Broadcasters are rebuilding live operations around IP delivery and cloud-based infrastructure as the use of satellite and dedicated fibre distribution declines, according to new research from Caretta Research produced with Zixi.
The report argues that the move is reshaping live sports production and channel distribution, as broadcasters look for more flexible and scalable alternatives to traditional transmission infrastructure.
Caretta said IP contribution feeds and cloud-based master control operations are allowing broadcasters to cover more simultaneous events, expand camera options and improve the efficiency of highlights and streaming production.
Robert Ambrose, CEO and co-founder of Caretta Research, said broadcasters were moving away from fixed satellite and fibre infrastructure towards software-defined workflows that can scale more easily and respond faster to shifts in audience demand.
The report, Unlocking Live Video Workflows with IP: Transforming the Economics and User Experience of Live Video Delivery, examines how broadcasters, sports leagues and media companies are replacing legacy distribution systems with IP and cloud-based workflows for live contribution and delivery.
Historically, broadcasters have relied on satellite transponders and private fibre circuits for live video transport. Caretta said that while these systems remain reliable, they require long-term capacity commitments and higher operating costs, while IP delivery over internet and cloud infrastructure offers greater flexibility.
The research said regional factors are helping to accelerate the transition. In the United States, changes to available C-band satellite spectrum are increasing pressure on broadcasters to adopt alternative delivery models. In other markets, cost control, streaming expansion and the need for more agile event production are driving similar decisions.
Live sports is identified as one of the clearest use cases. Caretta said broadcasters and rights holders including Sky and the NHL are already using IP contribution and cloud master control to increase the number of events they can handle, add extra camera angles, support replay functions and distribute feeds more efficiently to affiliates and streaming platforms.
Marc Aldrich, CEO of Zixi, said broadcasters were no longer simply replacing satellite circuits with IP transport, but redesigning live operations around cloud-based workflows intended to maintain broadcast-grade reliability across global networks.
The report also points to growing demand for enterprise-level monitoring, orchestration and automation tools to manage increasingly complex IP delivery chains.
For channel owners, Caretta said IP distribution is also creating new commercial opportunities, including wider international reach, localised channel variants and dynamic ad insertion within IP-based workflows.
The findings suggest the shift to IP is moving beyond contribution and into the wider economics of broadcast operations, with scalability, flexibility and cloud integration becoming central to future live video strategies.
