Audience engagement is key! The whole issue of audience engagement (or fan engagement in the sports world) is a hot topic. Content creators are still under a great deal of pressure to create more compelling content in the face of flat or decreasing budgets, and they need reliable and proven end-to-end solutions that can help […]
Audience engagement is key! The whole issue of audience engagement (or fan engagement in the sports world) is a hot topic. Content creators are still under a great deal of pressure to create more compelling content in the face of flat or decreasing budgets, and they need reliable and proven end-to-end solutions that can help them overcome these challenges. That argument applies regardless of whether youre a TV channel, a live entertainment venue or a sports stadium.
Also, weve seen some big steps forward in the world of graphics, with several manufacturers of virtual graphics platforms incorporating the Unreal gaming engine into their offerings. This is exciting for broadcasters but has moved the conversation away from feature set and on to workflow control, where ease and speed of configuration and operation become paramount.
Finally, Im excited to see so many new entrants in the world of broadcast. e-sports in particular is really coming of age, and its fascinating to see how non-traditional content creators are meeting the challenges of becoming expert broadcasters without being broadcast experts. Thats surely the embodiment of our tagline, Smart Production! Were seeing a landscape where powerful graphics, virtual reality and social media integration are key to creating and monetising audience engagement. It will be audience experience and engagement that will separate the winners from the losers as the industry continues to evolve and, arguably, fragment.
Areas of innovation
The industry can expect new products to be launched in two key areas: audience engagement and smart production. The former will see ever more sophisticated and realistic graphics products coming to market, as well as products that draw from social media and other third-party sources and allow producers to present their content in more creative and engaging ways. In terms of the latter, its all about integration and interoperability. I think weve consistently seen customers asking the industry for improvements in these areas, and weve responded with solutions that can control (and be controlled by) third-party products.
I dont believe that broadcast technology is becoming homogenous, but I do think customers are increasingly focusing on ease of integration and operational flexibility. new products must meet customers creative, commercial and technical needs, and that requires us all to put smart production at the heart of our product development efforts.
Ross Video going forward
Some recurring themes will be:
- Adding more live content without a step function in added cost and effort Realising a virtual control room in a box for mid-size productions Creating a superior graphics experience with premium 3d motion graphics, AR/VR and robotic cameras Leveraging IP virtualisation for smart production
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Middle East a promising market
The Middle east remains a vibrant and important market for Ross, and were delighted to have recently employed a new sales manager who lives in the region. our customer base has now reached a size where we need additional resources in the MENA markets, and I expect us to continue to invest accordingly.
