The DPP has published NAB 2026: Demand vs Supply – the seventh edition in its Demand vs Supply series.
Demand vs Supply provides a unique snapshot of the media and entertainment industry from its two largest trade shows, charting how customer needs are evolving, and how suppliers are responding. The NAB 2026 edition focuses on three themes shaping conversations across the show floor: Cloud Repatriation, Security and Trust, and From Meeting to Live (Video Conferencing and Live Production).
“As workflows become increasingly automated and AI-driven, many media companies are starting to feel that their operations are not just out of hand, but out of sight as well,” says David Thompson, Technology Strategist at the DPP and report author. “That is creating a renewed demand for visibility, traceability, and operational governance and control.”
The report finds:
- Cloud repatriation is becoming one of the industry’s most contested topics, as organisations reassess ‘cloud-first’ strategies in response to growing concerns around cost, control, and jurisdiction.
- Security conversations are shifting beyond traditional protection models towards wider questions of trust, accountability, and visibility in increasingly AI-driven and fragmented environments.
- Video conferencing platforms such as Zoom and Microsoft Teams are now becoming part of live production workflows across media, enterprise, education, and government.
The report also explores a broader shift taking place across the industry: a growing need for agency and trust as AI systems become more autonomous and embedded within media workflows.
“We are entering a post-functional era where creating new functionality is becoming faster, easier, and increasingly commoditised through AI,” adds Thompson. “As a result, trust, transparency, and the quality of vendor relationships are becoming just as important as functionality itself.”
NAB 2026: Demand vs Supply is available now for DPP members. Download the report below.
