Streaming Technology News: Encoding, CDN, OTT, AI Video and Ad Tech

OBS Studio 33.0 has been released, featuring an upgrade to the Chromium Embedded Framework version 150 and a new directory structure for third-party plugins. The update also introduces NVENC support for Arm64 systems, improved source snapping, and various stability fixes for recording and streaming workflows.

In the 2026 State of Video Encoding Survey report, you'll discover where encoding professionals are placing their bets and where they're holding. You'll learn how the GPU monoculture is cracking, why cost and quality are no longer a tradeoff, which codec has a planned implementation growth rate of 231%, why TCO is a blind spot for 30% of the market, and more.

Blackmagic Design has launched the Ethernet Switch 820, a networking device featuring eight 100G QSFP ports and two 10G ports designed for SMPTE 2110 broadcast workflows. The unit includes redundant power and PTP clock ports to support high-performance IP production in fly-packs and broadcast trucks.

Akamai Accelerated Compute instances, powered by NETINT Quadra Video Processing Units (VPUs), provide specialized, high-density cloud transcoding for AV1, HEVC, and H.264 up to 8Kp60. These instances offer 15–30x better encoding performance than traditional CPUs, with pricing starting at $0.42/hr for 32 live HD channels.

European football stadiums are increasingly integrating permanent broadcast infrastructure into their physical design to support centralized remote production hubs. This shift requires venues to standardize connectivity and camera positions as permanent building services, moving away from traditional on-site outside-broadcast truck models.

AMC+ is restructuring its service offerings by removing full access to Shudder and Sundance Now content while migrating its application portfolio to Deltatre. The platform is also consolidating its Walking Dead library following a new co-exclusive streaming agreement with Netflix.

BlendVision AI watches your content so your team doesn't have to. It auto-tags scenes by topic and motion, creates highlight clips, generates shorts for every social ratio, transcribes in multiple languages, and even dubs audio, all in real time. The result: your content team shifts from manual post-production to creative strategy. Semantic search makes your entire media library instantly queryable, and AI-powered recommendations keep audiences engaged longer. Production costs go down. Content output goes up.

French AI studio Inevitable has raised €15 million to scale its proprietary technology for producing feature-length films at reduced costs and timelines. The company is developing prompt-less AI tools to compete with traditional production models, joining other AI-focused studios like Utopai in the emerging generative production space.

Riverside has launched a suite of four AI agents designed to automate podcast production workflows, including session preparation, editing, clipping, and marketing. The tools operate autonomously to manage tasks, allowing creators to maintain oversight while reducing manual production time.

Live production is hitting an AI bottleneck: too many pixels, too many proxies, too much delay. Learn how VC-6 and smart multicast networks help live streaming platforms and broadcasters feed models only what they need, cutting bandwidth, latency, and cost while turning every frame into real-time intelligence.

Aurora Media Worldwide has been appointed as the host broadcaster for Baller League UK, implementing a hybrid production workflow that combines traditional broadcast cameras with private 5G-connected iPhones. The production, supported by Vivid Broadcast, utilizes remote production techniques to integrate creator-led content styles with professional sports coverage for weekly YouTube streams.

Crescent Inc. has equipped its new Digi-Cast Haneda Studio in Tokyo with Brompton Technology’s Tessera LED processing platform. The facility features one of the world’s largest LED volumes and utilizes 27 Tessera SX40 processors and 57 Tessera XD units to support virtual production workflows.

With the NETINT Quadra Mini Server, you can bypass expensive cloud transcoding services and deliver directly from the stadium to the origin. This compact powerhouse sips power while encoding 20 live HD AV1, HEVC, and H.264 streams, or 5 live 4K streams. Drawing just 138 watts, the Quadra Mini Server is perfect for live sports streaming services looking to reduce latency and cut OPEX.

Skydance has finalized its direct-to-consumer leadership team following its $110bn merger with Paramount and Warner Bros. Discovery, resulting in the departure of executive Jane Wiseman. The company will maintain independent operations for HBO Max and Paramount+ under a unified leadership structure led by Casey Bloys until the platforms are eventually integrated.

Griffin Media has partnered with the Oklahoma City Thunder to launch the Thunder Gameday Network, shifting nearly 70 games from regional sports networks to a hybrid model of free over-the-air broadcast and the new Thunder+ streaming platform. This move reflects a broader industry trend of professional sports teams reclaiming distribution rights to bypass traditional regional sports networks.

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Madhive has partnered with AdImpact to integrate competitive advertising spend data into its Maverick AI platform. The integration allows users to analyze ad activity across linear and CTV, providing granular market intelligence for local media planning.

Marriott International and LG Electronics have launched a cloud-based guest room entertainment platform that integrates linear TV, streaming, and FAST channels with centralized device management. The system is currently piloting at 40 hotels in the U.S. and Canada, with plans to scale globally and eventually integrate IoT-connected room services.

In Bitmovin's 10th annual Video Developer Report, you'll discover why 98% of teams now report at least one AI/ML use case in production, and why 46% of developers use AI coding tools daily while only 4% don't use them at all. You'll learn what's replaced "cost" as the top complaint about AI tools, and more.

The American Entertainment Alliance is lobbying for a 20 percent federal tax credit on domestic labor costs to address a 35 percent decline in U.S. production jobs since 2022. The coalition is also proposing new regulations to limit streaming platform exclusivity and mandate independent content sourcing to combat industry consolidation.

The Canadian House of Commons is voting on a non-binding Bloc Québécois motion to pressure the government to uphold CRTC streaming levies and release $600 million in promised cultural funding. The vote forces MPs to record their positions on the government's regulatory approach to streaming platforms and domestic content contributions.

Tier‑1 OTT services that once paid $100K in H.264 content royalties may now pay up to $4.5M per year, while advanced codecs are covered by multiple licensing programs and active patent enforcement campaigns. For leaders seeking an accurate and repeatable decision-making process, the guide outlines a modeling framework for codec selection that treats adoption as an intentional capital investment.