The development of Audio over IP in broadcasting has taken an important step forward: a collaboration between the AES (Audio Engineering Society) and the EBU with the goal of producing a new common packet-based network standard for linear PCM audio. This liaison is officially called "Next generation AES/EBU interface based on IP technology".

These two organizations have a history of fruitful collaboration. First published in 1985, the AES3 standard, also known as the AES/EBU interface, is a fundamental standard for the transport of digital audio signals between professional devices. The new liaison is a natural continuation of this work, that will ultimately benefit the whole professional audio industry.

The focus of the work is on audio interoperability over high-performance IP networks and there will also be interoperability with the EBU's common framework for Audio Contribution over IP, ACIP. The initiative is partially inspired by the ACIP project group's interoperability recommendations for audio over wide-area IP networks.  Through the ACIP2 group, chaired by Sonja Langhans of the IRT, the EBU represents the technical interests of a key user group for the new standard, namely the public broadcasters of Europe.

Within the AES, the work has already started, with the project known as AES‑X192. The group is chaired by Kevin Gross. A recently published draft is now being discussed among project participants, including some ACIP2 members.

New project participants are welcome. EBU Members or manufacturers working in the broadcast domain can start by joining the ACIP2 project group. Others can directly contact AES task group SC-02-12-H, which is open to any directly and materially affected individuals.