Broadcasters are increasingly shifting from on-premises hardware to virtualized cloud environments for content processing, management, and delivery. The 2025 NAB Show will feature numerous cloud solutions demonstrating enhanced efficiency and automation.
The discussion has moved from theoretical possibilities to practical implementation. “These conversations are shifting from ‘what’s possible?’ to ‘how can we implement this effectively?’” said Greg Macchia, product marketing manager for live production at Riedel Communications. “Meanwhile, we are seeing more of our solutions being actively used in real live productions in the public cloud.”
NewscastStudio’s 2025 survey indicates 60% of respondents are using cloud production tools, despite challenges. This adoption reflects both technological maturity and market demands. “The M&E space has transformed over the past 10 years or so, with cloud-based workflows being the norm in most areas of the industry,” said Martins Magone, CTO of Veset. “Not only is this change happening fast, but hardware is also quickly becoming the oddity.” He cites statistics showing 76% of enterprises using at least two cloud providers in 2025.
Instead of a full cloud migration, a hybrid approach is gaining traction. “For 24/7/365 operations, maintaining an on-prem infrastructure is often more cost-effective than running continuous cloud-based workflows,” said Steve Reynolds, chief executive officer of Imagine Communications. “The industry’s focus has now shifted to a hybrid approach, leveraging the cloud where it makes sense — live events and geographically distributed redundancy to name a few — while maintaining on-prem infrastructure for cost efficiency.”
This hybrid model acknowledges that different production types need different infrastructure. “The next step is moving toward a model where production and playout can transition seamlessly between cloud and on-prem infrastructure, and that’s a real game-changer,” Reynolds added. “Service providers and broadcasters today are looking for more efficient ways to deliver video, reduce infrastructure costs and maximize monetization opportunities. The industry is moving fast, and embracing new technologies is key to staying ahead. At Harmonic, we welcome this shift to hybrid workflows,” said Eric Gallier, vice president of video solutions at Harmonic.
The shift to cloud infrastructure is linked to software-defined systems running on standard platforms. “At NAB 2025, we’ll see more software-defined architecture that enables a cost-effective migration from SDI to media-over-IP,” said Satoshi Kanemura, president of FOR-A America. “Adding new functionality through software means the customer can configure the system to their needs, without additional hardware investment. It also means that hybrid production, using a variety of signal formats, can be accomplished easily.”
This democratizes access to advanced production capabilities. “Running extremely capable live production environments on commodity PCs is now becoming mainstream, and it is possible to build a gallery that looks and feels like a traditional production environment with only a single PC and GPU under the desk,” said Andy Hooper, senior vice president of live products at Ateliere Creative Technologies. “I can’t wait to see people’s reactions when they realize what is driving the production environment.”
Dynamic scalability is a key advantage. “What excites me about this year’s NAB Show is the recognition that organizations must think differently to achieve more efficient, scalable workflows,” said Macchia. “It’s not just about planning for peak demand, but optimizing the tools available to manage those demands in a more cost-effective and efficient way.” This elasticity helps handle surges in demand, as noted by Kris Alexander, vice president of product and industry marketing at Zixi: “This scalability is particularly valuable during peak periods of high demand, such as major sports tournaments or breaking news coverage, where the ability to quickly scale up resources can make a significant difference.”
Robust system integration is crucial, especially with the move away from single-vendor solutions. “Efficient workflows today must include the entire operation, so robust and open integrations are essential and something I will be looking out for at NAB this year,” said Aaron Kroger, product marketing lead at Dalet. “Seeing how we can continue to break down silos across all departments of an operation will create new workflows and drive the most efficiency possible.”
The industry is moving towards open ecosystems. “The ultimate goal is enabling customers to work with multiple vendors, pulling in the best-of-breed products and tools to create the best possible solution for their specific needs,” said Macchia. “This flexibility is becoming even more critical, whether in private or public clouds, as the industry is increasingly focused on providing adaptable, scalable solutions to handle bursts of production without overcommitting resources.”
Managed services are gaining prominence. “While media companies love great technology, they understand that what they need to stay competitive is tech tightly integrated with managed services,” said Venugopal Iyengar, COO of digital at Planetcast. “A clear trend across all these areas is the move toward managed services. Technology on its own doesn’t solve the challenge of operational complexity.” This allows media companies to focus on content and audience. “Many broadcasters are looking to service providers that offer not just software, but fully managed, end-to-end solutions,” Iyengar added. “This shift allows media companies to avoid getting caught up in technical and operational challenges, freeing them to better engage viewers, grow audiences, and maximize revenues.”
AI is playing a transformative role. “AI continues to be a transformative force; AI-powered compression is helping to optimize workflows and enhance viewer experiences with automation, personalization, and predictive analytics,” said Chris Wilson, head of marketing at Mediakind. “Streaming is a high-stakes game now and providers need flexible, cost-effective and rock-solid solutions to stay ahead.” Magone adds, “The rise of AI in cloud-based workflows has introduced a plethora of opportunities for effective time and cost savings, as well as for the monetisation and gamification of content. The domination of esports and live streaming reveals this nicely, offering highly dynamic and time sensitive content moments that are ideal for contextual advertising.”
The industry is nearing a tipping point for cloud adoption. “Still, much software/cloud and remote production is considered as a curiosity rather than the enabling technology platform for the future of businesses,” said Hooper. “This may reach a tipping point soon, and before long we’ll wonder why anyone is still bothering to do it the old fashioned way.”
Forward-thinking organizations are exploring cloud-native models. “Content is now originating in the cloud and being consumed directly from the cloud, eliminating unnecessary infrastructure and increasing efficiency,” said Reynolds. “At NAB, I’ll be watching how broadcasters and vendors continue to refine and expand this cloud-native model.”