Cloud solutions, hybrid models, and transformation in content, social, and sustainability initiatives are featured in this year’s IBC Innovation Awards.
The Awards acknowledge collaborative efforts addressing real-world challenges and innovation across media, entertainment, and technology sectors. Five key categories are covered: Content Creation, Content Distribution, Content Everywhere, Social Impact, and Environment & Sustainability, recognising exceptional achievements in both technical advancement and social progress.
Fergal Ringrose, Chair of the 2025 Innovation Awards Jury, commented, “We are extremely appreciative of our esteemed panel of judges for their wisdom and discernment in selecting the shortlists, given the consistently high standard of global entries this year. Innovation is relentless, and the evolution observed this year notably shifts from rapid technological adaptations prompted by the COVID-19 pandemic toward more sophisticated innovations throughout the electronic media content creation, distribution, and consumption ecosystem, often driven by advances in AI, hybrid workflows, and cloud technologies.”
The winners of the IBC2025 Innovation Awards will be revealed on Sunday, 14 September, at 18:00 CET during the main stage ceremony at the IBC Conference, RAI Amsterdam.
2025 Finalists
Content Creation:
- MBC, Pixtree, and SK Telecom for AI-assisted remastering: Commercialisation of a generalised AI-based video remastering system for Korean broadcaster MBC, in partnership with Pixtree and SK Telecom.
- IP-based multiviewer editorial workflow for Paris 2024: NBC Olympics’ gymnastics coverage featured over 60 live sources using a mosaic-based editorial workflow, delivered with Avid, EVS, and NEP.
- Deep Ocean: Kingdom of the Coelacanth: Produced by NHK Japan, co-produced with ZDF/ARTE and OceanX, and in collaboration with CMMAI, this project captured the world’s first group video footage of coelacanths in 8K and 22.2 sound, technically supported by GOTO Aquatics, SGO, and Restar.
Content Distribution:
- Crunchyroll Anime Awards localisation and distribution: The Tokyo event was streamed globally to anime fans, leveraging dubbing studios and scalable live streaming, in partnership with Amagi, AWS, Bridge Digital, and Pixelogic.
- Sky’s MediaMesh transformation: Sky Group collaborated with European broadcasters to develop an API-driven, cloud-native, modular platform, working alongside AWS, SDVI, Telestream, and TMT Insights.
- OBS hybrid streaming delivery for Paris 2024: Olympic Broadcasting Services, with Alibaba Cloud, revolutionised live sports streaming by integrating traditional pipelines with direct, cloud-based delivery from venue to viewer.
Content Everywhere:
- Claro tv+ and Omni Devices unify football passion: A remote control button featuring users’ favourite team crests offers instant access to live games across all channels or apps, with technical support from Gracenote and Teleidea Middleware.
- SVT-AV1: Alliance for Open Media, Intel, and Meta enhanced video streaming efficiency for low-end mobile devices and limited bandwidth networks through the development of a decoding-aware SVT-AV1 software encoder mode.
- Pilipinas Live Shorts’ vertical infinite-scroll with UGC: Developed by Cignal and powered by Quickplay Shorts and Twelve Labs, this feature employs AI to identify, clip, and reformat content, incorporating user-generated material into the feed.
Social Impact:
- Neurodiversity mentoring programme: Led by Media Talent Manifesto, this initiative supports neurodivergent media professionals, backed by Deluxe, Molinare, and Vizrt.
- Amplifying riverside voices in the Amazon: SOUV, from SNEWS, provides newsrooms with real-time contributions from underserved regions via mobile, in partnership with Rede Amazônica.
- Empowering citizen advocacy through technology: The Mobile Justice app, developed with the American Civil Liberties Union, enables real-time documentation of law enforcement encounters, supported by Jotto, Quadrant2, and Wowza.
- France Télévisions pioneers transparency and trust: In partnership with Dalet, France Télévisions became the industry’s first broadcaster to implement C2PA-enabled content authentication in its daily newsroom workflow.
Environment & Sustainability:
- Evoke 5000B: Nanlux presents advanced film and TV lighting delivering equivalent output to a 20,000W tungsten light from a 5,000W LED, reducing energy usage by approximately 75% and prioritising sustainable production methods.
- Energy-Efficient UHD Upscaling with NPU Acceleration: SK Telecom and Pixtree integrated an NPU-based live UHD upscaler into SK Broadband’s IPTV service, achieving significant energy reductions and preventing substantial CO₂ emissions.
- Green Film Shooting: This German independent initiative disseminates information about innovative practices aimed at boosting energy efficiency, saving resources, and reducing carbon emissions within the film and media industries.
