Stellar Entertainment will bring its latest technology and content developments to APEX FTE EXPO in Singapore as the company enters a new chapter under its executive leadership team. A major focus will be Cosmo, Stellar’s family of proprietary artificial intelligence technologies, along with developments in media sales, audio programming, data, and digital content management. At APEX FTE EXPO, the company plans to show how those tools can make in-flight entertainment (IFE) easier to manage and help airlines make better programming decisions.
Bringing Stellar’s Next Chapter to Singapore
Stellar arrives at APEX FTE EXPO following its recent ownership transition. In August, founders Rob and Helen Lynch transferred ownership to CEO Sam Allen, CFO Annie Zhong, and COO Daniel Jacobs, with Stellar remaining independent and privately owned. Because the new owners already helped lead the business, the change brings continuity while giving the company room to invest further in new technology and services.
Its leadership team wants to keep the personal service and airline relationships that have long shaped the business while focusing on simplifying the IFE process for its partners. That includes improving content management, connecting workflows, and finding new ways to bring entertainment onboard.
“Innovation is central to that future. We’re investing in smarter technology that addresses practical challenges, creates more connected experiences, and opens up greater possibilities onboard,” Stellar Entertainment CEO Sam Allen said.
Cosmo is one of the clearest examples of that direction. The family of proprietary AI technologies which includes Cosmo Vision, a compliance screening tool.
Launched in September, Cosmo Vision aims to speed up the review of movies and television programs before airlines offer them onboard. Recent testing found it can screen content up to 75% faster than fully manual review. Compliance requirements can differ between airlines, markets, and distributors. Cosmo Vision reviews each title based on a customer’s requirements and analyzes video, dialogue, subtitles, and metadata to identify potential issues.
The technology then flags and time-codes those areas for specialists at Stellar Lab, the company’s wholly owned media processing facility in Kuala Lumpur, to review. Stellar Lab holds TPN Gold Shield status, the highest tier of the Trusted Partner Network’s security framework, and does not subcontract its work. Cosmo Vision does not make the final call. Specialists decide whether the material meets each customer’s requirements.
Because Cosmo Vision operates in the cloud, it can screen multiple titles at once. That can help Stellar handle larger IFE libraries as carriers add more entertainment across different markets.
“Singapore is a big one for us. We’ve been building a lot behind the scenes, and this is our chance to pull back the curtain and show partners where we’re taking things next,” Allen said.
Giving Airlines More Control Over IFE
Stellar has been expanding the digital tools that support its teams and airline partners throughout the programming cycle. The Stellar IFE Portal and pixL give carrier teams more direct access to information and a clearer view of their programs.
Through the Stellar IFE Portal, airline partners can manage budgets, customize selections, track content deals, and review booking patterns and viewership insights. Stellar’s teams continue to support selection, licensing, programming, and delivery while carriers gain more visibility into each stage.
Behind the scenes, Stellar’s programmers draw on audience demand insights from Parrot Analytics, combined with ratings and information from IMDb, for more context when reviewing titles. Airline partners can see the same data in the IFE Portal.
Those insights can identify programming beyond the most recognizable releases that may still appeal to a particular audience, or that suit specific markets and new routes.
Stellar’s team weighs a title’s potential appeal against its cost and role in the wider library, giving airline partners clearer context before they approve a licensing decision and explain that spending internally.
The same information can guide renewals. Audience demand, onboard performance when available, licensing terms, and the need to keep a library fresh can help determine which titles stay and where new programming could add more value.
Data does not replace programming judgment. Stellar’s teams still consider each carrier’s brand, network, passengers, and priorities when making recommendations.
Making Airline Content Budgets Work Harder
Audience insights can also help Stellar build IFE libraries for different passenger groups while keeping airline partners within their budgets. One entertainment program may need to serve several regions, languages, and viewing preferences.
The process starts with passenger demographics and route networks. That gives Stellar’s programmers a better understanding of which markets, languages, and interests the library needs to cover.
Audience data can then show where a proposed selection works and where gaps remain. From there, Stellar works with airline partners to divide spending among international releases, regional programming, and local favorites.
Titles that appeal across more than one market can help stretch those budgets further. The right language options can also give regional programming a wider audience without carriers needing to add entirely new titles.
Reaching more passengers does not always require more spending. Extra language options within an existing deal may need little or no additional investment, giving carriers another way to improve their libraries within current budgets.
Annual budget cycles can create similar opportunities. Airlines may be able to introduce new programming by shifting spending between existing content categories rather than increasing the overall budget.
At APEX FTE EXPO, Stellar will show how these different areas fit together. Its digital tools can give carriers a clearer view of their programs, audience insights can support content choices, and Cosmo Vision can speed up compliance screening before titles reach passengers. The team will also be on hand to talk about media sales for carriers looking to do more with onboard advertising, as well as expanded audio capabilities that give airlines more flexibility when building audio programs.
“Our next phase is about continuing to innovate while keeping the service and care our partners rely on at the heart of it,” Allen said.
Stellar Entertainment will showcase Cosmo AI, new digital tools, and expanded media and audio capabilities atbooth 317during APEX FTE EXPO.
