IBC: Doing More with Less

We finally returned to IBC after a three-year, COVID-driven absence. The virus slowed everyone and everything down, which is why we loved maximizing the opportunity this show represents. The video platforms we have been glued to for the past few years have been adequate deputies, but nothing beats meeting with our stakeholders (and friends) better than the old-fashioned face-to-face.

Over the past three years, some businesses have thrived, some have not survived. Even at a macro level, the fluctuation of the global markets has changed everything. Investments and funding in businesses has been both very accessible and very restricted in equal measure.

These seismic events have changed the whole landscape in the broadcast media market. IBC 2022 was a manifestation of this. Companies have been trying to improve their efficiencies, looking to do “more with less”, adapting to the new working environment (from home, office or hybrid), and networking to discuss such industry changes - a massive benefit to all exhibitors and attendees.

Speechmatics’ Hopes for IBC

IBC isn’t just meant for speech recognition enthusiasts. According to Amsterdam Info, tens of thousands of “television professionals, video and digital film specialists and TV managers meet to discuss new trends, business ideas and technology solutions. IBC is an important event growing each year as the importance of its field expands, connecting into the technology of film from one side and into the computers engineering from the other.”

IBC themselves claim “we are on a journey to deliver the new normal in an engaging way.” The organizers, like us, hope to see how content and technology are changing. One on side, we’re currently looking to increase our content output and make our online presence more known. On the other, our technology is always being updated, so we’re excited to show off a little in Amsterdam.

Most notably, we have our new Language Identification feature. It does exactly what you’d think, identifying the predominant language in an audio file with a confidence rating. IBC was our first chance to showcase the feature which went down a treat.

Overall, IBC represents the opportunity to connect with current global customers, launch some successful new partnerships, showcase new features, and listen to some great movers and shakers in the broadcasting arena.

A Quick Note from Me

From a personal perspective, IBC2022 is pushing towards my twentieth show as an Account Executive. This feels different. Not only was it the first IBC show for some time, but I am glad to present a speech-to-text engine that truly makes a difference, as with each language added, the more voices we understand.  

For me, IBC showed that the world is assimilating with ASR; it’s being explored as a real deployment in the broadcast world now, while before it was perhaps aspirational. Looking elsewhere, many companies had messaging that aligned with core values, relating to sustainment, efficiencies and even 'green' (environmental messaging) - something not seen in the past. 

Overall, it seems that AI is becoming real in the broadcast and media, not just for ASR but lots of companies looking to take advantage of metadata largely around efficiencies - as well as having a view to the future. IBC helped us see this first hand.  

We cannot wait to see you in Amsterdam next year.

Dave Robins, Senior Account Executive, Speechmatics