Broadcast industry faces complex balance between technology and sustainability

By Dak Dillon January 31, 2025

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As broadcasters work to reduce their environmental impact, the industry confronts an uncomfortable reality: technologies promising operational efficiency often demand energy consumption, particularly in the era of artificial intelligence and cloud computing.

“Thanks to our collective AI gold rush… The biggest concern now isn’t carbon footprints — it’s securing enough raw power to feed the ever-growing ranks of water-cooled NVIDIA GPU racks in mega-scale data centers,” said Jan Weigner, CTO of Cinegy. “Corporate sustainability pledges are quietly taking a back seat to market share and AI capabilities.”

European broadcasters face particular pressure from government regulations regarding environmental impact, while financial constraints affect implementation globally. 

“In Europe, public broadcasters will face scrutiny to provide sustainability metrics for how they do things and how their suppliers do things. But sustainability often hits a brick wall with CFOs who aren’t willing to spend more unless it’s mandated by government policy,” said Simon Hawkings, director of sales and business acceleration at Ross Video.

“Ssustainability 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 of Projective, emphasizing business priorities often driving decisions. 

Practical solutions and implementation

Facility design is one area where sustainability goals often align with business objectives, often resulting in long-term benefits and cost savings.

“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,” said Thorsten Sauer, CEO of Pixel Power.

Globecast demonstrated this approach through infrastructure changes.

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“With Globecast’s recent move, we went from 20+ satellite antennas to just two, using other facilities to service our other satellite requirements,” said Tim Jackson, SVP of sales and marketing at Globecast. “The key point is that sustainability is a significant economic benefit so it’s not an ‘either/or’ situation.”

Technology vendors are also adapting their products to address environmental concerns. 

“Broadcasters are more aware that less hardware means less energy consumption, less need for cooling, and fewer transport requirements — all crucial for a lower carbon footprint in large-scale event production,” said Erling Hedkvist, sales and business development at Arkona Technologies and Manifold Technologies.

The financial realities of sustainability initiatives add another layer of complexity. Of course, this is primarily a concern outside of the United States, where European broadcasters face greater governmental pressure.

Looking ahead

“Despite the market’s current mood, sustainability remains a crucial issue for the industry, with incoming legislation now driving the need for action,” said Kristan Bullett, CEO of Humans Not Robots. “Leading the charge are trailblazing organizations — particularly telcos, given their ownership of fixed-line networks — who are demonstrating the powerful potential of prioritizing sustainability.”

The tension between environmental goals and technological necessities creates a complex challenge for broadcasters seeking to balance innovation with sustainability.

“Despite some lack of visible progress there does seem to be a lot of movement behind the scenes with many companies setting up the right process, but slower than originally anticipated, and still with unclear results, meaning that external messaging has been toned down,” said Michael Lantz, CEO of Accedo.

“In 2025, we will continue to see broadcasters embrace energy-efficient practices, including transitioning from analog to digital systems, adopting LED lighting, and implementing advanced cooling technologies for data centers,” said Steve Reynolds, CEO of Imagine Communications. “We will also see an increase in remote production workflows supported by technological advancements like ST 2110 and JPEG XS, which will help reduce travel-related emissions.”

The broadcast industry continues to navigate the complex relationship between technological advancement and environmental responsibility. 

The paradox facing broadcasters reflects broader challenges in the technology sector, where the drive for innovation often conflicts with environmental goals. As the industry continues to evolve, success in sustainability initiatives may depend on aligning environmental benefits with operational efficiency and cost savings while navigating increasing regulatory pressures and technological demands.

However, the fundamental tension between power-hungry technological advancement and environmental responsibility seems likely to persist as broadcasting continues its digital transformation.

Stay tuned as we cover sustainability and remote production in-depth later this year.

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