TV Globo team wins IBC Conference Prize for paper on data analytics

The paper, entitled ‘Big data for data journalism, enhanced business analytics and video recommendation at Globo’ explains how the Brazilian broadcaster is processing massive amounts of data to achieve its business goals.

Using data hosting and processing in the Amazon Web Services cloud, the solutions demonstrated operational advantages and required the introduction of new skills into operational areas to analyse the data.

The paper will be presented by TV Globo Digital Media Technology Director Marcelo Souza (pictured, second left) during the AI is Here and the Machines are Hungry to Learn session at the Conference on Saturday 16 September.

In its 50th year, the IBC Conference is still built around the technical papers programme.

All the papers which are selected for presentation represent original thinking on relevant technologies.

The papers are subject to vigorous peer review by a team of experts led by Dr Paul Entwistle, with the most significant and engaging selected to win the IBC Best Conference Paper Award.

Entwistle said: “A lot of people are talking about the potential of big data applications in the media industry, but TV Globo has actually done it, and is reaping real benefits from it.

“What makes the paper particularly interesting is that the authors talk about three very different applications: using public data to drive the news agenda; using business analytics to understand audiences; and using machine learning to recommend content to consumers.

“We were also impressed with the readiness to share extensive details of what they have done,” Entwistle added.

“There is a great deal of information and experience in this paper, backed up with very extensive references – exactly what we hope for in our technical programme.”

Great potential 

TV Globo’s Marcelo Souza added: “We are very proud to be awarded the prestigious IBC Conference Prize, considering the importance of IBC as a forum for the media and broadcast industries.

“Big data applications are not just a technology matter – they bring us great potential when combined with content and business needs.

“It definitely shows that we are on the right path with digital transformation at TV Globo.”

The award will be presented as part of the IBC Awards Ceremony at 18.30 on Sunday 17 September, in the Auditorium.