Live Production in the Cloud is Currently Available and Active
Heading to Las Vegas for the 2025 NAB Show, it's crystal clear that cloud-based live production is the industry's new darling. This year's event was a testament to cloud tech being more than just a buzzword, but a proven and embraced method for live event coverage.
Sony Electronics stepped up their game with the presentation of their M2 Live Multipoint-to-Multipoint Live Production Switcher – available in both a subscription-based format and as software (the M2L-X). According to Deon LeCointe, director of networked solutions, there are exciting new features on the horizon for both products, and they've been busy demonstrating integrations with on-prem hardware like audio consoles.
Sony's not the only one getting in on the cloud game; Telos Alliance agrees that this way of working has become standard in the broadcasting world today. Costa Nikols, strategy adviser for media and entertainment at Telos Alliance, states, "The fact that cloud-based production is no longer an experiment was definitely one of the big takeaways this year."
Another critical takeaway? The attitude that cloud production is real, mature technology generating programs and revenue. Broadcasters are no longer questioning its legitimacy. And while the Trump administration's proposed tariffs may be a commercial issue, they're making a technological impact, as software becomes less vulnerable to penalties when it's virtualized or running in the public cloud.
Jamie Dunn, deputy chief executive of Lawo, acknowledges the growth in software-based systems, which are bringing greater flexibility to production by linking to the adoption of IT technologies. "The cloud," Dunn explains, "is more about agile infrastructure, which is an important topic right now and is partly driven by the move towards software and processing on standard IT technology."
Ross Video previews its Cloud Provisioning Service at the show, designed to quickly deploy all the infrastructure and applications necessary for an end-to-end live production. Ross's cloud offering has been expanded through its Rocket Surgery Virtual Productions group, providing better graphics capabilities for on-premise productions.
At the show, TVU Networks demonstrated new advanced features for their cloud-based Media Hub platform, designed to transform media supply chain management. Their work supporting France Television's broadcast of the Paris Summer Games Torch Relay last year earned them the 2025 NAB Show Project of the Year Award. France Television enhanced its coverage in Paris using cloud technology, private 5G, and Starlink to cut costs, reduce carbon dioxide emissions, and enhance production.
Partnerships and interconnectivity were a focus for Amazon Web Services (AWS) at the show. There was a significant move forward in the Cloud Native Agile Production (CNAP) project, an open-source initiative aimed at accelerating the creation and delivery of media during live production. The company also announced NDI support for the AWS Elemental Media Connect video transport platform and SMPTE ST 2110 support for several of its hybrid workloads.
The fusion of AI, hyperscale cloud services, and real-time streaming was a major theme at this year's NAB Show, with companies like TVU Networks leading the way in cloud-based innovations. The integration of AI and cloud services is poised to redefine the future of live event coverage. It's all about working together, challenging what we accept as possible, and embracing the cloud revolution. So, let the games (and the shows) begin!
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- At the 2025 NAB Show in Las Vegas, cloud-based live production was the industry's primary focus, with Sony Electronics unveiling their M2 Live Multipoint-to-Multipoint Live Production Switcher.
- Deon LeCointe, director of networked solutions at Sony Electronics, revealed plans for new features in both the subscription-based and software versions of the M2L-X.
- Telos Alliance also endorsed the use of cloud production in the broadcasting world, noting that it has become standard industry practice.
- Broadcasters, recognizing the maturity of cloud technology, are no longer questioning its legitimacy, instead embracing it for generating programs and revenue.
- Proposed tariffs by the Trump administration may affect commercial aspects and technical impacts, as virtualized software becomes less vulnerable to penalties.
- Jamie Dunn, deputy chief executive of Lawo, emphasized the growth in software-based systems enabling greater production flexibility through the adoption of IT technologies.
- Ross Video showcased their Cloud Provisioning Service at the event, designed to quickly deploy all necessary infrastructure and applications for an end-to-end live production.
- TVU Networks displayed advanced features for their cloud-based Media Hub platform at the NAB Show, setting a new standard for media supply chain management and winning the 2025 NAB Show Project of the Year Award.
