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Friday 12.09.14
TV dynamics change Conference Analysis By Chris Forrester IBC’s 2014 Conference sessions kicked off with a humdinger keynote featuring a quartet of VIP speakers, each of whom used the occasion to make major announcements on the health of broadcast TV. Channel 4’s CEO David Abraham said that early next year Channel 4 would significantly change its 4oD on-line and on-demand offerings to ‘All4’ in order to better reflect the choices available from its 18 linear channels, as well as its on-demand and other upcoming options. “Today, technological innovation in TV is continual, pervasive and direct to the consumer in a hybrid environment of linear and IPbased delivery,” said Abraham, adding that it was vital that
broadcasters deepen their relationship with their audience, and with particular shows. “Broadcast TV is highly relevant, but viewers want mobility and connectivity, and there’s no reason why broadcasters should lose that relevance and salience.” Bruce Tuchman, president of Sundance Channel Global, explained how Sundance had been added to the AMC portfolio of channels and how success in original programming
(The Walking Dead, Mad Men, Breaking Bad) represented the backbone of its intentions. “Savvy channel companies will not only thrive but will drive increased value in this rapidly evolving world.” Charlie Vogt, CEO Imagine Communications, said that the greatest challenge his staff had to face was helping broadcasters save money without having to re-engineer themselves every three-to-five years. “There has been more
Next generation IP By George Jarrett The EBU (10.F20) has put weighty support behind several key technologies, but its director of technology and innovation, Simon Fell, had no hesitation in citing the BBC R&D presentation of a next generation IP network studio as the most crucial at IBC. “We believe very strongly that the future is based around finding an IP-based solution for network operations in studio environments. If we don’t have an affordable solution that’s
going to help companies plan the next big infrastructure, then we’ll never get the 4K services developed, and even the 8K services beyond 4K,” he said. “Our software development has increased this year and we want to be recognised for pushing the boundaries of what is possible.” The EBU has to find solutions that build on the benefits of using common IP technology with enough capacity and built-in future capability. At IBC BBC R&D is showing multi-format
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The official newspaper of IBC
Simon Fell: “We want to be recognised for pushing the boundaries”
live production in the IP domain it created during the Commonwealth Games in
change in the past five years than in the past 50 years. And the next 18-24 months will see even greater changes take place. But we are firm believers that video remains the absolute ‘killer app’. The network should not be the differentiator. The content and the logo should be the differentiator.” Dubai-based MBC’s CEO Sam Barnett explained how deliberate programme jamming in the MENA region was also forcing the broadcaster to think swiftly not least when some of its most popular shows are directly affected. “We had tens of millions of people watching a popular live show when the screen went dark. The fact is that in our region until the digital platforms can operate independently, we are at risk. They are exposed to national regulators who can switch the internet off. They can close down Twitter and other social media options. By and large the day-to-day controls that media authorities want to assert have not caught up with today’s technology. But they will.” Glasgow, with much of the outcome, like DTT transmissions in T2, being HEVC enabled. The EBU itself shot content at last month’s European Athletics Championships, and like the BBC, it recorded experimental high frame rate shots – plus some high dynamic range content. The problem has been finding custom-made displays to show the Zurich experimental content. “We collaborated with IRT and NHK to get a prototype made with specific features,” said Fell. “We have also worked with four camera manufacturers, and we are representing the BBC at The Joint Network Media Taskforce.”
Inside
IBC Content Everywhere An addition to the IBC programme, IBC Content Everywhere is designed to meet a new market Page 10
TV: It’s a messy business Mark Harrison, chair for The Digital Production Partnership, highlights the importance of creativity Page 16
A Night at the Opera The Vienna State Opera is to receive a Special Award at the IBC Awards Ceremony on Sunday evening Page 21
Exhibitor list and floor plan Plan your way around IBC2014 with the full exhibitor list and floor plans at your fingertips Page 57
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