After a distinguished 30-year career in broadcasting, most notably as head of BT Sport, Jamie Hindhaugh’s move to the “other side” in 2024 caught the industry’s attention. Almost two years into his tenure as CEO of Gravity Media’s UK, USA, Australia, and Middle East operations, Hindhaugh is leveraging his experiences as a broadcaster to reshape how production facilities and vendors operate.
Discussing his decision to move to the vendor side of the industry, Hindhaugh admits he was initially unsure about making the transition. “I’ve known Gravity Media for a very long time, and I just felt it was a really good opportunity,” he explains. “The Gravity Media teams are really involved in the actual capture as well as crafting the content with our creative production arm as well. So there’s very little difference, actually, because we’re involved in all those different stages.”
While Gravity Media is technically a vendor, it also sees itself as a partner to its clients, both creatively and through innovation, says Hindhaugh. One of the things he enjoys about his position is working with clients around the world. “I’m able to bring in the perspective of the broadcaster, which is really good when they’re asking for something.
“But I’m also still learning, which at my age is a really good thing,” he adds.
Creating a community of technology manufacturers and customers, similar to that of BT Sport’s under his tenure, is also a fundamental part of his role at Gravity Media. “We are currently working with a vendor to help them develop a product that we know we need, but also that will enable them to be successful in the market, and I see that really as a two-way street.
“If you take time to understand and engage with the vendor about the long-term opportunity, because they also have to get funding, then it has to become a win-win.”
This consultative philosophy extends to Gravity Media’s operational hubs, particularly its Production facility in London, which serves clients like ATP and Formula E. “We are a multi-tenanted facility and that’s what I love, because you start getting that shared learning of where something can work.”
Gravity Media’s recent launch of Studio W12 at the London Production Centre further cements this flexible approach, with Hindhaugh describing the UHD and HD supporting studio as “a one-stop shop” for everything from podcasts to studio shows with an audience. “It’s LED, as well as green screen; it’s all interconnected on the 2110 backbone… It’s just that natural evolution of building out the facility. The pleasure of being at Gravity Media is that it’s not just sport. We do a huge amount of work in entertainment.”
Consolidation and the pressure of rising costs are both currently major topics of conversation within the industry. Hindhaugh believes that the lines between facility providers and production companies are blurring, a shift that requires a more integrated approach. “I think the biggest challenge in our industry is costs,” he says. “You’ve got consolidation in broadcasters, you’ve got consolidation in production companies. I think there’ll be more consolidation of facilities provision.”
Remote production has helped reduce costs, with more staff able to work from a home base rather than travelling to venues around the world. Since the pandemic, the use of remote has “grown exponentially”, says Hindhaugh. “It’s the biggest evolution in the industry, and I think that’s driven by economics and the capability to be more accessible. If you start looking at cloud as well, software-based, they’ve all got their place in this.”
Beyond financial pressures, the industry is navigating significant technical transitions, something Hindhaugh helped lead the charge on during his time at BT Sport. “There’s been a standardisation of formats, such as 1080p HDR, because that supports the streamers as well as the broadcasters. But when you standardise a format, that’s still a big change, and it’s not a low cost to transition all of your facilities and capabilities to be able to deliver in p if you’re in i.”
Asked which new areas of technology are particularly catching his eye at the moment, Hindhaugh cites connectivity as a key area of interest, whether that’s Low Earth Orbit satellites, 5G, network slicing, or private networks. “There’s a lot of interest in software-based production, but I’m still a great believer that at times tin does exactly the same job,” he adds. “It’s something that shouldn’t be ignored.”
Looking ahead, Hindhaugh remains optimistic about the broadcast sector’s resilience. Despite the inevitable friction of transitioning from linear to streaming, viewers are still hungry for content. “Live sport is still one of the key cornerstones of bringing the UK together as a community,” he concludes. “I’m hugely excited about where we’re going. People still have a massive appetite for content, so I’m really excited about what we’re doing, and it’s great to still be part of it.”
