2018 – Blessed With Opportunities And Challenges

The proliferation of smartphone devices and faster wireless services that have crowned Video as the new king of content, presents broadcasters with a unique opportunity to redefine themselves and quickly embrace sophisticated technologies to drive efficiencies across the entire spectrum of the video chain.

It’s 2018 and content production is ripe for a technological revolution. With the rapid transformation to digital and the advent of UHD resolutions like 4K and 8K, transition to IP-broadcast infrastructure has become quintessential. Advanced video technologies such as HDR, AR, VR, and 360 degree immersion displays are primed to take off, particularly in live sports broadcast production that is now a major revenue generator for the media industry. News broadcasting is also set for a makeover as costly and outdated ENG technologies such as camcorders, edit bays, and live trucks give way to high-speed smartphone news gathering, with an IP delivery mechanism used for field-to-station transmissions. Broadcasters are leveraging real-time 3D motion, immersive and interactive graphic solutions that integrate the virtual and real world to captivate viewers. Embracing voice technologies for better content search and monetization may catch up this year, while AI streamlines experiences by touching every aspect of the broadcasting ecosystem, from video workflows, to content creation, advertising, and acquisition decisions.

The recent nod to ATSC 3.0 has notable implications for OTA broadcasters and could disrupt the content delivery mechanism. Blending broadcast and broadband internet, the next-gen broadcast standard promises 4K immersive TV viewing along with HD and SD simulcasting capability while allowing targeted advertising and greater interactive and personalized opportunities around content. The marriage of linear TV and OTT could enable broadcasters to reap significant cost synergies. Deployment of fiber optic solutions for next-gen TV signal routing may also gather traction, with higher bandwidth and low latency streams needed to accommodate HD signals and multicast SD channels. As mobile viewing becomes pervasive and service providers overlap, the days of DTH and cable television seem numbered with the consumer preferring to deal with a single service provider.

We look forward to meeting our readers at BES Expo 2018, being held from February 26 to 28 in New Delhi.