iWorld
Synamedia boosts investment in compression R&D
MUMBAI: Synamedia, the world’s largest independent video software provider, today announced a boost to R&D investment in its groundbreaking compression technologies alongside a trio of senior appointments. With the adoption of 4K-ready devices and new broadcasting standards such as ATSC 3.0 supporting 4K and ultimately 8K streams over-the-air, Synamedia’s investment in compression will meet the growing need for advanced encoding technologies to deliver stunning low latency live experiences while optimizing bandwidth.
Synamedia will focus on driving innovation in content-adaptive encoding including the use of neural networks. First previewed at IBC 2019, content-adaptive encoding uses automation and machine learning techniques and builds on Synamedia Digital Content Manager (DCM) with the award-winning Smart Rate Control for live ABR. Other initiatives will include new core video and audio algorithms, filtering noisy source content, and encoding optimization. With the goal of fully autonomous deployments in Synamedia’s sights, the analytics team will play a vital role in accelerating video network development by advancing the automation of video quality assessment and performance benchmarking.
Synamedia’s compression team is now led by one of the industry’s foremost encoding experts, Jan De Cock, who has joined as Director of Codec Development. Jan’s entire career has been in the compression space, most recently at Netflix where he was Manager of Video and Image Encoding for four years. Prior to this, Jan was Assistant Professor in the Department of Electronics and Information Systems at Ghent University in Belgium. He holds a PhD in Engineering, has authored dozens of academic papers on video compression, and holds patents in signal, image and video processing.
Also joining the video network business as VP of services is John Hargrave, (pictured above), who was most recently CTO and COO at Zone·tv. With a specialism in software-as-a service, John spent four years at Ericsson as Vice President of Mediaroom Field Engineering then Vice President of Global Media Services. John also worked at Microsoft as General Manager for Mediaroom and at Telus as National Director of Professional Services.
Rounding out the new hires, David Baranski joins as Vice President of Sales for Video Network, the Americas. Before his 18 months at Mediakind as VP of Sales for US Cable Operators, David spent six years with encoding specialist Envivio and then Ericsson, following its acquisition of Envivio in 2016. As VP of Sales for US cable operators at Ericsson, David headed up software compression and media delivery sales for the Americas.
As well as supporting established codecs including MPEG-2, AVC and HEVC, Synamedia’s compression team is adding newer codecs such as AV1 and MPEG’s Versatile Video Coding codec (VVC). Last month Synamedia joined the Alliance for Open Media (AOMedia) to advance open standards for media compression and delivery over the web using AV1, furthering Synamedia’s goal of enhancing OTT video streaming experiences at scale.
“These new hires are part of an initiative to accelerate customers’ journey to virtualized, software-based encoding for broadcast and OTT using DCM. Boosting our world-class team with such an experienced trio of video and compression experts will help us supercharge our ambitions and deliver top-notch solutions to customers faster,” said Julien Signes, senior VP and GM, Video Network at Synamedia.
Synamedia’s video network portfolio powers premium quality broadcast and broadband video for more than 1,000 operators worldwide and 100 million daily viewers. Its video distribution, processing and delivery services and solutions create compelling live multi-screen experiences, enable software-defined video processing and unify operations. The award-winning portfolio also touts a cloud-ready, converged broadcast and broadband end-to-end ATSC 3.0 offering and low latency solutions for live video. Its virtualized Digital Content Manager (DCM) features live transcoding to multiple bit rates and formats, scalable video functions and best-in-class video quality all aimed to deliver infinite entertainment.
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iWorld
Samay Raina returns with Still Alive, confronts 2025 controversy in bold comeback special
Comeback set tackles controversy, blending humour with raw storytelling
MUMBAI: Samay Raina is set to release his new stand-up comedy special, Still Alive, on YouTube on April 7, 2026, marking a high-profile return following a turbulent year.
The trailer for the special dropped on April 5, offering a glimpse into what Raina describes as a raw and unfiltered set that leans as much on honesty as it does on humour.
Positioned as a comeback of sorts, Still Alive draws heavily from the controversy surrounding his show India’s Got Latent in early 2025. The episode led to legal trouble, multiple FIRs, and a lengthy six-hour interrogation by the Maharashtra Cyber Cell, placing the comedian at the centre of intense public scrutiny.
Rather than sidestep the episode, Raina leans into it. The special reflects on the fallout and his personal journey through it, blending observational comedy with moments of emotional candour. Early audience feedback from live performances suggests the tone is less about rapid-fire punchlines and more about storytelling with bite.
The special was filmed during his global Still Alive & Unfiltered tour, which ran from August 2025 to early 2026. The tour saw Raina perform across major international venues, including the Madison Square Garden Theatre in New York, a milestone that places him among the youngest Indian comedians to take that stage.
The title itself signals resilience. “Still Alive” is a nod to navigating both legal and public backlash while choosing to remain unapologetically authentic, a theme that appears to anchor the set.
With the special set to premiere online, all eyes are now on how audiences respond to a performance that promises equal parts reflection and wit. For Raina, the message is clear. He is not just back, he is ready to be heard on his own terms.
