NAB Show Preview: Remote production workflows continue to evolve to meet the moment

As broadcasters and content creators prepare to gather at the NAB Show in Las Vegas (April 5-9, 2025), remote production continues to revolutionize how live events are covered, enabling geographically dispersed teams to create content without everyone being on-site.

The COVID-19 pandemic accelerated what was already emerging, forcing production teams to adapt quickly to remote workflows.

Now, five years later, what began as a necessity has evolved into a strategic advantage for many organizations. Remote and cloud production has moved beyond merely a contingency plan to become a cornerstone of modern broadcast operations.

As broadcasters and content creators prepare to gather at the NAB Show, the ongoing modernize of production workflows through remote and cloud-based solutions will be showcased across the show floor.

Decentralized teams redefine live event coverage

Remote production fundamentally changes the logistics of how live events are covered, moving key personnel and equipment away from event locations.

“Remote and cloud-based production and distribution are redefining live event coverage,” said Rob Szabó-Rowe, global head of engineering and product management at Tata Communications. “Traditional on-site production models are giving way to off-site centralized and distributed workflows, allowing content owners and rightsholders to boost efficiency, cutting down on travel for talent and crews and the shipping of equipment.”

This distributed approach changes the economics of broadcasting events, enabling smaller leagues to create content at scale.

“These approaches not only cut costs but also enable production teams to cover multiple events in the same day without increasing resources. And the ability to tap into top-tier production talent from anywhere is proving to be a game-changer,” Szabó-Rowe added.

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These decentralized productions enable more flexible allocation of resources, allowing broadcasters to consolidate equipment and talent in central hubs that can service multiple productions or sporting events.

“No longer constrained by geographic limitations, media organizations can now leverage talent, equipment and events spread across various locations, leading to a more agile and distributed production model,” said Kris Alexander, vice president of product and industry marketing at Zixi.

This approach was demonstrated effectively during major sporting events in recent years.

“Last summer in Paris we saw a real-world proof of concept,” said Steve Reynolds, chief executive officer of Imagine Communications. “Traditionally, live production required sending IP streams to the cloud as an intermediary, then returning them to the ground for broadcast. What Paris proved is that this step is not always necessary.”

Compelling economic and operational advantages

The economic benefits of remote production have become increasingly apparent as the technology matures and more organizations implement these workflows.

“The need for flexibility and scalability in content creation has never been greater, as broadcasters and production teams look for ways to streamline operations and reduce costs,” said Richard Rees, CEO of QuickLink. “The ability to produce high-quality content from anywhere in the world, without the need for extensive on-premises infrastructure, is a compelling advantage.”

Beyond simple cost reduction, remote production enables coverage of events that might otherwise be financially impractical.

“The conversation around remote production is always a major draw for our customers, especially for live events, sports and streaming content creators,” said Alex Ferris, senior director of solutions, engineering and enablement at LucidLink. “For streamers and vloggers, the speed of ideation to delivery is crucial.”

Connectivity and collaboration advances

For remote production to grow, robust connectivity and collaboration tools are essential. 

“With advancements in connectivity and ultra-low latency solutions, content creators can work together in real time, ensuring smooth and efficient production pipelines,” said Rees. “The increasing adoption of 5G and enhanced broadband networks further supports these remote capabilities, making high-quality live production possible from virtually any location.”

These connectivity improvements enable new approaches to traditionally on-site roles.

“A great example of a live sports use case is leveraging cloud technology for remote commentary, especially for multi-language broadcasts – adding commentators from anywhere in the world to expand language coverage without requiring them to be onsite,” said Szabó-Rowe. “This feeds into the broader trend of globalizing the coverage of live sports events.”

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Remote production is only growing

Industry data suggests remote production is becoming standard practice across various content types.

“I will be watching out for evidence that increasingly premium content is being produced using these new tools in North America, as I’ve already seen happening in Europe,” said Andy Hooper, senior vice president of live products at Ateliere Creative Technologies.

Recent high-profile implementations suggest the approach is scaling effectively.

“In the last year alone, we’ve seen record-setting achievements for streaming live events through digital platforms,” said Ian McPherson, global M&E business development for media supply chain and generative AI at Amazon Web Services. “Peacock streamed 23.5 billion minutes of Paris Olympics coverage. The Jake Paul vs Mike Tyson boxing match on Netflix attracted 65 million concurrent viewers, including 108 million total viewers globally.”

Challenges in remote production

Despite its benefits, remote production introduces new challenges that teams must overcome.

“The rise in remote workflows has also kickstarted a rising concern for security among content providers, with many looking for ways to ensure reliability in their cloud-based workflows while also keeping flexibility and scalability at the forefront,” noted Martins Magone, CTO of Veset.

Reliability and redundancy become even more critical when teams aren’t physically co-located.

“Finding the right balance between cloud and on-premises workflows remains a key focus as companies look for the most efficient and effective production models,” said Simon Hawkings, director of sales strategy and business acceleration at Ross Video.