NUGEN Audio CEO to Discuss Dialog Intelligibility at NAB 2026

Dr. Paul Tapper will explore whether dialog clarity could become the next industry standard for broadcasters and streaming platforms.

Mar. 30, 2026 at 3:07pm

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A highly detailed 3D illustration featuring glowing digital audio waveforms and spectral visualizations, representing the advanced signal processing technology used to analyze and optimize dialog intelligibility.Emerging audio technologies aim to ensure dialog clarity remains a top priority as viewer expectations evolve.

Dr. Paul Tapper, CEO of audio technology company NUGEN Audio, will lead a presentation at the 2026 NAB Show examining whether dialog intelligibility is poised to become the next major focus for broadcasters and streaming platforms, similar to the industry's previous shift towards loudness standards. Tapper's session will provide an overview of emerging measurement approaches and discuss the broader implications for content creators, distributors, and equipment manufacturers.

Why it matters

As audience expectations evolve, the industry must consider how to best define and measure audio quality beyond just technical compliance. Poor dialog intelligibility has become a common viewer complaint, raising questions about whether measurable standards around speech clarity could become embedded in quality control workflows, similar to the loudness mandates that emerged in the early 2000s.

The details

Tapper's presentation, titled 'Is Dialog Intelligibility the New Loudness?', will take place on Tuesday, April 21 from 10:10-10:30 a.m. during the Broadcast Engineering and IT (BEIT) Conference at the 2026 NAB Show in Las Vegas. He will discuss emerging technologies like the Listening Effort Meter developed by Fraunhofer IDMT and incorporated into NUGEN Audio's DialogCheck software, which analyze speech elements to estimate listening effort.

  • The presentation will take place on Tuesday, April 21, 2026 from 10:10-10:30 a.m.
  • The 2026 NAB Show will be held in Las Vegas.

The players

Dr. Paul Tapper

The CEO of NUGEN Audio, a leading audio technology company.

NUGEN Audio

An audio technology company that develops software solutions for the broadcast, post-production, and music industries.

Fraunhofer IDMT

A research institute that developed the Listening Effort Meter technology incorporated into NUGEN Audio's DialogCheck software.

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What they’re saying

“Twenty years ago, loudness was the dominant viewer complaint, and the industry responded with measurable standards. Today, poor dialog intelligibility is often cited as the primary frustration for audiences. The question now is whether we are approaching a similar turning point.”

— Dr. Paul Tapper, CEO, NUGEN Audio

“As audience expectations shift, we must consider how we define and measure audio quality. It's not just about technical compliance; it's about ensuring viewers can clearly follow the story.”

— Dr. Paul Tapper, CEO, NUGEN Audio

What’s next

Attendees can access Tapper's session by registering for the BEIT Conference at the 2026 NAB Show.

The takeaway

This presentation highlights the growing industry focus on dialog intelligibility as a key metric of audio quality, mirroring the previous shift towards loudness standards. As viewer expectations evolve, content creators, distributors, and equipment manufacturers must consider how to best define and measure speech clarity to ensure audiences can fully engage with the story.