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NEWSCASTSTUDIO.COM
Cloud adoption and streaming technol-
ogy investments lead broadcast industry
priorities, while concerns about artificial
intelligence and workflow challenges per-
sist, according to NewscastStudio’s annual
industry survey.
The survey gathered responses from 312
broadcast and media professionals. Among
respondents, 30% make final purchasing
decisions, while 52% contribute to product
research and specifications. Sixty-seven
percent identify as long-term Newscast-
Studio readers, having followed the publi-
cation for over a year.
Digital transformation progress
Sixty percent of broadcast profession-
als report implementing cloud production
tools, though implementation challenges
remain. Cost emerged as the primary bar-
rier, cited by 33% of respondents, followed
by workflow complexity (25%), security
concerns (17%), lack of technical expertise
(15%) and uncertain return on investment
(9%).
Two-thirds of organizations report in-
vesting in streaming, FAST or OTT delivery
tools, highlighting the industry’s continued
shift toward digital distribution.
“A big question for my newsroom is
how to translate what we make for TV to
third-party, online platforms. The work-
flows for this are slow and clunky... just to
get one broadcast segment published on-
line,” a survey respondent noted.
Industry innovation
and adaptation
Sixty percent of respondents agree
the industry is adapting to technological
change, while 44% believe the broadcast
industry is innovating in coverage. Regard-
ing workflow solutions, 51% agree current
broadcast production solutions meet their
needs.
One respondent addressed the state
of local news: “The mindset in local news
needs to shift to survive in a new time when
content is more accessible and local news
isn’t as necessary as it once was.”
Artificial intelligence emerges as both a
tool and concern for broadcast profession-
als. Forty-four percent report their orga-
nizations are implementing AI or machine
learning tools in everyday workflows. How-
ever, 51% express concern that AI technol-
ogy could eventually replace their position.
“AI and viewers getting information from
other sources is a growing problem that
could make broadcast obsolete, and we as
an industry need to face these facts,” a sur-
vey respondent noted.
Industry composition and outlook
from survey
The survey represents a cross-section of
the broadcast industry:
• National network and cable channels:
28%
• Local broadcast affiliates: 25%
• Corporate and non-traditional media:
20%
• Streaming operations: 11%
• Production and post-production: 6%
• Vendors, integrators and consultants:
6%
Respondents’ most popular job titles
included broadcast engineer, technical di-
rector, producer, creative services director,
graphics specialist, C suite (including CEO,
COO, CIO, CTO), news director, editor and
production head.
Budget outlooks for 2025 remain stable,
with most respondents reporting their bud-
gets stayed the same or saw slight changes
in either direction.
Trade show attendance increased from
the last survey, with 49% of respondents
planning to attend major industry events
such as NAB Show, IBC Show or Live De-
sign. Twenty-six percent remain neutral on
trade show attendance.
“I do not believe that the broadcast in-
dustry is dying the way many people in the
industry believe,” one respondent noted. “It
is changing drastically and might cut back
in many areas but will not die out. I do be-
lieve, however, that local news stations
must do a better job adapting to this new
age and making more content that affects
viewers. Just reciting the news and spitting
back press releases won’t cut it any longer.”
The survey was conducted online be-
tween November 2024 and January 2025.
Results reflect responses from 312 News-
castStudio readers who opted to partici-
pate.
The self-selecting sample is not scientific
and may not represent the views of the en-
tire broadcast industry.
Ω
SURVEY
NewscastStudio finds digital transformation
continues despite implementation challenges