NAB Show Perspectives: Is private cloud the future of broadcast workflows?

Cloud-based production and distribution have become the backbone of modern broadcasting, but the industry is now facing a new challenge.

The initial promise of flexibility and scalability has given way to concerns over cost, security, and control. While the cloud has enabled remote workflows, it has also introduced vulnerabilities that broadcasters cannot ignore. As media organizations push for more efficient, secure, and predictable infrastructure, private cloud is a compelling alternative.

Broadcasters are re-evaluating whether reliance on third-party cloud providers truly aligns with their long-term needs. Security remains a key concern, as content moving through external platforms is inherently at risk—whether from cyber threats, service outages, or the hidden complexities of shared infrastructure. Public cloud may offer convenience, but it also creates exposure to external risks, unpredictable service disruptions, and rising costs over time. Once content is on someone else’s infrastructure, broadcasters lose direct control over its security, availability, and financial predictability.

Private cloud offers a solution to take back control.

By self-hosting media transport, processing, and storage, organizations can build infrastructure tailored to their needs while ensuring security, reliability, and cost efficiency. Instead of adapting workflows to fit the constraints of a public cloud provider, private cloud allows complete flexibility, from network architecture to security protocols. This means broadcasters can encrypt content on their own terms, manage redundancy and disaster recovery without external dependencies, and ensure that operational costs remain predictable.

One of the biggest misconceptions about private cloud is that it requires an enterprise-scale operation to be viable. In reality, advances in bandwidth, server hardware, and open media standards have made it easier than ever for broadcasters to deploy their own cloud infrastructure.

Whether hosted in-house, in colocation facilities, or across multiple distributed locations, private cloud environments can be designed to match the scale and needs of any media operation.

At NAB Show 2025, discussions are turning toward long-term infrastructure resilience. Cloud-based workflows have become essential, but should media organizations continue placing their critical operations in the hands of external providers, or is there a smarter way to balance security, efficiency, and cost? Private cloud is proving to be that alternative, offering broadcasters the ability to build infrastructure on their own terms. With solutions now available that make self-hosting more accessible and practical, broadcasters no longer have to compromise on control.

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Sergio Ammirata, Sipradius & RIST ForumSergio Ammirata, Ph.D., founder and Chief Scientist at SipRadius and RIST Forum Director, earned his Ph.D. in Physics from The Ohio State University. He developed the patented Dozer protocol, which became the foundation for the libRIST open-source library, now integral to multimedia platforms like VLC and FFmpeg. Joining the Video Services Forum (VSF) in 2018, Sergio has been a key contributor to the Reliable Internet Stream Transport (RIST) protocol, helping define industry standards for secure and reliable media transport. A recipient of the 2018 Technical Emmy® Award, he continues to drive innovation in both open-source and proprietary communication technologies. At SipRadius, Sergio leads the development of cutting-edge solutions for secure, low-latency media transport, addressing the evolving needs of the broadcast and media sectors through scalable and innovative products.