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IBC is the world's leading media, entertainment and technology show. Six leading international bodies are the partners behind IBC, representing both exhibitors and visitors.

IBC 2019: It’s a record

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IBC 2019: <em>It’s a record</em>

SCREEN AFRICA EXCLUSIVE:

It’s a place where cutting edge innovations and creative ideas are shared and relationships are formed. Each year IBC continues to grow and this year attendance hit a record number! The world’s media, entertainment and technology industry once again gathered in Amsterdam by the droves, while the total attendance figure of 56,390 saw a record number of next-generation (18 – 35s) attendees, demonstrating the vital role that the show has in the broadcast and entertainment industry.

IBC CEO Michael Crimp was delighted to see audience growth in key target areas, “Particularly in welcoming more young people, senior level executives and overseas visitors,” he said. ”While this gives us a focus to build on next year, our metrics for success also include crucial elements like quality of experience, audience engagement and IBC’s influence on the industry, and our conversations with exhibitors and attendees tells us that these have all improved on 2018.”

This year’s show was indeed jam-packed with the technology and trends of tomorrow and perhaps the biggest highlight for most was the first-ever IBC Esports Showcase live tournament. I think it highlighted just how gripping and entertaining Esports can be and why the media and broadcast industry should be getting involved. Esports is an incredibly fast-growing movement and IBC attendees saw it first-hand, with two professional teams from ESL’s network of National Championships across Europe going head-to-head in the classic FPS multiplayer Counter-Strike: Global Offensive.

The broadcast, media and entertainment industry’s sense of social responsibility is stronger than ever. Movements championing diversity and inclusivity are gathering momentum and there is a conscious increase in company initiatives making a positive impact in the workplace and community. To reflect this, and its commitment to driving change in the industry, IBC has for the first time recognised social responsibility as part of its prestigious awards programme with a stand-alone award: the Social Impact Award. Competition for this award was so intense that the judges awarded not one, but three trophies: to Turkish broadcaster TRT for its World Citizen programme; Sagar Vani, an Indian initiative, which is an omni-channel citizen engagement platform; and finally Chouette Films, an initiative of the University of London’s School of Oriental and African Studies, whose aims are to produce academic and informative content with the smallest of environmental footprints.

The conference sessions provided attendees with much food for thought. Google’s Android TV and Roku were singled out as two of the most transformative technologies at IBC by Accedo’s Fredrik Andersson in a What Caught My Eye conference session on Innovation. A big topic of conversation on the main IBC stage was change: changing monetisation models, changing consumer habits, even changing content expectations (have we reached Peak Content yet?).  Something that never changes, though, is the ever spectacular Big Screen Events. As always, the IBC Big Screen, which is equipped with Dolby Vision and Dolby Atmos, delivered a stunning programme of events and screenings. An exclusive cinematic screening of Game of Thrones’ epic Season 8 battle episode drew a huge crowd, as did a session on the stories behind the edit and the music of the Elton John biopic, Rocket Man.

The IBC2019 exhibition featured 1,700 exhibitors over 15 halls offering attendees the opportunity to discover all the latest trends and technologies at their own pace. In the post-production environment, Adobe used the show to unveil Auto Reframe, a new feature for its Premiere Pro video editing software that is powered by the company’s Adobe Sensei artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML) platform. Auto Reframe automatically reframes and reformats video content so that the same project can be published in different aspect ratios, from square to vertical to cinematic 16:9 versions. Avid used the opening day of IBC to share that its Media Composer video editing software offering will now be able to deliver native support for Apple’s ProRes RAW camera codec, and will support ProRes playback and encoding on Windows.

The exponential growth in video consumption worldwide is a challenge, as consumer demands and expectations increase. Taking notice of the market trends, Nikon opportunely unveiled its all-in mirrorless moviemaking set-up: the Nikon Z6 Essential Movie Kit, built around the video-friendly 24.5MP full-frame 4K Nikon Z6 body. Comprising filmmaking essentials such as the Atomos Ninja V monitor, SmallRig camera cage and spare batteries, Nikon describes the Movie Kit as “providing the pure essentials to get rolling quickly, with all the core tools to make high-quality movies,” while “leaving filmmakers free to customise further components to suit their personal preferences.” The package will cost aspirant filmmakers around US$3800.

6K was a buzzword often dropped into conversations at IBC, and Blackmagic Design used the occasion to announce the Blackmagic Pocket Cinema Camera 6K, a new handheld digital film camera with a full Super 35 size 6K HDR image sensor. There are no surprises when it comes to Blackmagic Design: the Aussie company continues to impress with their amazing technology, and of great interest was the release of their ATEM Mini, a new low-cost live production switcher specifically designed to allow live streaming to YouTube and business presentations via Skype.

As always, Sony showed off their prowess in the industry, unveiling a whole new range of products, solutions and services. The highlight for many a DoP had to be the new PXW-FX9 – XDCAM camera, featuring Sony’s newly-developed Exmor R 6K full-frame sensor and Fast Hybrid Auto Focus system. Building upon the success of the PXW-FS7 and PXW-FS7M2, and inheriting its color science from the digital motion picture camera VENICE, the new camera offers greater creative freedom to capture stunning images and represents the ultimate tool of choice for documentaries, music videos, drama productions and event shooting. Also of interest to shooters was the launch of Sony’s new full-frame E-Mount FE C 16-35mm T3.1 G cinema lens, an ideal match for large-format cameras such as the PXW-FX9 and VENICE, where the wide angle zoom combines advanced optical performance, operability and intelligent shooting functions. For the audiophiles, an impressive third generation of the DWX digital wireless microphone system was great to see, with the compact DWT-B30 bodypack transmitter catching my eye.

For an industry that is constantly changing, being able to experience all the latest tech and hear about the challenges and opportunities facing the industry from key industry players all in one place is invaluable. IBC Director Imran Sroya commented: “IBC continues to succeed because we work hard to present the most knowledgeable speakers, the most topical sessions and the technology of tomorrow, providing a global meeting point that enables industry professionals to get together and share vital information about all aspects of media, entertainment and technology.”

It really is the place to be and the place to meet and I am already looking forward to see what IBC has up its sleeve for next year!

Dejero, Musion 3D and Vodafone Romania win industry award for world first live rock concert using 5G and holographic technology

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Dejero, Musion 3D and Vodafone Romania win industry award for world first live rock concert using 5G and holographic technology

Dejero, an innovator in cloud-managed solutions that provide Emmy® award winning video transport and Internet connectivity while mobile or in remote locations, has been recognised for playing an important role in supporting the world’s first live rock concert using 5G and holographic technology, winning an IABM BaM award in the project collaboration category. Dejero and Musion 3D, a leader in holographic technology, worked together with Vodafone Romania to enable an 11-year-old guitarist to join a rock band on stage, and perform together with the band, as a human hologram, through a 5G connection and holographic projection, over Vodafone’s 5G network. The collaboration was also a finalist in the content creation category at the IBC 2019 Innovation Awards.

The impressive showcase was made possible through Vodafone Romania’s 5G Network, Musion 3D’s EyeLiner™ holographic display, and EnGo mobile transmitters and receivers provided by Dejero. Collectively, the crews worked together to produce and deliver the live concert happening on stage in Bucharest, juxtaposed the live hologram of the young guitarist and streamed it over Vodafone Romania’s 5G Network. The reliable, secure, and fast video and audio transmitters and receivers provided by Dejero EnGo platform was a crucial component in making this world first a massive success. 

“The introduction of 5G in Romania represents an important milestone, not just for us, but also for the telecom industry, as it brings a new technological standard for communication and social interaction,” said Catalin Buliga, CTO at Vodafone Romania. “Vodafone Romania’s vision is to enable a truly digital society for all Romanian consumers, and by organising this demo event with a hologram, we aimed at giving a taste of 5G technology’s potential and our excitement for the future.”

Musion 3D provided turnkey production services for this event, including lighting and stage design with renowned AV partner, Hawthorn Theatrical. Vodafone’s 5G network provided the 5G connectivity between the filming location and the on-stage concert. Musion 3D relied on Dejero’s EnGo mobile transmitter and receiver for live remote contribution to provide incredibly stable low-latency, high-quality, HD video and audio links in both directions. The hologram data stream was routed over a Huawei 5G cellular network and router. 

“The crux of this event was the delivery of a high-quality live stream across the network in a way that creates a realistic image on stage. There can be no degradation of service whatsoever to preserve the ‘reality’ of the experience for viewers,” said Ian O’Connell of Musion 3D. “Dejero has extensive experience of live outside broadcast and of mobile broadcasting in the most challenging locations and conditions, and their expertise was key to the success of the hologram delivery.”

Collaboratively, Dejero, Musion 3D and Vodafone Romania won the BaM Innovation Award for this unprecedented event, which gathered thousands of fans and was live-streamed on Facebook. It became Vodafone Romania’s 2019 flagship television commercial in Romania, with over 2 million YouTube views to date. 

“We are extremely proud to have played a crucial role in the successful delivery of this event, creating the ‘live’ experience by connecting Vodafone’s 5G network in a way that allowed Musion 3D’s hologram to appear on stage and freely interact with the audience and band members in real-time,” said Todd Schneider, chief technology officer of Dejero. “The possibilities of 5G when it comes to the creation of live events around the world are nearly limitless, and in those cases, extremely reliable transmission technology is vital. Dejero’s reliable connectivity through Smart Blending Technology which blends multiple network connections and the low latency it provides will be crucial for the creation and consumption of large-format live content, such as holographic performing artists—both on 3D stages as well as regular 2D screen devices. For Dejero, 5G is the next evolution of cellular network connections that we blend to provide connection diversity and greater reliability.”

“The hologram concert has generated huge interest and proved once again Vodafone Romania’s leadership in technology and innovation,” concluded Buliga. “We are very proud of this achievement and we are grateful to all our partners, therefore, we wish to share our success with everyone. Winning this prestigious award is a testament to the remarkable contribution of everyone involved in this project and to Vodafone Romania’s steady pursuit of innovation.” 

Content and technology leaders combine to create an outstanding IBC experience

International Broadcasting Convention Press
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Content and technology leaders combine to create an outstanding IBC experience

IBC2019 has been hailed a celebration of industry insights and excellence, with the world’s media, entertainment and technology industry once again gathering in Amsterdam to do business and forge connections. With a total attendance figure of 56,390, IBC2019 welcomed a record number of next-generation attendees. The number of under 35s increased by 10% year-on-year and, with a rise in C-level attendees, IBC2019 demonstrated the show’s vital role at the heart of our industry.

IBC continues to be the place where cutting edge ideas and innovations are shared and relationships are formed, with IBC helping to set the agenda with the addition of a host of new features and initiatives, including the first-ever Esports Showcase, the launch of the Next Gen Hub, the introduction of the Social Impact Awards and Young Pioneer Award and the showcase of IBC’s first three media innovation accelerator projects, the Media-Telecom Catalysts.
 
Leading actor, director and producer Andy Serkis delivered an inspirational and revealing Convention Keynote to a capacity crowd, and Dutch football legends Ruud Gullit and Robin van Persie were at the show to speak about their latest TV projects. Conference delegates also heard from Keynote speakers including Cecile Frot Coutaz (YouTube), Shalini Govil Pai (Android TV) and Max Amordeluso (Amazon Alexa).

IBC Chief Executive Michael Crimp said: “Across the Exhibition, Conference and Feature areas, IBC2019 has been a hive of networking, deal-making, product launches, learning and the sharing of ideas. It has been a celebration of the industry’s creativity and drivers of change while also helping to identify and address key challenges.

“We are delighted to see audience growth in our key target areas, particularly welcoming more young people, senior level executives and overseas visitors. While this gives us a focus to build on next year, our metrics for success also include crucial elements like quality of experience, audience engagement, and IBC’s influence on the industry, and our conversations with exhibitors and attendees tells us that these have all improved on 2018.

IBC Director Imran Sroya said: “IBC continues to succeed because we work hard to present the most knowledgeable speakers, the most topical sessions and the technology of tomorrow, providing a global meeting point that enables industry professionals to get together and share vital information about all aspects of media, entertainment and technology.”

In a show full of memorable moments, a major highlight was the first ever IBC Esports Showcase live tournament, which demonstrated how gripping and entertaining esports can be and why it is such a fast-growing and important sector for those involved in the media and broadcast industry. Two professional teams from ESL’s network of National Championships across Europe went head-to-head in classic FPS multiplayer Counter-Strike: Global Offensive (CS:GO).

This year’s recipient of IBC’s highest award, the International Honour for Excellence, brought some Hollywood stardust to the RAI as actor, director and producer Andy Serkis accepted the award for his outstanding contribution to the industry and his pioneering work in the field of motion capture.

New awards were also introduced: the Social Impact Awards, which recognised diversity and inclusivity, environmental impact, and ethical leadership and the Young Pioneer Award, which was awarded to Vera Bichler, Austrian broadcaster ORF’s first female football director.

At IBC2019, the results of three IBC’s media-telecom catalyst programmes were presented – a 5G-enabled tourism experience, AI indexing for regulatory content management, and mobile news gathering using AI-powered compression – showing how collaboration across the media and telecoms communities can transform both businesses and consumer experiences.

The Big Screen which was equipped with Dolby Vision and Dolby Atmos delivered a stunning program of events and screenings Presentations included an exclusive cinematic screening of Game of Thrones’ epic Season 8 battle episode The Long Night with a discussion of the craft and technology behind the show; the stories behind the edit and the music of the Elton John biopic, Rocket Man; and an inspiring BBC Studios Natural History showcase.

IBC2020 takes place from Friday 11 September to Tuesday 15 September 2020.

Dejero to unveil new EnGo 260 built with Emmy award-winning technology

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Dejero to unveil new EnGo 260 built with Emmy award-winning technology

Dejero, an innovator in cloud-managed solutions that provide Emmy® award winning video transport and Internet connectivity while mobile or in remote locations, is unveiling its new EnGo 260 HEVC mobile transmitter at the upcoming IBC 2019 show (13-17 September 2019, RAI Amsterdam). The 5G ready EnGo 260 provides enhanced picture quality, exceptional user experience, and continues the tradition of providing the most versatile and durable mobile transmitter on the market.

The new EnGo 260 weighs 30% less while maintaining the ruggedness that Dejero is known for and also features an 85% larger screen improving visibility and accessibility to users. Like previous generations of EnGo transmitters, field crews can reliably deliver the best possible picture quality in any scenario, even when the available bandwidth may be limited.

EnGo 260 comes with a significantly more powerful internal rechargeable battery that provides 120 minutes of use and is compatible with and recharged by standard gold mount and v-mount ENG batteries.

Covering a global story or event means traveling the distance—and the new EnGo 260 was built with this in mind. Now with global modems and field-user accessible SIMs, international travel is more convenient, cost effective, and user friendly. The addition of a professional-grade mini XLR interface for IFB ensures worry-free communication from the director to on-air talent or camera operator—while live or ready for live.

Featuring Dejero’s patented Smart Blending Technology, EnGo 260 aggregates multiple network technologies, including cellular and satellite, from multiple network providers to create a virtual ‘network of networks’ that delivers enhanced reliability. The technology dynamically and intelligently manages the fluctuating bandwidth, packet loss, and latency differences of individual connections in real-time, to choose the optimal path to route IP packets to their destination. The result is increased reliability and expanded availability from connection diversity and higher bandwidth when and where it is needed.

The EnGo 260 also encompasses a collection of features that reliably delivers exceptional picture quality with extremely low latency, even in challenging network conditions. These include enhanced picture quality with auto-transport, adaptive bitrate encoding, and HEVC. Furthermore, unique content adaptive encoding adjusts the encoding process based on the amount of motion in the live shot to greatly improve picture sharpness in challenging network conditions. Camera operators can seamlessly and automatically transition from a limited motion talking-head shot to a high-motion shot without any softening of the picture or introduction of compression artifacts.

The industry-renowned mobile transmitter supports 20 Mb/s encoding and 1080p 50/60 and uses a unique hybrid encoding technique—a combination of hardware and software encoding that provides the most efficient and flexible way to deliver the best picture quality. Hybrid encoding balances performance and power consumption and enables easy remote updates to transmitters deployed in the field. Advanced RF design with optimised antenna performance results in a stronger and more reliable signal from cellular towers. 

“We are continuously listening to the feedback and needs of our customers, and this latest iteration of the EnGo combines the traditional functionalities that customers love in addition to new features that will enhance the user experience and efficiency,” said Yvonne Monterroso, director of product management, Dejero. “We look forward to unveiling the EnGo 260 at IBC and demonstrating how it enhances remote contribution workflows.”

Built with aircraft aluminum construction and polycarbonate ABS bumpers, the professional-grade EnGo is designed for durability to withstand on-the-go daily use by news, sports, and live production crews. A one-button, sub 30 second start-up, easy to navigate user interface, and automated settings that adapt to the available bandwidth make EnGo 260 an unparalleled experience in terms of usability and picture quality in the field.


A boost for mobile AR takes the honours at IBC conference

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A boost for mobile AR takes the honours at IBC conference

The IBC2019 Best Technical Paper award will be presented to Sebastian Schwarz and Mika Pesonen of Nokia Technologies and Jani Nurminen, co-founder of Innogiant. Their paper, Real-time decoding and AR playback of the emerging MPEG video-based point cloud compression standard, is a comprehensive and concise look at the prospects for delivering immersive experiences to mobile devices, using the currently available hardware.

Reflecting the rapidly growing interest in augmented and virtual reality experiences, the authors are part of a research team working on new standards and their implementation. MPEG (ISO/IEC SC29 WG11) has developed an ambitious programme for the compression and transmission of time-varying, three dimensional objects using a technique known as point-cloud coding. Once decoded, these objects can be easily incorporated into VR or AR productions. The proposed technique is known as V-PCC, for video point cloud coding.

A clever feature of the coding is that it takes advantage of existing video coding technology, such as H.264/MPEG-4 AVC or HEVC. Decoders for these codecs are already found in today’s smartphones, so this should accelerate the time to market of the new technology as well as delivering high compression efficiency and image quality.

“This paper looks at the central issue of this approach: the necessity to transform and synchronise three simultaneous streams, bearing the geometry information, the texture information, and the occupancy in 3D space,” said Dr Paul Entwistle, chair of the IBC technical papers committee. “It impressed the committee with its practical analysis – discussing the possibilities and the challenges still to be faced, while recognising that the goal is something consumers are actively seeking.”

Sebastian Schwarz said “As we move towards the publication of the standard in early 2020, this paper will serve as a reference for the V-PCC AR playback source code. Clearly, IBC is the best place to share and discuss this work, and we were pleased our paper was selected for the technical papers programme. To receive the award for the best technical paper is a real honour. Our thanks go to the peer reviewers who selected our work.”

The paper will be presented in the conference at 15.30 on Saturday 14 September. The trophy will be presented during the IBC Awards Ceremony on Sunday 15 September, which will also see the new Social Responsibility and Young Pioneer Awards revealed for the first time, alongside the IBC Innovation Awards and the International Honour for Excellence. All IBC visitors are welcomed at the Awards Ceremony, which is free.

IBC CEO Michael Crimp on IBC2019

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IBC CEO Michael Crimp on IBC2019

Michael Crimp, IBC CEO, discusses what visitors to the 2019 conference and exhibition can expect, from conference streams and themes to new innovations and awards…

What is new or different at IBC2019?

As always, the team has worked hard to keep abreast of developments in the industry, and the innovations we introduce are, as always, driven by what our visitors want.

So we have brought the IBC conference and exhibition back into alignment, instead of starting and finishing the conference a day earlier. When visitors could take the time to attend for the whole of IBC this made a great deal of sense, but we have to recognise that visitors today make much more targeted trips to IBC, and need to make the best use of their time.

Another important shift we have made over recent years is to actively encourage a younger audience, and to ensure that as far as possible we are inclusive in everything we do.

This year we have taken a major step forward by adding two new honours to our popular and prestigious IBC Awards programme. We will be honouring a Young Pioneer, and significant projects in social responsibility.

Talking of young people, a whole new media genre has appeared from nowhere in recent years: Esports. On Tuesday we are converting the RAI Auditorium into an Esports arena, with live tournaments as well as conference sessions around it.

The final innovation I would point to is the Media-Telecom Convergence Catalyst, an exciting new collaboration between IBC and the TM Forum. We will see three unique catalyst projects on the show floor, showcasing open innovation between the telecoms and media industries. Participation from Al Jazeera, Associated Press, BBC R&D, RTÉ and more will show how 5G, AI and big data management can solve business and technology challenges, and improve the customer experience.

What is new for the IBC2019 conference?

The most obvious change is that the conference will now run Friday to Tuesday, ending with the IBC Esports Showcase, a new venture supported by market leader ESL along with Lagardère and EVS. This means that our invitation-only Executive Forums will take place on Thursday (12 September), clear of the rest of the event, allowing us to focus all our attention on these vital, top-level summits.

As ever, the conference looks at contemporary issues from a creative, commercial and technical viewpoint, allowing our visitors to form a fully-rounded view and take part in the debate about the future of the industry. This year, each day has its own theme:

•        Friday is Create and Produce: creating disruption, which includes a look at new technologies including immersive experiences and beyond 4k resolutions

•        Saturday sees Manage: automating media supply chains, which looks at how emerging technologies like blockchain and AI can transform the media business

•        Sunday we will look at Publish: embracing the platform revolution and how the move towards new business models is disrupting the industry

•        Monday’s theme is Consume: engaging consumer experiences, and in particular what is going to engage

•        Tuesday is Monetise: scaling audiences and revenues, looking at how brands can lead to new models of advertising.

The lounge talks programme – more informal chats about key topics – will be back, too, looking at topics which are harder to fit into the formal programme. That includes corporate social responsibility and inclusion, too.

But perhaps more important to talk about is what has not changed about the IBC conference. And top of my list for that is that it is completely non-commercial. We are not driven by vendors who spend large: the programme is developed by a group of industry leaders, who have the clout, on IBC’s behalf, to attract the most influential speakers. The result is that IBC is the one global forum where the big questions are asked and answered.

I would add that it is the most inclusive forum, too. We have visitors from around 150 countries. Wherever you are from, whatever your level of experience, whatever your specialist interest, you are welcome at IBC.

The final thing that has not changed is that IBC is in the RAI Convention Centre in Amsterdam. By day, that makes it hugely efficient, with a comprehensive exhibition, world-class conference facilities and all the other things that add value to your experience, all under one roof. While, after-hours, you are in one of the world’s most welcoming, inclusive, cosmopolitan cities. Why wouldn’t you be at IBC?

Why have you added an Esports showcase, and how will this add to the overall IBC experience?

The answer is quite simple: Esports have rapidly risen to become major global media events, calling for comprehensive coverage and with a unique set of technical and editorial challenges. Where else would you go to understand the issues and possibilities than IBC?

We have always taken the view that you need to see something to understand it, so we have always strived to make the IBC conference experiential. A dry debate without appreciating the extraordinary excitement of Esports would be very dull.

So as well as conference sessions – which include the participation of the players emerging from the world of Esports like Ginx TV, Twitch, Riot and Blizzard, as well as developers like EA Sports – we will host a live demonstration. Two professional teams from ESL’s National Championships in Germany and Spain will go head-to-head on Counter-Strike.

We think this is going to be an extraordinary afternoon, so we are hosting this in the RAI Auditorium, our largest space, which we will be kitting out with all the technology an Esports championship demands. Everyone is welcome, and we anticipate a big audience.

A year ago, you announced a new collaboration with TM Forum to drive open innovation across the telecom and media industries. Can you point to results from this?

We established catalyst projects to seed development in important collaborative directions. At IBC2019 we will be showing the results of three of these projects. The three are very different in application, but use technological innovations coming from both industries to solve real-world issues.

The three projects are:

•        a 5G-enabled tourism experience, championed by Aardman Entertainment and BBC R&D, and developed with Bristol University, Cambridge Communications Systems and Zeetta Networks

•        AI indexing for regulatory content management, championed by Associated Press, Al Jazeera and RTÉ, with technical participation from Metaliquid, QCRSI, Tech Mahindra and V-Nova

•        mobile news gathering using AI-powered compression, again championed by Associated Press, Al Jazeera and RTÉ, working with V-Nova.

These three projects really show how collaboration across our industries can transform both businesses and consumer experiences.

What are the technical trends you expect to see at IBC2019?

One of the sea changes in our industry over the last decade or so is that we used to be in the broadcasting business, where technology defined what we can do. Today we are in the media business, and audiences are demanding the technological solutions that will connect them to the content they want, on the device they want, when and where they want to see it.

To meet this torrent of consumption, media producers and distributors have to find innovative, practical and secure means of monetising their IP as well as making and storing it. Technical trends, therefore, are very much pulled through the industry by the demands of consumers.

We will certainly see more developments in Ultra HD – 8K as well as 4K, with the Japanese launch of consumer Super Hi-Vision channels ahead of next year’s Tokyo Olympics. As well as resolution, that means growing interest in HDR.

The march from bespoke hardware connected by SDI towards software applications running on standard IT kit and connected by IP is well advanced. These applications enable the key challenges, like delivering to multiple platforms quickly and efficiently.

On top of these software-defined architectures we will see major developments in AI and machine learning, again aimed at managing the massive amount of content we now generate and delivering it to the audience that will enjoy it, whether they know about it or not.

Monetisation is the final part of the chain. Media businesses can only create, curate and deliver content if they make a fair return on their investment, so expect to see new ways of optimising, tracking and collecting revenues. This is such a key issues it gets its own full day in the IBC Conference.

How do you ensure the content stays fresh, year on year?

IBC’s in-house content team works with a carefully selected group of industry leaders, the Content Security Group. Chairing the group this year is Claire Hungate. The CSG meets monthly, to discuss the key issues around the industry and how IBC should be covering it.

So the CSG does not just bring topics to the table, it brings solutions, as well as some impressive address books to ensure we get the best possible speakers and panellists. Its enthusiasm drives IBC to new ways of tackling subjects, like the Esports Showcase this year.

As well as being on top of industry trends, the CSG and IBC’s own content experts collaborate to achieve a balanced and fresh programme in terms of diversity of thought, talent, age, gender, geographic representation and ethnic background.

You introduced two new categories to the IBC Awards this year. What are they, and why are they important now?

The IBC Awards have always had a distinct character that reflected the nature of IBC itself. Our Innovation Awards, for example, are not about clever technology but working together to achieve a solution that delivers against defined challenges.

Our two new awards are also unique and reflect the way that the industry is changing. IBC has long been a welcoming place for young talent setting out on a career in broadcasting and media. We felt that we should recognise those settling in to our industry who are already having a significant impact. The IBC2019 Young Pioneer Award will go to someone under 30 who has carved out a role combining excellence and leadership, whether that is technical, commercial or creative.

The second new award focuses on social responsibility, both corporate and individually. The judging panel is looking at entries which focus on diversity and inclusivity, on environmental matters, and on ethical leadership.

I have had a sneak preview at some of the entries for these two new awards, and I can tell you that there are some remarkable stories in there.

And, incidentally, we have redesigned the IBC Award itself, using fully sustainable materials so the winners can display their trophies with pride!

What are the top three things to do at IBC2019?

Only three!

This year we have a great programme of keynote presentations in the conference, including leaders like Cécile Frot-Coutaz, head of YouTube EMEA; YouTube; Arnaud de Puyfontaine, chairman of Vivendi; and Max Amordeluso, EU lead evangelist, Amazon Alexa.

We are bringing back the IBC Global Gamechangers Stage again this year. This hosts the biggest business, creative, technical, news and future facing talent making waves around the world, to talk about what is going to change the game for us in the media industry. Already signed up to speak on the stage are Gary Shapiro, president and CEO of the Consumer Technology Association; Jane Turton, CEO of All3Media; and Lisa Opie, Managing Director, UK Production, BBC Studios.

Number three for me would be something I am really looking forward to, the Esports Showcase. This is going to light up Tuesday with top level debates and discussions, and of course the chance to see what it is all about, with a real, live, here on-stage contest between the national champions of Germany and Spain playing Counter-Strike.

But limiting me to three means I miss out on all the other great stuff, like 15 exhibition halls, the Awards Ceremony on Sunday night, movies and screenings. That includes the chance to see a complete, battle-strewn episode from the final series of Game of Thrones, on the giant screen in the Auditorium in 4K and HDR. And there is so much more!

EditShare EFS 2020 – the industry’s fastest media-optimised file system

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EditShare EFS 2020 – the industry’s fastest media-optimised file system

EditShare, a technology leader that specialises in collaboration, security, and intelligent storage solutions for media creation and management, recently announced that the company will unveil its next-generation file system and management console, EFS 2020, at IBC2019. Powering faster EditShare storage nodes and networks, EFS 2020 enables media organisations to build extensive collaborative workflows, shielding creative personnel from the underlying technical complexity while equipping administrators and technicians with a comprehensive set of media management tools. To the end-user, the latest release offers an improved, fast and flexible collaborative storage space with an increase in throughput performance of up to 20%. To the engineers who manage it, EFS 2020 offers a scalable, stable and incredibly secure media storage platform.

“EditShare’s technology is deep and sophisticated, but its fundamental ethos is to remove complexities from the creative workflow, enabling media professionals to focus on the artistic aspect of their work, optimising overall productivity,” states Conrad Clemson, CEO, EditShare. “EditShare continues to deliver on this with enhancements to nearly every aspect of the new EFS file system and management console. With speed and security topping the list of advancements, EFS 2020 enables EditShare customers to effortlessly manage the growing requirements for high-bandwidth, multi-stream 4K workflows and beyond.”

Media-friendly Architecture that Banishes Bottlenecks

Unlike generic IT storage systems, EditShare has written its own ultra-efficient drivers for EFS, for use with Windows, MacOS and Linux. EditShare manages the entire EFS 2020 technology stack from the file system to OS drivers, which means enterprise-level stability and faster video file transfers. Users can expect more real-time video streams, without the bottlenecks caused by legacy network protocols.

Safety and Security for Valuable Media Content

EFS 2020 File Auditing is the first and only real-time purpose-built content auditing platform for the entire production workflow. With high-profile media content theft on the rise, security is top of mind for media professionals. Designed to track all content movement on the server, including a deliberately obscured change, EFS 2020 File Auditing provides a complete, user-friendly activity report with a detailed trail back to the instigator. An important and timely addition to the EditShare production ecosystem, file auditing is an industry recommended and best practice security measure that ensures accountability by answering “who did what and when.”

MOG presents new developments at IBC 2019

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MOG presents new developments at IBC 2019

MOG Technologies, a worldwide supplier of end-to-end solutions for professional media, will be presenting their latest developments at IBC 2019, taking place 13 to 17 September at the RAI Amsterdam.

The focus will be on the latest advances for the Production Management Platform with MAM4PRO; a new Professional Media Deck Station; new enhancements to VIZZI – Online Video Platform, and a wide list of cutting-edge technical deployments throughout its solutions.

Highlighting:

Enterprise Media Production

MAM4Pro is an enterprise solution designed for managing and executing all media operations – Record, Ingest, Play, Stream, Encode, Transcode and Decode – in a native virtualised environment. MAM4PRO brings to the market a set of software services that focus on Asset Management, Resources Management, and Media Operations.

Models like mediaANALYTICS and editorsPERFORMANCE will revolutionise your workflow monitoring on performance and productivity. Deploy can be made on a media farm, for better optimisation of resources and reduced costs.

Professional Media Decks

mDECK is the ultimate professional media deck appliance to record, ingest, transcode and play in any format of video content.

It supports Avid, OP1a, QT, MP4, XDCAM, XDCAM EX, XAVC, FLV, HLS, MPEG-DASH, WebM, MPEG-DASH WebM, MPEG-TS, Matroska, NDI and IMF formats. Supporting file-based and baseband, with full integration on hybrid workflows, mDECK is ideal for small and medium-sized facilities, that need to switch between operations in short time frames.

Online Video Platform

All in one solution to publish, distribute, manage and monetise your content. With a unified OTT platform with Content Management SaaS and a top-tier CDN distribution, Vizzi is the perfect solution to boost your business. You can count with a clear OPEX model, so you can objectively calculate your ROI and reduce costs.

Vizzi now counts with extended multi-platform support and in-video interactivity with timed triggers that enable user interactions and enriches the viewing experience.

MovieLabs, Netflix, Britbox, Sony, Facebook and VICE join IBC2019 speaker line-up

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MovieLabs, Netflix, Britbox, Sony, Facebook and VICE join IBC2019 speaker line-up

IBC2019 is excited to announce a raft new speakers and additional thought-provoking conference sessions adding to the world-class line-up that has already been announced. With less than a month to go until the industry’s most influential media, entertainment and technology event opens its doors, the new speakers further build on this year’s theme, Consumers First: A New Era in Media, offering attendees inspirational and compelling content.

Adding to the already stellar line-up of Keynotes and Global Gamechangers that will help shape the debate on the future direction of the industry on Friday 13 September are: Gina Nieri, Executive Board Member, Mediaset; Olivier Jollet, Managing Director Europe, Pluto TV; and Dominique Delport, President International, VICE, speaking in Global Business Gamechangers: where’s the money coming from?. Noel Curran, Director General, EBU and Dee Forbes, Director General, RTE, feature in Global Strategy Gamechangers: can public broadcasters stay relevant? session.

MovieLabs will be hosting a Keynote conference on Sunday 15 September bringing together technology leaders from major Hollywood studios unveiling their vision for the future of content production, post and creative technologies. With Hollywood’s track record of pioneering new technologies and creative approaches – from HDR to VFX to ACES – this session provides the first-ever discussion of the 2030 Vision Paper that lays out the disruptive technologies and workflows that will become the new mainstream.

On Monday 16 September, Jens-Uwe Bornemann, Director of Media Partnerships, Central & Eastern Europe and Erin Connolly, Product Manager, Social Video, both Facebook, will host Is Facebook set to become the next big video platform? Where audiences can discover the business model behind this major online platform including how it is evolving video strategy, developing partnerships and designing tools and products to build a deeper relationship with online communities.

Hiroshi Kawano, Senior VP, Sony Corporation will keynote The future of media technology. And lastly Thomas Jacques, CTO, TF1 le Groupe, has been added to the panel on the session Secrets of implementing successful technology projects on Tuesday 17 September.

The five new IBC2019 conference tracks provide a different daily focus for each stage of the end-to-end media content chain. They are:

  • Saturday 14 September, Publish: Embracing the Platform Revolution presents new business models that are disrupting the industry.
  • Sunday 15 September, Create & Produce: Creating Disruption offers insights into new technologies and concepts including interactivity and 8K production.
  • Sunday 15 September, Monetise: Scaling Audiences and Revenues shines a light on brands as broadcasters and new models of advertising.
  • Monday 16 September, Consume: Engaging Consumer Experiences delves into consumer consumption habits and next-gen fan engagement.
  • Tuesday 17 September, Manage: Automating Media Supply Chains looks at AI and other new technologies that can create more successful media supply chains.

These all join the wide range of thought-leaders and new innovations that have already been announced for the show. People such as Gary Shapiro, President and CEO, Consumer Technology Association; Jane Turton, CEO, All3Media, and Lisa Opie, Managing Director, UK Production, BBC Studios; and events and features such as the exciting new IBC Esports Showcase, the Media-Telecom Catalyst programme, and the hugely popular state-of-the-art Big Screen and the prestigious IBC Awards, where director, producer and actor Andy Serkis will be presented with the  International Honour for Excellence.

IBC2019 will chart the challenges, assess the business and technological opportunities for future generations of the industry, and cement its position as the industry’s most authoritative and stimulating media, entertainment and technology event.

Register for IBC2019 here.

More details will follow in the coming weeks about additional speakers and features at IBC2019.

Media-Telco Catalyst innovation projects ready for IBC2019 showcase

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Media-Telco Catalyst innovation projects ready for IBC2019 showcase

IBC, the world’s most influential media, entertainment & technology show, in collaboration with TM Forum – the industry association driving digital business transformation – recently announced that a second phase of Media-Telecom Catalyst innovation projects will be showcased at IBC2019 (13-17 September) in Amsterdam.

IBC and TM Forum have been working together to bring the fast-track innovation cycle to the media and technology ecosystem, reflecting the pace of convergence in the broadcasting, entertainment, telecoms and technology sectors. Catalysts are proof-of-concept projects developed collaboratively. The projects bring together companies large and small to create innovate solutions to common industry challenges.

Three unique projects are the result of IBC and TM Forum’s collaboration aimed at driving open innovation between the media, technology and telecoms sectors. They address some of today’s most complex business and technology challenges, including 5G, data management, virtual and augmented reality, edge computing, AI and the automation of business processes for regulatory compliance.

At IBC2019, phase two results of these advanced proof-of-concept Catalyst projects will be unveiled.

These will include:

  • A collaboration between Al Jazeera, RTÉ, Associated Press, BBC, BT, V-Nova and Aviwest on a project designed to improve the quality and reliability of mobile news gathering and faster time-to-air for live and pre-recorded video, leveraging AI and the new MPEG-5 Part 2 LCEVC compression standard to maximise use of available mobile bandwidth.
  • A collaboration between the University of Bristol, BBC R&D, Aardman Entertainment, Zeetta Networks and Cambridge Communications Systems (CCS) exploits the exciting new capabilities of 5G for a VR/AR enabled immersive tourism experience at the Roman Baths.
  • A collaboration between Al Jazeera,RTÉ, Associated Press, V-Nova, TechMahindra, Metaliquid and QCRI (Qatar Computer Research Institute, HBKU) using highly efficient AI visual analysis to rapidly identify, index, and measure political balance and enhance accuracy of on-air content, supporting broadcasters and content owners regarding their regulatory measurement and compliance processes.

Grant Totten, Head of Cloud, Data Analytics & AI, Al Jazeera, said: “Al Jazeera has been delighted by the Media-Telco Catalyst approach, working collaboratively alongside colleagues from RTÉ, BBC, BT and Associated Press and with world-class vendor partners to address some pressing collective challenges on our digital transformation journey. Across two key projects we have utilised state-of-the-art AI and intelligent compression techniques to make significant advances; enhancing live mobile reporting capabilities for journalists and their news teams and exploiting AI to automate the processes of monitoring and measurement of on-air content, for regulatory and editorial standards compliance. With some very ambitious goals, we have been able to short circuit the typical in-house cycle for R&D considerably, as well as extend the scope of our original goals by some way. We are all very excited to be showcasing these projects at IBC2019 in September.”

Graham Thomas, Section Head for Immersive and Interactive Content of BBC R&D, said: “BBC R&D has been exploring how to create and deliver new kinds of content to delight our audiences. The Smart Tourism project has shown us how 5G can enable delivery of visually-rich VR/AR content to users, taking advantage of features such as mobile edge computing. We’re very much looking forward to showcasing the project to IBC’s media & entertainment community this September.”

Chloe Barraclough, Interactive Producer at Aardman, said: “We love exploring new ways to bring stories to life through emerging technologies, pushing creative boundaries that celebrate the craft, humour and storytelling that Aardman is famous for. Not least the Roman Baths 5G AR application where we produced beautiful 3D models of the building and its incredible history that were put to the test through advanced 5G technologies. We are thrilled to have been a part of this project and are looking forward to showcasing it as part of the media-Telecoms Catalysts initiative at IBC2019 in September.”

Mark Smith, Media & Telecoms Advisor at IBC, added: “As the boundaries between the telecoms and media industries become more and more blurred, the need for collaboration and partnerships at speed across the media-telecom value chain becomes ever more relevant and vital for enhancing audience experiences, optimising production capabilities and driving new revenue streams for broadcasters and digital service providers. At IBC2019, we look forward to showcasing some of the very impressive and ambitious projects that have been in development since just Q1 this year, demonstrating what can be achieved in a collaborative cross-organisation and sector approach.”

 

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