MediaKind has completed its merger with Harmonic’s video business, creating what the company describes as the world’s largest independent video infrastructure provider.

The combined business will generate more than $250 million in annual revenue, including over $100 million in annual recurring revenue and more than $150 million from appliance sales. The merger brings together MediaKind’s streaming and cloud video technologies with Harmonic’s established video processing and delivery portfolio.

MediaKind said the transaction creates a business spanning SaaS streaming platforms, cloud-native video workflows and traditional video infrastructure, serving broadcasters, pay-TV operators, streaming services and media companies worldwide.

“Bringing these two teams together under one roof is a powerful moment, creating a stronger, more capable partner for the media industry at a time of significant change,” said Allen Broome, Chief Executive Officer of MediaKind. “Outstanding technology, deep expertise, and a shared obsession with customer success — we’re ready to build something exceptional.”

The deal significantly reshapes the video technology landscape, creating one of the largest independent suppliers outside the major cloud providers and telecommunications vendors. The combined company is targeting broadcasters and media organisations looking to modernise video workflows while managing increasingly complex hybrid environments spanning broadcast, streaming and cloud delivery.

The merger follows a period of consolidation across the video technology sector as vendors seek greater scale to address growing demand for cloud-native streaming, software-defined video processing and AI-powered media workflows. MediaKind said customers will now have access to an integrated portfolio covering contribution, processing, distribution and monetisation technologies.

To coincide with the completion of the transaction, MediaKind has launched a new corporate website integrating the portfolios of both companies and outlining its combined product strategy.

Pixop says its real-time machine learning video enhancement platform is powering one of the only 4K broadcasts of the FIFA World Cup 2026 in the Americas.

Working with Chilevisión, Chile’s exclusive free-to-air rights holder for the tournament, and pay-TV operator ClaroVTR, the Danish technology company is converting a live HD broadcast feed into a dedicated 24-hour 4K UHD channel covering 52 matches from the tournament.

The service launched on 1 June and is available to Claro and VTR subscribers throughout the competition. According to Pixop, Chile and Brazil are the only South American markets currently offering World Cup coverage in 4K.

The deployment uses a hybrid cloud workflow, with Chilevisión’s live 1080i signal transported to AWS, where Pixop applies motion-compensated deinterlacing, AI-based restoration, super-resolution upscaling and colour processing before delivery to subscribers through ClaroVTR’s distribution infrastructure.

The project marks Pixop’s first major production deployment in the Americas and its first use on a sporting event of this scale in the region.

Edgar Spielmann, Chairman of Chilevisión, said the broadcaster had invested heavily in 4K delivery as part of its strategy to evolve free-to-air television. “We have invested and innovated to make all our programming available in 4K, delivering higher quality in both our content and our audiences’ viewing experience.”

The deployment also highlights a growing trend among broadcasters seeking to use AI and machine learning technologies to enhance existing HD production workflows rather than undertaking the significantly higher costs associated with native 4K production. Chilevisión’s signal remains produced in HD, with Pixop handling real-time enhancement and upconversion before distribution.

Morten Kolle Christensen, CEO of Pixop, said the project demonstrated how broadcasters could deploy premium viewing experiences without rebuilding existing production chains. “Chile is now one of the very few markets in Latin America where football fans will watch the World Cup in 4K. That’s not an accident; it’s the result of four organisations committing to a technically ambitious project and executing it under real broadcast conditions.”

The deployment was coordinated by local systems integration partner Dynamics Media Group and follows a proof-of-concept completed earlier this year. The project also provided an opportunity for Pixop to further develop several platform capabilities, including real-time monitoring, automated recovery functions and live image quality adjustments without requiring service interruptions.

The announcement comes as broadcasters globally explore AI-driven video enhancement technologies as a way of improving picture quality and extending the value of existing HD infrastructure while preparing for future UHD services.

IBC 2026 will place artificial intelligence, emerging technologies and industry collaboration at the heart of this year’s event, with organisers unveiling an expanded Future Tech programme, a new peer-to-peer networking initiative and growing exhibitor participation ahead of the Amsterdam show in September.

In a media briefing, IBC Chief Executive Mike Crimp said the industry was moving beyond discussions about what technology might make possible and was now focused on practical deployment.

“Companies are looking for technologies, partnerships and ideas that can deliver real outcomes that bring real value, whether that means improving workflows, reaching audiences in new ways, or building more sustainable business models,” he said.

AI will be one of the dominant themes running throughout the exhibition and conference programme. Crimp said industry conversations had shifted from experimentation to implementation as organisations seek practical solutions for production, operations and content creation.

“I think there’s now an acceptance that everybody needs to just crack on with this, because it is moving so quickly,” he said.

One of the major additions for 2026 is the launch of the IBC Exchange and Brain Date Lounge within Hall 14’s Future Tech zone. The initiative is designed to help attendees create peer groups before the show and continue those discussions in person during IBC.

Crimp said research had shown broadcasters and technology companies increasingly wanted structured opportunities to learn from one another as they navigate common challenges.

“When we were talking to people in Globo in Brazil and the BBC about where they were with AI, they were on other sides of the world but facing the same challenges,” he said. “People are looking for peer-to-peer connections to see how their colleagues across the world are doing.”

Future Tech, which evolved from the original AI Tech Zone, continues to expand rapidly. Jo Mayer, IBC’s Head of Marketing, said the area is currently running 30% ahead of last year.

New for 2026 is Future Tech Ignite, a dedicated area focused on startups, emerging technologies, future talent and the creator economy. The initiative is being developed alongside innovation partner EIT Culture & Creativity and will feature startup pitches, talent sessions and future-focused discussions across a four-day programme.

At the heart of Future Tech remains the IBC Accelerator Innovation Programme, which brings together broadcasters, technology suppliers, research institutions and universities to develop solutions to real-world industry challenges.

Google is returning as headline sponsor of the Accelerator programme and will also have a major presence on the exhibition floor. Other Future Tech partners include AWS, Microsoft, HP, AMD and EIT Culture & Creativity.

The wider exhibition is expected to exceed 45,000 square metres, with more than 1,200 exhibitors spread across 14 halls.

Steve Connolly, Director of IBC, said demand remains strong, with Future Tech and Content Everywhere among the fastest-growing areas of the show.

“We’re delighted to welcome back many of the industry’s leading technology providers, and a growing number of those companies are expanding their footprint this year,” he said.

Among the companies increasing their exhibition presence are MediaKind, Sony, Avid, Ross Video and NEP. MediaKind’s larger presence comes shortly after its merger with Harmonic’s video business, creating one of the industry’s largest independent video infrastructure suppliers.

Google is returning to the exhibition floor as a major Content Everywhere exhibitor for the first time in several years, while DJI is expanding its involvement in Hall 14 as it targets the growing creator economy.

Sports, AI, data-driven fan engagement, content authenticity and security are expected to be among the dominant themes across the exhibition and conference programme.

The conference will feature sessions including Disrupt, Innovate, Create: How to Embrace AI, alongside discussions examining AI, data, fan engagement and rights management in sports broadcasting, with case studies from the FIFA World Cup and Winter Olympics.

“AI in practice” will be a key focus throughout the event, alongside content provenance, trust, security and the evolving relationship between creators, brands and media businesses.

IBC 2026 takes place at the RAI Amsterdam from 11-14 September.

Piotr Żak has been reappointed President of the Management Board of Polsat Plus Group following a unanimous decision by the TiVi Foundation Council, the group’s principal shareholder.

The reappointment comes after a period of operational and financial restructuring at the Polish media and telecommunications group, which said it had reversed a decline in EBITDA, accelerated bundled service sales and simplified its consumer offers across its telecommunications and television businesses.

“We’re acting faster and bolder, making decisions more efficiently, and we’re already seeing the first results, which the market is also appreciating,” said Żak. “I thank everyone for their trust, and especially the employees of the Polsat Plus Group, who make these results possible.”

The decision provides continuity at one of Central and Eastern Europe’s largest integrated media and telecoms groups, which combines mobile operator Plus, pay-TV platform Polsat Box, streaming service Polsat Box Go, fixed-line operator Netia and broadcaster Telewizja Polsat.

Over recent months the group has focused on strengthening customer growth through simplified product bundles and deeper integration of its media and telecommunications assets. Both Plus and Polsat Box now market packages combining connectivity, television and major international streaming services including HBO Max, Disney+, Apple TV+, SkyShowtime and Amazon Prime Video.

The company has also intensified its focus on premium sports rights, extending its UEFA Europa League and UEFA Conference League rights until 2031 while expanding its tennis portfolio. The group recently secured exclusive rights to WTA tournaments featuring Iga Świątek and Maja Chwalińska, complementing its existing ATP coverage on Polsat Sport.

Artificial intelligence is also emerging as a strategic priority. Management said it is actively exploring AI-driven solutions to improve operational efficiency, reduce costs and enhance customer experience across the group’s businesses.

The reappointment comes ahead of a wider strategic update expected this autumn. Żak said future growth would continue to focus on media and telecommunications, while maintaining financial discipline through revenue growth, EBITDA improvement and debt reduction.

Google and LALIGA have reported significant progress in their anti-piracy efforts after expanding cooperation throughout the 2025/26 football season.

The two organisations said closer collaboration had improved communication processes and accelerated the handling of infringement notifications submitted by the Spanish football league, resulting in a substantial reduction in incidents linked to Google services over the course of the season.

The partnership forms part of LALIGA’s wider strategy of working with major technology companies to tackle online piracy and protect intellectual property rights. The league has made anti-piracy enforcement a central pillar of its commercial strategy as it seeks to protect the value of its domestic and international media rights.

Google said the results demonstrate the effectiveness of its existing reporting and content protection tools when combined with direct cooperation between rights holders and technology platforms.

“For Google, respect for intellectual property rights and the provision of a safe digital environment are fundamental pillars,” said Lino Cattaruzzi, President of Google Iberia. “This close collaboration with LALIGA demonstrates that, through proactive communication and the proper use of our reporting channels across our products, it is possible to provide content creators with highly effective, agile and transparent technical solutions.”

LALIGA President Javier Tebas said the partnership had strengthened the league’s ability to combat piracy and protect rights holders.

“LALIGA remains firmly committed to the fight against piracy. Collaboration is essential to putting an end to this scourge, and being able to count on major players such as Google strengthens us in our purpose,” he said.

The announcement comes as sports rights holders continue to intensify efforts against illegal streaming services. LALIGA has been among the most aggressive organisations globally in pursuing anti-piracy measures, working with technology providers, internet service providers and law enforcement agencies to disrupt unauthorised distribution of live football content.

The league said the cooperation with Google demonstrates how coordinated action between rights holders and technology platforms can provide a more sustainable approach to content protection than enforcement measures alone.

The BBC has confirmed the first phase of its cost-cutting programme, with around 550 roles set to be removed across its News, Nations and Content divisions as part of a wider savings drive announced by Director-General Matt Brittin.

In an email to staff, Brittin said the three divisions would deliver £160 million in savings by the end of the current financial year through a combination of staff and non-staff reductions. The cuts form part of a previously announced plan to remove between 1,800 and 2,000 roles over the next three years.

The Financial Times had reported that departments across the BBC had been instructed to reduce costs by around 10% as the broadcaster seeks to save hundreds of millions of pounds while negotiations continue over its future funding model.

Brittin told staff that all divisions would be required to make “significant savings”, with further reductions to be announced in the coming months. Corporate divisions are expected to account for around 700 additional role closures.

The BBC said it would review spending priorities across the organisation, focusing resources on services with the greatest audience impact while accelerating its shift towards digital consumption. Brittin said commissioning budgets across Content, News and Nations would be reduced by around £80 million in 2027-28, while the corporation would also review its television channel portfolio and radio networks as audiences increasingly migrate online.

The Director-General also pledged to simplify management structures, including a reduction of at least 10% in senior leadership positions.

“Meet audiences where they are, reducing spend elsewhere,” Brittin wrote. “We must reduce duplication, clarify accountability and increase the speed of decision making.”

While voluntary redundancy schemes are being expanded across the corporation, Brittin acknowledged that compulsory redundancies would be unavoidable in some areas.

The restructuring comes as the BBC seeks to balance cost reductions with investment in future-facing services including BBC iPlayer and digital platforms aimed at younger audiences. Brittin, who joined the BBC from Google last month, has previously said the broadcaster faces “hard and unpopular choices” as it adapts to changing viewing habits and prepares for the next phase of charter and funding discussions with government.

More detailed plans from individual divisions are expected over the coming weeks, with Brittin promising a broader update on his vision for the corporation in September.

Czech news and lifestyle channel TN Live has expanded its distribution through a new carriage agreement with T-Mobile’s Magenta TV platform.

The move marks the first time the 24-hour channel has been made available outside the TV Nova group’s own platforms. Since launching as a round-the-clock service in May 2025, TN Live had been distributed exclusively through Oneplay, TN.cz and HbbTV services linked to Nova’s television channels.

“TN Live has reached a stage where it has found its unique place in the market. We are happy that it has the opportunity to reach more viewers with the help of the new platform,” said Kamil Houska, Director of News and Current Affairs at TV Nova.

The channel’s programming includes live news interviews, press conferences, rolling news bulletins and analysis, including Headline TN Live and Do hlubky, which focuses on in-depth discussion of major news stories.

“For TN Live, it is important to constantly adapt to current trends, or create them, and to look for other distribution channels to get our content to new viewers,” said TN Live producer Martin Synek.

TN Live celebrated its fifth anniversary in May and has continued to invest in its operations. Since August 2025, the channel has been broadcast from a new studio complex featuring separate news and lifestyle sets, supported by a dedicated control room operating five automated cameras and four studio screens. The service also operates its own standalone playout and dispatch facilities, allowing schedules to be adjusted rapidly during breaking news stories.

Italy’s local broadcasting sector will celebrate the 50th anniversary of commercial local radio and television next month as industry leaders, regulators and government ministers gather in Rome for RadioTV Forum 2026.

The annual conference, organised by Aeranti-Corallo, the federation representing around 600 local radio and television broadcasters, will take place on 9 July at the Confcommercio headquarters in Rome.

This year’s event carries particular significance as it marks 50 years since Italy’s Constitutional Court issued its landmark ruling on 28 July 1976, ending the state’s monopoly on local wireless broadcasting and paving the way for the development of commercial local radio and television services across the country.

The conference will examine a range of strategic issues facing the sector, including the prominence of local radio and television services on connected audio and television devices, the continued rollout of DAB+ digital radio, local radio coverage challenges, platform convergence and the completion of Italy’s migration to DVB-T2 digital terrestrial television technology.

Aeranti-Corallo coordinator and president Marco Rossignoli will present the federation’s annual report on the state of the local broadcasting sector, while Franco Mugerli, president of the Corallo Association, will provide an industry overview.

Government and regulatory speakers are expected to include Minister of Enterprise and Made in Italy Adolfo Urso, Publishing Undersecretary Alberto Barachini and AGCOM Commissioner Laura Aria, alongside representatives from audience measurement bodies Audiradio and Auditel.

The event will conclude with awards recognising local radio and television stations that have maintained continuous operations for 50 years, highlighting the role local broadcasters have played in promoting regional identities, local culture and democratic participation

beIN MEDIA GROUP has renewed its exclusive rights agreement for Wimbledon across the Middle East and North Africa, extending its partnership with the All England Lawn Tennis Club through to 2030.

The new deal covers 24 territories across the MENA region and ensures all matches from The Championships will continue to be available on beIN SPORTS as well as the broadcaster’s streaming platforms TOD and beIN CONNECT.

The renewal further strengthens beIN SPORTS’ tennis portfolio in the region, where it already holds rights to all four Grand Slam tournaments. The broadcaster is also the exclusive home of Wimbledon in France.

Mohammed Al-Derham, Director of Media Rights at beIN MENA, said: “Wimbledon is one of the most recognisable sporting events in the world and we are delighted to continue working closely with the All England Club, one of our most valued long-term partners, to bring this prestigious and much-loved tournament to fans across MENA.”

Paul Davies, Associate Director, Broadcast, Production and Media Rights at the All England Club, said beIN had become “one of the All England Club’s most significant broadcast partners worldwide”.

He added: “Through its continued coverage of The Championships across key markets, including France and the Middle East and North Africa, beIN has established a strong track record of delivering high-quality coverage and connecting Wimbledon with audiences across multiple territories.”

Coverage of Wimbledon 2026 will begin with qualifying from Roehampton on 22 June, before the main tournament gets underway in south-west London. beIN SPORTS will dedicate five channels to coverage of the Championships, with commentary available in Arabic, English and French.

In addition to the Wimbledon world feed, viewers will have access to dedicated coverage from Centre Court, No.1 Court and No.2 Court, alongside additional show courts available through TOD.

The agreement continues a relationship that has made beIN one of Wimbledon’s most important international broadcast partners, as the All England Club seeks to grow the reach of the Championships across both traditional television and streaming platforms.

Titan OS has signed a deal with Apple to bring the Apple TV app to smart TVs powered by its operating system across Europe and Latin America.

The Barcelona-based company said the rollout will begin this month on selected Philips TV models from the 2025 range, with additional television brands expected to follow.

The agreement gives Titan OS users direct access to Apple TV’s growing catalogue of original programming, including Ted Lasso, Severance, Slow Horses, Silo and The Studio, alongside Apple Original Films and future releases.

Rick Fens, SVP Business Development at Titan OS, said: “With Apple TV coming to Titan OS, we have reached a milestone in our mission to deliver exceptional entertainment experiences to households worldwide. Viewers will now have effortless access to one of the most compelling content libraries directly from their smart TV homepage.”

The addition represents a significant content win for Titan OS as it continues to position itself as an independent smart TV operating system. The company currently powers connected televisions from manufacturers including Philips, AOC and JVC, while also operating its own FAST channel platform.

Apple TV joins a growing list of premium streaming services available through Titan OS as the company seeks to strengthen its content proposition and expand its footprint across Europe and Latin America. The move follows a series of recent content partnerships, including agreements with sports rights holders and FAST channel providers, as Titan OS looks to compete with established smart TV ecosystems from Google, Samsung and LG.