On Air Global Student Broadcast Leverages Cloud Tech

The 24-hour event utilized advanced open-source tools and cloud infrastructure to manage dozens of live feeds.

Updated on Oct. 26, 2026 in Distance Learning

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The On Air global student broadcast utilized cloud-based routing to manage 25 concurrent university feeds during a 24-hour event. AI Illustration. Upload story photo >

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Is shifting complex media production to cloud-based workflows a step in the right direction?

A global student broadcast titled On Air recently showcased a complex production model spanning 24 hours across five distinct channels. The project successfully managed 25 live university feeds using cloud-native routing and distribution technologies.

Why it matters

The broadcast demonstrates how cloud-based workflows can scale media production to levels that remain unattainable with traditional on-premise hardware. By utilizing MXL for feed handovers, the production achieved lower latency than conventional methods.

The production featured a 24-hour runtime across five broadcast channels using 25 live university inputs. It processed camera feeds via Appear X5 and VX platforms while leveraging Norsk for remote gallery switching.

The players

AWS

This global cloud computing provider supplied the core infrastructure for the project's master control room, playout, and distribution.

Norsk

This technology company provided the remote gallery switcher essential for managing the broadcast production.

The details

Camera signals were encoded as MXL to facilitate efficient cloud handovers, with AWS MediaConnect Router managing the distribution backbone. Time-based metadata was captured and stored throughout the event using the TAMS and TADS systems.

Timeline

  1. The On Air broadcast took place throughout October 2026.

  2. The TAMS specification saw its initial real-world deployment in 2025.

  3. The TADS system was first utilized in a live production environment in 2026.

Culture Shift

The On Air broadcast marks a departure from traditional broadcast models by relying on the MXL open-source specification. This move highlights a broader shift toward cloud-based production frameworks that prioritize scalability and remote collaboration over physical infrastructure.

This production model shows students and creators how to use scalable cloud tools to host international events without heavy local equipment. Participants can adopt these open-source specifications to improve feed stability and reduce latency in their own remote broadcast projects.

The takeaway

The successful execution of this 24-hour broadcast proves that sophisticated media distribution can be handled entirely through cloud-based architecture. Creators looking to scale should consider integrating open-source standards like TAMS and TADS to streamline their logging and metadata management.

What happens next

Developers are currently working to implement pluggable engine support for the TADS platform and expect to enable transcript search capabilities in future updates.

Further reading

Learn more about the latest innovations in Distance Learning.

Source note: This article includes information reported by TVBEurope.

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Is shifting complex media production to cloud-based workflows a step in the right direction?