How long have you been going to IBC?
Oh boy, I go back to Brighton in 1986! A different world, with the equipment supply chain dominated by the giant Japanese conglomerates—exceptions being Ampex and Grass Valley from the US, and Bosch Fernseh and Philips Broadcast in Europe. But it was essentially a rather parochial UK show. The IBC executive had the courage and foresight to move to the Rai in Amsterdam in 1992.
This move changed the industry landscape, coming at a time of seismic technology shifts from analogue to digital (the arrival of SDI), tape to files, uncompressed to compressed, SD towards HD, and, most crucially, from equipment purchasing decisions being made by the chief engineer solely on the basis of engineering specifications, to a team-buying decision based on return on investment for the broadcaster. That last dynamic really upended the industry, and in my view continues to be played out to this day.
What’s your typical IBC routine: what are you there to see/learn, who are you there to meet?
I attend the show in my role as chair of judges for the IBC Innovation Awards. Along with awards producer Pippa Considine, we work with the IBC events, marketing and operations teams to prepare everything ahead of the live ceremony taking place on Sunday 14th September. This involves rehearsals and inevitable script revisions with our event host and AV production team, plus walk-throughs with category finalists. Awards will be presented for Content Creation, Content Distribution, Content Everywhere, Environment & Sustainability, Social Impact, Best Technical Paper and the highest IBC accolade, the International Honour for Excellence (IHFE). My role at the show also includes lending support to the IBC schedule for the IHFE honouree, as required.
Why is IBC important to you in a professional capacity, and how does the show compare to others on the calendar?
I hope people know what I mean when I say that IBC is ‘our show’. The biggest European show. The international show. NAB may be bigger in terms of numbers, but to me it has always been and will always be primarily a North American event. They have Las Vegas in April, and we have Amsterdam in September!
What are you most looking forward to at IBC2025?
Working for IBC at IBC, as part of the team. I have always been a team player, going back to International Broadcasting (Systems & Operation), through TVBEurope and the IBC Daily, and on to IBC365 and SVG Europe. I went freelance in 2020, which has certainly involved me in various projects I would never have otherwise experienced, but I am really looking forward to the teamwork required at the show in the build-up to the Awards on the Sunday evening.
What’s your top tip for anyone attending IBC for the first time?
Have a plan. Have a schedule. Do the work before the show, to build your diary with meetings around the show floor punctuated, if you have time, with the top conference sessions that you have circled to attend. Even where you are going to go each evening, and with which industry colleagues. Plan ahead!
The IBC Innovation Awards ceremony takes place at 6pm on 14th September at the Main Stage.
