2016 TV Year in Review: Charlie Vogt, CEO, Imagine Communications

For the last five years, the media industry has been defined by change – evolving at warp speed to keep up with consumers who want to view their video anywhere, at any time and on any device. The proliferation of smart devices, ubiquitous broadband Internet access – both fixed and mobile – and shifting video consumption patterns have steered this change – forever altering the way video is produced, delivered and consumed and putting consumers in the driver’s seat.

Against this backdrop, media companies of all sizes and across all segments of the ecosystem are currently evaluating the merits and risks of moving operations to an IP infrastructure based on Commercial Off-the-Shelf (COTS) equipment. These media companies are under pressure to produce more content, for more devices, all while cutting costs. New IP technologies will deliver levels of agility and scalability that traditional broadcast technologies cannot match. For instance, IP makes it possible for a content owner to launch a new channel, a process that normally requires several months or more to commission and provision specialized hardware, in minutes — and at a fraction of the cost. Moving to IP is also a logical prerequisite for upgrading workflows to deliver Ultra High Definition (UHD), also known as 4K, and higher resolutions. And the futureproof nature of IP ensures the flexibility required to adapt to new standards, new workflows and enable multipurpose usage of the same infrastructure.

While the promises of IP have been great, the technology has taken a while to gain traction in the marketplace. Up until recently, many media professionals have harbored concerns about replacing SDI-based infrastructure with COTS computing and networking platforms of the IT industry. They have seen it work in other industries but questioned the readiness of IT-based infrastructures to handle the rigors of broadcast operations, especially live production.

2016 marked a major turning point for IP and the advancement of next-gen architectures as the future technology foundation of the media and entertainment industry.

At the International Broadcasting Convention (IBC2016) in Amsterdam this September, a number of key events illustrated that IP is ready for primetime. At Imagine Communications’ stand we delivered on the theme the Future of Television Today by showcasing and demonstrating next-generation solutions specifically built for virtualized environments that are now powering dozens of live customer deployments. Demonstrating the here-and-now nature of the widespread interoperability of IP-based solutions, the company hosted live demonstrations of end-to-end UHD production across a multivendor environment.

Another major obstacle in the path of convincing media companies to move forward with their IP-transition plans was cleared with the formation of the Alliance for IP Media Solutions (AIMS), a trade association dedicated to the promotion of standards for transporting video and audio over IP, as well as solutions based on those standards. Working with multiple standards-creation bodies, AIMS, one of the fastest-growing advocacy groups in the history of the media and entertainment industry, endorsed a standards roadmap designed to bring the same widespread interoperability to the IP realm that now exists in the Serial Digital Interface (SD) domain, which has been the technology foundation in the broadcast industry for the past few decades.

The IP Interoperability Zone at IBC2016 involved the efforts of more than 70 engineers from 30 separate companies, all convened to prove technical interoperability across dozens of IP-based solutions. In fact, many IBC veterans described this Interoperability Zone as the largest and best-organized demonstration of broadcast equipment compatibility in recent history. The massive and unprecedented undertaking also validated industry-wide support for AIMS, which is now more than 50-members strong.

As we look forward, don’t expect things to slow down in 2017. Now that the television industry is ready for transformation, new projects and services will launch at record speed. It is a year that will see many proofs of concept reaching the marketplace, as media companies look to realize the massive benefits of IP, software and the cloud to more effectively move, manage and monetize video content. This will put media companies in a prime position to deliver the personalized and unified TV experience that consumers increasingly crave.

The IP revolution is real and upon us. No longer is the discussion – “should I move to IP?” It is “at what pace and what does my path look like”. Entering 2017, nearly all of the traffic lights on the road to a more agile and versatile technology foundation for the broadcast industry have changed to green.