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From infrastructure to interoperability: Pebble at IBC 2026

At IBC 2026, Pebble CTO Miroslav Jeras speaks to IAMT about how the shift towards software-based playout is reshaping broadcast infrastructure and driving the need for greater flexibility across on-premises, private cloud and public cloud environments.

He discusses the work being carried out by EBU and AMWA around Dynamic Media Facilities and MXL to improve multi-vendor interoperability, alongside Pebble’s ongoing transition to Linux and the development of its web-based tools into a full operational interface.

Watch the full video interview with Miroslav here.

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Asia’s Broadcasting and Infotainment Show (A.B.I.S) 2026

📍 Mumbai, India
🗓️ 22-24 October 2026

Asia’s Broadcasting & Infotainment Show (A.B.I.S.) brings together professionals from the broadcast, media, entertainment, and content creation industries. Building on the long-standing legacy of Broadcast India, the event provides a platform for exploring emerging technologies, sharing industry insights, and connecting with regional and international players.

The exhibition covers a broad range of technologies, including broadcast automation, cloud-based workflows, IP infrastructure, AI, and content delivery, reflecting the evolving needs of India’s media industry.

Our presence at the show

Join Pebble at the Real Image Booth D02 to discover how our automation and playout solutions are helping broadcasters build flexible, reliable, and future-ready media operations. Our team will be on hand to discuss the latest developments in broadcast technology and explore how Pebble can support your operational needs.

If you’d like to arrange a meeting with the Pebble team at the show, please get in touch.

More information here.

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SBT expands playout operations with Pebble Automation

Epsom, Surrey, UK, 6 October 2026: Pebble, a leading specialist in automation, content management and integrated channel solutions, is supporting the continued modernisation of playout at Brazilian national broadcaster SBT. Its Automation platform provides the foundation for SBT’s national channels, has enabled the addition of SBT News, and is designed to support future developments including TV 2.5, the new generation of TV, interactivity and dynamic ad insertion.

SBT, Sistema Brasileiro de Televisão, is Brazil’s third-largest television broadcaster, headquartered in Osasco, in the northwest of São Paulo. The broadcaster operates channels reaching audiences across the country and works with affiliate stations in different regions to provide localised content and programming.

The project began when SBT’s legacy automation system, supplied by another vendor, was approaching end of life and limiting the broadcaster’s ability to expand its operations and improve efficiency. SBT evaluated high-performance playout automation solutions from around the world against an extensive set of technical and operational requirements.

Working with its local distributor and systems integration partner Videodata, Pebble developed a comprehensive proof-of-concept demonstration to validate the proposed integrations, workflows and operational efficiencies. The successful demonstration gave SBT confidence that the new platform could integrate with its existing infrastructure while providing the flexibility required for future development.

Pebble Automation provides precise, real-time control of graphics systems, servers, redundant routing and master control switching across SBT’s channels. It also integrates closely with the broadcaster’s traffic, scheduling and advertising systems.

The platform provides the media management layer, moving, preparing, validating and approving content for transmission. Its architecture delivers full redundancy for SBT’s national channels, supporting on-air reliability, operational resilience and continuity.

Pebble Remote provides secure, web-based access for authorised users to monitor and control the playout environment from any location, further increasing operational flexibility. Local and remote users can also access high-resolution content previews directly from their desktops without affecting critical transmission resources.

“First, Pebble Automation provides a much more advanced and user-friendly interface than our previous technology,” said Levy Kroiss Neto, Director of TV Technology and Operations at SBT. “Even more importantly, it brings modern software that makes us much more agile.

“With this project, we are ready for a new generation of TV, including greater interactivity and dynamic ad insertion,” Neto continued. “This is the first stage of a major programme to renew our complete delivery infrastructure, and Pebble Automation is the foundation for everything to come.”

That flexibility has already been demonstrated with the addition of SBT News. The channel was integrated into the existing Pebble playout environment rapidly and with an excellent cost-benefit ratio, allowing SBT to expand its channel portfolio without requiring a fundamental redesign of its infrastructure.

“SBT benefits immediately from moving to Pebble Automation. It delivers much greater on-air reliability and predictability, gives the broadcaster greater agility when making last-minute changes to reflect audience expectations and automates repetitive tasks behind the scenes, making the operation more streamlined and efficient,” said Marcelo Blum, Architecture and Technology Manager at Videodata, Pebble’s distribution and systems integration partner in Brazil.

“What makes this project particularly important is its potential for the future. SBT has a clear vision for remaining relevant to audiences in Brazil, and agility and scalability in content delivery will become increasingly critical. With Pebble, we have built a highly capable platform to support that development.”

The wider modernisation programme is designed to support SBT as television in Brazil moves from TV 2.5 into a new generation, alongside evolving requirements around interactivity, new services and advanced advertising models.

By combining automation, media management, integrated channel control, redundancy and secure remote access, Pebble provides SBT with a flexible foundation that can evolve alongside its delivery requirements.

The Pebble Automation platform at SBT Network Origination originally went live at the end of 2025.

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The real question behind every playout decision

Selecting a playout system is a decision that reaches far beyond a technical comparison. Pebble’s SVP Sales, Sally Wallington, explores what broadcasters really need from their technology choices, from proven reliability and operational confidence to a supplier that understands the pressures of running mission-critical services.

With commercial pressure increasing and technology choices expanding, broadcasters are looking beyond features and upfront cost. They need to understand how a platform will perform when something goes wrong, when requirements change, and when the people who know a system best move on. Sally looks at the hidden costs of complexity, the balance between building and buying technology, and why being truly future-ready is about much more than having the right architecture or technology label.

Ultimately, she considers why evidence, experience and long-term trust matter just as much as the technology itself, and why the real measure of a playout decision is whether it still feels like the right one years down the line.

Read the full article in BroadcastProME.

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Asharq migrates extended channel line-up to Pebble playout

Epsom, Surrey, UK, 9 September 2026: Pebble, the leading automation, content management and integrated channel specialist, is extending its relationship with Asharq, the pan-Arabian broadcaster which is part of the Saudi Research and Media Group (SRMG). The latest developments include moving all Asharq channels from Dubai to KAFD in Riyadh, adding the high-profile Asharq Culture channel, and bringing Thmanyah channels 1-3 onto Pebble playout to support live events.

Asharq launched its first service, Bloomberg Asharq, using Pebble playout systems in 2020, when it built its first IP ST 2110-based playout centre in Dubai, subsequently adding more services. As part of its latest expansion, Asharq has now consolidated its playout operations in the King Abdullah Financial District in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. The Riyadh facility accommodates Bloomberg Asharq News, Asharq Discovery, Asharq Documentary and the recently launched Asharq Culture Channel. Last year, Thmanyah, also part of the SRMG group and a sister company to Asharq, won the rights to the Saudi Premier League and asked Asharq to provide the facilities for its sports channels.

The performance of Pebble Automation and Integrated Channel at Asharq UAE over the last few years led to the decision to use the Pebble platform for Thmanyah channels 1-3. The three sports services went on air on 13 August 2026 and are designed to support the demands of live events.

“Thmanyah taking over the rights to Saudi Premier League football called for even more precise performance from our central control facilities,” said Omran Abdullah, VP Engineering IT and Technology SRMG News at Asharq. “We needed complete operational control to be able to react to the unpredictable nature of sport, together with instant response from the system.

“Pebble has been a strong partner since 2019, keeping our systems up to date with the latest developments and delivering excellent performance,” Abdullah said. “That experience gave us confidence as we moved the Asharq operation to Riyadh and added the three Thmanyah sports channels to the platform.”

“This is a very important project for Pebble,” said Samir Isbaih, VP Sales – Middle East and APAC at Pebble. “Asharq has deployed Pebble’s enterprise solution on-premises at its Riyadh facility, bringing its established channel line-up together with the three Thmanyah sports services. Particularly for premium live sports, the intuitive, responsive and resilient nature of our proven platform delivers against the dynamic and complex requirements of sports channels. Key capabilities include originating digital and terrestrial outputs from the same playlist, with content and ad replacement; advanced functionality including SCTE, DVB subtitles, XAVC support, HDR and SDR; minimal video encoding delay throughout the Pebble software transmission chain; a cost-effective CAPEX offering; native ST 2110 I/O, with support for SDI and NDI on the same server as required; and superior N+N+N redundancy.

“We are delighted to be able to extend our partnership and play our part in Asharq’s continuing growth and success.”

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