The merits of server-guided ad insertion (SGAI) were one of the big ad-tech talking points at this year’s IBC, but does the technology represent a step change for publishers?
Choosing the best way to insert addressable adverts into streams is one of the key technology dilemmas currently facing ad-supported streaming services.
Server-side ad insertion is often seen as the lynchpin of ad-tech in the streaming age, as media companies look to grow digital revenues to offset linear TV’s decline.
Historically, ads in OTT have either been inserted into a stream by the client (at the player or device level), or stitched into the stream by the server, without the need for client-side integration...
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Innovation Awards: Investigating 2026’s Content Creation finalists
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