Running across three days, from 12-15 September, the IBC2025 Conference is set to welcome visionary speakers, industry leaders and innovators to tackle some of the biggest talking points across the media and entertainment industry.
The business of TV and the search for sustainable growth across new platforms; live sports and real-time experiences; personalised advertising and the future of commercial models; and how to ensure content is surfaced in a crowded landscape are all on the agenda. AI is also set to feature heavily across the programme, examining not just its creative potential but how it can drive efficiency, enhance personalisation, and support real-world editorial workflows.
Highlights on the Main Stage on the first day of the programme include a CTO Roundtable featuring Avi Saxena, Chief Technology Officer, Warner Bros. Discovery; Phil Wiser, Executive Vice President and Global Chief Technology Officer, Paramount; and Simon Farnsworth, Chief Technology Officer, ITV, along with chair Maria Ingold, Strategy and Innovation CTO, mireality. They will explore how to create value from AI, generative AI and other rapidly evolving technologies, sharing their own experiences and answering audience questions.
Later in the day, the always innovative area of sports broadcast comes into focus, initially with a panel tasked with delving into how to combine advanced streaming technologies and a robust security layer to succeed in delivering live sports at scale. Mansoor Fazil, Director of Platform Engineering, Sky; Marcos Obadia, SVP Global Engineering and Media Technology, TelevisaUnivision; and Prashant Khanna, Head - Production Services, Studios & Production Tech – Sports, JioStar are the speakers here. This is followed by Rollo Goldstaub
Global Head of Sports Partnerships, TikTok, discussing how broadcasters can work better with social media giants to seize the opportunities in the digital sphere as they arise.
On Saturday, delegates are invited to a keynote delivered by Damian Cronan
CDIO, ABC. He will share how ABC is utilising AI as an integral part of its digital transformation to drive efficiencies, create value and enhance the way content is produced, distributed, and monetised.
The steep increase in the use of disinformation and fake news by malicious actors and even governments witnessed in recent years is the subject of a panel session later in the day. Antonia Kerle, Chief Technical Advisor, BBC Research & Development; David Dinsmore, EVP, Chief Operating Officer, Group Operations & Platforms, News UK; Maxime Carboni, Chief Business Officer, Euronews; and Raed Fakih, Director of Planning and Newsgathering, Al Jazeera Media Network, are on hand to examine trends around truth and trust in the consumption of information.
The final panel of the day will take a deep dive into the changing media landscape and how this is impacting advertising. Andy Hood, VP Emerging Technologies, WPP; Fran Hale, Acting Head of Sales, UK & EMEA, Little Dot Studios; Julie Triolo, Senior Vice President, Product Marketing, Advertising Sales, Fox Advertising; and Justin Gupta, Head of Broadcast and Video Ads EMEA, Google, will be asking is this the end of advertising as we know it?
Everything from AI to virtual production will be discussed during the packed final day of the IBC2025 Conference. Highlights include BBC Sport’s John Murphy sharing how the broadcaster is utilising virtual production to transform its coverage by enhancing storytelling, increasing fan engagement and optimising production workflows, before Mike Darcey, media industry commentator and advisor, delivers a keynote on rights, economics, and the new shape of broadcasting.
Also not to be missed is a myth-busting session that will see Blake Bassett, VP, Product, Tools & Infra, Tubi, and Sannuta Raghu, Reuters Institute for the Study of Journalism & Head, Scroll AI Lab, share case studies exploring how AI is driving operational efficiency and unlocking new business opportunities across the sector.
A three-day conference pass, which includes access to all sessions, including the Technical Papers programme, as well as access to the exclusive Delegates Lounge with complimentary refreshments, high-speed WiFi and meeting rooms, and an invitation to social events including Happy Hour Drinks and the IBC Innovation Awards reception, is available now. Early bird passes are available until 23 July 2025.
UKTV Chief Creative Officer Richard Watsham to depart
Richard Watsham, Chief Creative Officer at UKTV and Global Director of Acquisitions for BBC Studios/UKTV, is stepping down from his roles in September after a 14-year tenure in the business.
IBC x Google Cloud Hackfest Dry-run Lights Up London and Dublin
The IBC x Google Cloud Hackfest Supported by Formula E kicked off in London Friday July 4 with a stellar cast of ITV, Sky, Channel 4 and RTE engineer teams, supported by Google coaches.
BBC tells senior staff to step back following Glastonbury row
The BBC has reportedly told a small number of senior staff to step back from their day-to-day duties on music and live events in the wake of the Glastonbury broadcast of Bob Vylan's controversial set.
Netflix in talks with Spotify about live music events
Netflix has held reportedly talks with Spotify about collaborating on music-focused live events projects as both streaming platforms seek new offerings to drive growth.
Netflix rolls out AV1 Film Grain Synthesis for classic movies
Netflix has begun rolling out AV1 Film Grain Synthesis (FGS) streams across its catalogue, a move the platform says will allow it to preserve the artistic integrity of film grain while optimising data efficiency.
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