From the development of artificial intelligence (AI) to widespread adoption of the cloud and new SVOD services IBC’s owners share their 2019 predictions and priorities for their organisations.

The mergers and acquisitions that featured in 2018 are expected to continue throughout 2019, as are the launch of new platforms.

IBC2018

RTS Chief Executive Theresa Wise told IBC365: “2019 will see direct to consumer services increase based on the Netflix-style business model.”

As Disney looks to launch its SVOD service, the developments across the public service broadcasters (PSBs) will cause greater collaboration and development, Wise explained.

“We will see the rise of high-end content, across more genres and a move away from scripted content. Next year there will be big deals on delivery [of content] with organisations changing to operate under new business models.”

Wise added the technology giants will play host to more deals as the industry continues to grow and audiences demand greater opportunities for consumption of more content than ever before.

As the media and entertainment industry continues its migration to IP-enabled media workflows and operations, SMPTE Executive Director Barbara Lange said: “The SMPTE ST 2110 standards suite will continue to be a dominant topic.”

She continued: “Blockchain technology also will be an important theme, as it has the potential to help the industry realise cost savings, reduce piracy, and boost consumer loyalty.”

The future is autonomous
“The real quantum leap we will see in 2019 in the interest and success of autonomous vehicles,” explained IET Group Financial Controller David Bunyan.

The opportunity to provide customised and personalised content will shake up the industry from content creators right through to the expectations and demands audiences will rise to meet with these new consumption habits.

Bunyan added: “The bespoke experience appeals to a lot of people.”

As 5G rolls out across the glove, IEEE President Bill Hayes declared: “5G will be a hot topic for some time to come.”

He added the roll out of SMPTE ST 2110 as another major trend that will dominate debates throughout the year ahead.

“The real quantum leap we will see in 2019 is the interest and success of autonomous vehicles” - IET Group Financial Controller David Bunyan

The year of greater standardisation
SCTE Chief Executive Roger Blakeway predicts 2019 to be the year of cable operators who will benefit from a greater take up of data over cable service interface specification (DOCSIS) 3.1.

Blakeway said: “This will help the cable industry help reduce its energy usage and deliver the latest versions of content across IP on its networks. There has been a lot of talk about it and we will see a lot more of this with the heightened competition of new entrants and telcos joining the traditional broadcast industry in new roles.”

Echoing Bunyan’s thoughts on 5G, Blakeway also noted the positive impact it will have on the industry.

With the industry amalgamating and the introduction of fibre networks changing to a pull and plug operating system, “we never clever designers,” Blakeway concluded.

IABM Chief Executive Peter White spoke about the industry’s “fundamental shift towards becoming a media factory, the success of which is predicated on building a fully integrated, flexible and agile content supply chain to deliver content from creator to consumer efficiently across multiple formats and platforms.”

Owner priorities

SMPTE
In 2019 a top priority for SMPTE will be to take the first steps forward in pursuing its ambitious roadmap created during 2018.

SMPTE Executive Director Barbara Lange said: “The strategic business plan — newly approved by the SMPTE Board of Governors — not only articulates SMPTE’s guiding principles and vision and mission statements, but also details a three-year roadmap and investment plan.”

IET
The IET is looking to continue its reach with key educational targets across the market, with a particular focus on those ages between five and 19.

For example, this year it launched the first Lego League, a global science and technology challenge to encourage interest in real world engineering issues and helping to develop key skills critical for developing a career, Bunyan explained this will continue into 2019 and beyond.

IET Group Financial Controller David Bunyan said the “massive skills” gap will become prominent in 2019 and as such it launched a social media campaign in an attempt to appeal to women engineers, this continues to be a priority for the next 12 months.

“Engineering can be a career for life, educating and appealing to girls to take up a career as an engineer and then to stick with it is our mission for 2019,” Bunyan adds.

IEEE
“In regards to 5G, we will continue to focus on presenting the capabilities and limitations of the technology separate from the marketing hype,” said IEEE President Bill Hayes.

Like the IABM and IET’s aim to educate and inspire the younger generation, Hayes said: “Educating the next generation of engineers will also continue to be a priority as a service to our members and to the industry.”

RTS
Heading into 2019, RTS Chief Executive Theresa Wise said the RTS’s organisational priorities continue to remain true its legacy through its work with bursary students and graduates wanting to pursue a career in the industry as well as pursuing regional and national work.

“The way the industry is moving to telcos and the promise of 5G-enabled opportunities we trust our training of core skills as unrivalled opportunities for our membership,” Blakeway continued. “The skills are not there and a main priority is to train people and bring their skills up to industry standard.”

“The Society will continue to help and certify, offering Fellowships which mix technological educational with social gatherings.”

SCTE
SCTE Chief Executive Roger Blakeway saud: “The way the industry is moving to telcos and the promise of 5G-enabled opportunities we trust our training of core skills as unrivalled opportunities for our membership,” Blakeway continued. “The skills are not there and a main priority is to train people and bring their skills up to industry standard.”

“The Society will continue to help and certify, offering Fellowships which mix technological educational with social gatherings.”

IABM
White is optimistic the IABM BaM Content Supply Chain model launched in April this year will be adopted across the industry and created as a framework to build successful media factories.

With industry experts from traditional broadcasting organisations as well as new markets attending IBC to discuss and debate the content and technological growth across the industry, White told IBC365 that 2019 will enable closer collaboration to extend its organisational reach and maximise visitor and exhibitor experiences.

Fostering this collaboration will see success penetrate the industry, alongside IABM’s ambitious plan to offer greater member services and support from personalisation, creating new learning opportunities and increasing its local and global presence.

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