A control monitor is one employed primarily for decisions on subject matter, composition, and sequences to be selected in realtime.

It is frequently one of several monitors mounted together in close proximity as in a studio: for example, to display multiple sources that are to be compared, selected, and combined in editing for immediate, direct routing to display. The physical arrangements may make it very difficult to control the surroundings for each monitor, as specified by SMPTE Working Group on Studio Monitors in Document S17.280 for the reference monitor.

It is nevertheless essential when sequences on several monitors are being compared and intercut that the monitors match in luminance and colorimetry.