During the event, manufacturers noted that collaboration with other industry players has allowed them to create better products and solutions.
There was nothing subdued about IBC this year; the stands were heaving with people, especially during happy hour, and the air was abuzz with chatter. It was a moment to be grateful for simple pleasures such as social interactions and the privilege of breathing without masks.
On the tech front, we saw previously sceptical end users declare they had resolved without further delay to invest in cloud and software-defined technologies that enable flexible work practices and have less dependence on on-prem solutions or hardware. The last two years taught us that businesses need to be more agile and flexible if they are to survive in a rapidly morphing entertainment market.
Besides this, terms that repeatedly came up in conversations at IBC this year were metaverse, sustainability, convergence, blockchain, FAST and data analytics. No doubt, technology updates are taking place at a much faster pace than ever before. In such an environment, news on acquisitions and partnerships reflected greater maturity in the marketplace, with manufacturers endorsing that they have been able to create better products and solutions in collaboration with other industry players.
This was particularly evident in the Alaraby project, where the Doha client challenged vendors to work together with the aim of creating a full-IP facility that is SMPTE 2110-compliant. It was a bumpy ride, but vendors agreed that collaborating helped each one go back to the drawing table and come up with revised configurations, thus enabling a more successful integration.
We are proud to bring this story exclusively to you because it is not just a full-IP facility but also a reflection of what can be achieved in collaborative discussions. But this is not the only innovation we speak about in this issue. The pace of development in places like Neom and twofour54 are not just awe-inspiring; they are the stuff that dreams are made of.
As you read this issue, BroadcastPro ME is working towards creating a fantastic 12th edition of our summit and awards, and I hope your nominations make it through the door before the deadline. Happy reading.
