Irdeto Partners with M2A Media to Enhance Content Security for Live Streaming
The newly launched real-time solution enables the tracing of illicit streams back to the source, so they can be shut down quickly, protecting live sports broadcasts from piracy
London – March 11, 2025 – Irdeto, the global leader in digital video platform experiences and security, is thrilled to introduce a groundbreaking live content security solution in partnership with M2A Media, designed to protect intellectual property (IP) and revenue for content owners. This collaboration embeds a forensic digital watermark on live video streams, delivering a highly effective solution to broadcasters and rights owners for combating online piracy. The platform is already being used by leading global sports streaming companies that provide fans with access to premium live and on-demand sports content.
The integration utilizes Irdeto’s advanced live watermarking technology combined with fingerprinting to combat piracy in real-time. The solution enables the identification of unauthorized streams by embedding a unique identifier directly into the live video feed. In the event of piracy, these fingerprints make it possible to trace the content back to the source and take swift action to shut down illicit streams. This real-time approach minimizes disruptions and helps secure revenue for broadcasters, OTT platforms, and rights owners.
M2A Media has worked closely with Irdeto to develop and integrate this technology within the encoder. By doing so, broadcasters, OTT platforms and rights owners can now benefit from a scalable, cloud-native approach to content protection without the need for on-premises infrastructure. Given the resource-intensive nature of watermarking, M2A ensures an intelligent and efficient deployment, enabling customers to secure their live content without compromising on scalability or performance.
“Live sports are one of the most valuable forms of content, making them a prime target for piracy,” said Andrew Bunten, COO of Video Entertainment at Irdeto. “The integration of Irdeto’s live forensic watermarking with M2A Media’s platform demonstrates our joint commitment to preserving the value of live sports rights and delivering innovative tools that enable our partners to combat piracy effectively.”
M2A Media CEO, Ciarán Doran, said, “By partnering with Irdeto we are bringing a first-of-its-kind, scalable watermarking solution to live streaming. This integration ensures that content owners can protect their most valuable assets in real-time, without the complexity of on-premises infrastructure.”
M2A Media and Irdeto are committed to delivering cutting-edge solutions that empower broadcasters and content owners in the fight against digital piracy. This partnership marks a significant step forward in securing high-value live content in an increasingly digital-first world. As piracy threats evolve, partnerships like this set a strong precedent for rights holders and content owners seeking to protect their content and revenue streams.
For more information on Irdeto’s live watermarking technology and how it’s shaping the future of sports broadcasting security, please visit our watermarking page.
