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Corus Entertainment Expands IP-Based Broadcasting

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  Published in Media and Entertainment on Wednesday, April 8th 2026 at 15:31 GMT by TV Technology
      Locale: CANADA

Toronto, ON - April 8th, 2026 - Corus Entertainment, a leading media and content company in Canada, is significantly expanding its adoption of IP-based broadcasting infrastructure. Building on their initial deployment of Appear Xtend remote encoding/decoding technology, Corus is now implementing the solution across a much broader range of live event coverage and newsgathering operations. This move isn't simply a technological upgrade for Corus; it represents a key trend in the broadcasting industry - a decisive shift away from traditional, expensive satellite infrastructure towards more flexible, scalable, and cost-effective IP-based workflows.

For decades, satellite links were the backbone of live broadcasting, particularly for remote contributions. However, satellite capacity is limited, expensive, and susceptible to weather conditions. Establishing a dedicated satellite feed requires significant planning, infrastructure, and ongoing costs. Increasingly, broadcasters like Corus are recognizing that modern IP networks, combined with advanced encoding and decoding technologies, can deliver comparable - and often superior - performance at a fraction of the cost.

Appearing Xtend, the core of Corus's strategy, isn't just about cost reduction. While the elimination of satellite bandwidth and associated fees is substantial, the technology offers critical improvements in latency - the delay between when an event happens and when it's seen by viewers. Lower latency is particularly vital for live news and sports coverage where real-time delivery is paramount. Traditional satellite paths introduce inherent delays, while IP-based systems can minimize these, offering a near-real-time viewing experience.

"The initial results with Appear Xtend have exceeded our expectations," explains Alan D'Souza, VP, Broadcast Operations, Corus Entertainment. "We've seen significant reductions in operational expenses, and the quality of our live feeds has demonstrably improved. But more importantly, the flexibility this technology offers allows us to cover more events, reach more viewers, and respond to breaking news situations with greater agility."

Corus's expanded deployment includes integration with their existing media asset management (MAM) systems, streamlining the entire content lifecycle - from capture to distribution. The ability to encode and decode a wide range of video and audio formats, coupled with support for various IP protocols (like SRT, ZIXP, and RIST) ensures compatibility with diverse network environments and content delivery platforms. This future-proofs Corus's infrastructure, enabling them to adapt to evolving broadcasting standards and consumer demands.

Industry-Wide Momentum

Corus isn't alone in embracing this IP-first approach. Across the globe, broadcasters are actively migrating to IP-based workflows. This trend is being fueled by several factors, including:

• Rising Satellite Costs: The cost of satellite bandwidth continues to increase, making it increasingly unsustainable for many broadcasters.
• Demand for Greater Flexibility: IP-based systems allow broadcasters to quickly deploy and scale resources, responding to changing needs without lengthy lead times.
• Expansion of Remote Production: The growth of remote production, driven by cost savings and the desire to cover events in more locations, necessitates reliable and flexible IP connectivity.
• Rise of OTT Streaming: The proliferation of over-the-top (OTT) streaming services requires broadcasters to deliver high-quality video over IP networks.

Nick Nichols, Head of Sales, Americas, Appear, notes that the company is seeing significant demand for its Xtend platform. "Broadcasters are realizing that IP isn't just a replacement for satellite; it's an enabling technology that unlocks new possibilities for content creation and distribution. We're equipping them with the tools to be more efficient, more innovative, and more competitive."

Future Outlook

The transition to IP-first broadcasting isn't without its challenges. Ensuring network reliability, maintaining security, and managing the complexity of IP workflows require careful planning and expertise. However, the benefits - lower costs, greater flexibility, and improved quality - are driving broadcasters to overcome these hurdles. Looking ahead, we can expect to see even wider adoption of IP-based broadcasting technologies, with advancements in areas like software-defined video processing (SDVP) and network virtualization further streamlining workflows and reducing costs. Corus Entertainment's continued investment in Appear Xtend signals a clear commitment to the future of broadcasting - a future that is definitively IP-first.