27 Sep
IBC2022 returned with a bang, with more than 1,000 exhibitors attending and over 37,000 visitors from over 170 countries visiting the RAI Amsterdam on 9th-12th September. Below are the highlights of the Media and Entertainment (M&E) industry and some observations of IBC2022.
Aggregation of Streaming Business Models
The streaming business model is in a new phase in evolution, with several leading global services discussing the possibility of ad-supported tiers alongside existing subscription offers. The “mix of experiences” with SVOD and AVOD aggregation plus FAST channels would make up the portfolio to offer viewers if a media company wants to break the bottleneck of the existing subscription base. We also see that 2022 is a big year for FAST innovation across programming, distribution, and advertising.
Accelerating the Digital Transformation through Cloud
With more industry players having to confront with the shift from ground to cloud, the number of cloud-based services on the market grows rapidly to greet the “Cloud World”. Except for the straightforward Cloud TV platforms, we also can see cloud computing is actively involved in the media supply chain. Such as, the on-prem CDN vendors decide to launch cloud solutions/platforms to accelerate the operators’ digital transformation.
Expansion of Security Product Portfolio
It’s increasingly evident that few piracy use cases can be resolved using just one type of countermeasure. During the IBC2022, we noticed the security vendors are trying their best to reach multiple categories of Anti-Piracy, from infrastructure and end-user apps securing to advertising protection. Traditional CAS vendors are going strong with new MultiDRM solutions, while MultiDRM vendors are also expanding their solution portfolio by adding IPTV support and cybersecurity products, even introducing Server Side Ad Insertion (SSAI) in the portfolio.
Integrating the RDK to refresh out-of-date service
STB sector is persistently pursuing further standardization and UI/UX improvements. And the rise of RDK strongly improves the process by providing a solid universal base for new product development. Now all video operators can utilize RDK to quickly launch advanced video services that combine power, flexibility, and speed-to-market without having to completely replace existing hardware. And at the IBC2022, it indicated that service providers already started to roll out solutions available cross-OS and cross-platform on Linux, Android and RDK devices.
Segmentation of Entertainment Scenarios
As fast-paced life continues to squeeze our leisure time, the couch in the living room is no longer the only or best place for us to enjoy entertainment and watch videos. The tech vendors creatively showcased their innovation on segmented entertainment scenarios – in-flight and in-car entertainment by cooperating with famous airlines and car manufacturers. It is also the first time we see an exhibitor embed their demo in a car parking outside of RAI. One thing worth mentioning is that the immersive tech implemented in film and TV production is not an eye-catching trend but also a buzz in the industry. We can expect VR/AR to play an increasingly crucial role in the future of M&E.
Sustainability of Full Workflows in M&E
Concerns around creating sustainable workflows in media to fit into the global emissions picture were definitely the central topics at IBC2022. The pioneers and leading low-carbon enterprises in the industry made many efforts to emphasize the importance of sustainability and share the new techniques used in operational delivery to save budget and carbon footprint. It is not the latest word just popping up. For our industry, we still have a lot of work to do on defining sustainability in M&E, designing and implementing measurements, and getting everyone on board.
Regional or International? Where is IBC going?
After two years of virtual events, IBC finally returned as an in-person experience this year. But we couldn’t deny that the effects of Covid are still being felt. IBC2022 is more like a European-based event but not an international one when compared to the pre-pandemic era. Although RAI Amsterdam has already tried their best to ease the international travel, the proportion of exhibitors and visitors from Latin America and Asia still fell sharply. And IBC is not the only trade show to see a resurgence after the pandemic. Under the squeeze of NAB Show, CABSAT and Broadcast Asia, how will IBC improve to regain its position as the leading exhibition? Probably should start with the IBC Digital Platform : )
Last but not least, we also saw our own Beenius demonstration of Android TV solutions on IPTV/OTT gained much attention during the show. Android TV will still be the mainstream for some time. But we are always on the way to looking for creativities and innovations.
We expect more splendid ideas and technics upcoming.
See you at IBC2023!
