The Streaming Video Technology Alliance (SVTA) and the UHD Forum are merging to create unified standards for video distribution across broadcast and streaming.
The merger acknowledges the inseparability of content and distribution, aiming to streamline workflows and improve video delivery.
This move aims to eliminate industry fragmentation and enhance viewer experience across all devices and locations.
The merger reflects broader industry trends, including efforts in the U.K. to mandate streaming-only video delivery.
The Streaming Video Technology Alliance (SVTA) and the UHD Forum are merging to break down the technical walls between traditional broadcast and streaming, creating a single set of standards for video distribution.
An admission of reality: For years, broadcast engineering and streaming have operated in separate worlds. The merger formally acknowledges what engineers have long known: you can't separate the content from the pipeline. Decisions on everything from encoding bitrates to security are ultimately driven by whether the stream is a 4K movie or a live news feed.
It's official: In a blog post, SVTA CEO Jason Thibeault confirmed the plan was revealed at the IBC conference and that both organizations' boards have agreed to the deal. He stated the transaction is expected to be finalized by the end of the year.
One workflow to rule them all: For Thibeault, the goal is to fix the industry's fractured state. "Interoperability has long plagued our industry," he explained, hoping the merger creates "a single industry, a single workflow, and a single mission—to deliver the best possible video experience to viewers…on whatever device they want to watch, wherever they are."
This merger isn't just a corporate shuffle; it's a move to formally erase the line between broadcast and streaming, forcing the entire industry to build a unified future for video delivery.
This industry shift is happening on a national level, with efforts in the U.K. to mandate streaming-only video delivery. It's also worth noting the leader of this unification effort, SVTA's CEO, is also the co-founder of a big data startup, hinting at the data-driven future of video.
