Across our conversations at IBC 2026, several themes emerged around how media businesses can improve economics, create better viewer experiences and simplify increasingly complex operations.
Four days at IBC can produce a long list of technologies, product launches and predictions about where media is heading next.
But some of the most useful insights do not necessarily come from the biggest announcements. They come from the themes that surface repeatedly in conversations across the show floor.
IBC 2026 brought 41,225 attendees from 170 countries and more than 1,300 exhibitors to Amsterdam [1]. Attendance was below the previous two years, but the scale and international reach of the event remained significant [2][3].
Against that backdrop, several topics came up repeatedly in our discussions with operators, broadcasters and content owners. These included practical uses of artificial intelligence (AI), richer sports experiences, the economics of video, more flexible monetisation, personalisation and the continued pressure to simplify complex media technology environments.
AI is moving from experimentation to practical use
At IBC 2026, artificial intelligence was discussed less as a standalone category and more as a way to solve specific media problems.
The most practical conversations focused on areas such as workflow automation, highlight creation, metadata, content discovery, personalisation and operational support.
That distinction matters.
Media organisations do not necessarily need another AI proposition. They need technology that improves a measurable outcome. That might mean reducing manual work, helping viewers find relevant content, supporting faster production or making operations more efficient.
As AI use in media develops, the value is likely to depend less on the label and more on the problem it solves.
Sports streaming is becoming a broader fan experience
Sports remained highly visible at IBC 2026, but the conversation went well beyond streaming quality and delivering the live match.
Across our conversations, the bigger opportunity was to turn a sports service from somewhere a fan goes to watch a match into a destination they have reasons to return to before, during and after the event.
Highlights, statistics, short-form video, fixtures, notifications and personalised content can all contribute to that ongoing relationship, but the value comes from bringing those elements together into an experience that gives fans a reason to keep coming back.
That theme was also central to the Enghouse Networks and MediaKind live demo at IBC 2026, “Beyond the Match: The Future of Sports Streaming Experiences.[4]”
Presented on the Content Everywhere Stage by Mick McCluskey, VP Product Management at Enghouse Networks, and Alexandre Paugam, VP, Global BD & Strategic Partnerships at MediaKind, the session explored what happens when a sports service is designed around the fan rather than the stream alone.
The demo brought together capabilities including sports hubs, personalised experiences, sports data integration, multiview, highlights and short-form content. The aim was not simply to add more features around live video, but to show how those elements can work together as one connected experience.
For operators, broadcasters and streaming providers, this changes how a sports service can be designed.
Instead of treating live video, sports data and fan engagement as separate experiences, they can be brought together around the interests of the individual fan.
That ongoing relationship can also create additional opportunities for subscriptions, advertising, sponsorship and commerce.
The economics of video are shaping platform decisions
Technology innovation matters, but economics continue to influence media platform decisions.
Operators, broadcasters and content owners face ongoing pressure to manage platform costs, simplify operations and create more value from existing technology investments.
That is supporting interest in cloud services, software as a service (SaaS) and managed platforms. But the delivery model is not the main question.
The more useful question is: will this make the service easier and more economical to operate?
For some organisations, the answer may be a more complete managed platform. For others, it may mean keeping media infrastructure that continues to work while adding new applications, orchestration or commercial capabilities around it.
There is no single architecture that fits every media business. The important measure is whether the technology supports the required service without adding unnecessary operational burden.
Video monetisation is becoming more flexible
Subscription remains an important foundation for many video businesses, but it increasingly sits alongside other revenue models.
Advertising, free ad-supported streaming television (FAST), pay-per-view and sponsorship can all form part of the same commercial strategy.
This makes platform flexibility important.
The question is no longer simply whether a service should use subscriptions or advertising. Operators, broadcasters and content owners may need to support different combinations depending on the audience, content rights, market and business model.
The continued shift towards Internet Protocol (IP) video delivery also creates more opportunities for targeted and dynamic advertising across live and on-demand services.
For media businesses, the goal is not to adopt every monetisation model. It is to have enough flexibility to use the models that fit the service and its audience.
Personalisation is becoming part of the core viewing experience
Personalisation has been discussed in media for years, but it is becoming more closely integrated with the overall product experience.
Sports makes the opportunity particularly easy to see.
Two viewers opening the same service may care about completely different teams, competitions, players and events. Showing both viewers essentially the same experience leaves valuable context unused.
A more personalised service can adapt discovery, notifications, highlights and recommendations around the viewer’s interests.
For the viewer, that can make relevant content easier to find. For the service provider, it can create more reasons for people to return and engage with the platform.
Personalisation therefore becomes more than a recommendation feature. It can influence the wider relationship between the viewer and the service.
Cloud is becoming infrastructure, not the headline
Simplification connects many of the IBC 2026 conversations
Across our conversations at IBC 2026, one theme that came up repeatedly was simplification. Media technology environments have become complex. Adding a new capability can also mean adding another platform, integration, workflow or supplier.
Operators and media organisations are approaching that problem in different ways. Some want to consolidate around a more complete end-to-end platform. Others want to preserve infrastructure that continues to meet their needs while introducing a common control layer or selected applications around it.
Those approaches may be technically different, but the business objective is similar: reduce operational complexity while retaining the flexibility to introduce new services and revenue models.
Simplification does not necessarily mean replacing everything.
In many cases, it means being more deliberate about what should remain, what should change and how the different parts of the service are managed.
What IBC 2026 suggests for TV and streaming
Our conversations at IBC 2026 did not suggest that the media industry is suddenly moving in a completely new direction.
Instead, it reinforced changes that have been developing for some time.
Video businesses are looking for better economics. Sports services are expanding beyond the live event. Monetisation models are becoming more flexible. Personalisation is moving deeper into the viewing experience. AI discussions are becoming more practical, while cloud is increasingly judged by the outcomes it enables.
Connecting all of these trends is a common challenge: how to add new capabilities without adding more complexity.
For operators, broadcasters and content owners, that may be one of the most important questions to take away from IBC 2026.
The technology will continue to change. The bigger opportunity is to make it easier to operate, easier to monetise and more useful to the audiences it serves.
Frequently Asked Questions
What were the main media technology trends at IBC 2026?
The main themes we heard at IBC 2026 included practical applications of AI, richer sports streaming experiences, more flexible video monetisation, personalisation, cloud and managed services, and the need to simplify increasingly complex media operations.
How is sports streaming changing?
Sports streaming is expanding beyond the live match. The opportunity is to turn a sports service into a destination fans have reasons to return to before, during and after an event, combining live video with highlights, statistics, short-form content, notifications, multiview and personalised experiences.
What did Enghouse Networks demonstrate at IBC 2026?
Enghouse Networks and MediaKind presented “Beyond the Match: The Future of Sports Streaming Experiences,” a live demonstration showing how sports hubs, personalisation, sports data, multiview, highlights and short-form content can be combined into a fan-centric sports experience.
How are streaming services monetised?
Streaming services can use several monetisation models, including subscriptions, advertising, free ad-supported streaming television (FAST), pay-per-view and sponsorship. Many services use a combination of models based on their audience, content and commercial strategy.
What role does AI play in media and streaming?
Artificial intelligence can support media workflows such as automation, metadata creation, content discovery, highlight generation, personalisation and operational assistance. Its value depends on whether it improves a specific business, operational or viewer outcome.
Is cloud still important for TV and streaming platforms?
Yes. Cloud remains an important part of media infrastructure, but the focus is increasingly on the outcomes it enables, such as flexible scaling, faster service deployment, reduced infrastructure complexity and more efficient operations.
Why is platform simplification important for media operators?
TV and streaming services can involve multiple platforms, suppliers, integrations and workflows. Simplification can reduce operational complexity while allowing operators and media organisations to introduce new services, viewer experiences and monetisation models more efficiently.
[1] IBC – “IBC2026 brings global media industry together to turn innovation into action,” 15 September 2026
[2] IBC – “IBC2025 delivers innovation, energy, impact and business outcomes to global media community,” 16 September 2025
[3] IBC – “IBC2024 Sees Growth Across the Board as AI Takes Centre Stage,” 17 September 2024
[4] Enghouse Networks — IBC 2026 event page, “Beyond the Match: The Future of Sports Streaming Experiences
Want to Learn More?
Enghouse Networks helps operators, broadcasters and content owners manage TV and streaming services across Operator TV, direct-to-consumer streaming, sports and advertising. It can help simplify service delivery, support new monetisation models and evolve existing media environments.
