Ten trends defining broadcast and media in 2025

Live sports stream to millions of concurrent viewers. AI systems generate highlight reels moments after the action happens. Production teams collaborate across continents using cloud-based tools. This is broadcasting in 2025, where traditional television infrastructure gives way to more flexible, intelligent and sustainable systems.

The industry’s transformation extends far beyond just updating equipment. Broadcasters are fundamentally rethinking how they create, deliver and monetize content in an era where viewing habits change as quickly as the technology enabling them.

NewscastStudio’s annual Industry Insights outlook roundtable, including responses from 55 leading broadcast technology vendors, noted an industry embracing innovation and grappling with practical challenges.

Let’s explore the ten trends the vendors highlighted across their responses. 

AI takes center stage in content creation and delivery

Artificial intelligence is no longer just a buzzword in broadcasting—it’s a tool to reshape processes and workflows across the industry.

“While it feels like broadcasters are receptive to the idea that AI can improve efficiency and streamline workflows, they want to see real-world, practical examples of this in-use,” said Thorsten Sauer, CEO, Pixel Power. “These are still few and far between, so the vibe remains very ‘wait and see’.” 

Some vendors report the industry remains in “wait-and-see” mode, while others are already deploying AI to automate workflows, enhance content tagging and deliver more personalized viewing experiences. The technology is particularly transformative in metadata generation, enabling more sophisticated content discovery and personalization features previously impossible at scale.

“We anticipate AI implementation into video content to become increasingly refined and focused,” said Mathieu Planche, CEO, Witbe. “Rather than simply trying to add AI to everything, organizations will focus on specific areas where AI can demonstrably improve efficiency, user experience or content delivery.”

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“As AI and data algorithms continue to improve, we will see more video providers relying on a data-driven approach in this way,” said Michael Lantz, CEO, Accedo. “Using a data-driven approach, video providers can easily analyze advanced customer engagement metrics to understand content engagement patterns, including e.g. pricing trends, marketing campaign impact and ultimately for churn prediction. Armed with this data, video providers can take proactive measures to increase engagement and retain customers.”

AI is also making inroads in content creation, assisting in everything from preliminary editing tasks to automated highlight generation for sports content. Perhaps most significantly, AI enables more targeted advertising and relevant ad placements, helping broadcasters maximize revenue while improving viewer experience.

“Advancements in AI are set to transform media workflows by enhancing speed, creativity and ability to seize new opportunities. AI-driven tools can automate repetitive tasks, allowing content creators to focus on more strategic and creative aspects, thus speeding up production and improving the creative process,” said Robin Kirchhoffer, CMO, Dalet.

“We’ve moved beyond the peak of inflated expectations in the hype cycle and Generative AI now finds itself in the trough of disillusionment. However, despite the tempered enthusiasm, AI remains a powerful tool with the potential to drive cost savings and boost productivity,” said Kristan Bullett, CEO, Humans Not Robots (HNR).

IP workflows and remote production reshape the industry

The transition to IP-based workflows continues to change how content is produced and delivered.

“IP increasingly makes economic sense for operations of all sizes and is helping accelerate the move toward remote and cloud-based production thanks to SMPTE ST 2110 and the native IP protocols used for contribution to cloud,” said Steve Reynolds, CEO, Imagine Communications. 

SMPTE 2110 adoption is growing, enabling more flexible and scalable operations. This shift has particularly accelerated remote production capabilities, reducing the need for equipment and personnel transportation.

“Remote production enabled by IP infrastructure is dramatically reducing the need to transport equipment and personnel around the globe for major sporting events. Broadcasters are moving from shipping multiple aircraft loads of equipment to employing streamlined fly-packs with remote workflows,” said Russell Johnson, director, Hitomi Broadcast.

“Remote production of live content is transformative. Sending only minimal crews to an event and streaming all sources back to a central production base slashes the cost and carbon footprint and massively boosts the utilisation of expensive production technology. To be successful, production technologists need to add to their skillsets network and transport stream skills, aided by highly automated systems,” said Sergio Ammirata Ph.D., founder and chief scientist, SipRadius.

Virtual OB (Outside Broadcasting) concepts using COTS (Commercial Off-The-Shelf) servers are emerging as viable alternatives to traditional trucks, representing a shift in live production methodology. This is particularly evident in sports broadcasting, where remote production hubs are becoming increasingly common, allowing broadcasters to cover more events with fewer resources.

“IP-based workflows open the door for improved lower-tier sport leagues coverage by eliminating the need for a full production unit. The live audio commentary, graphic overlays and even full production can often be managed remotely. The flexibility and reduced entry cost make live broadcasts of niche market events more competitive,” said Vincent Noyer, director of product marketing, LYNX Technik.

Hybrid cloud solutions drive operational flexibility

The industry is embracing a balanced approach to cloud adoption, blending private infrastructure with public cloud services.

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“Hybrid cloud models will optimize infrastructure for scalability, cost-efficiency and remote collaboration,” said Sam Peterson, COO, Bitcentral. 

This hybrid model offers the flexibility of cloud computing while maintaining control over critical operations. Broadcasters are particularly interested in using cloud resources for scalability and efficiency, though many still prefer capital expenditure for predictable usage scenarios.

The shift toward hybrid cloud solutions also influences how broadcasters approach disaster recovery and business continuity. Many organizations are using cloud services for overflow capacity during peak periods while maintaining core operations on-premises, creating a more resilient and cost-effective infrastructure.

“If you’re deploying a disaster recovery solution or operating FAST channels that are never going to touch an antenna, it’s probably cheaper to do it in the cloud, but if you’re running 24/7/365 workflows or have significant investments in studios, HVAC systems and backup generators, on-prem solutions may make better economic sense. A one-and-done calculation won’t cut it in a rapidly changing industry, so broadcasters may need to regularly revisit the TCO math to determine whether on-prem, cloud, or a hybrid of both will best meet their unique needs and budgets,” said Reynolds.

Personalization and data-driven content delivery take hold

Viewers now expect tailored experiences across platforms, pushing broadcasters to leverage data analytics for content recommendations and targeted advertising.

“Audiences increasingly demand personalized, interactive and multi-platform experiences, pushing broadcasters to invest in real-time data integration and AI-driven analytics. This has led to higher spending on scalable and flexible production workflows, often requiring cloud-enabled infrastructure. In 2025, broadcasters are looking for solutions that can meet these expectations efficiently while maintaining cost control,” said Andy Rayner, CTO, Appear.

“Advanced analytics and machine learning algorithms will allow broadcasters to gather insights from vast amounts of data, including viewing preferences and location. By utilizing this information, broadcasters will create personalized content offerings – from localized programming to dynamic ad delivery – that speak directly to individual tastes and behaviors,” said Narayanan Rajan, CEO, Media Excel. “Personalized content can extend beyond just recommendations, allowing narratives or content formats to be adjusted in real time.”

This shift is particularly evident in streaming services, where personalization is becoming central to audience engagement.

The use of SCTE standards for dynamic ad insertion is becoming more systematic, enabling more sophisticated approaches to content monetization. Broadcasters are also exploring new ways to use data for content planning and acquisition decisions, ensuring their investments align with viewer preferences and behavior patterns.

Mobile-first broadcasting gains momentum

With mobile devices accounting for an increasingly large share of content consumption, broadcasters are adapting their strategies accordingly. This includes optimizing for vertical formats and introducing more interactive elements. 

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“As mobile-first content becomes increasingly mainstream, broadcasters and content providers, as well as production companies, are going to need to adapt. It is becoming essential for broadcasters to become agile in light of rising media costs, as well as implementing new methods of user engagement to mirror similar popular features of mobile and short-form content,” said James Cranfield, Global VP Sales and Partnerships, Cinedeck.

“Social media is dominated by vertical video formats, which may be increasingly adopted by traditional broadcasters and streaming services in the future. This could be repurposing mobile-first content or creating new content for all platforms with mobile in mind. This would represent a fundamental change in how content is being conceived and produced for different viewing contexts, not just a shift in aspect ratios,” said Planche.

The mobile-first approach is influencing everything from initial content planning to final delivery, with broadcasters increasingly considering vertical video formats and interactive features from the earliest stages of production. This shift is also driving innovation in compression technologies and delivery protocols to ensure high-quality experiences on mobile devices.

“Broadcasters are wholly and solely embracing mobile-first strategies as mobile devices now account for over 60% of global internet traffic, with 4.88 billion smartphone users worldwide. The shift is transforming how content is created and delivered,” said Meghna Krishna, Chief Revenue Officer, Magnifi.

“Short, vertical videos designed for platforms like TikTok, Instagram and YouTube Shorts are now the norm. Advanced compression technologies make streaming seamless, even in areas with low bandwidth. Features like live polls and chats are becoming popular ways to engage viewers and build communities, a trend expected to grow in 2025,” added Krishna.

Speaking of mobile, the expansion of 5G networks is proving particularly valuable for remote production workflows, as they reduce latency.

Economic pressures drive new monetization strategies

“Audience behaviours are changing in ways which are very significant for major broadcasters. While they still value the concept of channels as brands, audiences no longer tolerate being told when to watch. As linear channels break down, so the fundamental business model of commercials embedded in linear streams breaks down,” said Ammirata.

Broadcasters face the challenge of balancing traditional revenue streams with digital initiatives.

“As the media landscape continues to evolve, broadcasters must adapt to the shift towards digital platforms and streaming services. This requires significant investments in technology, content creation and distribution strategies. Balancing these new digital initiatives with traditional linear television will be a delicate act, especially as consumer preferences shift and advertising revenue models change,” said Yang Cai, CEO and president, VisualOn.

The industry is shifting toward highly targeted, addressable advertising, while some are rediscovering linear programming’s potential for ROI. 

The fragmented landscape has led to complex vendor relationships and an expected wave of industry consolidation. Broadcasters are also exploring new revenue models, including hybrid approaches that combine traditional advertising with direct-to-consumer offerings and specialized content packages.

“The Media & Entertainment industry is navigating a fragmented landscape where myriad small players vie for attention, leading to complex vendor relationships and inconsistent services. A rise in mergers and acquisitions highlights a strategic move towards cohesion and innovation. This consolidation trend is reshaping the industry, offering both challenges and opportunities for collaboration and growth among smaller entities,” said Dan Goman, CEO, Ateliere Creative Technologies.

Cybersecurity takes priority

Cybersecurity has emerged as a critical concern as broadcasting becomes increasingly software-based and cloud-dependent.

New regulations are pushing vendors to meet higher security standards, particularly as IP-based workflows become the norm.

“Broadcasters will need secure systems, and regulations will push vendors to meet higher standards. As we saw in our recent research with DPP, there is still a big gap to make up in that area. We’ve seen major hacks in Europe, and media companies are realizing they need secure-by-design solutions for their software and networks,” said Simon Hawkings, director, sales strategy & business acceleration, Ross Video.

“Legacy workflows and hardware continue to be issues, as broadcasters seek to maximize the value of historical investments. A lack of cybersecurity expertise may hamper the adoption of fully cloud-based workflows, and the high-recurring cost of cloud storage will be an issue for broadcasters looking to shift production into the cloud,” said Thorsten Sauer, CEO, Pixel Power.

The focus on security extends beyond just protecting content to ensuring the integrity of the entire broadcast chain, from production to delivery. This includes securing remote workflows, protecting viewer data and ensuring compliance with evolving privacy regulations.

Sustainability becomes a business imperative

Environmental consciousness is no longer just about corporate responsibility—it’s becoming a crucial economic consideration.

“Unfortunately, sustainability always takes a back seat to core business needs, and with the business pressures traditional broadcasters are facing, sustainability efforts will suffer. Efficiency gains, and elimination of waste will be the most likely way to drive sustainability improvements,” said Derek Barrilleaux, CEO, Projective.

“Sustainability is an issue that (quite rightly) keeps on growing in importance. It has altered the nature of the vendor/customer relationship, with both sides now having to measure and report on environmental and sustainability criteria,” said Sauer.

“In terms of facilities specifically, we’re increasingly going to see sustainability metrics baked into the building of new facilities or the refurbishment of existing sites; everything from energy consumption and the use of solar power to HVAC, rainwater collection and the carbon footprint of building materials used. We’re also going to see much less hardware and rack space in facilities as broadcasters continue to favor software-defined solutions that offer greater flexibility and modularity,” added Sauer. 

Broadcasters are increasingly seeking energy-efficient solutions and implementing circular economy approaches to broadcasting equipment.

“As environmental goals become business imperatives, solutions that align efficiency with sustainability will drive industry innovation,” said Rayner.

Public broadcasters face mounting pressure to provide sustainability metrics, particularly in Europe. This push extends beyond just energy consumption to encompass everything from equipment lifecycle management to facility design.

Content creation faces acceleration

The demand for more content across an expanding range of platforms is pushing broadcasters to streamline their production workflows.

Live sports and news remain crucial exceptions to these trends, requiring unique approaches to production and delivery.

“As demand for VOD content accelerates, linear content consumption continues to plateau, pushing media companies to create compelling content more quickly, distribute it across an expanding range of platforms, and maximize returns. These shifts are driving significant changes in technology investments, with a focus on streamlining workflows and enhancing scalability,” said Adam Marshall, CPO, Grass Valley. “At the same time, live production—particularly in sports and news—remains a vital exception to these trends.”

This acceleration drives innovation in production tools and workflows, with broadcasters increasingly looking to automated solutions and AI-assisted production techniques to meet demand while maintaining quality standards. The industry is also seeing a trend toward more efficient content repurposing, enabling broadcasters to maximize the value of their existing content libraries.

“With the diverse landscape of streaming platforms, on-demand and mobile viewing creates a demand for broadcasters to adopt systems that allow for the efficient repurposing of content. It’s likely that short-form content, usually consumed on social media, will play a bigger role and more resources will be allocated to aim for personalized content,” said Martin Klampferer, director, R&D, Vizrt.

“2024 showed a greater focus on monetization rather than cutting costs. In the next year, I anticipate broadcasters will increasingly look to repurpose existing content and optimize their assets, leveraging strategies like content syndication, contextual advertising and subscription models to unlock new revenue streams. This cost-conscious approach will drive innovation in how broadcasters maximize the value of their content and engage audiences, shifting the focus from cost reduction to revenue generation,” said Stefan Lederer, CEO and co-founder, Bitmovin.

Standards and interoperability shape the future

The industry is pushing for greater standardization in content delivery and workflow integration. The combination of SMPTE ST-2110-22 and NMOS simplifies IP adoption, while support for SRT continues to grow. This standardization is crucial for enabling the next generation of broadcast technologies.

“ST-2110-22 with low latency and visually lossless compression paired with NMOS-compatible devices for automated discovery and connection management is set to simplify and accelerate ST 2110 adoption. By lowering technical barriers to entry, the combination has the potential to capture market share from other IP solutions,” said Vincent Noyer, director of product marketing, LYNX Technik.

Interoperability is becoming particularly critical as broadcasters work with an increasingly diverse array of platforms and delivery methods. The industry is seeing growing support for technologies like SRT (Secure Reliable Transport) and the exploration of new approaches to file delivery that could revolutionize content distribution.

“Support for SRT will continue to progress across vendors and organizations, hopefully catching up to NDI to provide a more open standard for delivery. With both cameras and video editing applications supporting transmission, organizations will need to revisit a tape-like mentality for media handling to properly leverage the benefits over file-based delivery. Instead of point to point file transfers, a SRT can multicast content on the network for multiple systems to receive in real-time and record to a file,” said Nick Anderson, product manager, DigitalGlue.

“I think we’re going to need greater standardization here, and I expect to see the vendor community offering more secure and robust frameworks for delivery that help to automate things like QC and metadata. The content delivery process has traditionally required lots of (wasteful) manual intervention and it’s an area that is ripe of improvement,” said Sauer.

The broadcast industry’s transformation in 2025 reflects a delicate balance between innovation and practicality.

While some technologies, like AI and IP-based workflows, are seeing widespread adoption, others remain in early stages. The success of broadcasters will largely depend on their ability to navigate these changes while maintaining operational efficiency and meeting evolving viewer expectations.

“The transition from traditional broadcast engineering to IT-based systems represents perhaps the biggest cultural and technical shift our industry has seen. Training broadcast engineers to be comfortable with networking concepts and managing complex IP infrastructures will be crucial,” said Johnson.

“The biggest challenge for tier-one broadcasters in 2025 is likely to be navigating the digital transformation while maintaining traditional revenue streams. As the media landscape continues to evolve, broadcasters must adapt to the shift towards digital platforms and streaming services. This requires significant investments in technology, content creation and distribution strategies. Balancing these new digital initiatives with traditional linear television will be a delicate act, especially as consumer preferences shift and advertising revenue models change,” said Cai.

“The last few years have been challenging, but the tide is shifting and the outlook for broadcasting is becoming more optimistic. Now is the time to invest in infrastructure upgrades to take advantage of the technological advances which are now being solidified in open standards and proven products. Such investments signal a renewed confidence in the industry, future-proofing operations against evolving audience expectations,” said Peder Boberg, product owner at Intinor.

“As we move into 2025, when many media companies have managed to prove that they can make streaming video services a new source of profitability, which can compensate for the inevitable decline in legacy business, I believe we will see the focus shift back to growth and innovation. This will be great news for consumers as we will see new experimentation with advanced user experiences and attractive content aimed at increasing consumer engagement,” said Lantz.