how do you know what you’re looking at is authentic? IBC is putting that question firmly on the agenda. The ‘Security, Authenticity and Provenance’ session will bring together speakers from LaLiga, Globo and Google to examine how the industry can establish greater trust in content. For news organisations, sports rightsholders and premium content owners in particular, knowing where content came from, whether it has been altered and who has permission to distribute it is important. It also ties into the broader issue of trust in an AI-heavy media environment. If audiences become less confident about what they are seeing, media companies need technical systems that can provide some reassurance. Expect this to be one of those topics that sounds niche until you realise it affects practically everything. established industry muscle returning to Amsterdam. Here’s who we think is worth paying a visit: Atomos – Hall 7, B19 If you’re interested in where production is heading, Atomos is worth a stop for its take on compact monitoring, recording and switching. Keep an eye on the show floor There is, inevitably, plenty of Its focus on making professional workflows more portable makes it particularly relevant to smaller crews and creators. Blackmagic Design – Hall 7, C49 Blackmagic is always one to investigate, largely because its ecosystem spans cameras, switching, post-production and live production. With the company continuing to blur the boundaries between cinema, broadcast and creator workflows, there’s usually plenty to see. Clear-Com – Hall 10, D29 For a reminder that not everything at IBC needs to involve AI, head to Clear-Com. Its communications and intercom technology sits at the heart of live production, helping crews coordinate everything from studios and OBs to theatre and events.
Cobalt – Hall 8, F90 Cobalt Digital is a good stop for anyone interested in the infrastructure quietly holding modern broadcast operations together. Expect plenty around signal processing, conversion, routing and IP workflows – the less glamorous technology that still has to work flawlessly. Gravity Media – Hall 10, C27 Gravity Media is well worth a visit if next-generation live workflows are on your radar. Its new OB truck launch is among the highlights, alongside expertise across production, broadcast technology and solutions designed for demanding live content. Lawo – Hall 8, B90 Lawo is one for anyone interested in the continuing transition towards IP and software-defined production. Its work across audio, video, control and network infrastructure makes it a useful stop for seeing how distributed broadcast operations are being put together. Matrox – Hall 7, B15 Matrox is worth seeking out for its work around professional video infrastructure, particularly as production environments become IP-based, distributed and software- driven. It’s a useful place to explore the technology connecting sources, systems and workflows behind the scenes. PTZOptics – Hall 1, B07 PTZ cameras have gone from niche convenience to a serious production tool and PTZOptics is a good place to explore why. Its focus on flexible, remotely operated production makes it particularly relevant to studios, education, corporate video and smaller teams. Riedel – Hall 10, A24, A31, A38 Riedel has become a major player across communications, signal distribution and live production, making its stand a worthwhile stop for anyone interested in the infrastructure behind complex events. Its expanded IBC presence also reflects the company’s growing footprint at the show.
Sony – Hall 13, A10, D201; Hall 2, G111 There is a lot to explore across Sony’s huge media technology ecosystem, from cameras and production to displays and workflow. It’s particularly worth a look if you want to see how one manufacturer is connecting acquisition, production and distribution. There is plenty of new blood, too. More than 50 companies are making their first appearance, including Barco, Dropbox, Leica, Rakuten, Scaleway and TVUP. And then there’s the stuff you didn’t plan to see That’s probably the most reliable piece of IBC advice. The show is simply too large to approach as a checklist. You can spend four days marching between pre- booked meetings and still miss something interesting happening two aisles away. The IBC Technical Papers Programme is worth dipping into if you’re after something more substantial than a product demo, with peer-reviewed research covering AI production, coding, content trust and provenance, XR and multiview, TV distribution, dynamic media facilities and AI indexing. The Accelerator Media Innovation Programme is another one to watch, bringing broadcasters, streamers, technology companies and research partners together to work on practical industry problems. Google returns as headline sponsor, with EIT Culture & Creativity joining as Innovation Partner. And, of course, there will be the inevitable collection of cameras, screens, servers, microphones, software platforms, AI demos and equipment that makes you briefly wonder whether the media industry has collectively decided to rebuild itself from scratch. If IBC 2025 was about getting a glimpse of what was coming next, IBC 2026 looks rather more interested in what happens when those technologies have to actually earn their keep.
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