In a press conference last week, IBC organizers previewed the upcoming 2024 IBC Show, taking place Sept 13-16 at the RAI Amsterdam, with a focus on how AI is impacting media and entertainment as well as an examination of how evolving business models are transforming the way media companies use technology to inform and entertain.
The three themes this year include “transformative tech,” “shifting business models” and “people on purpose,” all of which will come under the show’s umbrella theme of “Content Everywhere,” according to IBC President Michael Crimp. .
“What we’ve seen over the last seven or eight years is the emergence of a theme called ‘Content Everywhere,’ which is a whole area of the show, with its own kind of orange branding,” Crimp said, adding that the theme has been so successful that it has moved out of its dedicated space at Hall 5 into all 14 halls of the RAI.
Underpinning all of this is the growing importance of artificial intelligence in the M&E industry. Over the past two years, AI has been the talk of industry trade shows and at IBC, a major focus will be on how generative AI is enhancing sports as well as how it impacts election coverage.
Attendees will be able to visit the “AI Tech Zone” in Hall 14, sponsored by the EBU European to check out the latest innovations, Crimp said.
“We’ve all been following the story of AI and I have a feeling we’ll see it begin to grow up a little bit during IBC with some sort of real world AI examples, moving on from some of the machine learning that we’ve seen in the past,” Crimp said. “At the zone, you will see a whole central hub of AI providers, not just generative AI creators, but also AI solutions providers across the board. They’ll show the positive impact that AI can and will have on the media and entertainment ecosystem.”
The zone will feature a dedicated stage and network zone, Crimp added. “I think it’s worth the trip down there, because with the help of the EBU, we’re trying to curate things a little bit and measure the progress [of AI]. “
Along with the potential benefits of AI comes the negative aspects of its impact on election season this year.
“I think maybe a third of the planet is going to vote in democratic elections this year, so we’re going to look at the transformative technology [of AI] and how it helps to fight against fake news and disinformation in the media,” Crimp said.
One keynote panel at the show “Fake News and Fighting Disinformation,” will focus on the issue of fact checking in the digital age and the “Design Your Weapons in the Fight Against Disinformation” in the “IBC Accelerators” media innovation program will provide attendees with an opportunity to provide feedback on this important topic, according to Crimp.
“This project, which is proposed by the BBC, CBS News and Paramount global, aims to build an understanding of the problem and establish an initial approach on how news organizations collaborate on methods and technologies to combat disinformation,” he said.
Sports is always an important theme of the show and this year, IBC will continue its longstanding tradition of focusing on the technology behind broadcasting the Olympics.
The impact of sports on the business and broadcasting and streaming is an obvious but very crucial theme again,” Crimp said. “Our conference session’“Olympics Technology: To Broadcast Beyond Expectations,’ will showcase all the tech developments that are transforming coverage of the games, and look at how businesses can innovate in similar ways to set themselves apart from competitors and capitalize on sports opportunities..”
eSports is also returning as a major theme. “It’s another growing area of sports media coverage,” Crimp said. “It’s not just driving technological innovation, but it also provides new business opportunities across the media and entertainment industry.”
New this year is the “World Skills Cafe,” a gathering devoted to sharing ideas about skills, diversity and education. Collaborating with Rise Academy, #GALSNGEAR, WIIT (Women In Immersive Tech), Women In Streaming Media and the recently launched Global Media and Entertainment Talent Manifesto, IBC will hold a three hour conference from 2:00-5:00 p.m. on Thursday Sept. 12 to discuss HR and DEI initiatives and policies in the media and entertainment industry.
“It will bring the industry together to work collaboratively to address talent, social issues and where we need to be,” Crimp said.
Another new element being introduced at IBC2024 is a special Audio Visual (AV) buyers’ event on the eve of the show. Working with the AV User Group, IBC has created an IBC Speed Pitch Event for 40 of its members that will take place on Sept. 12th. The event offers media technology companies the opportunity to promote their products, services and brands directly to major AV purchasers, including Arup, AstraZeneca, Bank of America, Barclays, Deliveroo, Schroders, UBS and WPP.
In all, for the 2024 IBC Show, more than 325 speakers have been scheduled across an expanded content program, according to Jo Meyer, head of marketing for IBC.
According to Steve Connolly, Director at IBC, approximately 45,000 square meters of show floor space has been sold surpassing the final amount of space for the 2023 show. More than 1,100 exhibitors—more than 150 of which are new—will be spread across 14 halls at the RAI during the show.
“We’re seeing overwhelmingly strong demand from exhibitors, with many returning brands increasing space and new companies coming in, Connolly said. “There is already a very positive buzz around the exhibition this year — visitors to IBC2024 will see exciting demos and get the chance to meet an increasingly wide array of innovative brands from across the media technology landscape. With the introduction of the AV User Group event, IBC continues to broaden its scope and provide more opportunities for both exhibitors and visitors.”
Register for the show here.