IBC calls for M+E collaboration and innovation

New technologies and online platforms are disrupting the media industry, so in recognising this change, IBC has launched its Accelerator Projects to seed, develop and showcase collaborative innovations. 

The IBC Accelerator Media Innovation Programme is calling for champions and participants to participate in its 2020 initiative to advance innovation and solve industry challenges through collaboration on solutions for the entire ecosystem.

IBC announced last week the first four Accelerator Projects for 2020 with project leads from the BBC, ITV, Associated Press and Movielabs.

The projects include 5G remote production, TV delivered as objects, AI assisted shot list creation of video assets and Usable VFX archive.

BBC executive product manager and one of the team project champions for the 5G remote production Russell Inman told IBC365: “Remote and distributed production technologies have really come to the fore as a priority for broadcasters in the current crisis.

“The project aims to collect, assess and reflect innovation and best practice in this area, feeding into the development of a physical 5G proof of concept, depending on when that might be possible.

“In the short term we, alongside several other leading broadcasters, are building requirements for a 5G production system based on a multi-camera set-up, deployed over a ‘non-public standalone’ - or private - network in order to test and evaluate some of the key performance data. We of course welcome input, insights and use cases from other media organisations and manufacturers that would like to be involved.”

• Read more: Inside BBC R&D’s low-cost production project

Accelerators are fast track, open and collaborative innovation projects that address complex media and entertainment industry business and technology challenges.

This is an evolution of its Media-Telco Catalyst initiative from last year with the key aim to drive innovation with three Catalyst projects showcased at IBC2019.

Aim of the game
For 2020 multicompany teams will come together: “Game changing broadcasters, studios, platforms and content owners” will act as ‘champions’ to develop solutions to use cases working with expert vendors and solutions providers on the project as ‘participants’.

IBC added: “Projects develop over an intensive five months’ project path, culminating in innovative solutions that will be showcased as proof of concepts at IBC2020.”

The programme has been created by IBC to drive sector-wide digital transformation, where the Accelerators ultimately demonstrate business value through an open research and development approach, reflecting the value of industry of standards and best practices.

Challenges in 2020 will aim to address relevant areas of the industry, including transformation, IP and cloud workflows, 5G, VR/AR/MR as well as the the application of AI, visual effects archiving, sustainability and more.

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