-vendor initiative developing an open standard for Story Context interoperability in...

04/09/2026

IBC 2026: Telos Alliance to Demonstrate Audio Observability Capabilities

Telos Alliance will demonstrate new audio observability capabilities at IBC2026 (Stand 8.D37, RAI Amsterdam, September 11-14), covering monitoring of audio heal...

04/09/2026

World Team Tennis Announces Broadcast Partnership with Versants USA Sports

World Team Tennis (WTT) has announced a broadcast partnership with USA Sports, the sports division of Versant. USA Sports will air all six of WTT's live mat...

04/09/2026

Gravity Media Appoints Alex Pannell as Chief Business Officer

Gravity Media has appointed Alex Pannell as Chief Business Officer. Pannell joins from Appear, where he served as Chief Commercial Officer. He will be based in ...

04/09/2026

IBC 2026: Dalet Expands Dalia AI Platform with Agentic Workflow Capabilities

Dalet has announced new agentic workflow capabilities for Dalia, its AI platform for media organizations, ahead of IBC2026. The updates extend Dalia from an AI ...

04/09/2026

IBC 2026: L-Acoustics Achieves EN 54 Certification Across Loudspeaker and Amplifier Portfolio

L-Acoustics has achieved EN 54 certification across a portfolio of loudspeakers,...

04/09/2026

IBC 2026: EVS and Matrox Video Announce Technology Partnership for Dynamic Media Facility Deployments

EVS and Matrox Video have announced a technology partnership integrating Matrox ...

04/09/2026

IBC 2026: NEP to Showcase Software-Defined Live Production

NEP Group will exhibit at IBC2026 (Hall 7, Stand 7.B55, RAI Amsterdam, September 11-14), demonstrating software-defined production capabilities across NEP Platf...

04/09/2026

FoMaSystems and ARRI Honored with Engineering Emmy for ARRI TRINITY 2

The Television Academy has awarded an Engineering Emmy to Dr. Roman Foltyn, Chief Engineer of FoMaSystems, and Curt O. Schaller for the development of the ARRI ...

04/09/2026

IBC 2026: InSync Technology to Showcase Frame Rate and Standards Conversion

InSync Technology will exhibit at IBC2026 (Stand 1.A55, RAI Amsterdam, September 11-14), demonstrating its FrameFormer and NOVA conversion platforms for frame r...

04/09/2026

Professional Triathletes Organization Signs Agreement with Sela to Host Events in Saudi Arabia

The Professional Triathletes Organisation (PTO) has signed a multi-year agreemen...

04/09/2026

IBC 2026: Accedo and MediaKind Launch Joint Streaming Solution for Operators

Accedo and MediaKind have announced a white-label, end-to-end streaming solution for operators, combining Accedo's native application framework and cloud-ba...

04/09/2026

IBC 2026: TAG Video Systems Launches TAG Blue Cloud Monitoring Platform

TAG Video Systems has announced TAG Blue, a cloud platform for shared monitoring visibility across video delivery chains, with AI-powered root-cause analysis. T...

04/09/2026

IBC 2026: TwelveLabs Launches Video Compliance Platform with NVIDIA Deepfake Detection

TwelveLabs has launched a video compliance platform for media organizations, inc...

04/09/2026

Television Academy and NATAS Announce 2026 Engineering, Science & Technology Emmy Award Recipients

The Television Academy and the National Academy of Television Arts & Sciences ha...

04/09/2026

KeySolutions Sounds release Traveler

Powerful new soft synth announced Traveler is the first software instrument to be released by KeySolutions Sounds, and it's an ambitious one! Said to co...

04/09/2026

e-instruments launch Velvet Guitars Fragment

Free virtual instrument range expanded The latest expansion of e-instruments' free Fragments series introduces a packed-down version of the company'...

04/09/2026

Accentize Chameleon wins Emmy Award

Company recognised for second time Two years after winning an Engineering, Science & Technology Emmy Award for dxRevive Pro, Accentize have been recognised ...

04/09/2026

AgileTV and Friend MTS Complete CDN Watermarking Integration to Fast-Track Anti-Piracy Protection for Operators

Bilbao - 3rd September 2026 -AgileTV, a leading provider of end-to-end TV and vi...

04/09/2026

Net Insight to Launch Nimbra 1020G at 2026 IBC Show

Share Copy link Facebook X Linkedin Bluesky Email...

04/09/2026

Disney, Optimum Renew Carriage Deal

Share Copy link Facebook X Linkedin Bluesky Email...

04/09/2026

ACEMAGIC First to Introduce Ryzen AI Max+ PRO 495 AI Mini Workstation at IFA 2026

ACEMAGIC First to Introduce Ryzen AI Max PRO 495 AI Mini Workstation at IFA 202...

04/09/2026

Krotos Brings Video to Sound Footsteps Directly into Premiere Pro and DaVinci Resolve

Krotos Brings Video to Sound Footsteps Directly into Premiere Pro and DaVinci Re...

04/09/2026

RED DIGITAL CINEMA Comes Out Swinging at IBC 2026 with Next-Generation Live Broadcast Technology

RED DIGITAL CINEMA Comes Out Swinging at IBC 2026 with Next-Generation Live Broa...

04/09/2026

Orty v2.0-web - the cold-outreach assistant moves to the web

Orty v2.0-web - the cold-outreach assistant moves to the web Brie Clayton September 4, 2026 0 Comments Orty today announced v2.0-web of its AI cold-ou...

04/09/2026

Lightware expands LARA capabilities with new GUDE driver

Lightware is expanding its LARA (Lightware Advanced Room Automation) platform with the GUDE Power Distribution Units (PDU) driver module. GUDE devices can now b...

04/09/2026

People Behind the Technology - How Lightware Invests in W...

Lightware shares the second release in its ESG communications series. Following the first piece, which focused on the companys environmental performance, this r...

04/09/2026

Big Blue Marble delivers record 10 Tbps for European publ...

Big Blue Marble supported a leading European public service broadcaster in delivering the Soccer World Cup 2026 streams, supplying more than 10 Tbps of bandwidt...

04/09/2026

Hitomi MatchBox Glass is honoured with Emmy Award

Outstanding achievement in engineering, science and technology Hitomi Broadcast has been recognised with an Engineering, Science & Technology Emmy from the Ac...

04/09/2026

California, Hollywood at a Crossroads

California, Hollywood at a Crossroads Andy Marken September 3, 2026 0 Comments I'm doing everything alone. Crossing roads alone. Seeing the Eiffe...

04/09/2026

Berklee Announces Winners of 2026 SongwritersdB Songwriting Contest

Berklee Announces Winners of 2026 SongwritersdB Songwriting Contest Students Luca Alexandru, Annika Wild, and Johanna James received the top prizes for origin...

04/09/2026

EVS, Matrox Partner on EBUs Dynamic Media Facility Initiative

Share Copy link Facebook X Linkedin Bluesky Email...

04/09/2026

TAG Video Systems Unveils TAG Blue

Share Copy link Facebook X Linkedin Bluesky Email...

04/09/2026

Orlando Magic and Gray Media Ink Full Season Broadcast Deal

Share Copy link Facebook X Linkedin Bluesky Email...

04/09/2026

RT ANNOUNCE NEW DRAMA THE MURDER OF MR. MOONLIGHT BASED ON THE DISAPPEARANCE AND MURDER OF BOBBY RYAN

RT ANNOUNCE NEW DRAMA THE MURDER OF MR. MOONLIGHT BASED ON THE DISAPPEARANCE...

03/09/2026

Yospace releases new Ad Presentation solution, unlocking revenue opportunities with non-linear ad formats

Yospace will be at IBC from 11th - 14th September (booth 5.C78). For more inform...

03/09/2026

Creative Technology Group Announces Leadership Transition Effective January 2027

NEP Group has announced leadership changes at Creative Technology Group. Founder and CEO Graham Andrews will step away from day-to-day leadership at the end of ...

03/09/2026

NFL and TikTok Renew Multi-Year Partnership

The NFL and TikTok have announced a multi-year partnership renewal expanding the league's presence on the platform. NFL posts on TikTok increased more than ...

03/09/2026

Grass Valley Appoints Ronny Van Geel as Vice President, Cameras

Grass Valley has appointed Ronny Van Geel as Vice President, Cameras. Van Geel began his career in 1999 at Philips DVS and moved into product management in 2005...

03/09/2026

IBC 2026: Telestream to Preview Vantage Super Resolution

Telestream has announced Vantage Super Resolution, an AI-powered upscaling capability for the Vantage media workflow platform, developed in collaboration with N...

03/09/2026

IBC 2026: Solid State Logic TCA Tour

Solid State Logic (SSL) will debut the TCA Tour at IBC2026 (Hall 8, Stand 8.B45), a portable production system built from System T components in a desktop frame...

03/09/2026

IBC 2026: DPA Microphones Launches 6388 CORE+ Headset Microphone

DPA Microphones has announced the 6388 CORE Headset Microphone, making its debut at IBC2026 (Hall 8, Stand D60). The supercardioid headset features a physicall...

03/09/2026

IBC 2026: Qvest to Demonstrate Multi-Vendor Dynamic Media Facility Showcase

Qvest will present a multi-vendor Dynamic Media Facility (DMF) showcase at IBC2026 (Booth 10.C24), demonstrating how the EBU's DMF architecture can be imple...

03/09/2026

IBC 2026: Imagine Communications Debuts Magellan PanelFlex

Imagine Communications will showcase the Magellan PanelFlex control surface and other control portfolio updates at IBC2026 (Stand 1.B73, RAI Amsterdam, Septembe...

03/09/2026

IBC 2026: Bridge Technologies Launches Software-Based VB440 Deployment Option

Bridge Technologies will announce at IBC2026 (Booth 1.A71) that its VB440 production probe is now available as a software-based solution, deployable on commerci...