March 2017 - Sourcebook

Magazine Features

How the Sourcebook Shaped the History of the Online Video Industry

This year marks the 14th anniversary of the Streaming Media Industry Sourcebook, the annual guide that's become a bible for all parts of the online video economy.

OTT’s Troubling Trend: Is Anyone Actually Making Money?

With premium content licensing costs through the roof, streaming video and audio services are struggling to become profitable. Run the numbers, Wall Street, because they don't add up.

The State of Media and Entertainment 2017

Now that the skinny bundle is finally here, what's next? Look for more bundles, more niche OTT offerings, and lots more VR in the year ahead (but—sadly—no a la carte plans).

The State of Live Video 2017

All eyes were on Facebook Live last year, but the entire live streaming sector is undergoing explosive growth. Sports, TV streams, and personal video apps are all getting an upgrade.

The State of Enterprise Video 2017

In an exciting period of revival, new features and new formats stemming from last year's entertainment solutions bring significant changes to the enterprise. Here are seven areas to watch.

The State of Education Video 2017

Smaller companies are moving out, and big companies are muscling into their old space. Look for monolithic learning management systems to give way to more agile solutions.

The State of Mobile Video 2017

Device innovation slows down ("phablets" are plenty big already), while network improvements forge ahead (5G is on the horizon, right? But where?).

The State of Codecs 2017

Licensing fees may stall HEVC adoption, while AV1 is nowhere to be seen and VP9 is on the rise. Will 2017 be at eventful as the previous two years?

The State of 4K and HDR 2017

4K is making inroads, but it's the profound visual richness of high dynamic range video that will really revolutionize how people watch television. Streaming networks are leading the way.

The State of QoS 2017

Despite some much-hyped problems, 2016 was a watershed year for online video quality of service (QoS), and 2017 promises further advances.

The Biggest Streaming Media Mergers and Acquisitions of 2016

Niagara, IBM, ComScore, and More: 2016 yielded lower innovation, greater consolidation, and a whole lot of big-ticket M&A activity.

Buyers' Guide to Encoding 2017

From pico to infinite, encoders come in all shapes and sizes. Here's all the information businesses need to choose the best encoder for their situation.

Buyers' Guide to Transcoders 2017

Cloud transcoding is growing in popularity, but sometimes only a dedicated appliance will do. For automated video workflows at scale, here's what businesses need to know.

Buyers' Guide to DRM 2017

How it works, the leading technologies, licensing options, business models, and pricing: This guide includes everything content owners need to know to secure their valuable assets.

Buyers' Guide to Media and Entertainment Video Platforms 2017

From 4K to PPV, media and entertainment platforms can help publishers realize and monetize their OTT visions. Here are the extras that set the best apart.

Buyers' Guide to Enterprise Video Platforms 2017

The questions companies need to answer: Build vs. buy? Cloud, on-premises, or hybrid? Here's what to decide before staring a search.

Buyers' Guide to Media Servers 2017

From 4K to MP4, media server software keeps innovating our industry toward its OTT future. Best of all, there are options right for every budget.

Buyers' Guide to Unified Communications 2017

Simply being able to connect enterprise devices isn't the real goal. In the march to HEVC, could UCC interoperability issues become a thing of the past?

How to Assemble the Perfect Production Platform for Facebook Live

Streaming live video to Facebook is easy, but if you want professional results you'll need to build a professional system first. Here are the best products to consider.

How to: Dynamic Packaging

Need to reach the widest possible audience with the fewest encoding steps? Here's how nonprogrammers can use Wowza Streaming Engine to serve both live and on-demand video.

How to Caption Live Online Video

We're still a few years away from live video captioning standards, and the available solutions are anything but plug-and-play. But that doesn't mean it can't be done. It just takes a little effort.

How to: Video Quality Optimization

From spatial to temporal to perceptual, optimizing video depends on how it's measured. This how-to guide explores recent advances taking place in video quality.

How to Stream to Facebook Live and YouTube From Your DJI Phantom

Give followers a whole different view. These tips will help increase audience engagement by streaming live drone footage to social media accounts.

Editor's Note

Unfiltered Live Online Video Shows the Need for Journalists

Access to live video from breaking world events is a double-edged sword: It brings a compelling eyewitness-to-history view, while bypassing critical cultural gatekeepers.