Conference Agenda 2023

Resilience Unleashed: Adapt, Innovate, Thrive, Sustain
Navigating the Future of MediaTech

Staying Relevant in a Constantly Changing Business Landscape

 Our industry is experiencing relentless evolution (no longer a revolution). Thriving in the MediaTech business is not just about “transformation” at a point in time, but rather about navigating constant change and being prepared to respond to ongoing challenges quickly and cost-effectively.  

 All industry stakeholders, whether technology suppliers or media companies, need to find ways to remain relevant and competitive - resilience is key.  

Date
7 December

Where:
Novotel London West
One Shortlands
London W6 8DR

Timings:
9.00am       Welcome & Refreshments
9.30-6.00    Conference
6.00-7.00    BaM Live London and IABM Awards Drinks Reception

AGENDA

9:00AM

Welcome and Refreshments

9:25AM

Opening Ceremony

Presented by IABM's new CEO Jerry Gepner

9:30AM

Session One: Adapt - How can MediaTech suppliers remain relevant?

This session will explore what technology suppliers, even those that have been around for decades, need to do to adapt and remain relevant in an industry that evolves at relentless pace.

Together with technology buyers, the discussion will look at:

• How do tech suppliers adapt and keep up with latest technology trends, such as generative AI, leveraging the cloud and implement sustainable solutions – do they need to? Is it part of their key strategy? What are the key tech trends they feel they must keep up with?
• What do technology buyers see as key behaviours and offerings that make technology suppliers relevant to their needs? What are the key tech trends and business models they expect vendors to keep up with? How should they adapt?
• Adapt or Die: How can tech vendors help media companies remain competitive in the current industry landscape? Not only from a technology point of view, but from a business strategy standpoint?
• How important is to provide for clients outside the traditional broadcast sector – is industry convergence something they need to consider? 

SPEAKERS

10:30AM

Breakout Session: Intelligence: Leveraging Market Insight in the Gen AI Era

In this session, analysts from IABM and Caretta Research will explore the topic of leveraging market intelligence with a presentation focused on their joint research proposition and how to make best use of it. This will be followed by an update on high-level content chain trends and a guided interactive discussion focused on recent research needs and the impact of Gen AI on their quest for business insight.

SPEAKERS

10:30AM

Breakout Session: Challenges of Scripted Content vs Live Production in the Cloud. Are they Converging? 

Producing live content and scripted content in the cloud have many known challenges, but also some similarities. MovieLabs and IABM have teamed up with broadcasters and streamers to bring out the common business and technical issues of production in the cloud. Topics include, the convergence of workflows, common goals of automation and interoperability, security/access, and building a flexible, reconfigurable stack from infrastructure up through software-defined workflows.

SPEAKERS

11:30AM

Networking & Refreshments

12:00PM

Session Two: Innovate - How do new MediaTech trends become another tool in the box?

We are fortunate to work in an industry that is in a constant state of innovation. New technology trends emerge every month, some stay, and some go. As technology vendors and buyers, what is the best approach to adopting innovation?

• Let’s discuss one of the main tech innovations of recent years: is the cloud delivering everything it has promised? Is it helping fix efficiency, integration, storage, sustainability and cost issues? How relevant is on-premises infrastructure still? Does it make sense for media companies to run their own data centre?
• Generative AI: friend, foe or fad? How transformative do we see generative AI being in our industry? Is it inevitably going to replace humans (if not now, in the future)?
• The eternal question: buy or build? Tends to be cyclical – is this something that has changed in recent years, especially with the availability of off-the-shelf, DYI media services in the cloud?

SPEAKERS

1:00PM

Breakout Session: Sustainable Transformation in Broadcast and Media - Revolutionising Procurement Practices

Join us for an engaging session where our panel of broadcast industry executives will shed light on the evolving landscape of sustainability within their organisations and its profound impact on content delivery. Discover how they are actively reducing their carbon footprint, demonstrating their commitment to a greener future. The session will focus on: 

• Content Delivery Transformation: Gain insights into how these industry leaders are transforming their content delivery methods to align with sustainability goals. Explore innovative approaches and technologies being employed to achieve a lower carbon footprint. 

• Supply Chain Vitality: Understand the critical role that supply chains play in driving sustainability efforts. Discover how these executives are collaborating with suppliers to ensure that sustainable practices are integrated throughout the value chain. 

• Evolving Procurement Practices: Delve into the evolving procurement procedures and requirements employed by our panelists to select the right suppliers. Explore how sustainability criteria are being integrated into supplier selection processes. 

SPEAKERS

1:00PM

Breakout Session: Shades of Convergence

SPEAKERS

2:00PM

Lunch

3:00PM 

Session Three: Thrive - How can media companies not only survive, but shine?

To remain relevant, media companies need to be agile to respond to audience’s needs, as well as compete with alternative entertainment sources (e.g., gaming, social media).

• What are the key business drivers for your media company to keep up with audiences needs and market dynamics and how important is technology to get there?
  
• Business models will be discussed and how media companies need to adjust how they do business when acquiring technology and when providing their services to their own clients / consumers / audiences
• What are media companies doing to compete with other sources of entertainment, especially in a market where video is now part of the engagement model for brands, sporting organizations.

SPEAKERS

4:00PM

Breakout Session: CTO Views on 2024 MediaTech Trends 

Our industry just isn’t about cool stuff; it’s also about building profitable endeavours. Within the past few years we have seen many spontaneous actions to keep significant within the industry – some successful – some not – some becoming quickly irrelevant. Based on IABM’s Technology and Trends Roadmap, this CTO panel will examine and debate the key topics being thoroughly analyzed by organizations for 2024. Come to this breakout session to help you decide if to jump in or take the sit and wait approach on the business side.

SPEAKERS

4:00PM

Breakout Session: Bridging the Talent Gap in MediaTech

This session will explore the pressing issue of talent shortages in MediaTech. Industry experts and thought leaders on this topic will come together to examine the causes of these shortages and provide potential solutions for addressing the scarcity of skilled professionals in the sector.

Our discussions could include (but are not limited to):

• How can awareness of technical roles in the industry be increased?
• How can the industry strengthen engagement with educational establishments?
• How can we ensure sufficient technical training is available for new entrants and those needing to upskill?
• How do we make the industry a more attractive one to work in?
• How can we improve our Equality, Diversity and Inclusion?

SPEAKERS

5:00PM 

Session Four: Sustain - How can MediaTech companies implement an effective ESG strategy?

While technology evolves at neck-breaking pace, changes around diversity, talent pool renewal and sustainability have been considerably slow in the MediaTech industry. And yet, to continue growing and remain relevant to new generations, environmental, social and corporate governance (ESG) matters are key. This session will explore how, and if, technology suppliers and buyers consider that up-skilling their talent, diversifying their teams, and formulating their sustainability strategy brings business resilience.

• How do we reinvent ourselves as an industry so that we can attract fresh talent?
• Despite bold efforts over the last decade by a range of organizations to become more diverse (RISE, Women in Streaming Media, etc), the industry remains extremely un-diverse. Why? And what are we missing out by not having a more diverse workforce?
• Sustainability – the word on everyone’s mouth, but how many companies put their money where their mouth is? The word on the street is that private companies will only pay attention to sustainable initiatives if it also brings financial benefits (e.g., cost savings). Do we expect this to change?
  

SPEAKERS

5:45PM

Closing Ceremony

Presented by IABM's new CEO Jerry Gepner

6:00PM - 7:00PM

Networking and Drinks