September 12, 2026; Munich – The EBU has presented the Austrian public service media organization ORF with the EBU Excellence in Media Award 2026, for the advances made in live production quality and workflows in the coverage of the Eurovision Song Contest 2026 (ESC) in Vienna. For the first time, the Award was also given to the media organization’s chosen technology partner ARRI, whose innovation and expertise contributed to the success of the endeavour. ORF was the host broadcaster for the 70th edition of the ESC, which the EBU organizes. It was staged at the Wiener Stadthalle, with semi-finals on 12 and 14 May and the final on 16 May. The ESC 2026 reached 131 million people across 35 TV markets.
The award was presented at IBC in Amsterdam, on the EBU stand 10.D21 in front of an audience of technology and production specialists from across the media production industry.
The innovation
ORF and ARRI set a technological milestone in live television production. ORF’s aim was to bring the visual quality of the globally broadcast show closer to the aesthetics of cinema and music film productions, while at the same time ensuring the reliability required for a large-scale live production.
For the first time, 28 live cameras were deployed for the world’s biggest live TV music show, including 24 ARRI ALEXA 35 Live cinematic cameras. Together, ORF and ARRI developed and implemented new camera, colour management, and live production workflows that enabled cinematic image quality to be delivered within the demanding environment of a large-scale broadcast production.
A particularly innovative element was the use of more than 50 individually developed colour looks (LUTs), which were automatically triggered via intelligent automation systems, giving each performance its own distinct visual identity. In doing so, ORF and ARRI brought key elements of traditional post-production into a live broadcast workflow, establishing new possibilities for the future of major event productions.
Vision and collaboration coming together
Antonio Arcidiacono, EBU Director of Technology & Innovation, said: "This award is about what a public media organization and a supplier can achieve together that neither could achieve alone. ORF and ARRI did not buy a solution off the shelf; they defined the problem, built the answer and then proved it in the least forgiving environment our industry has, which is live television watched by millions of people at once. We want more vendors to work with EBU Members in this way, from the concept stage rather than at the point of purchase, and we will keep recognizing them when they do."
Harald Kräuter, ORF Director of Technology and Digitalization, said: “We viewed the Eurovision Song Contest 2026 as an investment, not a one-off project. The workflows we developed and the confidence our teams gained in Vienna will remain with ORF for the long term and are already shaping our approach to everyday productions. A challenge on this scale drives innovation forward. The insights and expertise gained together with ARRI will stay with our teams and carry them into the future.
“ORF would like to thank all partners and technical disciplines that contributed to this project”, Kräuter continued. “Special thanks go to ARRI, Riedel and NEP for developing and integrating the camera and broadcast workflows. We also gratefully acknowledge Creative Technology (LED/Video), Neg Earth (Lighting), Big Rig (Rigging), Agora (Audio) and Sennheiser (RF Mics & In-Ear), as well as numerous national and international technical service providers.”
David Bermbach, Chief Product Officer at ARRI, said: "What we achieved together with ORF in Vienna goes beyond a single production. We demonstrated that the visual language of cinema and the demands of large-scale live television can successfully be brought together in a live production environment. The innovations developed for the Eurovision Song Contest 2026 establish new possibilities for broadcasters and are already helping to shape the next generation of live production technology."
Michael Krön, the ORF’s Executive Producer of the ESC 2026, said: “This award belongs to the entire team, who worked for months on a special visual identity. We wanted to give audiences a show they could feel, not just watch, and that’s exactly what the camera concept achieved. Seeing this work recognized internationally confirms the direction we have taken with the Eurovision Song Contest 2026 – I’m absolutely delighted.”
The Excellence in Media Award is presented by EBU Technology & Innovation in recognition of outstanding technical and creative achievement in media production. Only EBU Members and their partners are eligible to receive it. Where a Member's achievement depends on close collaboration with a technology supplier, the EBU honours that supplier's contribution as well, encouraging vendors to work with Members on this basis.
Previous recipients are SRG SSR, honoured in 2025 for the Eurovision Song Contest in Basel, and France Télévisions, honoured in 2024 for its coverage of the Paris 2024 Olympic and Paralympic Games.
About ARRI:
“Inspiring images. Since 1917.” ARRI is a global technology company in the Media & Entertainment industry. Named after its founders, August Arnold and Robert Richter, it was established in Munich, Germany, where the company remains headquartered today. ARRI operates through a global network of subsidiaries across the Americas, Europe, Asia, and Australia.
ARRI’s product portfolio includes digital cameras, lenses, lighting fixtures, apps, and accessories for the Motion Picture, Live Entertainment, and Content Creation industries. Its offering also includes innovative workflow solutions that boost efficiency for studio operators, producers, and corporate customers.
In recognition of its contributions to the Media & Entertainment industry, ARRI has been honored with 20 Scientific and Technical Awards from the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, as well as six Engineering Emmy Awards.
For more information, visit www.arri.com or www.instagram.com/arri
About ORF
The Austrian Broadcasting Corporation (ORF) is a public service media organisation and Austria’s largest TV/Radio/Online provider with its headquarters located in Vienna. 6,1 mio. use the rich variety of program offers daily: 4.5 mio. listen to the radio daily, 3,6 mio. watch the ORF-TV-programs and 132 mio. users visit the ORF-websites monthly. The company operates four national television and twelve radio channels, a comprehensive range of websites, a regional Radio/TV-studio in each of the nine federal provinces and a worldwide network of correspondents – they all supply the Austrian audience with public service value.
The company offers 24/7 news coverage, is a cultural mediator and event organizer, produces regional content for strengthening Austrian identity and provides minority groups with broadcasts in their native languages. Furthermore ORF produces Austrian entertainment for a million listeners, viewers and users in all genres.
Being formally a foundation under public law with about 3.000 employees, ORF is not profit-oriented and submits a balanced budget, the annual sales amounts to 1.132,7 mio. Euro. The organs of ORF are the Foundation Council, the Director General and the Audience Council. The legal supervision is the responsibility of the regulatory authority KommAustria.
About the EBU
The European Broadcasting Union (EBU) is the world’s leading alliance of public service media (PSM). We have 115 Member organizations in 57 countries and have an additional 27 Associates in Asia, Africa, Australasia and the Americas.
Our Members operate nearly 2,000 television, radio and online channels and services, and offer a wealth of content across other platforms. Together they reach an audience of more than one billion people around the world, broadcasting in 153 languages. We operate Eurovision and Euroradio services.
For more information, visit www.ebu.ch and https://tech.ebu.ch/home