Exploring the future of media technology
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DISSECTING DEEPFAKES
GEARING UP FOR PARIS 2024
UNDERSTANDING GEN ALPHA
CONTENT SECURITY MASTERCLASS
ARE WE READY YET?
EDITORIAL EDITOR Verity Butler
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T he coronation of King Charles in 2023 was one of the most technically demanding broadcast events in modern times. It resulted in an array of media innovations, including the spinning up of the world’s largest temporary private 5G network. This network impressively eased the natural strain caused by dense crowds, which would have overworked the regular cellular networks due to the multitude of mobile devices. It’s a topic that has often frequented FEED ’s pages. But for our first issue of 2024, we bring it to you in the form of a dedicated 12-page exclusive, explaining 5G’s impact on the media landscape. As M&E professionals gear up for the next major landmark in broadcast, the Paris Olympics, the question remains:
are networks ready to rely on 5G when it comes to delivering live coverage? If yes, can they do so at scale? This issue also traverses the complex and topical planes of AI deepfakes. FEED uncovers how a concerning combined lack of legislation and collective underestimation of their capabilities has led them to be a significant threat to society. This is on top of the irreparable damage they have already caused many. Futurist Amelia Kallman takes her seat as our spring Genius Interviewee. She shares her encyclopaedic knowledge of tech trends and the dangers businesses and media organisations could do with paying more attention to. Plus, don’t miss the panel discussion in our content security Masterclass – as well as this issue’s Xtreme , in which we dissect the latest trending tools in fan engagement technology.
This month’s cover illustration was created by Carl Golsby at Bright Publishing
VERITY BUTLER, EDITOR veritybutler@bright.uk.com
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IN THIS ISSUE
96 Content distribution FEED uncovers how BT is balancing content delivery with changes in consumer behaviour
06 Newsfeed
The latest scoops in media tech, with everything from product launches to major mergers
104 Industry Inventory
16 NAB Show 2024
Experts answer burning questions concerning the exponential growth of FAST
It’s almost time for one of the biggest events in the broadcast calendar. Check out our guide!
26 AI: Deepfakes As deepfakes proliferate many forms of media, the impact is increasingly pronounced 36 5G: FEED exclusive 5G technology has redirected the entire trajectory of the broadcast space. FEED explains why 46 5G: Mountain Attack Don’t look down! Discover how 5G can even be leveraged thousands of feet from ground level
START-UP SNAPSHOTS 25 Humans Not Robots 35 Move AI 83
Li.Lac 103 Signapse
XTREME
122
56 Just the Numbers
Awards show season has flown by, but with varying viewing numbers, is it time to roll up the red carpet?
78 Changing media models Media consumption is shifting, and broadcasters are having to prepare for the digitally native Gen Alpha 70 Content security panel This issue’s Masterclass explores why content security in broadcast remains a critical concern 62 Sustainability spotlight Endlessly building CDNs is not the answer; is there a better way? Plus, word from the first Flint Forum
112 Sports Reporter 122 Prepping for Paris 130 Fan engagement
The biggest news bulletins from the sports and esports divisions of broadcast media
The Olympics is back! Find out how broadcast tech providers are preparing for the event
88 Genius Interview
FEED uncovers the tools used to enrich viewer participation in sports programming
Named one of the ‘top 25 women in the metaverse’, futurist Amelia Kallman shares her insights
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NEWS:
DELIVERING MAJOR STORIES IN MEDIA AND TECHNOLOGY
Apple Vision Pro mr headset is now here VR
After its announcement in June 2023, Apple’s Vision Pro – the company’s first mixed reality (MR) headset – is officially on the market. Available since 2 February, the ‘spatial computer’ costs a hefty $3499 and is currently sold in the US only. Apple has historically been at the forefront of technological innovation, revolutionising computers with the Macintosh in 1984 and consumer electronics with the iPhone in 2007 and iPad in 2010. Now, Apple has entered the world of XR – a little late to the game (the Meta Quest has been out since 2019) but promising to be vital nonetheless. Operating on the new VisionOS, the headset goes beyond what’s been offered
up until now; with 3D cameras, hand and eye tracking and a built-in virtual keyboard, the wearable device seems straight out of a sci-fi novel. It’s supposed to blend the real world with the metaverse, letting users chat, work and watch content while going about their daily lives. That said, early reactions to the Vision Pro have been mixed. For starters, they pose a safety risk if used irresponsibly (while driving, crossing the street or getting on and off transport – anytime you might want to be paying attention, in short). More than that, many are concerned about the larger social and psychological consequences of XR headsets and virtual realities in general – what will the real
world look like in ten, 20 years if we allow the virtual world to dominate? The Vision Pro does have the chance to transform the way we consume. Content will no longer be at our fingertips; it will be a blink away, so to speak. ‘Immersive’ will take on a whole new meaning, as 3D movies could appear hyperreal. Reviewers have touted the headset’s image quality, especially the sharpness and saturation, though battery life is still limited to about the length of a feature film. Despite its dystopian appearance, it seems the Vision Pro is already catching on. Apple has yet to announce any international release dates, though it’s hinted at 2024 for the UK and Canada.
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SOCIAL MEDIA
Bluesky has opened to all
After a year of being invite- only, the social network Bluesky has opened up to all users. The site rose to prominence as a Twitter replacement after Elon Musk started running the platform (now called X), much to users’ dismay. In its beta phase, Bluesky was available only through access code, making it a semi-exclusive network, though this wasn’t the creators’ intention. This had both pros and cons, as users found the UX refreshing but the lack of content less desirable. This allowed the company to get feedback from a small, yet opinionated audience.
WORKFLOWS
BAHRAIN TV UPGRADES
Bahrain TV has updated its Pebble Neptune solution to the latest generation, allowing for multichannel delivery that’s prepared for IP- based ST 2110 technology. Neptune can play out Bahrain TV’s six channels simultaneously, as well as offering preview capabilities, automated file transfers and nearline storage. The upgrade was integrated seamlessly, ensuring minimal disruption caused.
AI FUBOTV’S INSTANT HEADLINES
Bluesky is among several contenders for a Twitter substitute that’s as rewarding as the original.
Mastodon and Threads – created in 2016 and 2022, respectively – have also joined the conversation.
Sport streaming service FuboTV has launched Instant Headlines, an AI-based feature which generates news highlights in real time. Appearing on Fubo’s homepage carousel, these ten-word snippets continuously refresh as the latest news comes in, allowing users to watch each live segment with a simple click.
PTZ
Canon introduces SKAARHOJ PTZ controller
INDUSTRY
Amy DeLouise, founder of #Galsngear, an initiative which encourages women to get involved with technology, media and entertainment, has been honoured with an IABM M&E Mentoring award. This accolade recognises an individual or organisation that has made a positive impact on the M&E industry. DeLouise has supported, mentored and empowered #Galsngear members, helping advance others’ careers while managing her own production company. #GALSNGEAR FOUNDER RECEIVES AWARD
Canon Europe has recently introduced the new RC-SK5 PTZ controller, developed in partnership with manufacturer Skaarhoj. The RC-SK5 supports multicamera productions across broadcast, live events and pre-recorded content. The controller includes a joystick, zoom rocker and dials, ensuring intuitive, accurate control and smooth transitions. It also integrates with Canon’s XC protocol, supporting a seamless, synchronised workflow, and can connect to various cameras and camcorders over IP, as well as other Skaarhoj products. With a paid licence, users can unlock additional features, such as the ability to link with devices
from different manufacturers. The RC-SK5 controller joins Canon’s range of existing PTZ technology
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Netflix cracks down hard on password sharing practice STREAMING
In an effort to encourage new subscriber sign-ups, Netflix has finally cracked down on password sharing, limiting accounts to one household or requiring subscribers to pay a sharing fee. The company saw its profits decline through 2022, urging executives to switch up the streaming service’s business strategy. This move resulted in 13.1 million additional subscriptions in late 2023 – the
most for any quarter since 2020. That said, in the countries where Netflix offers ad- supported plans, 40% of new users opted for adverts (read: the cheapest option). The basic plan currently costs £4.99 ($6.99), while the ad-free plan costs £10.99 ($15.49). Now, Netflix will continue its plans to raise prices – a process it had put on hold as it rolled out paid sharing. The company is also offering live sports and mobile
gaming as additional attempts to grow its customer base. Despite taking recent hits, Netflix continues to dominate the streaming world, reporting $33.7 billion in revenue and $5.4 billion in profits for 2023. The platform also received 18 Oscar nominations for its original content, which included best picture, best actor and best actress for Bradley Cooper vehicle Maestro .
VIRTUAL PRODUCTION Amarin TV integrates Pixotope’s Virtual Production technology
STREAMING
Disney, Fox and WB Discovery jointly announce sports streaming service
Thailand’s Amarin TV has integrated Pixotope’s Talent Tracking and Graphics – AR/VS Edition into its new studio, enhancing its news segments with virtual environments. The channel chose Pixotope for its visual impact, cost-effectiveness and easy integration. Pixotope lets Amarin TV produce graphics and virtual elements which respond to talent in real
time. This innovation comes with a range of advertising opportunities and a more engaging experience for audiences, giving uniquely captivating news coverage. “We wanted to create a truly seamless blend of information-sharing and entertainment, without compromising on either aspect,” shares Amarin TV chief technology officer, Cheewapat Nathalang.
Amid the gradual decline of cable TV, Disney, Fox and Warner Bros Discovery announced a joint sport streaming service, offering 14 channels and ESPN+ as a single package. Reportedly available in autumn 2024, subscription prices and other specifics are still under wraps. Though the venture targets sport fans – in particular fans
of the NBA and a number of college leagues – the package will also include non-sports content. That said, Disney, Fox and Warner Bros Discovery don’t own all the rights – not even close – meaning audiences will have to turn elsewhere for NFL games, Premier League matches, the Olympics and other major events.
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PRODUCTION FOR-A delivers turnkey OB truck
MAP is a leading production and post
company, based in Dubai, which services the UAE and beyond. MAP has had a long relationship with For-A as technology partner, including a complete flyaway production kit developed for weekly live shows and other sporting events. MAP and For-A together have recently re-implemented this equipment into an outside broadcast truck. “The turnkey system we built in conjunction with For-A proved extremely effective for us: flexible, secure and simple,” said
Multimedia systems designer and integrator Fuse Technical Group has chosen Matrox Video for its routing and orchestration, conversion and control inside Las Vegas Sphere. Matrox’s tech supported the venue’s producers during U2’s residency last year. PRODUCTION FUSE AND MATROX SUPPLY SPHERE
Imad Basil, managing director of MAP. “When we decided to build a permanent OB truck in Dubai, it made sense for us to use as much of the same kit as we could, because we know how to get the best out of it, and we know we can count on it.”
The new OB truck gives MAP a strong presence in Dubai. The facility is currently operating in HD, but every element is ready to be upgraded to 4K Ultra HD, using 12G-SDI. At the heart of the new OB truck is the For-A HVS-1200 production switcher.
STREAMING ITVX RINGS IN THE NEW YEAR
ITVX reported 8 million streams on New Year’s Day 2024 – a 2.5 million increase from last January. The service launched in December 2022, replacing ITV Hub, and as of 2023 had attracted over 40 million registered users.
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SMPTE student chapters at Barnard and Clark Atlanta EDUCATION
The Society of Motion Picture and Television Engineers (SMPTE) has formed student chapters at Barnard College, the all-women’s liberal arts institution based in New York, and Clark Atlanta University, the Historically Black College or University (HBCU). These chapters will provide students from underrepresented backgrounds in STEM subjects with opportunities to advance their careers. Barnard College is one of the Seven Sisters, a group of women’s liberal arts colleges meant to academically rival the historically male Ivy League. Barnard itself doesn’t offer an engineering programme, making a SMPTE chapter that much more essential. SMPTE is ‘dedicated to
diversifying the media-tech workforce,’ according to executive director David Grindle, and will provide Barnard students with membership, which includes access to events like the Media Technology Summit and study courses for no extra fee. Clark Atlanta University is the first HBCU to launch a SMPTE chapter. “A SMPTE Student Chapter at CAU will create fantastic possibilities for student and faculty development,” said Dr Brian Bentley, assistant professor and associate dean of arts and sciences at Clark Atlanta University. “In building this relationship with SMPTE and reaching this historic milestone, I believe we’ll also open up opportunities for other HBCUs.”
PRODUCTION
RADIO BOTSWANA IN CONTROL
The Confetti Institute of Creative Technologies has just opened an east London campus, expanding its reach to a new cohort of students hoping to find a future in the entertainment industries. The 35,000 sq ft space holds a multipurpose venue, recording studios, rehearsal rooms, production stages, broadcast facilities and more, and includes the world’s first SSL Trinity solution and 9.1.4 PMC monitoring system. EDUCATION CONFETTI OPENS LONDON CAMPUS Systems. Established in 1965, Radio Botswana covers news, politics, education, culture and entertainment, as well as music and sport on its sister channel Radio Botswana 2. Custom Consoles has supplied 20 control room desks to Radio Botswana – part of a technical overhaul by Dega Broadcast
PRODUCTION
Gravity Media’s Sydney-based production centre is the hub for Sky News Australia’s latest weekly programme, The Jury . Hosted by Danica De Giorgio, the show sees guest debaters present their case on that week’s biggest topics in front of a 12-person jury and a live studio audience. The Jury premiered on Sunday 4 February 2024 and is due to enjoy a ten-week run. GRAVITY MEDIA HOSTS THE JURY
EDUCATION
OOONA and BSLBT offer training
Ooona, in partnership with the British Sign Language Broadcasting Trust (BSLBT), has launched a unique training programme for deaf individuals. The initiative, part of Ooona’s education platform, aims to put subtitling in the hands of deaf BSL users. “The goal is to train a cohort of deaf BSL/ English translators in
the art of subtitling,” began Stephanie Burke, production executive at BSLBT. “Previously, subtitles were created by hearing people, but we are now giving deaf people the opportunity to become trained subtitlers. By adding English subtitles to our shows, we aim to share the fascinating and colourful deaf
community and their experiences with the wider world,” Burke concluded. platform provides a generous range of self-paced courses, workshops, lectures and webinars, supplying users with more realistic subtitling, captioning, Ooona’s cloud-based scripting and audio description practice.
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Rise renews global mentoring programme for coming year INDUSTRY
Rise, an international advocacy group for gender diversity in broadcast media, has announced its 2024 global mentoring programme. The initiative will span the UK and Europe, Australia and New Zealand, APAC, India and North America in an effort to foster worldwide inclusion.
Each region will follow a similar agenda tailored to the locale, and feature seminars and networking events delivered by senior professionals. Mentors can be of any gender identity and must demonstrate leadership and commitment to diversity; mentees must identify as women. Rise
mentees are selected for their passion and potential for growth, particularly within the broadcast sector. Last year’s programme supported 125 mentees. This year, Rise hopes to build on that success, fostering meaningful personal and professional connections.
Google has retired both its digital helper Google Assistant, and chatbot Bard, opting instead for a single solution: Gemini. The app – available to English speakers in over 150 countries – can respond to voice requests, generate text and images, make phone calls, analyse photos and much more. In development since early 2023, Gemini is a product of Google’s leading AI labs, Google Brain and Deepmind (now merged). Like ChatGPT, the app’s ‘generative’ element is prone to errors – in other words, anything it tells you will need proper fact-checking. Also like ChatGPT, Gemini is a large language model (LLM), meaning it picks up skills by scouring data. Though the Gemini app is free, it’s limited in scope. A more powerful version, called Gemini Advanced, costs $19.99 for a monthly subscription. AI Google unveils Gemini app
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SOCIAL MEDIA
Universal Music Group goes silent
Universal Music Group (UMG), the world’s largest record label, had its entire catalogue removed from TikTok after the tech giant left UMG’s open letter unanswered. In the letter, UMG asked for a more ‘satisfactory royalty rate’, as well as for TikTok to address worries over AI-generated music. The social platform, where users create and upload their own video content – often
and relaunched hits like Fleetwood Mac’s Dreams . Trending songs can be found on Spotify and Apple Music’s top tracks, signalling the indirect value to artists. At time of writing, TikTok has yet to reply; instead, major artists like Taylor Swift, Drake and Ariana Grande have had their music taken off the platform and replaced with silence. The music industry may be facing a reckoning.
Dyn Media, a new platform for German sports, relies primarily on remote production. Broadcast Solutions is working with Dyn’s parent company, NEP Germany, to build ‘venue kits’ – core racks containing cameras and minicams, microphones and audio sources all following SMPTE ST 2110 standards. Thanks to Broadcast Solutions, this remote production set-up encourages resilient, cost-effective, flexible sport coverage. PRODUCTION BROADCAST SOLUTIONS X DYN MEDIA
borrowing audio from existing artists – has become a destination for musical discovery in recent years, particularly for younger audiences. TikTok arguably helped the careers of Olivia Rodrigo and Lil Nas X
PRODUCTION
Italy’s NVP continues to see ongoing success with its Lega Pro live football productions thanks to Grass Valley’s AMPP platform. The solution allows NVP to handle tight deadlines, cloud-based workflows, high-volume matches and various other specific demands, all while ensuring cost-efficiency and up-to-date production value. NVP AND GRASS VALLEY SEE SUCCESS
ChatGPT gets a software upgrade AI
OpenAI, the company behind ChatGPT, has released a software update which gives the AI-fuelled text bot a better memory. The platform will store an individual’s user data so it can later retrieve relevant information – such as demographics, preferences and important dates. Until now, ChatGPT has been using chat data to learn language patterns and produce more realistic, coherent results. The latest update will take this further, remembering specific user details which can inform future chats. The New York Times cited an AI-generated birthday card – created specifically for ‘Lina,’ a five-year-
old who likes jellyfish and the colour pink – as an example of what ChatGPT can do. For users who don’t want all their data stored, ChatGPT offers ‘temporary chats,’ essentially disappearing conversations. This gives more control over how users’ data is used; they can instruct it to ‘remember’ or ‘forget’ certain information, review what’s in memory or disable memory altogether. This isn’t without privacy concerns, though OpenAI insists ChatGPT’s memory is not significantly different from a search engine’s history. Users should be wary of potential breaches, however, and opt for strong login credentials.
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PRODUCTION
Greenland’s national broadcaster Kalaallit Nunaata Radioa (KNR) has signed a new strategic agreement with Nxtedition, continuing its partnership for another five years. Serving an audience of 56,000, KNR produces high-quality TV and radio content with limited resources. Nxtedition provides services from pre-production and ingest to graphics and automation. NXTEDITION SUPPLIES GREENLAND
Agile Content attacks piracy SECURITY
Agile Content has launched its anti-piracy solution Agile CDN Director, at Telenor Sweden, allowing the telco company to block thousands of invalid requests per day. Piracy is on the rise in the OTT sector, with television piracy representing 48% of access to infringing sites in the EU in 2022 alone, so solutions like Agile’s come at a critical moment. Agile Content’s CDN Director is an evolution of its previous product, introducing new features like real-time caching, network switching and experience
monitoring. The solution also blocks hackers, transmitting content only to authorised users: a perk noted by Telenor Sweden. The CDN Director thus adds an extra security layer, protecting Telenor’s own CDN and its authorised users in turn. Furthermore, Agile’s CDN Director improves Telenor Sweden’s efficiency, delivering its television services more swiftly by offloading its capacity to sister company Telenor Norway’s CDN. This ensures that customers will not experience any interruptions.
INDUSTRY DOMESTIC WIN FOR PARAMOUNT
After Warner Bros Discovery failed to acquire it, Paramount has finally regained its domestic profitability thanks in large part to streaming service Paramount+. Rather than focusing on local-language programming, the streamer is relying on Hollywood films – and integration of Showtime – to maintain its consumer appeal.
PRODUCTION
CBS19 CHOOSES BLACKBIRD
INDUSTRY
In light of Apple launching its Vision Pro headset, Adobe has announced that various tools and technologies will be compatible with the XR goggles. Supported applications include Adobe Firefly, Lightroom, Fresco and Behance, allowing VisionOS users to enjoy a more immersive creative experience. VR ADOBE TOOLS FOR APPLE VISION PRO CBS19, a TV station located in Charlottesville, VA, has chosen the browser-based editing platform Blackbird for its broadcast and digital workflows. The CBS19 team will have remote access to field footage, wire packages and IP/ SDI feeds via Blackbird’s edit suite, allowing them to collaborate on projects and publish content in real time.
PRODUCTION
EU passes Digital Markets Act
Ateliere Creative Technologies has recently announced Ignition, its latest media workflow engine that handles title/media ingest, order processing, packaging, transcoding, quality control, packaging, distribution and more. The engine is included in Ateliere’s Connect platform subscription. Ignition comes with three key features: Manager, Designer and Monitor. Manager includes built-in best practices, automating several elements of a user’s workflow. Designer is a drag-and-drop editor which allows users to create visual representations of their workflows. The platform’s dashboard, or Monitor, allows them to view these representations and track progress in real time. Ateliere unveils Ignition workflow
In the interest of demonopolisation and net neutrality, the EU has passed the Digital Markets Act (DMA), targeted at big tech ‘gatekeepers.’ The Act will force companies open, allowing users to use rival services – for example, a non-Microsoft default search engine on Microsoft Windows or non-Apple app store on an iPhone. The legislation limits data sharing between services owned by one company (such as Meta-owned Facebook, Instagram and WhatsApp). If these companies don’t comply, the EU can fine them up to 20% of global sales revenue, or take a more aggressive approach, forcing the companies to pawn off sections of their business. Apple, Meta and the Bytedance-owned TikTok have pushed back against the DMA, claiming it places an unfair target on their services. For EU residents, it won’t be simpler. Users may be spoilt for choice, losing the convenience of default settings.
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Absolute signal integrity is essential in mission-critical applications. Without a reliable signal distribution infrastructure, operations can be compromised. Argosy’s goal is to ensure reduced risk to improve efficiency for its customers, delivering high- quality solutions at competitive prices. Argosy’s range of interconnected devices that patch, extend, convert or switch video, audio and data signals has evolved. In response to this evolving demand, Argosy has transformed its offerings. The company now provides CAD services to interpret customer drawings, operate a fibre termination facility manufacturing SMPTE and tactical fibre solutions, and actively engage in developing proofs of concept for switching solutions in complex IT environments. Argosy also specifies and supplies equipment racking solutions to accommodate these evolving technologies. INFRASTRUCTURE Mission Critical
SOCIAL MEDIA
At the time of writing, a bill that could ban TikTok throughout the United States – unless it breaks off from Chinese parent company Bytedance – has passed in the House of Representatives and awaits a vote in the Senate. If the bill becomes law, the social media platform would be removed from app stores in a matter of months. US officials are worried about the app’s role in geopolitics, particularly how user data is being stored and whether that could be misused by the Chinese government. President Biden has publicly agreed to signing the legislation if it goes to pass, despite leaning into the platform’s influencers for political support. White House in talks to ban TikTok
As its specialism expands and product offering gets more sophisticated, a constant remains – its customer-centric approach and dedication to delivering the highest- quality infrastructure solutions, serving all manner of industries from the simplest to the most complex of applications.
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ROBOT KEYNOTES AND RADIO LEGENDS A switch up of halls, brand-new Creator Lab and AI workshops are just some of the elements of this year’s event to look out for Words by Verity Butler NAB SHOW 2024: O ne of the biggest events in the media tech calendar is back for its 101st year and, as ever, the FEED team has all the insider designed for those striving to drive listeners and engage viewers in ever- larger numbers for even greater reach – and it’s formulated for those seeking to create uncommon audio and visual experiences for audiences. NAB Show is a tech extravaganza produced each year by the National Association of Broadcasters at the Las Vegas Convention Center. Through advocacy, education and innovation,
Likely a standout moment from this year’s edition will be its opening, as we have been promised the ‘world’s first AI-Human presentation.’ The robot giving the talk, known as Ameca, will be joined on stage by Futuri Media CEO Daniel Anstandig to discuss the findings of a survey into how audiences perceive AI in the media. As always, there is so much to do and see at the show. Check out our guide, where we uncover the speakers and conferences you won’t want to miss – as well as must-visit booths and halls.
knowledge of what to expect. New for 2024, NAB Show will take place in the West, Central and South Upper and Lower Halls of the Las Vegas Convention Center. Each year, thousands of content professionals from all corners of the broadcast, media and entertainment ecosystem go to NAB Show. It’s
NAB enables broadcasters to best serve their communities, strengthen their businesses and seize new opportunities in the digital age.
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SPEAKERS AND CONFERENCES Donnie Simpson, Broadcasting Hall of Fame Monday 15 April, 1pm to 2pm, Main Stage Donnie Simpson has been called a trailblazer and a true media legend. He was given his own radio show at the age of 15, and after eight years he became the morning show host and program director for WKYS-FM in Washington DC, leading the station to unprecedented ratings success. This followed with an extensive career in broadcast and film, paving his way in TV history when joining America’s first Black television network, BET. In 2020, he was inducted into the Radio Hall of Fame, and in 2024 the National Association of Broadcasters Hall of Fame. Always humble, Donnie said: “Being in any Hall of Fame never crossed my mind. I was just doing what I do. But I’m thrilled and forever grateful people felt that way about me. I’m so blessed.” While adored by millions, perhaps his biggest fan is President Barack Obama. On the presidential campaign trail in 2008, Obama stopped to record and send a congratulatory video to Simpson Casey Neistat, Do what you can’t Wednesday 17 April, 10.30am to 11.30am, Main Stage YouTube star, digital creator, filmmaker sensation and multimedia leader Casey Neistat empowers creators to think outside the box and redefine their creative potential. Heralded for his motto, ‘do what you can’t,’ Neistat will discuss the career choices that powered his success, thoughts on breaking through in today’s creator economy and actionable lessons on innovation and creativity. This conversation is perfect for any creator looking for ways to take that next step in their careers.
Gary Levitt, Audio for podcasting: make your podcast stand out Saturday 13 April, 9am to 10am, Post Production World, S228 In this must-see session for wannabe podcasters, join in with audio engineer, podcaster and musician Gary Levitt to create the most professional-sounding podcast possible. Cybersecurity for broadcasters Saturday 13 April, 3pm to 4pm, W222-W223 The cybersecurity for broadcasters presentations explore strategies for protecting media assets and maintaining secure connectivity in live distributed production. Speakers will also discuss the convergence of artificial intelligence, cybersecurity and broadcasting as technological milestones. Additionally, the papers discuss the content delivery network’s fight against piracy to prevent further theft of content.
SPEAK UP It’s star speakers galore at NAB Show. Don’t miss these selected highlights
TV production and music licensing: legal needs to know Sunday 13 April, W231-W232: TV and Radio HQ This round table will offer you a basic understanding of the common legal issues programmers may encounter as they develop content and licence music. From contracts and copyrights and fair use to First Amendment considerations, you’ll get a great understanding of what legal concerns you need to be prepared for and wary of as you develop your programming and licence music. Generative AI for media Sunday 14 April, W222-W223 These generative AI for media presentations are set to explore the recent advancements in transcription, translation and re-voicing – and their ethical implications for media editing. Presenters discuss the application of generative AI to leagues and media organisations, as they likely have on-air personalities, legacy data and deep archives enriched with metadata. Also covered will be implementing AI to manage title versions and achieve global distribution requirements, such as localisation and compliance, more efficiently while reducing operational costs at the same time.
WATCH ME! 2024 NAB Show registration is open: capture your vision
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scenarios for today and the future? Should they seek out investment capital, sell to the highest bidder? Invest in themselves and diversify their portfolio? Bring on strategic partners? This session brings together seasoned investors and builders to explore the options for unlocking collaborative growth – or how to think about packaging and selling. The fight for YouTube’s soul Monday 15 April, 2pm to 2.40pm, Creator Lab Theatre, SU4154 There’s a new movement afoot among creators on YouTube and beyond. Eschewing the frenetic pace of challenge and reality videos, these creators are leaning into longer and more visually lush storytelling. This conversation with one of the leaders of the YouTube New Wave movement and the immersive Creator Camp explains why stories and relaxed pacing are the future of YouTube. The secrets of on-the-go creators: TravelingJules Tuesday 16 April, 12pm to 12.25pm, Creator Lab Theatre, SU4154 Beyond the adventure of travel filmmaking, storytellers who operate outside of the studio have unique needs. This session explores how TravelingJules roams the world with her camera, shooting and creating content in the field and then carrying the momentum back into the edit. Tailored to anyone eager to create exciting content on location, this session uncovers the secrets, techniques and gear stack used by solo creators. Not to mention, how to pack light but look great to boot! Legal landmines on social media, what every creator needs to know! Monday 15 April, 11.40am, Creator Lab Theatre, SU4154
THE SPEAKERS
Daniel Anstandig
Isabella Ares
Adrienne Bankert
Roman Coppola
Liz Destro
Gabby Fiszman
How broadcasters can win over Gen Alpha/other generations W231-W232: TV and Radio HQ Discuss with your peers how they are creating engaging content and promotions tailored to generations. Learn what’s worked and how they identified those strategies. Monetisation: what’s your plan? Monday 15 April, 3pm to 3.30pm, W2149, Capitalise Zone Theatre For companies at the centre of video streaming, broadcasting and advertising, 2024 is a year of disruption to the status quo. Across the media and entertainment landscape, many are seeking new ways to answer a central question: how can we better monetise our content in the most operationally efficient and cost- effective way? INTRODUCING THE CREATOR LAB A new element at this year’s show is the Creator Lab. With a spotlight on the fast-paced creator economy, this show floor experience features hands-on interaction and workshops, expert panels and networking events on creators, equipment, distribution channels and monetisation techniques. Designed for both creators and organisations looking to partner with them, this initiative encompasses the creative, tech and business of today’s creator economy. Here are some of the standout sessions lined up for the inaugural Creator’s Lab. Investing in and with creators Tuesday 16 April, 2pm to 2.35pm, Creator Lab Theatre, SU4154 How should creators think about modelling their return in today’s creator economy? What are the best
Jennifer Hudson
Shira Lazar
Curtis LeGeyt
Leo Matchett
Michael Musante
Casey Neistat
Donnie Simpson
Mena Suvari
Are you unwittingly breaking the law with your online content? Top creator economy lawyers explore the legal traps that many TikTok, YouTube, LinkedIn and other platforms’ creators have been falling into. This explosive session will cover hot-button issues like copyright infringement, fair use controversies, the ever-changing FTC disclosure requirements and the hidden dangers in brand deals. Learn about protecting intellectual property, understanding contracts and navigating the legal landscape of digital content creation. Discover the shocking legal truths behind viral content and avoid potentially costly lawsuits. And learn about how you can protect yourself, your creative output and your company from any unscrupulous brands, agents, platforms and ‘partners.’
LIGHTS, CAMERAS, ACTION! Big brands will be rolling out key new releases
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BEST OF BOOTHS AJA SL3065
Since 1993, AJA Video Systems has been a leading manufacturer of video interface technologies, converters, digital video recording solutions and professional cameras. At NAB Show 2024, AJA will showcase its Colorbox, a compact, high-performance converter for colour-managed workflows that meet the specific conversion needs of broadcast, live events and on-set applications. Birddog C2626 Founded in Melbourne, Birddog is dedicated to making live television production easier, more cost-effective and achievable in more places by more people. By enabling live video to travel over standard computer networks present in all modern building – with no compromise on quality – Birddog believes it is time to move live video production to the internet age. Brainstorm SL4097 Brainstorm’s advanced, yet user- friendly products meet today’s rapidly evolving broadcast and AV market requirements by providing state-of- the-art real-time 3D graphics, VP/XR, AR and virtual studio solutions. For-A C4507 For-A is a manufacturer offering a wide range of broadcast and production products with a focus on cutting-edge technologies, including: HD, 4K and IP products. At this year’s show, it will showcase its new FA1616 IP/SDI signal processor, amongst an array of other products. Lawo C4110 Lawo designs and manufacturers pioneering network, video, audio, control and monitoring technology for television and radio broadcast, performing arts, houses of worship, stadiums and corporate applications. Its products include IP-based media infrastructure solutions, control and monitoring systems, audio mixing consoles and video processing tools. Upcoming NAB Show dates 2024: 14-17 April 2025: 5-9 April 2026: 19-22 April
It was announced back in February that the National Association of Broadcasters will present the Television Chairman’s award to the widely acclaimed talk show host, actor, producer and recording artist Jennifer Hudson. The ceremony is due to take place on the Main Stage at NAB Show during the We Are Broadcasters session on Tuesday 16 April at 9.30am. The NAB Television Chairman’s award recognises individuals for groundbreaking work in one or more specific art disciplines within television. “Jennifer Hudson’s distinguished career spans multiple facets of the entertainment industry – from television to music to the big screen and beyond – and makes her well deserving of this award,” says NAB Television Board chair Pat LaPlatney. “I am honoured to present her with the NAB TV Chairman’s award during NAB Show in recognition of her outstanding work.” Roll out the red carpet
Marshall C5912 A leading manufacturer of cameras, monitors, converters and audio-visual production kit for the broadcast and professional AV markets. Marshall’s industry-leading compact cameras excel at delivering crisp 4K, UHD and HD video in a compact footprint for application in professional sports, reality TV, news and live events. Moments Lab SL2113 Moments Lab is the leading AI company solving video searchability. Powered by MXT-1 multimodal and generative AI indexing, it provides unprecedented access to AV content by generating natural language descriptions of scenes, including the automatic detection of faces, objects, logos, landmarks, written texts, audio transcripts and semantic content. Norsk Video (by id3as) W3417 The low-code Norsk SDK lets you build any livestreaming workflow – from single input, single output to complex multicamera productions with source switching, browser overlays and in-play highlights – in tens, or at most hundreds, of lines of simple-to-maintain code. Norsk is the culmination of 14 years of work by id3as, which has specialised in building customised, highly scalable and incredibly reliable livestreaming workflows for Tier 1 broadcasters and enterprise clients.
Qvest W2821 Qvest provides holistic support to companies worldwide in their digital transformation. With a focus on success, more than 1300 employees help clients achieve future-orientated change with innovation and consulting services, system deployments and ICT integration for both technology and infrastructure projects – not to mention the development of various software and digital products.
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STREAMING SUCCESS: ANOTHER YEAR OF ‘AMAZING GROWTH’
W ith another year of notable streaming deployments to Harmonic’s credit, it comes as no surprise that Jean Macher – the company’s business development director of SaaS solutions – sounds a satisfied note about the company’s progress in an extremely competitive sector. “Ever since we launched VOS360, our end-to-end cloud media processing platform, we have experienced amazing growth in streaming, especially for sports,” he says. “That trend has continued throughout the past 12 months with a number of major live events confirming that many Tier 1 players are opting to use our technology, as we are one of few that provide a streaming platform that is big-scale, high-quality, robust and innovative.” Indeed, innovation is integral to its USP, as the SaaS nature of the VOS360 platform means new features are regularly being added. “It’s not exactly the kind of approach whereby your customers make the most of a platform for a few years then move on to a new one,” Macher explains to us. “This is a different kind of technology development in that any new improvements we bring to the software – such as enhancement to video quality – become available to customers right away, no matter how they are working. This is true whether that’s remotely in the cloud, on-premises or a mix of the two.”
Ahead of what promises to be another dynamic edition of NAB Show for Harmonic, Jean Macher tells FEED about the continuing success of the VOS360 and its other offerings
While traditional linear broadcasting remains a key part of the Harmonic business, Macher confirms that the company has ‘invested heavily in streaming- focused features and capabilities for the past six or seven years.’ Accordingly, new capacities to make streaming even more seamless and efficient will feature prominently at the NAB Show, including: b New cloud appliance capabilities: These revolve around the Spectrum X cloud server with Harmonic’s MediaGrid scalable storage. Multiple new features and tools have been added to facilitate today’s production workloads. b The recent migration to cloud- native software: For both VOS and XOS processing, it allows all
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IT’S A DIFFERENT KIND OF TECHNOLOGY DEVELOPMENT – IMPROVEMENTS BECOME AVAILABLE RIGHT AWAY
the capabilities of the Harmonic production and playout appliances to be achieved in the public cloud as well as on-premises. The result is that broadcasters can operate their production and playout workflows wherever they wish, with the commonality of approach also enabling customers to make channel playout or edge modifications with minimal disruption. b Automated scheduling for FAST channels: While the FAST model is generating huge interest across the world at the moment, there is a need for broadcasters to keep the costs associated with establishing and operating these channels to a minimum. As part of its mission to help reduce the labour requirement involved in FAST services, Harmonic will be showcasing a new feature
processing features on a single software-based appliance. In particular, says Macher, show visitors will have the chance to find out “how they can use the XOS as part of their transition away from satellite towards IP, in conjunction with our VOS360 software running in the cloud. We’ve done that with a number of customers and it’s a really nice, elegant way of controlling and planning that transition.” With Harmonic also set to showcase its latest innovations developed to boost monetisation (with Microsoft) and increase sports fan engagement, there is every reason to visit to the company’s stand (W2831) at NAB Show .
that supports the automated creation of programme schedules. Macher reveals that it means the customer can ‘harvest their libraries of content, tag that content and then leverage AI to achieve automatic schedule creation.’ The closer broadcasters can come to ‘the concept of a self-driving channel’ in a cost-pressured sector, the better. NAB Show 2024 will also find Harmonic showcasing its XOS Advanced Media Processor, which now offers a complete playout-to- delivery feature set that simplifies video streaming, distribution and broadcast workflows. The expanded XOS solution lowers costs and helps reduce the amount of energy consumption as well as streamlining operations for headend and edge applications. It combines broadcast- grade playout with extensive media
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HUMANS NOT ROBOTS CEO: Kristan Bullett
What is the company’s origin story? A couple of years ago, CEO Kristan Bullett and CTO Kris Brown sat at McCarran airport on the way back from a particularly busy NAB Show, discussing customer challenges and all the highs and lows you talk about when you’ve just survived a long trade show in the desert. As part of that conversation, they reflected on the unnecessary excess within the media industry, and how companies seemed comfortable building and spending money on complex overlapping systems rife with duplication. Soon after returning from the show, they began asking industry peers about this concern, finding an astonishing lack of visibility and operational cost controls. Nobody – from technology suppliers to service providers and buyers – knew how to tackle this problem. A glass of wine with the CTO of a major UK broadcaster steered them towards aligning these issues around over-provisioning and spend with sustainability challenges. Quickly building and testing a proof of concept (POC), they confirmed that the industry had a serious problem which they had the means to address. Thus, Humans Not Robots (HNR) was born. What is it working on right now? HNR just announced the availability of HNR Discover, a new module within its AI-driven workflow analytics platform HNR to Zero. It enables customers to understand and report on the impact of their technology footprint on the environment. HNR continues to enhance the functionality of the platform thanks to HNR Deliver, which shows companies the steps required to reduce the environmental impact of their technology and operations. Huge gains are possible here, and HNR can reduce a company’s environmental impact by 20-30%, with subsequent cost savings. What is the next step? This is a key year for HNR. It’s looking to grow its teams and continue raising awareness about its mission in helping companies reduce carbon emissions, introducing savings with minimal disruption to their business. It will continue to deploy updates to HNR Deliver, which will support companies in making demonstrable savings (to costs both financial and carbon-based), and has a number of POCs lined up to help the industry understand that sustainable technology operations are a shared responsibility. What one thing does the company need most? HNR needs companies to share their data so it can be a decarbonisation guide. If businesses provide information regarding their technology footprint, HNR can, collectively, improve the environmental impact of M&E.
YEAR FOUNDED: 2021
COUNTRY: UK
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