The merits of server-guided ad insertion (SGAI) were one of the big ad-tech talking points at this year’s IBC, but does the technology represent a step change for publishers?
Choosing the best way to insert addressable adverts into streams is one of the key technology dilemmas currently facing ad-supported streaming services.
Server-side ad insertion is often seen as the lynchpin of ad-tech in the streaming age, as media companies look to grow digital revenues to offset linear TV’s decline.
Historically, ads in OTT have either been inserted into a stream by the client (at the player or device level), or stitched into the stream by the server, without the need for client-side integration...
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Behind the agenda: Creativity and legitimacy in the AI era
Drawing on insights from the IBC2025’s Technical Paper programme, Izzy Benham explores how AI is shaping the future of creative success in the media economy.

Behind the agenda: The “Grunt Work” myth and AI’s role in the newsroom
The prevailing narrative around AI in journalism frames automation as suitable mainly for “grunt work” – repetitive, low-stakes newsroom tasks. Yet, two award-shortlisted IBC2025 technical papers challenge this assumption in practice. Izzy Benham investigates.
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IBC Tech Papers: AI, AR, creative identity, and speech improvement in the spotlight
In anticipation of the Technical Papers Programme at IBC2025, David Davies delves into a selection of the top paper submissions for 2025 and what they reveal about the industry’s most influential technologies.

IBC Content Everywhere: What to expect at IBC2025
In September, the media and entertainment industry will once again be heading to the RAI Amsterdam for the annual IBC event. The Content Everywhere zone remains at the heart of IBC’s coverage of the ever-expanding OTT and streaming scene, and this year spans Halls 4 and 5. The monthly Content Everywhere newsletter tracks companies in the streaming sector throughout the year, offering insights into latest trends and developments. As in previous years, the August issue provides an overview of what Content Everywhere companies hope and expect to see at IBC as they roam the show floors, attend conferences and meet their peers.

WSC Sports leverages Wowza to deliver instant AI-powered highlights
To increase fan engagement, WSC Sports implemented Wowza’s low-latency ingest layer to secure a global streaming infrastructure that reliably produces tailored sports clips as they unfold, across the platforms that fans use most.