It’s time to welcome the return Europe’s premier broadcasting exhibition. The near three-year break due to the pandemic has made the heart fonder, and the industry hungrier to get together in person to reconnect.

By all accounts, IBC 2022 went according to plan and reunited the world of media, entertainment technology and content in Amsterdam, Netherlands. RAI Amsterdam welcomed 37,071 visitors from 170 countries to its halls, which were populated by over 1000 exhibitors capturing the wealth of the entire value chain. That’s a strong comeback considering the ongoing restrictions on travel.

Picture: IBC

What an International Leader Looks Like

We can’t talk about IBC without talking about technologies and solutions first. The trade show has a comprehensive product portfolio, which actualizes every year keeping its pace with innovations and cutting-edge applications.

On the technical side, visitors come to discover the next generation in television technology, audio broadcast transmitters, broadcast technology, television transmitters, satellite TV equipment, cable distribution, audio acquisition, cameras, facility hardware and intra-facility connectivity. Each edition supports and helps out new companies to shine brightly and be incorporated into the show. In 2022, these newcomers are XroadMedia, Piko TV, CeeBlue, Blitz Micro, Castify.ai, Castr, Riverside and Testbirds

Outside the product displays and demonstrations, the program focuses on a sizeable list of topics: content acquisition, live production, post production & VFX, augmented reality, virtual reality, storytelling and studio production. IBC provides buyers with the right conditions to source new products and return home with the necessary knowledge to remain competitive in the upcoming year. Attendance is an investment that pays off beyond high-profile sales leads.

Visionary Commitment to Innovations

Innovation sits at the very heart of the trade show. IBC does its best to lift up newcomers, market disruptors and inventors. You see this in the start-up zone, and in the special events and shows that help up-and-coming companies connect with the right audience. The Innovation platform is one of the most-attended events at IBC, which clearly demonstrates the audience’s appetite for new technologies. The stage is an effective way for exhibitors to target buyers, raise brand awareness and generate buzz about new releases.

First, we have to talk about the Accelerator Media Innovation Programme, which is dubbed as the fast-track Innovation framework for the media & entertainment eco-system. The programme offers companies in the media and entertainment industry the necessary framework to usher in agile, collaborative and fast-track innovation. You get professional guidance from the most qualified voices working right now.

Content Everywhere targets broadcast and broadband. The focus falls on emerging technologies for multi-platform delivery, OTT and the monetisation of content. The programme consists of sessions that educate visitors on what’s new, tech relevance, strategies and developments in the fast-moving field of online TV and streamed video.

Content Everywhere shines the spotlight on both start-ups and the biggest names in online tech. The programme gives a comprehensive overview of relevant sectors – Advertising Tech, App Development, CDNs, Cloud Services, Cyber Security, IPTV to Multi-Platform Delivery, OTT equipment & services, Personalisation and Streaming.

The Roles That You Encounter at IBC

IBC is the chief meeting place for major players in the industry and you touch base with peers and colleagues from every line of work behind the camera. It’s a thriving ecosystem that brings you to everyone you need to know to mount a successful production from setting up the stage to getting the filming done, and then everything in post.

Here’s a complete breakdown of the audience according to their role.

A Trade Show That Continues to Reinvent Itself

IBC’s return in 2022 marked the beginning of a new chapter with the debut of CHANGEMAKERS to its professional audience. It’s the Partner's Programme to spotlight trailblazing organisations and initiatives that are transforming the landscape of media. The first names to be featured and promoted included ACE, Albert, EDCF, GalsNGear, MovieLabs, RISE, Soho Media Club, The Circle, Women in Immersive Tech and World DAB.

The programme was designed to help create new horizons for creativity and technology. Important topics ran through all levels of the industry - raising equality, advancing sustainability and mental health awareness. The most important sessions to note are:

• #GALSNGEAR (Changing Workflows; Changing Perspectives);
• Soho Media Club (Making tech more accessible for everyone);
• The Circle Society (company culture that attracts & retains a powerful workforce);
• RISE (Women in broadcasting);
• Movielabs (2030 Vision Update; Implementing the Vision).