How long have you been going to IBC?
I have attended IBC annually since 1999. I went a couple of times earlier in the 1990s, but since ’99 it has become a “must-attend” event on my calendar.
What is your typical IBC routine? What are you there to see or learn, and whom are you there to meet?
I attend IBC to catch up on industry trends and to follow up with technology companies, vendors, colleagues, and partners from across the broadcasting and media ecosystem.
It is a rare opportunity to have in-depth conversations and to examine our beloved broadcast industry from a different vantage point. The conference covers a remarkably wide range of subjects and perspectives. It is always worthwhile to question one’s own assumptions—not simply to change them, but to develop a deeper understanding of why we believe what we believe and to uncover the underlying truths that should guide our decisions.
Why is IBC important to you professionally, and how does it compare with other events on the calendar?
Broadcasting has universal value as a means of distributing content, whether that content is television, public information, software, data, or other shared digital objects. I believe broadcasting remains a highly underrated component of the wider internet.
Many of the other events I attend are more narrowly focused on particular technologies, markets, or parts of the media business. IBC brings a much broader view inside its tent. It draws together an unusually diverse body of talent and encourages the industry to explore not only what we are doing and what we might do next, but also the more fundamental question: “Why do we do it this way?”
That broader perspective is what makes IBC especially valuable.
What is your top tip for someone attending IBC for the first time?
Map out your must-do meetings, must-see exhibits, and priority conference sessions before you arrive—but do not schedule every minute.
Leave room to wander, listen, and explore subjects outside your immediate area of responsibility. You may find yourself engaged in conversations about ideas you had never previously considered. That fusion of new technologies, perspectives, and people can bring greater value to what you already do for a living.
Who knows? It may even change what you do for a living.
