7 September 2018
IBC, the International Broadcasting Convention, held each September in Amsterdam, opens its doors on 13 September for its series of renowned conferences, with the exhibition opening the following day.
More than 57,000 visitors are expected to come to experience products and services offered by more than 1,700 exhibitors. IBC offers also a unique opportunity for broadcast professionals to network.
Many AIB members, among them broadcasters, content providers or leading technology companies will be present at IBC.
More than 400 speakers including business leaders, global game-changers and disruptors in the media, entertainment and technology industries will address some 1,700 delegates attending the conferences.
As in previous years, and in view of growing concern about so-called fake news and misinformation, news production and delivery will be the focus of several sessions.
One of these, Controlled chaos: Embracing change in the news media business, is dedicated to change in the news media business. It will be chaired by AIB CEO Simon Spanswick. Panellists will include the VP of CNN International, the director of operations of Al-Arabiya News Channel, the Chief Commercial Officer of Berlin-based Ruptly news agency and the editor-in-chief of WittyFeed, one of the fastest growing online content platforms in India. They will explain how they have embraced a constantly changing news media market, from content creation that appeals across diverse audiences, to platform and technical innovation, to scalable models and monetisation.
Reflecting technological advances, and as forecast last year, topics discussed in the conferences will include, among many others, the impact of AI, of voice-activated devices and services, of blockchain.
Changing the “face of content” to reach a younger generation on a multitude of devices, will also be debated.
No less important will be the impact of these technological advances on the production and delivery of services on new platforms for connected audiences, and the fast-growing of fairly recent services, such as e-sports and online gaming.
As usual, very advanced technologies, such as 8K, will be demonstrated by leading set manufacturers and broadcasters; the challenges they represent in terms of content production and delivery will be addressed in technical papers and presentations.
The AIB will be present at IBC and report during, and after, the convention on the conferences as well as on a wide range of issues and new products and services unveiled this year.
12 September 2017
The Longlist for the 13th annual AIBs – the international awards for factual content, is announced today, Tuesday 12 September 2017
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Factual content from countries as diverse as Papua New Guinea, Denmark, the UK and Argentina
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18 distinct categories to reward factual video, audio and online productions
From the hundreds of entries, the Association for International Broadcasting’s shortlisting team has narrowed down the list of contenders across the 18 programme categories.
“This year’s range, breadth and depth of entries is astonishing,” says Simon Spanswick, Chief Executive of the Association for International Broadcasting. “The energy demonstrated by the programme producers around the world is astonishing. We have seen and heard remarkable stories told imaginatively and sensitively – despite many being truly difficult and disturbing subjects.”
“To illustrate the range of work entered, there are political stories from the USA, Philippines, North Korea and the Maldives,” says Clare Dance, the AIBs Co-ordinator. “Deeply moving personal stories have come from Korea, Japan, the UK and Denmark. And then there’s news coverage of the major events of the past year.”
The international spread of entries is reinforced this year, with work from almost 40 countries submitted. Work has been submitted for the first time from Italy and Papua New Guinea, while increased numbers of productions have come from Europe, North and South America, the Middle East and the Asia-Pacific region.
Inclusion on the AIBs 2017 Longlist indicates that the production is among the world’s best factual content produced for television, radio or online platforms.
International judges
The AIBs 2017 Shortlist will be announced on 22 September as the panel of 55 jurors in more than 20 countries starts work on the final judging of entries.
The 2017 winners will be announced at a gala evening at LSO St Luke’s in London on 1 November, hosted by Matthew Amroliwala (pictured left) presenter and journalist at BBC Global News.
The leading awards for quality factual productions
First awarded in 2005, the AIBs are recognised as one of the leading prizes for factual productions in any language. The list of winners includes the world’s leading broadcasters and production companies, and notable personalities including Sir David Attenborough, Larry King and Christiane Amanpour.
See the Longlist here
5 July 2017
The second World .Radio Advisory Board meeting was held in Geneva on 4 July 2017 at the headquarters of the EBU. This Board, chaired by AIB Chief Executive Simon Spanswick, steers the development of the new .radio top level domain and resolves issues surrounding name allocations in the new TLD.
At present, the .radio TLD is being offered through the Pioneers Programme. This allows companies that have a serious interest in using – and promoting – the new .radio extension to gain exposure globally. The Association for International Broadcasting is a pioneer, providing a special web site for its annual awards – the AIBs – at www.theaibs.radio. Companies interested in becoming a .radio pioneer and having use of a .radio domain in advance of the opening of registration requests can contact the AIB for more information.
In August, “sunrise” registrations will be opened, with general availability from 15 November 2017.
“The .radio top level domain will allow every organisation with radio operations, or companies and individuals with close links to radio, to demonstrate their involvement in the radio industry,” commented Simon Spanswick, WRAB President and Chief Executive of the Association for International Broadcasting. “This is the first community domain in the world, and it’s great that the radio industry is able to lead this new global domain initiative.”
Pictured above, from left: WRAB Members at the Geneva meeting – Giacomo Mazzone (EBU); Simon Spanswick (AIB); Olya Booyar (ABU); Graham Dixon (EBU); Alain Artero (EBU)
5 July 2017
Two major industry associations to work on cyber security and other key issues; AIB endorses NABA/DPP Security Requirements
The Association for International Broadcasting, the trade association for television, radio and online across the world, announces that it is to collaborate closely with the Digital Production Partnership (DPP),
DPP’s membership represents the whole media supply chain: production companies, manufacturers, suppliers, service providers, post production facilities, consultancies, broadcasters, distributors, and not-for-profit organisations. Besides working on the development of specifications and best practice in content exchange, a major DPP focus is the issue of cyber security.
Cyber security is also a key issue for the Association for International Broadcasting. The AIB has been working on the subject for the past three years and its specialist Working Group brings together broadcasters and key suppliers from across the globe, ranging from New Zealand to the USA. As a result of this new collaboration, the AIB is announcing that it is endorsing and backing the NABA/DPP Broadcaster Cyber Security Requirements for Suppliers.
Through this new collaborative venture, DPP will become an associate member of the AIB, and the AIB will become a DPP member.
“This new collaboration between the AIB and DPP is important for the whole broadcasting industry,” comments Simon Spanswick, AIB chief executive (pictured right). “There is much commonality between the aims and the work programme of our two organisations and cyber security is at the top of both organisations’ agendas. In endorsing the NABA/DPP security requirements document, the AIB is reaffirming its commitment – and that of its Members – to driving the media industry towards increased security to protect broadcasters from devastating cyber attack. We will work closely with our DPP colleagues over the coming months on this critical issue.”
Mark Harrison, Managing Director DPP, added “There are few more important areas for change in the media sector than the improvement needed in security practices throughout the supply chain. The DPP believes that pan-industry change such as this can only be delivered by collaboration. So we are really delighted to be working more closely with the AIB, who are just as committed to this area as we are. The North American Broadcasters Association (NABA) defined some important, pragmatic cyber security requirements in broadcasting; and now the DPP and AIB will work together to drive their implementation.”
The new collaboration between the AIB and DPP will also allow the exchange of information on a wide range of other issues, and lead to closer co-operation between Members of the two organisations.
12 June 2017
The Association for International Broadcasting has been visiting parts of Asia, meeting Member organisations and exploring potential new relationships with organisations across the region.
The AIB’s chief executive Simon Spanswick took part in the Asia Media Summit organised by the Asia Pacific Institute for Broadcasting Development (AIBD) in Qingdao, China. Attended by more than 400 delegates from over 40 countries, the Summit addressed the issues surrounding the role of media in global development and sustainability. The AIB CEO met Mme Liu Yandong, Vice Premier of the People’s Republic of China, alongside Ministers from Russia, Bangladesh, the Maldives, Samoa, Myanmar and Malaysia and the heads of the AIBD and ABU as well as senior officials of the United Nations and a number of its agencies.
Following the Asia Media Summit, Spanswick travelled to Seoul where he met executives of the Korean Broadcasting System, an AIB Member. Discussions centred on the work of the AIB and how KBS – as a Member of the Association – benefits from the activities the organisation carries out on behalf of its Members. There were also conversations about the future of the media and how public broadcasters like KBS can maintain their relevance to audiences – particularly the youth – as consumption patterns change.
