Phinson Mathew George phinson.george@cpitrademedia.com
DIGITAL SERVICES
Web Developer Abdul Baeis abdul.baeis@cpitrademedia.com
Web Developer Umair Khan umair.khan@cpitrademedia.com
FOUNDER
Dominic De Sousa (1959-2015)
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WELCOME
It’s not every day that we witness a transformation as intense and dramatic as the one at evision. What was once a quiet giant, modestly aggregating content, has now awakened under its dynamic leadership, evolving into a force that is reshaping the media landscape across the Middle East, Arab Africa and even beyond.
In just two years, evision has transformed from a single-service provider to a media powerhouse, boldly embracing new frontiers and challenging conventional business norms.
Its journey from a traditional IPTV service to a multi-faceted media and tech company is one that deserves to be a case study at Harvard Business School. By redefining business models, adopting an agnostic approach to technology and making bold moves in content licensing and sports rights acquisition, evision has forged new paths. Its willingness to partner even with competitors has expanded its reach, setting new benchmarks in the industry. A couple of years ago, the team envisioned a new future for the company. They saw untapped potential in the SVOD sector, acquired a sizeable stake in StarzPlay, leveraged the vast data and resources of the UAE’s largest telco and got to work on strategic partnerships and technologies. Two years later, with StarzPlay, they created a cutting-edge streaming platform that became a game changer. Their decision to white-label this platform attracted other media companies and telcos across MENA and Pakistan, turning regional competitors into customers and driving substantial revenue.
Evision’s story of disruption, ambition and strategic foresight makes it the perfect cover for this month’s issue, especially as we head to IBC, where innovation takes centre stage. Our features this month all centre around innovation – whether it’s cutting-edge studios in Iraq, an AI-driven production series, 8K broadcasting at the Olympics or the exceptional commercial and technical strategies ASBU employs to ensure its members get the best of all worlds. Happy reading!
VIJAYA CHERIAN, EDITORIAL DIRECTOR
UPDATE NEWS
Aurora Media Worldwide expands into Middle East with multiple offices; BeIN renews deal with Front Row Filmed Entertainment for three years; new news channel in Kuwait; KSA media house ADMC opts for Ikegami HDK-99 HDR camera systems; and more
NEW CHANNEL - IRAQ
THE POWER OF 8
Iraq’s latest TV station, Channel 8, launches with state-of-the-art studios and a broadcasting facility integrated by Wave Media 20
COVER FROM VISION TO VICTORY
Meet the dynamic duo, Olivier Bramly and Zahra Zayat, who transformed evision from a traditional content aggregator to a media powerhouse. Read Vijaya Cherian’s exclusive interview with them
26
AN AI PRODUCTION – DUBAI KEEPING IT REAL
ARAB RADIO & TV FES TIVAL – TUN ISIA ASBU SPOTLIGHTS REGIONAL UNITY AND TECH INNOVATION IN MENA
From cultural performances and key regional partnerships to innovative technical strategies, we bring you the highlights from the Arab States Broadcasting Union’s annual festival in Tunis
AI INNOVATION IN TV SETS PICTURE PERFECT
With Samsung’s recent debut of AI-powered TV sets, Nikola Aksentijevic, Director and Head of Visual Display Division, Samsung Gulf Electronics, sheds light on the latest innovations shaping the future of television 14
We look at the creative process behind Al Mashhad TV’s new AIdriven programme Ramz Wa Athar 42
PRODUCT SHOWCASE WHAT’S NEW AT IBC2024
A closer look at the latest launches and the spotlight on AI innovations from leading manufacturers
GUEST COLUMN NAVIGATING THE TECH TSUNAMI
While navigating the latest tech innovations, Karim Sarkis cautions CEOs against losing focus
56
NEWS
Riedel invests in APEX Stabilizations to expand camera stabilisation expertise
ESPORTS
Xsolla signs MoU with Savvy Games Group to launch gaming hub in Riyadh
RADIO
Radio Kuwait contracts Radio Archive Project to Al Rashed Group and NOA
FILM
Doha Film Institutesupported films set to make mark at Venice Film Festival
INTERVIEW: Embarking on excellence
TECHNOLOGY: Personalised programming in the FAST lane
OPINION: Charting the course of entertainment for kids
OTT
Yango Play reveals first original Egyptian reality series El Ghaleb Ghaleb
PRODUCTS
Magnifi to showcase AI-driven content creation tools at IBC
Visitors will experience new features for the Magnifi platform including an automated local language content generator and generative AI-led graphics workflows
NEWS
Saudi Media Forum and IBC forge strategic partnership
The agreement includes setting up a dedicated pavilion for Saudi Broadcasting Authority at the event
Let’s create a vibrant online broadcast community!
TRENDING
TV
MBC1 and Shahid announce Arabic adaptation of Turkish series Al Ameel
SATELLITE
Quadsat partners with GovSat to simplify antenna registration
PRODUCTS
SipRadius to debut intercom and messaging system SipVault at IBC Visitors will get a hands-on demonstration of SipVault at the event
PRODUCTS
Rohde & Schwarz to showcase broadcast technology at IBC2024
Vistors will be able to explore the R&S TH1, a comprehensive technology showcase featuring DAB+ and other Rohde & Schwarz product demonstrations, at the event
PRODUCTS
Cinegy to launch Air product bundles and AI-powered subtitling at IBC
Cinegy is also launching an AI-powered automatic subtitling solution that can transcribe spoken language into DVB or teletext subtitles in real time
OTT
TOD and Iraqi platform 1001 enter strategic multi-year partnership
FILM
Moscow Film Festival showcases global cinema with strong MENA participation
COMMS
Nokia and Axiom Space to equip spacesuits with 4G/LTE technology
IBC2024
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Aurora Media Worldwide expands into Middle East with multiple offices
International production house Aurora Media Worldwide has expanded into the Middle East with the appointment of James Pearce to the newly created role of Managing Director
for MENA. This move includes the opening of a new office in Riyadh and plans for a production hub in Abu Dhabi, highlighting Aurora’s commitment to producing content in live, original, branded and digital formats, in line with the region’s growing focus on sports, entertainment and major events.
As part of the All3Media Group, recently acquired by investment platform RedBird IMI, Aurora has already made a significant impact in Saudi Arabia. The company has been involved in various live and non-live
MBC GROUP REPORTS 359.8% INCREASE IN NET INCOME IN H1 2024
MBC Group had a net income of $63.36m for H1 2024, a 359.8% increase compared to the same period last year. The net profit margin improved to 10.8%, up from 2.6% in H1 2023, driven by revenues of $532.79m. Shahid’s revenues were up 40.8%
in H1 2024, while traditional broadcasting activities and regional partnerships enjoyed 20% revenue growth. Shahid’s AVOD revenue more than doubled to $31m, and its subscriber base grew by 36% to 4.61m. These gains helped offset a 38.5% revenue decline in M&E.
productions, including host broadcasts for Formula E, Extreme E, E1 Series and Supertri events in
Riyadh, Jeddah and Neom, as well as the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques Endurance Cup in AlUla.
James Pearce will head the Middle East office as MD.
BeIN renews deal with Front Row Filmed Entertainment for three years
BeIN Media Group has renewed its multi-year firstrun agreement with Front Row Filmed Entertainment, an independent MENA film distributor. The partnership, which has seen eight years of successful collaborations, has been extended for an additional three years, securing exclusive rights until 2027.
NETFLIX, SARD AND NEOM WORK WITH SAUDI FEMALE FILMMAKERS
The first phase of the Saudi Female Future Filmmakers Programme, initiated by Netflix with Sard and Neom Media Industries, will begin this month and includes a 10-day virtual introductory course focused on writing, directing and producing. The project targets 15 emerging female filmmakers from Saudi Arabia. In the second phase, participants will enter a ten-week online advanced writing programme, working with mentors to develop short scripts. These scripts will then be pitched to a panel of experts during a simulation exercise at the Red Sea International Film Festival.
This renewed deal grants beIN exclusive access to the Pay 1 window for both its linear and SVOD platforms, covering a wide range of Western independent feature films across the MENA region.
Additionally, beIN will have exclusive MENA region premieres for premium titles such as an
English-language remake of Bad Genius, and Paolo Sorrentino’s Parthenope. These films will be available on beIN’s linear movie channels and TOD. In collaboration with Rocket Science, Front Row is also backing the development of a bigbudget Cliffhanger reboot, set to begin filming in Q1
2025. Front Row acquires more than 120 independent films annually and ventured into original productions with Perfect Strangers (2022). The company’s next project, The Sandcastle, is currently in postproduction. It is also working on crime thriller Boomah, directed by Zaid Abu Hamdan.
KUWAITI MINISTRY OF INFORMATION LAUNCHES NEWS CHANNEL
Kuwait’s Ministry of Information has launched a news channel that will feature local news stories, cultural and dialogue programmes, and reports on economic, sports, social and cultural topics. Equipped with state-of-the-art technology and facilities, the new channel boasts cutting-edge studios for television broadcasting, filming and directing.
SHAHID’S FAST CHANNELS NOW AVAILABLE ON SAMSUNG TV PLUS IN MIDDLE EAST
Shahid has partnered with Samsung Electronics, bringing its top 10 performing FAST channels to Samsung TV Plus in the Middle East. This is the first time Shahid’s FAST channels will be available outside of its platform in the MENA region through a thirdparty solution.
Natasha MatosHemingway, Chief Commercial and Marketing Officer at Shahid, said the collaboration with Samsung TV Plus would help the company “share
our compelling stories with an even wider audience”.
Shahid’s portfolio includes 40 owned and operated channels, featuring popular Arabiclanguage content with channels such as AlAsouf, Selfie, Al Mirath, Al Sadma, Mina Al Sifr, Al Leba, Masrah Masr, West Al Balad and Wifi. The platform was the first to introduce FAST channels in the MENA region.
Natasha MatosHemingway, CCO and CMO, Shahid.
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KSA media house ADMC opts for Ikegami HDK-99 HDR camera systems
Ikegami has delivered ten HDK-99 camera systems to Advanced Digital Media Company (ADMC), a Saudi provider of broadcast-quality media production systems and services across Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the UAE. Each system includes an HDK99 camera head, FA-97A fibre interface, BSX-100H base station, VFL-P700A viewfinder and OCP-300
operation control unit, all part of ADMC’s shift from SDR to HDR capability.
ADMC has nearly four decades of experience in the telecom, IT and media sectors. It constructs, operates and leases a variety of production studio facilities and outside broadcast vehicles.
Ayman Zeibak, GM of ADMC, said the company “chose Ikegami HDK-99
cameras for its ability to integrate easily into studiobased projects, truckbased outside broadcast production or EFP-style mobile content creation”. Abdul Ghani, GM of Ikegami Middle East, added: “This order stems from our long-term relationship with ADMC as well as the industry-proven quality, reliability and versatility of our camera systems. The
DICM 2024 SET TO HOST GLOBAL CONTENT INDUSTRY LEADERS
The Dubai International Content Market (DICM) is returning on November 12-13. This year’s event will feature over 800 participants, including exhibitors, buyers and pavilions from more than 50 countries. It will feature four major international pavilions with more than 40 exhibitors from Russia,
South Korea and Turkey.
Top industry players like Candle Light Media will be joined by companies like France 24, Inter Medya, Sama Art, Friday TV, Seriella Productions, Kanal D, Mangouste Anim, Red Arrow Studios International, Baby Clay/Union Media, TelevisaUnivision,
Caracol TV, Jetro Dubai, Calinos Entertainment, HA International, ATV, The Global Agency, IX Media, TV Tokyo Corporation, BEAJ and Eccho Rights. These exhibitors will bring a broad range of content and expertise to the event.
The Producers Connect segment will host major companies such as Inter Medya, Golden Capra Productions, Eccho Rights, HA International, Caracol TV, Baby Clay/Union Media and PRODUKSI
SENI DUAPULUH SDN BHD. This segment is expected to facilitate new partnerships.
HDK-99 is a docking-style camera for over-the-shoulder, pedestal-mounted and tripodmounted applications. It is built to withstand the rigours of daily studio use and the physical demands imposed by mobile production projects such as stage events and sports coverage. It is also ideally suited to the rental market, given its operatorfriendly control routines and excellent ergonomic design.”
UNITED MEDIA SERVICES PARTNERS WITH AL NAHAR TV
United Media Services (UMS), a major media company in Egypt and the Middle East, has entered into a strategic cooperation agreement with the Al Nahar TV network. The partnership focuses on exchanging and producing media content, including series, films and TV programmes, aimed at advancing the media landscape in Egypt and expanding opportunities for media institutions. This collaboration is designed to strengthen both local and regional content while ensuring the sustainability of local media entities.
The agreement was signed at United Media Services’ headquarters.
LBCI TO EXCLUSIVELY AIR FIBA INTERCONTINENTAL CUP 2024 IN LEBANON
The Lebanese Broadcasting Corporation International (LBCI) will exclusively air the FIBA Intercontinental Cup in Lebanon from September 12 to September 15. This announcement follows a multi-year agreement between LBCI and FIBA granting Lebanese sports fans access to FIBA’s major international and continental tournaments through 2025.
TOD AND IRAQI PLATFORM 1001 ENTER STRATEGIC MULTI-YEAR PARTNERSHIP NEWS CHANNEL
TOD, beIN Media Group’s SVOD platform, has announced a strategic multi-year partnership with Iraqi digital platform 1001. This collaboration grants 1001 exclusive distribution rights for TOD packages in Iraq. From last month, 1001 subscribers have access to premium TOD offerings including TOD Mobile, TOD and TOD 4K packages, available as bundled add-ons. Additionally, TOD users enjoy exclusive access to all beIN Sports programming through the TOD application. It will also be the exclusive distributor of TOD’s sports and entertainment content across B2B and corporate sectors, including telecoms and ISPs.
BEIN SECURES FOUR-YEAR EXTENSION FOR EFL BROADCAST RIGHTS
BeIN Media Group has extended its exclusive broadcasting rights for more than 300 matches from the English Football League (EFL) for another four years. The renewed deal covers 27 countries across MENA, France, Australia and New Zealand. The multiyear deal, negotiated by Pitch International, commenced alongside the 2024-25 season and will continue through the 2027-28 season.
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Neom and Saudi Broadcasting Authority announce partnership
Neom Media Industries Sector and Saudi Broadcasting Authority (SBA) have partnered to produce mainstream local episodic content to foster the development of a Saudi talent pool. Under this deal, SBA and Neom Industry Learning are co-developing training programmes covering the entire creative industries’ value chain. These are designed to support SBA’s digital transformation initiatives while nurturing the Saudi workforce. This joint effort ensures the workforce is well-equipped to tackle
DUBAI PODFEST TO RETURN FOR FOURTH EDITION IN SEPTEMBER
Dubai Press Club (DPC) has announced the fourth edition of Dubai PodFest, the region’s premier podcasting event, set to be held on September 30. It will coincide with International Podcast Day and will take place at the Dubai World Trade Centre’s Za’abeel Hall 5. Dubai PodFest 2024 aims to gather leading podcasters and audio content creators to discuss the future of podcasting in the region.
This partnership has led to the successful production of local reality TV series Unbreakable.
the digital era’s challenges and opportunities. The programme aims to graduate 80 trainees by 2025, with each TV production providing placements for valuable onset, hands-on experience. Highlighting the ambition
of this alliance, SBA is considering establishing an ongoing operational presence within the Neom Media Hub. This would leverage state-of-the-art infrastructure, technology services, financial production incentives and
a supportive regulatory framework, attracting productions and media companies from the region and beyond. This move is part of a long-term plan where SBA will eventually take up residency in the forthcoming end-state hub on THE LINE.
The partnership has already led to the successful production of local reality TV series Unbreakable, now in pre-production for its second season. This marks the beginning of a strong pipeline of six productions across various genres and formats.
SAUDI MEDIA FORUM JOINS FORCES WITH IBC
Saudi Media Forum will be the primary media partner for the International Broadcasting Convention (IBC), supported by the European Broadcasting Union. This partnership is a precursor to Riyadh’s Future of Media Exhibition (FOMEX) scheduled for 2025. As part of the agreement, a dedicated pavilion will be set up for Saudi Broadcasting Authority at IBC in Amsterdam. In addition, IBC will
promote the forum and its associated exhibition across its European media network. The collaboration aims to increase awareness and engagement with these events throughout Europe, ensuring broad visibility and maximising global audience reach.
Mohammed bin Fahd Al-Harthi, CEO of SBA and President of Saudi Media Forum, said the partnership “builds on past achievements, such as hosting the MIPCOM
Market outside France for the first time … we are proud to include IBC among our esteemed partners”.
Mike Crimp, CEO of IBC, added: “IBC has always championed industry innovation worldwide, and our media partnership with FOMEX aligns with our shared goals of advancing transformative technologies in every region and sector of media and entertainment.”
E-VISIONARIES
In just a couple of years, evision has evolved from a traditional content aggregator into a trailblazing media powerhouse. By boldly entering new markets, challenging conventional business norms and forging strategic partnerships – even with rivals – the company has redefined the rules of the game. In an exclusive interview, CEO Olivier Bramly and CCO Zahra Zayat share the story of evision’s successful transformation with Vijaya Cherian
To most people across the GCC, evision was traditionally perceived as the TV arm of the technology group e&, providing IPTV services. However, industry insiders sensed a change on the horizon when Olivier Bramly took the helm as CEO a few years ago, a shift that gained further momentum when Zahra Zayat joined as Chief Commercial Officer (CCO). Under this new leadership, evision has evolved from a traditional content aggregator and IPTV service provider in the UAE into a holistic media and tech company that has disrupted the content and technology space in the Middle East, North Africa and Pakistan (MENAP). It has boldly redefined conventional business models and embraced innovative, collaborative approaches, extending its influence not just within the UAE, but to the rest of MENAP.
Strategic
acquisitions and bold partnerships
The H1 2024 financials released by e& last month testify to the company’s success. In a press statement, the company reported revenues of $7.69bn and net profit of $1.49bn; it now serves 175m subscribers across 32 countries.
Evision’s own reach has grown to six million users (StarzPlay and Starz On combined). Its landmark acquisition of a majority stake in home-grown streaming platform StarzPlay in 2022 via a consortium with ADQ, coupled with the recent launch of its own AVOD service Starz On, has significantly bolstered its reach, with management claiming double-digit growth every month.
The company’s success hasn’t been limited to inorganic acquisitions. Recently, evision has also struck content partnerships with Sony Pictures Entertainment, Prime Video, Amazon MGM Studios and iQIYI.com. It has also secured exclusive MENA rights to ICC cricket alongside Disney+ Hotstar, further cementing its status as a regional leader in content.
“We have grown substantially over the last three years,” says CEO Bramly, reflecting on the changes at evision since he joined. “Three years ago, evision was primarily focused on IPTV within the UAE. Today, we’ve expanded far beyond IPTV and the UAE; we’ve grown substantially in our SVOD segment, which is why we acquired a majority stake in StarzPlay two years ago along with ADQ. We’ve
also broadened our operations across B2B, hospitality and advertising. Now, evision operates in 22 countries, with revenue and profit coming from each market. This organic growth is the result of the company’s development across the region in various segments.”
Becoming a media and tech powerhouse
Evision’s transformation into a media titan has been driven by more than just strategic partnerships and acquisitions. Together with StarzPlay, it has invested heavily in technology, developing end-to-end, white-label solutions deployed at other regional telco facilities, providing them with a comprehensive 360-degree streaming platform which evision also maintains. A core part of the strategy has been the development of OTT platforms in different markets, and related technologies.
“We understand that delivering a topnotch streaming experience requires not just great content but also robust, secure technology,” remarks Bramly. “That’s why we’ve invested heavily in our tech infrastructure, managing our entire tech stack in-house with StarzPlay to ensure high performance and adaptability. We
have maximised the synergies between evision and StarzPlay, creating a tech powerhouse to power our own products and sell white-label solutions to B2B customers across different markets.”
As a result, Bramly confirms that evision has now “been approached by leading telcos in Europe and Africa interested in our tech and content solutions”.
CCO Zayat expands on this, clarifying how covering multiple verticals has transformed evision. “Where we used to be a content aggregator for IPTV, we’ve transformed and become more agnostic. We were able to bridge tradition with technology because we had access to data on consumption behaviour – what people like, what they don’t and so on. Instead of remaining a content aggregator, we moved into the role of content licensor and tech product creator, developing our own cutting-edge solutions and white-labelling those products to B2B partners across different markets.”
Innovating with AVOD and SVOD
A lesser-known fact is that the consortium between evision and ADQ recently increased its stake in StarzPlay to 58%, to drive innovation across both StarzPlay’s SVOD platform and evision’s Starz On free ad-supported streaming service (AVOD/FAST).
“By offering both ad-supported content and SVOD options under a single app to our viewers, we can maximise reach and monetisation,” explains Zayat. “Initially Starz On was intended to be a stand-alone vanilla AVOD service, but we later decided to consolidate it with StarzPlay into a single app. We felt it was the best way to funnel users from the free platform to the SVOD platform. We attract users to Starz On, which is the umbrella app, monetise it through ads and create opportunities for them to transition to paid StarzPlay subscriptions.
“The key asset here is the data –understanding customer viewing habits and connecting that data with advertisers and brands on our platform. Our aim is to connect user preferences because you can learn a lot about people from what they watch and what kind of ads they click on.” She adds that the app has exceeded performance expectations. Unlike local players primarily targeting Arab audiences, and international players focusing on Hollywood and Western content, evision has aimed for a broad, ad-supported platform that serves MENA’s more
We understand that delivering a top-notch streaming experience requires not just great content but also robust, secure technology
OLIVIER BRAMLY, CEO, EVISION
diverse market. As a result, evision offers a wider range of content in multiple languages and genres, from Hollywood and Western to Arabic, Korean, French, Chinese, Egyptian, Turkish, Indian languages, Urdu and sports.
“Today we are the third most downloaded app across MENA, following TikTok and Netflix. We’re also third in Saudi Arabia, the UAE and Egypt. While there’s still a long way to go, we’re the fastest-growing platform, with a 33% growth rate compared to 10% for the next competitor. We’ve surpassed six million users and subscribers in total. We’re experiencing double-digit growth every month,” explains Zayat.
Bramly emphasises that with this scale of growth, evision is “the leading media player in the region … We’ve transformed from a pure IPTV service with eLife TV to a major media player in MENA, managing six to seven streaming platforms – StarzPlay, Starz On, Switch TV, Twist TV in Egypt, Mobily TV in Saudi Arabia and Shoq in Pakistan –from A to Z, making evision a rather unique media company in the region.”
Zayat reiterates: “We power the content, we power the
From left: Olivier Bramly, CEO of evision, and Gurjeev Singh Kapoor, Head – Distribution and International, Disney Star.
technology, and we manage those streaming services end to end.”
Starz On business and hospitality
The hospitality entertainment sector is close to evision’s heart, as it enjoys around 80% market share in the four- to five-star hotel segment in the UAE. Leveraging this high penetration and the success of Starz On, it will be launching Starz On Business outside the UAE by the end of this year.
“It will be the first-of-its-kind platform and not available anywhere else,” claims Zayat. “It will be pure OTT, supporting hotels, restaurants, small- to medium-sized businesses, and powering them with live content and on-demand content, but also giving them other services that the hotels and venues can use, such as booking an appointment, booking a spa or reservations at a restaurant, checking out of the hotel, in
addition to other services and so on. So this is an on-site app. Starz On Business will be launched in the region before the end of the year, and hopefully we will have a global reach at one point in time.”
Pioneering AI-driven hyperpersonalisation
As a company that is disrupting hugely in the OTT space, evision with StarzPlay has been testing the power of AI to hyper-personalise its content for viewers in two areas. Bramly explains that AI solutions developed with StarzPlay will streamline a lot of the company’s tasks, including quality checks on social media, censorship, syncing audio and video, making recommendations, ensuring more tailored content adjustments for different geographies through subbing and dubbing in various dialects and, more importantly, curating content. AI is also helping to optimise
customer outreach, allowing Starz On and StarzPlay to deliver highly personalised messaging to boost engagement and optimise social media, adds Zayat. The company is even exploring the potential of AI-generated content, including AI-produced shows and movies, as part of its forward-looking strategy.
But the real success of AI has been in the hyper-personalisation of content. Zayat says, “AI helped Starz On discover that content preferences varied significantly across different markets, with shows like Big Boss and cricket performing well in the UAE but not resonating in Saudi Arabia, Egypt or Iraq. By harnessing AI-driven hyper-personalisation, we can tailor our content offerings to better engage distinct audience segments, which has led to optimising the content budget. In the UAE, this approach helped boost
engagement among Western and Arab expat viewers, with the South Asian segment also performing strongly.
“We carry thousands of hours of content, and sometimes that content gets buried even though it’s very good. AI helped resurface some of that content and refreshed the platform for the customer each time with a new look and feel. This helps the customer to continuously engage with the platform instead of seeing just the top 10 new additions on the home screen each time. It ensured a continuously refreshed and personalised experience for each user.”
She says this strategy led to a 30% increase in Western content consumption even during the cricket season, contributing to a 15% overall boost in platform engagement during testing. The plan is to roll it out across all the pages on Starz On and StarzPlay first, and to other products incrementally.
Taking a calculated approach towards sport and originals
One area where evision and StarzPlay have made a bold entry in the last two
years is sports, but Bramly is clear that the sports investment decisions evision makes are focused on impactful sport rights that make commercial sense.
“Sports content is a critical area of growth for us. It has a very high demand across the MENA and brings a sense of immediacy and engagement that is quite unique. But we don’t want to do crazy things. We make conscious, strategic decisions and are adaptable where sport is concerned. We ensure that our investments deliver good ROI. Cricket, for instance, is a sports right that works very well for us in this market. We partnered with Disney+ Hotstar and this partnership proved to be a huge success, particularly for the ICC T20 World Cup, which attracted millions of viewers on StarzPlay and eLife TV.”
Evision’s strategic acquisitions include the renewal of rights for ICC men’s and women’s events in MENA for the next four years. StarzPlay has also expanded into sports such as rugby, the Tour de France, Serie A (Italian football) and the UFC, for which it holds exclusive MENA rights.
“Sport is a key element of our content proposition. It’s not just about attracting subscribers, but also about retaining them and ensuring their satisfaction,” says Bramly.
Evision, however, also took some bold decisions regarding sport. When the pricing was not right, it parted ways with providers and secured other sports rights directly instead. StarzPlay also decided to stop selling sports in monthly packages, adds Zayat. Instead, access to premium sports events is now offered exclusively through annual packages. Evision also monetises sports through advertising and sponsorships. For example, the annual pack for cricket on StarzPlay includes not just sports content but also entertainment offerings like Hotstar and South Asian content, making it more appealing to a broader audience. However, pricing differs based on the sport and segment it targets.
Zayat highlights the importance of this approach: “We want those who come for sport to stay for the entertainment as well, and that is key to avoiding seasonality and retaining
The teams from evision, StarzPlay and Disney Star.
subscribers with annual packs.”
To maximise the value of its sports content, evision integrates it with both its AVOD and SVOD platforms, giving its viewers fair options. It has successfully experimented with making certain sports content, such as women’s cricket on AVOD, available on the FAST platform, which has driven high engagement.
“The key thing about FAST is that you need to run channels that matter. Single IPs especially generate a lot of engagement and high consumption,” says Zayat, adding that evision ran a FAST channel related to the Paris Olympic games.
Evision’s sports strategy is multifaceted, aiming to not only attract subscribers through sports but to retain them with compelling entertainment offerings. By carefully selecting sports rights and integrating them with broader content, it ensures its investments are both commercially viable and strategically sound.
With regard to original productions, StarzPlay has produced very successful shows like Kabus, Million Dollar Listing and Harley with Mohammed Ramadan over the past two years. The evision team is clear that it would like to create more content with strong Arabic roots that can also appeal to a global audience.
The future
Evision’s long-term vision is to become a comprehensive media, entertainment and tech enabler. “We want to be a one-stop shop for all entertainment and technology,” Bramly says. The question that now drives its strategic planning is: how can key verticals be expanded to build atop their video offerings and add more value?
Bramly reflects on the opportunities ahead. “We’re exploring various new verticals that can enhance our offerings in media and entertainment.
We’ve surpassed six million users and subscribers in total. We’re experiencing double-digit growth every month
ZAHRA ZAYAT, CCO, EVISION
For a long time, we’ve been sitting on a goldmine of data. Now we’re finally unlocking its potential.” Evision has made significant strides in segmenting its data, allowing it to gain deep insights into its customer base. “Our advanced data analysis capabilities can provide useful insights into customer preferences. This allows us to create targeted advertising campaigns while maintaining the highest standards of personal data protection and privacy,” says Zayat. This advertising initiative is currently focused on Starz On, but evision’s advertising arm is agnostic, clarifies Zayat.
“It applies to all our products, but the intelligence and tools we’ve developed can also be white-labelled. As evision, we act as an agency and a sales house, representing various channels and selling their inventory to advertisers. We’re wearing multiple hats here, managing our own advertising while also monetising the data we’ve acquired in a safe, controlled environment.” This multi-faceted approach has yielded significant success, but Bramly and his team are not stopping there. Looking ahead, they are keen to explore new verticals that can drive further growth. One particularly exciting opportunity is the potential to link evision’s content and metadata with e-commerce platforms. “We envision a scenario where a customer can actually execute a purchase while watching a programme,” Bramly reveals.
Evision’s transformational journey serves as an inspiration to the region. The company has proactively explored diverse business and technical models, tailored its strategies to the varying markets it serves, and seized every opportunity to adapt, disrupt and innovate.
Starz On Business, an offshoot of Starz On, is a new platform developed to support hotels, restaurants and SME businesses.
THE POWER OF 8
Channel 8, Iraq’s latest television station, is making a splash with its impressive state-of-the-art studios and a vision to captivate diverse audiences. Vijaya Cherian takes a tour of the modern media facility
Channel 8, a brand-new private TV station based in Sulaymaniyah in the Kurdistan region of Iraq and owned by the Kurdish political party PUK, went live earlier this year from a state-ofthe-art TV complex comprising two buildings designed specifically for the broadcaster. Along with three studios and the studio sets within them, they were constructed based on designs from renowned German designer Flint Skallen, well-known for similar work for Oman TV and several international broadcasters. Iraqi systems integrator Wave Media provided the technical design as well as the supply, installation, commissioning and training for all areas of the facility, including its studios.
Wave Media calls this one of the biggest TV investments in the country. “We built this facility from scratch for the client, and the channel’s technology investment alone amounted to $10m,” says Zaid Wattar, Managing Director of Wave Media.
“Channel 8 has only one channel at the moment, which is in Kurdish,” says GM Syed Hassan Raza, but the plan is to eventually have channels in multiple languages. “We have plans to launch an Arabic-language channel very soon. That will be followed by a children’s channel and an English-language channel as well. Our aim is to cover various communities comprehensively.”
With 56 channels currently on air in Iraq, a country of 40m people, and political parties behind each of them, we ask Hassan if the market is not already saturated with news channels. His response is that the country is in dire need of unbiased reporting and that although Channel 8 is politically backed, it is party-agnostic.
“We created this channel to be unbiased and to show the real picture of Kurdistan and Iraq. In fact, PUK
already runs three other satellite channels and some local channels. However, Channel 8 is intended to be different. In fact, the channel was launched on March 8, which is International Women’s Day, as we wanted to pay tribute to women. It also symbolises infinity; the channel mainly targets Kurdish viewers both in the region and around the world. Our Arabic channel will be aimed at Arab viewers and will have Arab journalists. It will not be an Arabised version of its Kurdish counterpart.”
A tour of the broadcaster’s brandnew TV complex reveals three large HD studios that are 4K-ready, with three corresponding production control rooms (PCRs) and a master control room (MCR) spread across two buildings. Two big studios — a main with five cameras and a second with three — attached to each other but separated by a high-tech glass wall are housed in the main four-floor
building. They operate in silos and cannot be combined. The glass wall serves to provide a more expansive view of the adjacent studio. Above the studios on the mezzanine floor is a high-roof studio, where the team can shoot small news features and programmes. A third open five-camera studio occupies the second building.
“We think our studios are bigger than any of the other TV stations in the region,” says Hassan. “Designed by the famous Flint Skallen, graphics have been combined with the studio design to enhance our augmented reality set.”
Channel 8’s facility in Iraq is outfitted with cutting-edge technology, starting with the Avid MediaCentral Cloud UX platform for comprehensive newsroom journalism, editing, storage, MAM, video servers and social media publishing. The channel boasts three big, beautifully done-up studios, two in one building and a third larger one in the adjacent building.
Channel 8 has only one channel at the moment, which is in Kurdish ... We have plans to launch an Arabic-language channel very soon. That will be followed by a children’s channel and an English-language channel as well
SYED HASSAN RAZA, GENERAL MANAGER, CHANNEL 8
The main studio features five Ross Furio robotics and Ross Skydolly ceiling robotics, introduced for the first time in Iraq, along with Ross OverDrive studio automation.
Graphics and branding are powered by Avid Maestro Graphics for all studio CG, videowall graphics and MCR branding. Pebble Beach Marina MCR and playout automation with Dolphine video servers have been deployed to manage two channels. The studios are intended for an HD workflow, with MPEG-2 XDCAM 50 as the master house format.
The facility also boasts Ross Voyager Unreal Engine AR graphics, another first in Iraq, for the main studio, and Vizrt AR/VR graphics with Unreal Engine for the other. Both studios are equipped with Sony studio cameras and Ross Carbonite vision mixers. The Imagine Communications Platinum
central router and Ross MC1 + Ultrix platform serve as the MCR switcher.
Vari-lite provides complete studio LED lighting systems and control, with motorised suspension rigging. High-end audio is ensured by Yamaha CL5 mixers and Sennheiser systems for wireless microphones and in-ear monitoring. MediaKind handles encoding and IRD systems for satellite transmission, while Telestream Vantage and DIVA systems manage transcoding and LTO archive storage respectively. The facility also includes an RTS intercom system, Vinten studio pedestals for the second and third studios, and Autoscript prompters.
“The workflow for Channel 8 has been meticulously planned, with significant integrations to ensure seamless operations across various production aspects,” explains Wattar. “The Ross OverDrive system plays a central role by receiving rundowns from Avid iNews and distributing commands to video, graphics, AR/VR, vision mixers, audio mixers, camera robotics and lighting control. This integration allows for synchronised control and automation across multiple production elements.
On the left, Channel 8’s GM Syed Hassan Raza, and right, Ahmed Najm, Chairman of the Board.
Avid’s production PAM is integrated with Pebble MCR playout, enabling smooth file exchanges and efficient archiving with the DIVA system. This set-up ensures that all media assets are readily available for playout and long-term storage, streamlining the production process.”
The decorative LED RGB lights in the studios are programmed with
The workflow for Channel 8 has been meticulously planned, with significant integrations to ensure seamless operations across various production aspects
ZAID
WATTAR, MANAGING DIRECTOR, WAVE MEDIA
scene- and programme-type colour themes, all controlled by Vari-lite lighting controls and Ross OverDrive automation. This integration creates a harmonious look and feel for every programme, aligning the videowall and lower third graphics colour themes with the lighting to enhance visual coherence. Additionally, beauty shots are created by triggering Ross OverDrive automation to control the camera robotics, in sync with music, graphics and lights. This is particularly effective for programme intros and outros, creating visually appealing transitions that captivate the audience.
Overall, these integrations facilitate a cohesive and efficient workflow, ensuring that all production elements are harmoniously coordinated to deliver high-quality broadcasts.
“The technical highlight of this project is the fully pre-programmed workflow, spanning from NRCS to studio automation, which enables seamless and harmonious commands with minimal effort,” explains Omar Hussein, Chief Technology Officer at Wave Media. “This comprehensive integration includes all major PCR equipment, working
together to achieve outstanding visual and operational results. The use of advanced studio robotics significantly reduces the need for manual intervention, allowing the entire system to be managed by only three operators in the main studio PCR, as Ross OverDrive takes control. This setup not only enhances the overall production quality but also optimises resource utilisation.”
Hassan proudly says that Channel 8 has “one of the best graphics and branding equipment in the Middle East”.
“Because these are all seamlessly
controlled by the same manufacturer’s products, support is so much easier. Of course, it integrates with products from other vendors as well, but they are all industrystandard solutions. It takes less time to solve a challenge that is critical to the broadcast environment.”
The broadcaster currently has around 480 staff members, with plans to hire more in the future to operate upcoming channels, and to continue working with Wave Media on subsequent projects.
“Wave Media was chosen for this project for several reasons,” explains
Wattar. “In Iraq, we are renowned for our exceptional project management, technical delivery, design expertise and advisory services. As a major systems integrator, we operate from two major offices in Baghdad and Erbil, supported by our headquarters in Dubai. We boast the largest and most specialised broadcast technology and operations team in Iraq, with the industry’s most qualified and certified technical professionals. We have a zero history of project failures. Every project we undertake in Iraq has led us to secure more projects. We help our clients right from the start of a
One of the studios and various areas of the facility.
project, and have gained their trust by helping them choose solutions that fit their needs and objectives rather than something we represent.”
Channel 8 was conceived during Covid, but like most projects it faced significant delays due to a lack of parts, shipping and other logistical issues, says Wave Media’s Project Manager Ali Wattar. “Despite these challenges, our dedication to excellence never wavered. We utilised our expertise and collaborative efforts to overcome every obstacle, ensuring that Channel 8 would emerge as a leader in the broadcast industry.”
The channel eventually took shape only early this year and its Kurdish channel is doing well, claims Hassan. Plans are now on to launch the Arabic channel.
“When we launch an Arabic channel, we want it to target the Arabic community,” clarifies Hassan. “It must resonate with and represent the Arab community. There will be some bits of Kurdish flavour in some areas of the channel, but for the rest of the channel it will be for the Arab community. We have three presenters from Lebanon, one from
We are not merely creating a television station; we are building a bridge to connect global audiences with the rich, diverse stories of the region
AHMED NAJM, CHAIRMAN OF THE BOARD, CHANNEL 8
Tunisia, one from Egypt and two from Syria for this channel at present.”
The broadcaster also has significant plans to enhance its digital presence. At present it has one game on its app, but intends to have more soon and has a big presence on Facebook, Instagram and other popular social media platforms. It also has big plans to expand to other cities with a mix of small and big studios.
“We have integrated AI, which our programmers created especially for our app and website. We are
now testing a radio channel as well. Soon we will go on air with our FM radio station as well. We are slowly expanding,” explains Hassan. “Right now we only have operations in Kurdistan, but intend to have studios soon in Baghdad and Erbil and have discussed opening news bureaus and studios in the US, and then in London and Europe.”
Channel 8’s ambitious growth strategy, from its state-of-the-art facilities to its multilingual broadcasting goals, positions it as a major player in Iraq’s media landscape. Perhaps Ahmed Najm, Chairman of the Board, best summarises its ambitions: “At Channel 8, our ambition transcends borders and languages. We are not merely creating a television station; we are building a bridge to connect global audiences with the rich, diverse stories of the region. Starting with our cutting-edge facility in Sulaymaniyah, we envision a future where Channel 8 becomes a beacon of unbiased journalism and cultural exchange, reaching homes across the world. This is just the beginning of our journey to redefine media standards and create a truly global platform.”
From left: Wave Media’s MD Zaid Wattar, CTO Omar Hussein and Operations Specialist Fahad Ahamed, and right, the company’s tech team.
USING AI TO KEEP HISTORY REAL
In an age when technology and creativity often intersect, Dubai broadcaster Al Mashhad TV has set a new standard with an AI-driven programme titled Ramz Wa Athar (An Icon, A Legacy). In an exclusive interview with Vijaya Cherian, Nebras Hameed, Head of Creative Services at Al Mashhad, talks about the creative process and the challenges of integrating AI with historical storytelling
Ramz Wa Athar is a television show that explores the lives of scholars and thinkers from the Islamic Golden Age. Al Mashhad uses the power of AI with historical narratives to bring these influential figures to life. Spanning 11-13 minutes per episode, the programme showcases the possibilities of AI in reshaping traditional media formats, offering audiences a visually stunning experience.
The team’s plan to integrate AI into Ramz Wa Athar was driven by a desire to transcend traditional storytelling methods, says Nebras Hameed, Head of Creative Services, Al Mashhad. “We wanted to push the boundaries of traditional storytelling to enhance
our creative output. Our aim was to create a seamless blend of historical accuracy and modern innovation, making the rich history of the Islamic Golden Age accessible and engaging for contemporary audiences.”
Besides enriching the viewer’s experience, the team also wanted to streamline the production process, significantly reducing the time required to produce complex scenes.
“Integrating AI into Ramz Wa Athar is part of Al Mashhad’s strategic direction to utilise the power of technology. We wanted to provide an experience that transcends the boundaries of platforms to present bold and varied content based on cutting-edge technologies.”
The creative process
The creative journey began with extensive research into the lives of key historical figures, says Hameed. “We did in-depth research into the lives and contributions of key historical figures, utilising AI research tools. D-ID helped us achieve accurate lip-syncing for our AI-generated presenter, while Runway animated scenes to engage and captivate movements within each scene.”
The team employed ChatGPT to draft prompts that would feed into Midjourney, an AI tool for generating images that visually represent these historical narratives. AI also helped animate the scenes
We wanted to provide an experience that transcends the boundaries of platforms to present bold and varied content based on cutting-edge technologies
NEBRAS HAMEED, HEAD OF CREATIVE SERVICES, AL MASHHAD
and ensured accurate lip-syncing for the virtual presenter. The final composition was done in After Effects, where human creativity merged with AI-generated content, ensuring the storytelling was not only accurate but also compelling.
AI was also used to enhance “the thematic depth and visual representation of complex historical concepts”, says Hameed. “It enhanced our ability to visualise complex scientific discoveries and philosophical ideas. For example, recreating the intricate workings of early astrolabes or visualising the thought processes of pioneering mathematicians became more immersive and accurate.”
The team’s plan to integrate AI into Ramz Wa Athar was driven by a desire to go beyond traditional storytelling methods, says Nebras Hameed.
This allows the programme to offer viewers a deeper understanding of the intellectual achievements of the Islamic Golden Age, making complex ideas more accessible and engaging.
Project challenges
The project, however, was not without its challenges. One critical challenge in AI-driven media production is finding the right balance between human creativity and AI automation, says Hameed. For Ramz Wa Athar, this balance was achieved through a collaborative approach where AI served as an enhancer rather than a replacement for human creativity. This symbiosis ensured that while AI handled the technical aspects of visual and auditory production, the team guided the narrative, maintaining emotional depth and contextual accuracy.
This also led to some interesting creative outcomes. Hameed elaborates: “One unexpected outcome was the spontaneous creation of unique visual styles that we hadn’t initially envisioned. AI’s ability to interpret our prompts in novel ways often led to visually striking and imaginative results.” These unanticipated results pushed the creative boundaries of the production team, leading to a richer and more diverse visual narrative.
Audience engagement was another area in which AI made a significant impact. The dynamic animations and lifelike presenter created through AI technology captured viewers’ attention, making the historical content more interactive and visually appealing.
“One of the biggest challenges was ensuring the AI-generated visuals and animations were historically accurate and contextually appropriate,” Hameed recalls. This required meticulous fine-tuning
It [AI] enhanced our ability to visualise complex scientific discoveries and philosophical ideas
NEBRAS HAMEED, HEAD OF CREATIVE SERVICES, AL MASHHAD
and a deep understanding of both the technology and the historical content, and was addressed through an iterative process of adjusting prompts and refining AI models, ensuring the final product met the standards set by the creative team. Despite these challenges, the production team developed a streamlined workflow that seamlessly integrated AI tools at various stages of production. The secret lay in “regular communication and collaboration between our creative team members”. This ensured that the final product was cohesive and, he believes, of high quality.
KEEPING UP WITH THE FAST CROWD
In recent years the streaming industry has witnessed a significant shift in viewer preferences, with free ad-supported streaming television (FAST) surging in popularity. According to a recent Omdia report, while subscription-based video-ondemand (SVOD) services are facing slowing growth, FAST channels are rapidly gaining traction. Industry leaders from GlobalM, Agile Content and Ateme weigh in on this trend, discussing its implications, its benefits and the future of streaming
Over the past five years, the cost of OTT and streaming paid subscriptions has increased massively, and consumers are starting to notice. But what are the infrastructure and service delivery alternatives? FAST (free ad-supported streaming TV) is emerging as a model that brings benefits to both customers and content platforms: customers are happy to get live content for free with ads relevant to them, while content platforms benefit from increased monetisation.
In particular, as FAST channels tend to be more niche, CPM on advertising is often around twice as high as for a linear channel and studies show that the audience watches for a longer time. There are also innovative ways to make FAST channels more cost-effective, such as looking for a VOD-to-live solution that supports channel creation within
the multi-bitrate domain or automating the content scheduling workflow.
Paul Calleja, CEO of GlobalM, attributes the rise of FAST channels to the increasing demand for adaptable, user-friendly content experiences.
“The surging popularity of FAST is undoubtedly reshaping the streaming landscape, and we predict that this trend will continue to grow,” he says. “Providers are under increasing pressure to offer adaptable and userfriendly features such as on-demand and personalised content experiences, and FAST channels are a cost-effective and smart answer to this demand.”
Calleja also highlights the strategic shift in content distribution that accompanies this trend. “We see more companies investing in FAST TV and consequently realising that
content distribution needs to change to software-defined video networks to meet the requirements of high-quality, low-latency or file-based video delivery over the internet.” This offers content providers greater flexibility, especially in live streaming, where multiple cloud options and open protocols enable last-minute deals with rights holders.
André Rosado, Chief Product Officer at Agile Content, points to the rising cost of OTT and streaming subscriptions as a key driver behind the shift to FAST channels. “The cost of OTT and streaming paid subscriptions has been increasing in recent years, so customer behaviour has started to change, also part of a larger generational shift,” he explains. “Audiences are moving towards FAST channels because they provide free and easily accessible content at a time when a huge amount of subscription platforms compete for viewers and consumer budget spends have already reached threshold limits.”
This shift is not just a temporary response to the economic pressures of recent years but reflects a deeper change in viewer habits. “Even though the recent global pandemic has helped with this growth, we only see this trend continuing,” says Rosado. “FAST brings benefits for both customers, who are happy to get live content for free with ads that are targeted for them, and for content owners, as they help increase monetisation.”
Ahmed Swidan, Director of Personalized TV at Ateme, observes: “Subscribers are experiencing SVOD fatigue due to the overwhelming number of services in each local market. This often leads them to subscribe, binge-watch a few shows, then cancel and move on to another service.”
This cycle of subscribing and cancelling has made it increasingly challenging for individual SVOD platforms to sustain growth. In
contrast, FAST channels offer a more sustainable model by attracting costconscious viewers with free content.
“FAST channels, which are free, are gaining traction by attracting quality content,” explains Swidan. “For instance, sports content owners are effectively leveraging FAST channels in certain markets. This trend offers cost-conscious viewers an appealing alternative to watch their favourite content.”
The benefits of FAST
As the streaming industry evolves, the advantages of FAST are becoming increasingly evident. Calleja emphasises that it is a direct response to changing viewer preferences, offering a winwin opportunity for both consumers and content providers: “FAST TV is simply a response to the increasingly different viewing preferences of the audience. There is a growing consumer appetite for variety, while there are also consumers cancelling OTT subscriptions and looking for free ad-based alternatives, such as FAST channels.”
For content providers, investing in FAST channels is a way to capitalise on these changing preferences.
Calleja points out that companies can benefit from scalable workflows and cloud-based content delivery networks, allowing greater flexibility and control across the delivery chain. Rosado reiterates the potential of FAST channels to generate revenue, particularly beyond the traditional subscription model: “From a content offering perspective, they create an additional revenue stream and a path to monetise content owners’ inventory beyond the subscription model.”
The ability to personalise and target individual consumers further enhances engagement, leading to higher CPM rates and valuable data collection for cross-selling opportunities. Moreover, FAST channels offer a unique upselling opportunity, as it is often easier to convert viewers to subscription customers or upgrade them to premium content once they are already familiar with the content.
“By employing TV platforms, nowadays it is much easier to set up and launch FAST channels, which turns it into a very cost-effective solution,” says Rosado.
Swidan highlights how FAST channels are revolutionising content
distribution, enabling content owners to bypass traditional multichannel video programming distributors (MVPDs) and secure more favourable advertising revenue share deals: “FAST channels are poised to become a permanent fixture in the media landscape. They allow content owners to bypass traditional MVPD operators, who previously claimed a significant portion of advertising revenue.”
FAST forward to the future
Looking ahead, the consensus seems to be that FAST channels will become a permanent feature on the media landscape. Swidan claims that Ateme is committed to supporting this shift “by offering a comprehensive end-to-end FAST solution that addresses all aspects of generating and monetising FAST channels”.
As the industry continues to adapt to the evolving demands of viewers, FAST channels offer a flexible, scalable and profitable solution for content providers. Whether through personalised content, targeted advertising or innovative distribution methods, FAST will play a crucial role in the future of streaming.
André Rosado, Chief Product Officer, Agile Content.
Ahmed Swidan, Director of Personalized TV at Ateme.
Paul Calleja, CEO, GlobalM.
ASBU FESTIVAL SPOTLIGHTS ARAB MEDIA INNOVATION AND REGIONAL COOPERATION
In June, ASBU hosted the 24th edition of the Arab Radio and TV Festival, uniting key players from the Arab world to expand their reach and strengthen regional unity.
BroadcastPro ME brings you the highlights
Each year, the Arab Radio and Television Festival, organised by the Arab States Broadcasting Union (ASBU) in collaboration with Tunisian media outlets, the Saudi Broadcasting Authority (SBA) and Arabsat, outshines itself under Director General Abdelrahim Suleiman. In recent years, Suleiman has gone to great lengths to ensure the organisation remains robust and influential by making it commercially viable through various diversified business initiatives. As a result, ASBU has retained greater negotiating power with vendors and solution providers on behalf of its members.
The latest edition, which took place in June in Tunisia, brought together media professionals, industry leaders, and cultural
figures across the Arab world.
More than 200 journalists from across the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) and China arrived to cover the four-day event. While the festival includes only a small exhibition space, it features a large conference that brings together prominent figures from across the region. ASBU exemplifies the success of collaborative innovation among Arab public broadcasters, showcasing how joint efforts can lead to significant mutual benefits. Each year, attendees are also introduced to some cultural aspect of Tunis. This year, the festival opened with a concert at the historic Carthage Amphitheatre, where wellknown Lebanese pop singer Ragheb Alama performed for an audience of nearly 8,000. This opening event
also brought together a combination of AV technologies intended to showcase ASBU’s technical prowess.
The closing ceremony featured an impressive 110-member orchestra of musicians from various Arab countries. Six singers from different Arab nations performed at the closing ceremony, further emphasising the region’s rich musical traditions.
The festival not only brought together representatives from 22 Arab countries but also attracted significant international attention, particularly from China, which sent more than 40 delegates, including a minister and representatives from 12 different companies. The Chinese delegation reinforced the country’s growing interest in Arab media and the potential for cross-cultural collaboration. In fact, ASBU’s Suleiman is also vice chairperson of the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), an ambitious global infrastructure development strategy adopted by the Chinese government a decade ago to invest in more than 150 countries and international organisations.
Partnerships and deals
In addition to the cultural showcases, one of the most significant aspects was the signing of several highprofile agreements involving key players in the broadcasting and technology sectors, highlighting the festival’s role as a catalyst for industry growth and innovation.
Arabsat, Globecast and ASBU partner to take GAB further across the world
A major highlight was the renewal of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between ASBU, Arabsat and Globecast to extend their long-term broadcast partnership
for another five years, ensuring the continued global reach of the Global Arabic Bouquet (GAB) channels. Launched in 2004, GAB brings together a range of Arabic public broadcasters, including SBA, Sharjah TV, Oman TV and Kuwait TV, into a single package distributed worldwide via satellite, OTT and now terrestrial platforms. For the last twenty years, Globecast has provided global satellite distribution from its technical facilities across the US, Europe, Africa and Asia. Under the terms of the new deal, Globecast will deliver enhanced services for GAB by adding terrestrial distribution
to its existing IPTV, digital TV and OTT platforms. Viewers can access GAB via Sling, Freeview and a bespoke application developed for Roku, as well as operators across the US, Latin America, the UK and France. By leveraging Globecast’s extensive distribution network, the GAB channels will be able to reach new markets and engage with a broader audience.
Media City – Qatar and Cité de Mémoire join forces to preserve the country’s media heritage Another major agreement was signed between Media City –Qatar and Cité de Mémoire, a
French company specialising in digitisation and archiving. This aims to establish a regional media digitisation and preservation centre in Qatar to protect the country’s media assets and make them more accessible to researchers, historians and the general public.
China’s NRTA and ASBU strengthen Sino-Arab media cooperation China’s National Radio and Television Administration (NRTA) also signed a deal with ASBU during the festival. This deal is expected to enhance Sino-Arab media cooperation, particularly in the areas
of content exchange and training. Under the agreement, NRTA will provide ASBU members with access to a wide range of Chinese content, including dramas and documentaries, free of charge. This content exchange is subject to certain conditions, but is a significant step towards greater cultural exchange between China and the Arab world. The agreement also includes provisions for training and capacitybuilding, which will help to enhance the skills and expertise of media professionals in the Arab world. By facilitating the exchange of content and expertise, this partnership will contribute to the development of a more dynamic and interconnected media landscape in both regions.
TVU Networks to deliver advanced media transmission solutions to ASBU
TVU Networks also entered into an agreement with ASBU to deliver advanced media transmission solutions to all ASBU member organisations. This partnership is expected to enhance their technical capabilities, enabling them to deliver
high-quality content more efficiently.
TVU’s IP- and cloud-based solutions will allow ASBU members to transmit live video content more effectively, reducing costs and improving the quality of their broadcasts.
Basil Zoubi, ASBU Director of Technology and Innovation, says: “This workflow will allow easy media exchange without obstacles.
TVU technology provides a highresolution, low-latency signal that rivals satellite transmission
at a fraction of the cost.”
This agreement leverages the power of live video content distribution over IP, using TVU receivers and the cloud-based TVU Grid service – the optimal method for ASBU members to transmit to and receive from ASBU Cloud, a central media exchange hub servicing member organisations throughout the MENA region. Awad Eid, Head of Multimedia Exchange Networks at ASBU, calls the partnership “a significant milestone for ASBU and its member organisations”.
“By integrating TVU’s advanced IP- and cloud-based solutions, we are ensuring that our media outlets can operate with greater efficiency and flexibility. This initiative will not only enhance the quality and reliability of broadcasts of our members but also pave the way for future innovations in media exchange across the region.”
The agreement was signed at a ceremony during the ASBU conference. Member organisations in Somalia, Comoros and Djibouti are the first to implement the advanced receivers and utilise TVU Grid.
ASBU DG Abdelrahim Suleiman with Arabsat CEO Alhamedi Alanezi and Globecast CEO Philippe Bernard, with Regional Sales Manager Laith Alani in the background.
The ASBU and TVU teams at the signing of the deal.
Providing equal support to members
Suleiman highlights ASBU’s ongoing efforts to support its members, particularly in the areas of infrastructure development and covering high-profile delegations on their international trips. It covers major world events within and outside the Arab region for its members. It continues to advance its modern communication systems and enhance the services provided to its member bodies, regional and international radio organisations.
Among the recent prominent events were the coverage of the 37th African Union Summit in February in Addis Ababa this year, the Summit of Gas Exporting Countries in Algeria in March, the 33rd Arab Summit in Bahrain in May, and this season’s Hajj coverage in collaboration with SBA.
“When any president or foreign minister travels for an international event, a country traditionally sends its own team of journalists and technicians to cover the event, a process that is both expensive and logistically challenging. ASBU has adopted a more efficient and cost-effective approach by pooling resources and centralising the coverage process. Instead of each member state sending a separate team, ASBU dispatches a single highly skilled team of technicians and journalists. This team covers all the relevant events, each of the heads of state, and provides the footage through dedicated channels established by ASBU. The media content is then transmitted via ASBU’s MENOS system, a satellite-based exchange network, and cloud infrastructure, ensuring it is accessible to all member
states,” explains Suleiman. By combining its resources and negotiating as a collective, Suleiman says all members can access the same high-quality infrastructure. This has significantly reduced individual country expenses. If a member state requires more specific reporting, such as dedicated coverage, the entity offers tailored services to meet those needs. This centralised, cooperative approach has helped Arab nations present a unified and well-coordinated media presence on the global stage. ASBU also sometimes pays for equipment upfront and allows members to repay it incrementally. In a recent instance, it supported Somali broadcasters by covering 50% of the cost of new equipment, with the remaining 50% paid by the equipment provider.
ASBU Link Centre
In addition to its infrastructure and cost reduction efforts, ASBU has also invested in new projects aimed at enhancing its members’ capabilities. Alongside its Media Training Academy, a five-star hotel and the ASBU Cloud platform, ASBU has embarked on the ASBU Link Centre Business Centre project.
Located near the ASBU headquarters in Tunis, it has 15 floors covering a total area of 33,000sqm and will feature offices, presentation halls, restaurants, recreational spaces and facilities for exhibitions, conferences, seminars and international meetings. One important feature will be the presence of start-ups and businesses. Ensuring active engagement with them and tailoring its components to meet the functional needs of these enterprises, particularly those in the audio-visual and communication sectors, the centre will integrate
Abdelrahim Suleiman, Director General of ASBU.
all their technical, financial, insurance and legal requirements within a collaborative workspace. Construction on the project has commenced, with an estimated cost of $32m, and completion is expected within 26 months.
This year’s edition of the Arab Radio and Television Festival was not just a celebration of Arab media; it was a testament to the region’s growing influence on the global media stage. Through strategic partnerships, infrastructure development and innovative initiatives, ASBU is playing a crucial role in shaping the future of Arab media. The festival provides a platform for industry leaders to come together, share ideas and forge new partnerships that will drive the industry forward. As the Arab world continues to embrace new technologies and adapt to changing
media consumption habits, festivals like this will help ensure that the region remains at the forefront of global media innovation.
Coverage of the war in Gaza
One of the festival’s core themes this year was also a plea to free Gaza. ASBU, in collaboration with the Palestinian Broadcasting Corporation, has been covering the war in Gaza since it began. This coverage is also made available to partner regional radio unions in Europe, Asia and Africa. In addition to cooperating with Palestinian television and supporting its efforts in providing this coverage, one of the union’s satellite channels on Arabsat has been allocated to broadcast it.
“ASBU’s General Administration has contracted special correspondents in Gaza, the West Bank and Jerusalem to report daily
events and breaking news related to the war,” says Suleiman.
ASBU also uses verified and credible mobile phone footage from social media networks.
“Contracting field correspondents directly has helped increase the scale and quality of coverage. ASBU correspondents produce an average of 210 stories each month, equating to more than seven stories daily. Recognising the success of this initiative, ASBU’s general administration now intends to support and expand this approach by adopting similar coverage strategies for events in conflict or war-torn countries across the Arab region. In this context, we are finalising plans for coverage using field correspondence in Sudan, Yemen and Libya, with implementation scheduled to begin in the near future,” Suleiman concludes.
At the conference during the Arab Radio and Television Festival in Tunis.
WORLD’S LARGEST RADIO DEPLOYMENTS RELY ON NAUTEL
FM
Impressive N+1 systems: high levels of redundancy, automated and cost effective.
RACK-MOUNT FM
150 W – 6 kW: compact, efficient and affordable.
CLARITY IN MOTION
Samsung Gulf Electronics recently introduced its AI-powered Neo QLED 8K TV sets, showcasing advanced AI-driven picture quality, 8K upscaling and a raft of features that mark a significant step toward an interconnected, AI-enhanced future. Nikola Aksentijevic, Director and Head of the Visual Display Division at Samsung Gulf Electronics, sheds light on the latest innovations shaping the future of television
How is the adoption of 8K transforming the home entertainment landscape, and in which areas of entertainment is this really making a difference?
8K isn’t just another tech upgrade; it’s a seismic shift in home entertainment, poised to redefine how we experience movies, games and much more. The 8K technology offers much higher pixel density than 4K and full-HD displays, resulting in sharper and more detailed images. In gaming, it provides unparalleled visual fidelity, enhancing realism and immersion. For content creators, it offers precise colour accuracy and detail when editing photos, videos and graphics. On large screens (75 inches and above), 8K minimises pixelation and enhances cinematic experiences.
What key benefits of AI upscaling are available in some TV sets, particularly when most content today is non-8K and in countries with poor bandwidth?
AI upscaling utilises neural networks that perform specific upscaling. It optimises any viewing condition and improves the content by automatically learning scene by scene. On larger screens, it substantially improves image quality. It enhances lower-resolution content to near-8K quality, improves sports content (especially fastmoving scenes) and creates more lifelike and threedimensional images.
What developments can we expect in 8K and AI upscaling technologies
in the next few years?
As 8K content becomes more prevalent, we’ll likely see increased adoption of 8K displays. AI models are expected to become more sophisticated, leading to superior upscaling quality and making lowerresolution content appear nearly indistinguishable from native 8K. Processors will continue to evolve. We may also see advancements in energy efficiency as manufacturers strive to balance high performance with sustainability. Additionally, we could expect further integration of AI in content analysis, potentially allowing for context-aware upscaling that adapts to different types of scenes or content genres.
What consumer preference trends are driving innovation?
Consumers demand immersive home entertainment. This is driving innovation in 8K
delivers through unprecedented detail and clarity. Additionally, as home theatres trend towards larger displays, 8K resolution becomes increasingly vital to maintain image fidelity across expansive screens. Concurrently, the rising popularity of fast-paced content such as sports and gaming has spurred advancements in motion-handling technology.
How are manufacturers like you collaborating with local partners to ensure compatibility between your smart TV and streaming platforms? What other forms of collaboration would make for a better viewing experience? Through product innovation, Samsung is driving the premium TV market, attracting more content partners to its entertainment ecosystem. Last year, we demonstrated how advanced technology and a broad partner ecosystem come together to enhance the entertainment experience of Gulf customers. At the Smart House of Entertainment in Dubai, regional and global partners such as StarzPlay, Anghami, Shahid, OSN, Disney+, YouTube and Microsoft Xbox collaborated with Samsung to showcase their blockbusters, leveraging the new QLED and OLED’s cutting-edge visuals, true-to-form colour reproduction and high-quality surround sound. By pursuing such effective collaborations, Samsung currently leads the industry in content partnerships and alliances, adding more value and entertainment options for customers.
Further solidifying our commitment to the region, we recently launched Samsung TV Plus in the UAE.
This free ad-supported service brings a diverse library of live channels
and on-demand content directly to Samsung TVs. This achievement wouldn’t have been possible without the support of the Department of Economic Development, whose partnership was instrumental in bringing Samsung TV Plus to the UAE.
How are manufacturers differentiating their 8K TVs and AI upscaling technologies in a competitive market?
In the 8K TV market, manufacturers differentiate their products through advanced AI features, unique designs and enhanced user experiences. Samsung, for instance, sets itself apart with its NQ8 AI Gen3 processor, which enables features like 8K AI Upscaling Pro and AI Motion Enhancer Pro. These technologies enhance picture quality and address specific viewing challenges, such as motion blur in sports content. Other differentiating factors include audio technologies, our range of smart home integration
capabilities with SmartThings and accessibility features. The key is to offer a comprehensive package that combines cutting-edge technology with user-centric design and features.
Are energy efficiency and sustainability a big part of how you develop your TV technologies?
Energy efficiency and sustainability are integral aspects of how we develop our TV technologies at
8K isn’t just another tech upgrade; it’s a seismic shift in home entertainment
NIKOLA AKSENTIJEVIC, DIRECTOR AND HEAD OF VISUAL DISPLAY DIVISION, SAMSUNG GULF ELECTRONICS
Samsung. We have set ambitious goals to reduce product energy consumption, increase the use of eco-conscious materials in packaging and incorporate more recycled materials in our products. Our approach encompasses the entire product lifecycle, from sourcing materials to production, distribution, use and recycling.
Our SolarCell Remote, which is rechargeable by sunlight or indoor lighting, significantly reduces the need for disposable batteries. We have also developed a unique injection technology that reduces the usage of raw materials without altering the product’s quality. By injecting air into the mould to partially replace resin, we have managed to reduce the weight of our 65” TVs by 1kg. On the distribution level as well, we strive to make the journey from our factory to our customers’ hands as green as possible through our packaging and other accessories.
Samsung’s new Music Frame is a versatile device that allows users to display personal pictures or artwork while enjoying wireless audio with smart features.
INTEL AI SCORES ON THE FIELD WITH 8K BROADCASTING
As athletes from around the world lined up at the Olympics, Intel showcased how its advanced AI technology could transform the global fan viewing experience and pave the way for 8K broadcasting. BroadcastPro ME brings you an exclusive report
As the official worldwide AI platform partner of the Olympic and Paralympic Games Paris 2024, Intel delivered the world’s first 8K/60FPS/HDR ultra-highdefinition (UHD) broadcast using H.266/ VVC, enhancing the way fans, organisers, athletes and viewers worldwide engaged with the events. Known as one of the
ultimate stress tests for any new technology, Intel believed Paris 2024 was the perfect stage to demonstrate its ‘AI Everywhere’ capabilities.
“Our innovations not only enhanced the live broadcasting of the Games, but also set a new standard for future broadcasts worldwide,” says Ravi Velhal,
Director of Global Content Technologies at Intel. “This effort is a testament to Intel’s global heritage and scale in deploying AI technology to enhance the 2024 Olympic and Paralympic experience for everyone involved.”
Enhancing the broadcasting experience
Inside the International Broadcast Centre, Intel demonstrated 8K broadcasting by using its AI technologies to significantly reduce bandwidth requirements. For broadcasters without 8K capabilities, Intel offered access to footage in 4K or full HD from an 8K source, providing an enhanced viewing experience.
“This was the first instance of 8K broadcasting using the H.266/ VVC standard, leveraging Intel AIbased video processing to achieve a significantly reduced bandwidth of 40-60Mbps while preserving broadcast quality,” Velhal points out.
AI automation enabled broadcasters to deliver more customised digital content to viewers, faster than ever
Ravi Velhal (centre, black shirt), Director of Global Content Technologies at Intel, with team members and other officials.
before. For instance, the Olympic Broadcasting Services (OBS) Automatic Highlights Generation, trained on Intel Geti technology, started with 14 different sports and scaled up to more than 40. It allowed the packaging of tailored highlights across multiple disciplines, distributing them to fans instantly and creating efficiencies in production and editing.
This technical achievement was made possible by broadcast servers powered by the latest Intel Xeon scalable processors, equipped with Intel AI Deep Learning Boost technology. This technology encodes and compresses the signal produced by OBS at 8K/60FPS/HDR, reducing the bandwidth from 48Gbps to less than 80Mbps within 400 milliseconds.
An 8K OTT signal was delivered to the latest Intel PCs and laptops, connected to 8K TVs, in select locations worldwide in just seconds. Smart AI algorithms helped solve what was considered one of the world’s biggest distribution problems in the media and broadcasting industry. Broadcasting rich, immersive 8K content to viewers around the globe has long been a significant challenge. However, through Intel’s AI solutions, all content was captured and processed, and several petabytes of data were transmitted globally at scale.
Intel-based AI technologies such as Deep Learning Boost and Advanced Matrix Extensions enabled the running of complex AI workloads without increasing the overall computing footprint. The company used both technologies in its Xeon CPUs to analyse the complexity of each scene frame by frame, training its algorithms to process fast-moving data without compromising quality or latency. As a result, the reduction in latency significantly improved the viewer experience. The overall latency from camera to TV is now just a few
seconds using RTP and 14 seconds using HLS – a significant improvement previously thought unattainable.
What lies ahead?
Intel has driven the future of 8K sports broadcasting at unprecedented speeds while maintaining broadcast-grade quality. This technology enabled occupants of the Paris 2024 Media Village to work more efficiently.
“In the near future, viewers around the world will be able to enjoy Olympic and Paralympic action through an 8K ultra-high-resolution live streaming
experience with the highest broadcastgrade quality,” says Velhal proudly. “Paris 2024 was the world’s biggest stage, a moment to showcase the best in human achievement. The integration of AI allows for dynamic, personalised content, transforming how audiences interact with live sports. These two events offer valuable insights and learnings that will influence various global industries for years to come, proving once again that the Olympics and Paralympics are the ultimate platform for showcasing the best in human and technological achievement.”
AI-DRIVEN INNOVATIONS AT THE GAMES
At the Stade de France, Intel created an AI-powered fan experience that allowed spectators to engage in athletic drills. This experience, trained on Intel Gaudi accelerators and running on Intel Xeon processors with built-in AI acceleration, optimised with Intel OpenVINO, helped participants discover which Olympic sport best suited their profile. The company’s AI technology facilitated the detection of new athletic talent by analysing physical and biometric
characteristics, providing insights into which sports may suit an individual best and how they can optimise their training. The company enhanced accessibility for visually impaired attendees through AIdriven wayfinding technology. By creating 3D models of Olympic venues using LiDAR and computer vision, it enabled indoor navigation via a smartphone application, guiding users through venues with voice instructions.
CANON MAKES ITS MARK
Last month, Canon unveiled the EOS R1 and EOS R5 Mark II mirrorless cameras in Munich before a gathering of camera enthusiasts and press. BroadcastPro ME interviewed Mark Fensome of the Canon Europe Pro Video, Broadcast and Displays division to discuss the features and innovations that set the R5 Mark II apart from its predecessors and competitors
Canon’s R5 Mark II mirrorless camera has caused a stir among independent filmmakers. Building on the success of its predecessor, it introduces features tailored to both seasoned professionals and indie content creators. According to Canon, the camera’s new design and feature set stem from user feedback.
“One key focus was improving the synergy between the R5 Mark II and our cinema range, like the new C400 and other older cameras,” says Mark Fensome. “We wanted to ensure that files from different cameras like the R5 Mark II and the C400, or even older cameras, are compatible
and consistent. This compatibility simplifies data management and editing, especially in multi-camera set-ups for content creation or broadcast.”
Another major consideration was the bitrates and resolutions offered by the camera. Fensome pointed out that while the original R5 was capable of high bitrates and 8K video at 60 frames per second, it might be a bit of overkill for some projects.
“While 8K at 60 frames per second is great for VR – especially with our VR lens that requires high resolution – we’ve also added options for lower bitrates,” he explains. “For broadcast, you might prefer 4K or even full-HD resolutions with high frame rates.”
This flexibility extends to slowmotion recording as well. The R5 Mark II offers 4K RAW at 120fps and full HD at 240fps, which he describes as “ideal for capturing those dramatic slow-motion effects, making the camera versatile for different shooting scenarios”.
One standout feature is the R5 Mark II’s VR capability. Canon has developed a dual fisheye VR lens specifically for this camera.
Attendees were given camera kits to test in different scenarios, including a basketball game at the BMW Park in Munich.
“The lens has two front-facing lenses spaced 60mm apart, similar to human eyes. This set-up captures a very realistic 3D view with a 190-degree field of view, which is then output as a 180-degree VR image. What’s great about this system is that it uses just one sensor to capture both images, meaning there’s no need to worry about aligning two cameras,” comments Fensome.
“A single sensor ensures perfect synchronisation and eliminates colour or balance issues that can occur with separate sensors. The camera’s VR set-up significantly reduces complexity, making it easier to achieve high-quality VR content.”
Once the VR footage is captured, Canon’s EOS VR Utility software takes over and automatically processes the dual fisheye images into a single VR-ready file. “You can make some adjustments during this process, and if you’ve shot in RAW you’ll have the full dynamic range to work with,” he adds. The final output can be integrated into VR headsets or imported into video editing software like Adobe Premiere.
The R5 Mark II offers a wide range of file formats, including RAW, SRAW and Light RAW, catering to different postproduction needs. Canon also addresses a common concern about metadata in MP4 files by introducing the XF HEVC and XF AVC S formats, which include metadata for better organisation and editing. This feature is particularly beneficial in postproduction, where detailed information about footage, such as camera used and clip number, is crucial, says Fensome.
Broadcast professionals will appreciate that the R5 Mark II supports News metadata. “This means you can specify the metadata that gets written into each video file,” Fensome says. “When these files are brought into an editing suite, all the necessary metadata is already embedded, streamlining the editing process.”
The R5 Mark II is the next step forward for Canon, offering big improvements and new features that will enhance the shooting experience
MARK FENSOME, CANON EUROPE PRO VIDEO
the capture of fast-paced action with greater precision and clarity.
Another important tech feature is the integration of Deep Learning advancements which refine the camera’s autofocus system, improving subject tracking even in dynamic environments. Whether it’s a fast-moving subject or a complex scene with multiple elements, the R5 Mark II’s intelligent AF system enables filmmakers to capture critical moments with accuracy.
For videographers concerned with extended shooting sessions for events and live streaming, Canon has introduced a cooling fan grip specifically designed to prevent overheating during prolonged use. Paired with the new high-performance LP-E6P battery, it can withstand the demands of long, continuous shoots.
In terms of video production, the camera’s support for Canon Log 2 and Log 3 expands the creative possibilities in post. These log profiles offer greater flexibility in colour grading, making it easier to achieve the desired look and feel for a project. Combined with the ability to record proxies and maintain industry-standard file naming, the R5 Mark II seamlessly integrates into professional workflows.
The camera’s dual card slots – one for CFexpress and one for an SD card – offer flexible storage options, which Fensome says are consistent with the Cinema EOS line. “This helps when you need to manage storage space while still maintaining high video quality.”
We were also introduced to other innovations in a master class. One technical highlight of the camera was Canon’s new Accelerated Capture imaging platform, featuring the DIGIC Accelerator and DIGIC X processors. This dual-processing system boosts speed and responsiveness, enabling
As we wrap up, Fensome shares his final thoughts on the R5 Mark II. He deems it highly versatile, equally useful for creative storytellers, hybrid users, independent filmmakers and small production teams.
“It is suitable for a wide range of applications, from wildlife shoots to weddings, event coverage, filmmaking and news reporting. The R5 Mark II is the next step forward for Canon, offering big improvements and new features that will enhance the shooting experience. It directly addresses the needs and feedback from the filmmaking community, making it a powerful tool for various content creation scenarios.”
AI TAKES CENTRE STAGE AT IBC2024
IBC2024 will have a host of new show features and speaking sessions to demonstrate real-world artificial intelligence (AI) advances across the IBC Conference, the IBC Accelerator Media Innovation Programme and the show itself, including the new AI Tech Zone, powered by EBU. AI innovators and media and entertainment (M&E) companies will be able to learn, network, collaborate and unlock business opportunities driven by new AI use cases throughout the event, which takes place in the RAI
Amsterdam from September 13-16.
“The media industry is ready to look beyond the AI hype and focus on real-world applications that deliver tangible benefits for businesses and consumers,” commented Mike Crimp, IBC CEO. “IBC2024 will showcase an array of hands-on demos and use-casedriven discussions, reflecting M&E’s demand for grounded conversation on how AI is impacting our sector today and in the long term.”
Maria Rua Aguete, Omdia Senior Research Director, Media and
Entertainment, commented that AI spend in media is set to reach $13bn by 2028. “It is influencing every element of the content value chain, but businesses need more clarity around where and how it can be harnessed most effectively. Spotlighting highimpact use cases and collaborating to overcome adoption challenges will be key to unlocking AI’s transformative potential for the media industry.”
The new AI Tech Zone, powered by EBU, brings together emerging AI providers, established producers,
content creators and innovators looking past the tried and tested to reimagine media creation and operations from the ground up. Hans Hoffman, Head of Media Fundamentals and Production at the EBU, said: “The AI Tech Zone is a must-attend for show attendees. We are now moving on from ‘future potential’ discussions to seeing how practical AI applications in the workflow can enable public service operators, broadcasters and other media organisations to generate real value. Visitors to the AI Tech Zone will witness firsthand how AI is shaping a smarter, more efficient media world.”
There will be a raft of sessions at the AI Tech Zone Stage to spotlight AI advances across areas including content authenticity, intelligent media storage, accessibility, mixed reality and creativity in production, while sharing critical insight into regulation and policy developments. AI thought leaders taking to the stage will include zone sponsors and representatives from AI Caramba!, BBC Studios, Eluvio, EPFL, Fraunhofer, IBM Aspera, Ina, KBS, Liverpool Football Club, PacGenesis, RTVE, University of Seoul, VIDEO.TAXI and YLE News Lab.
Alongside sponsors, AI Tech Zone exhibitors will showcase new AI technologies ranging from automated video editing and musicaudio separation, advanced data analytics and business optimisation to content provenance tracking and fast and secure cloud storage. Exhibiting companies include AI4ME, AudioShake, Blu Digital Group, Brai, CheckSub, Deepdub, Eleven Labs, Eluvio, EU Project X Reco, Globant, HP (Z by HP), Imaginaro.ai, ITTIAM, Magnifi, Media Monks, MobiusLabs, PacGenesis, Scenery, Schweizer Radio und Fernsehen, Seagate Technology, Tabsons, The Weather Company, V-Nova, Vera.AI, Video.
Taxi, Videolinq.ai, VionLabs and Zaibr. AI-focused sessions and thought leaders will feature across all show floor theatres and at the IBC Conference, where AI will be one of the primary themes explored, with keynotes from industry visionaries charting the evolution of AI in media and presenting new strategies to harness AI for creative workflows. The conference will also spotlight a number of AI
The media industry is ready to look beyond the AI hype and focus on real-world applications that deliver tangible benefits for businesses and consumers
MIKE CRIMP, CEO, IBC
in Action case studies, unveiling how generative AI and new data frameworks are already transforming live sports fan experiences and enhancing business operations for major broadcasters including ITV, Olympic Channel and Sky. Meanwhile, a number of companies across other exhibition halls will showcase new AI product launches and technologies for the first time at IBC2024, including Ateliere Creative Technologies, Backlight, Cinegy, Evergent, farmerswife, HAND, IMAX, InSync, ioMoVo, Media Excel, MediaKind, nxtedition, Operative, Periphery, Pixotope, Profuz Digital, Telestream, Telos Alliance and Vubiquity.
Another IBC first is the introduction of the AI Media Production Lab within the IBC Accelerator Media Innovation Programme, exploring a series of specific AI concepts to improve creativity in storytelling, deepen non-bias audience feedback and engagement, and power real-time predictive analytics to personalise live sports viewing. The three project strands – ‘Generative AI in Action’, ‘AI Audience Validation Assistant (AAVA)’ and ‘Changing the Game: Predictive Generative AI’ – are being driven by champions including Al Jazeera, BNNVARA, Channel 4, EBU, Evangelische Omroep (EO), IET, ITV, Paramount Global, Rai, Verizon Business, Vodafone, World Freestyle Football Association, Yle and Zwart. Technology participants include Magnifi, Plan 9 Labs, Pluxbox, Respeecher, RKG Creative, Somersault and Xansr Media. Each project strand will be showcased with proof-ofconcept demonstrations in Hall 3 at the Accelerator Zone and on the Innovation Stage.
MATROX VIDEO TO LAUNCH IPMX AND ST 2110 IP KVM EXTENDER
Stand 7.B15
Matrox Video will launch a tech preview of Avio 2, reportedly the world’s first open standards-based, IPMX/ ST 2110 IP KVM extender. The newest addition to Matrox Video’s IP KVM product line, the Avio 2 HDMI IP KVM extender provides high video quality and performance with support for up to 4K60 4:4:4 resolution, delivering realtime remote performance without compromise.
“Avio 2 marks a significant advancement in IP KVM technology by embracing open
standards to increase quality, interoperability and flexibility. Delivering audio, video and USB control over IP in an industry-standard format unlocks new possibilities for workflows in pro AV/IT, medical, broadcast and highquality media production,”
said Caroline Injoyan, Business Development Manager at Matrox Video. “System integrators, consultants and end users will be able to optimise their workflows, reduce cost and complexity, and future-proof installations.” Avio 2 integrates with
existing infrastructure and scales efficiently for installations of any size. Enabling secure, real-time KVM-over-IP extension and switching over 1GbE and supporting true uncompressed 4K 4:4:4 over 10GbE networks, the Avio 2 IP KVM extender is suitable for demanding applications. A versatile IP KVM technology with multiple codec options, including support for JPEG XS, Avio 2 raises the bar for performance and enhances both productivity and operational efficiency in critical environments.
APPEAR TO DEMO VX MEDIA PROCESSING SOFTWARE PLATFORM
Stand 1.B41
Appear will launch a major new software architecture at IBC2024: the Appear VX software platform. The aim of this new open platform is to fulfill current and future broadcast workflow requirements, providing agility and flexibility. VX will help Appear customers to swiftly create next-generation software production workflows that distribute functionality across multiple infrastructure and connected hardware solutions, while delivering the power, resiliency and ultra-low latency
expected from today’s hardware platforms.
“At Appear, we are highly regarded for the power and flexibility of our modular and award-winning X Platform,” said Thomas Bostrøm Jørgensen,
CEO at Appear (pictured above). “We are now complementing this approach with VX, building live production media processing functions in individual software modules.”
Visitors to Appear’s booth will be the first to see live demos of the VX Platform, including the contribution of live action from stadium to studio for AVC, HEVC and JPEG XS with ARQ (Automatic Repeat reQuest) protection; hyperefficient distribution of affiliate feeds using Appear’s new advanced
SRT application, deployed in the cloud and on low-cost fully redundant off-the-shelf hardware; Appear’s nextgeneration node-based workflow management; and integration with Prometheus and Grafana to provide real-time monitoring of system metrics.
VX features endto-end workflows, simplified operations, low-latency media processing and delivery functions, software deployed anywhere and anytime, easy versioning support, and lifecycle management.
MRMC TO UNVEIL STUDIOBOT LT AND CINEBOT RANGE AT IBC2024
Stand S 11.C28, 12.C20
Mark Roberts Motion Control (MRMC), a Nikon company, will showcase the new Studiobot LT for broadcast workflows and the Cinebot range for cinematography for the first time at the show. It will unveil its range of technological innovations across two stands covering both Motion Control and Broadcast. Both will showcase examples of seamless workflows between MRMC, Nikon and Red, demonstrating the collaborative solutions they can offer together.
The Studiobot LT is designed for permanent
or semi-permanent studio productions. This new robot is easy to get up and running, offering unrivalled flexibility and a wide envelope of motion that enables content creators to drastically increase
output quality within a small footprint. It supports up to 10kg, making it ideally suited for box cameras with a typical studio lens. It features native support for broadcast serial lenses, as well as
being able to drive external lens motors. It also comes equipped with numerous safety features and a tally lamp for studio deployment. There is also a choice of base and mounting for floor, ceiling or track, meaning the StudioBot LT can be deployed for a range of applications. The system is easily controlled via an industry-leading software interface, provides FreeD positional data and offers an API for integration with studio automation systems, making it suitable for integration into VR environments and advanced broadcast workflows.
Next-Level Sports Broadcasting Starts Here
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IKEGAMI TO DEMO HDK-X500 3-CMOS HD PORTABLE CAMERA SYSTEM
Stand 12. a 31
The HDK-X500 HD portable camera system will make its European debut at IBC this year. Versatile and easily configurable, it is suitable for various applications including pedestal-mounted studio work, tripod-based sports coverage and shoulder-mounted location shoots. It features three latest-generation 2/3-inch CMOS sensors with global shutter technology, allowing clear image capture even in challenging conditions, free
from geometric distortion and flash bands.
Equipped with the latest AXII digital processor, the HDK-X500 delivers high-quality images with improved reliability and lower power consumption.
automatic optical vignetting correction for OVCcompatible B4 bayonet mount zoom lenses and remote back focus adjustment. It also features a dual filter system for
neutral-density and colour compensation, with space for additional filters to address aliasing and enhance LED wall shooting.
A 16-axis colour corrector allows precise scene matching and colour adjustments in real time. The HDK-X500 meets ITU-R BT.2020 specifications, supporting a broader colour gamut than BT.709, and its CMOS sensors enable HDR imaging with the pre-installed HLG transfer function, adhering to ITU-R BT.2100 standards.
NXTEDITION TO SHOWCASE MICROSERVICES-BASED APPROACH
Stand 7. a 02
At IBC, visitors can don a VR headset and virtually operate a fully automated XR mixedreality studio gallery located anywhere in the world. This experience allows attendees to experience first-hand the advanced integration of XR mixed reality into live production workflows, navigating the studio interface with ease. This has been developed in conjunction with the IBC Accelerator for ‘Evolution of the Control Room –Leveraging XR, Voice, AI & HTML-Based Graphics Solutions’, in which nxtedition is a participant. At IBC, attendees will see the deep integration of
Meta’s open-source Llama 3 large language model (LLM), running directly on the nxtedition platform. This simplifies search functionality, allowing users to query content using natural language. The system’s ability to understand semantic requests and find relevant information removes the need for precise keyword
searches, making content discovery more efficient, user-friendly and cost-free. In addition to semantic advancements, Llama 3 integrates with OpenAI’s Whisper for voiceto-text transcription, automating content title and description generation for social media posts based on the Whisper transcription
of the content. Scripts can be augmented by using Llama 3 to create new story angles for a journalist based upon the current script. This multi-AI capability runs within nxtedition, meaning no additional subscription, cloud or third-party service costs are incurred by the user. nxtedition features its own NLE, built to do simple rough cuts and voiceovers which can be exported to industrystandard craft editing software. AI-assisted text editing has now been added to nxt|edit, along with additional graphics tracks and multiple audio tracks with audio metering.
KARIM SARKIS
Staying competitive in a fast-evolving landscape requires a willingness to embrace change
Navigating the Technological Tsunami: Strategic Leadership in Media
It’s undeniable and understandable: for CEOs looking for a competitive edge, the lure of cutting-edge technologies often proves irresistible. Cloud computing. Virtual reality. The metaverse. Artificial intelligence. Every year brings a tsunami of shiny new objects, each promising to transform organisations. But the lure of new technology can also be dangerous.
Today’s media sector leaders face the challenge of absorbing the latest advancements in technology while staying strategically focused on what truly matters. New technologies emerge at a dizzying pace, increasing the risk CEOs may spread resources too thin and, in the process, lose strategic focus. This can tarnish a company’s brand, impair customer service, disrupt operations and harm profitability.
Conversely, CEOs ignore technological advances at their peril. History is littered with examples of media companies failing to adapt and paying the price. I recall a meeting with major newspaper publishers at the height of the industry’s digital disruption, where their key demand was to reduce the duties on paper. Staying competitive in a fast-evolving landscape requires a willingness to embrace change, and forgoing innovation opportunities can lead to stagnation and eventually obsolescence.
So what’s the solution? Instead of being distracted by the potential of
new technologies, CEOs must evaluate their likely impact on the customer experience, profitability, competitive landscape and employee engagement. A balanced approach that aligns technology adoption with a company’s core mission and vision is essential. Establishing multi-disciplinary teams can provide diverse perspectives, ensuring comprehensive assessments and successful implementations for those technologies that are pursued.
A customer-centric focus is paramount. Every technological initiative should enhance the customer experience, guided by continuous feedback. Creating space for innovation and rapid trials is also crucial. Pilot projects, separated from core operations and undertaken with an agile startup mentality, allow experimentation and quick iteration, mitigating risks before full-scale deployment.
Clear communication with stakeholders is essential. CEOs must articulate to shareholders and boards the strategic rationale behind the adoption of any technology, regularly updating them on progress and impact. They must be willing to make hard decisions when an initiative isn’t meeting clearly defined objectives and, similarly, to strategically place bigger bets when it is. No matter what, transparency with stakeholders fosters trust and aligns everyone toward common goals.
Consider Apple’s recent approach to GenAI technologies. Initially hesitant, Apple integrated GenAI functionality into its devices in a measured way, tying it closely to applications to make existing tasks easier.
Closer to home, MBC’s shift from a linear to a streaming mindset and SRMG’s embrace of digital models are prime examples. These decisions required a change of perspective by the management team; significant investments in content, capabilities and acquisitions without a guaranteed path to profitability; the redefinition of customer relationships while still appealing to a broad base; and the transformation of brands that had been a staple for audiences for decades.
These moves were bold but not hasty. They reflected an awareness that the rapid pace of technological advancement presents both opportunities and challenges. Take on too much and you risk losing sight of a company’s core strategy. Yet taking on too little risks rivals securing a vital competitive edge.
So as you explore the shiny new marvels at IBC, be sure to keep your strategic customer-focused perspective firmly in the driving seat.
KARIM SARKIS IS PARTNER WITH STRATEGY& AND THE LEADER OF THE FIRM’S MEDIA AND ENTERTAINMENT SECTOR IN THE MIDDLE EAST
