IBC 2016: Wham, Bam, Thank You Amsterdam!

AMSTERDAM -- IBC -- The IBC convention is Europe's largest media event, bringing together executives from broadcasters, network operators, content producers and a whole host of technology vendors. This year's show was no exception. In fact, it broke all attendance records, with 55,796 attendees this year. The exhibition floor listed over 1,800 exhibitors, including 249 companies attending their first IBC.

The conference was kicked off by Dominique Delport, Chairman of Vivendi's content division and global MD of Havas Media, who ominously stated that the mass marketing ad-based TV model was dead, and "the 50-year party is over" for the TV industry.

These sobering words had absolutely no effect on anyone whatsoever at the show, with plenty of buzz around 4K/UHD and HDR, AR/VR, OTT services and a whole host of other technologies. Business activity was frantic as well, with the standard near-endless stream of vendor announcements. Netflix and Google both courted pay-TV-related partnerships, and SMPTE celebrated its 100th year. Yes, it's all been happening at Amsterdam's RAI convention center, the IBC venue since 1992.

Apparently a picture is worth a thousand words, so here's 13,000 words on IBC. Special thanks to Iain Morris for his photographic skills and contributions to the slideshow.

Just click on the image below to get started.

It's a RAIot

The weirdest statue in the Netherlands greets attendees turning up for this year's show.