When you’ve been to IBC more than twenty times, it’s easy to lose track of the years! Instead, what really stands out, are the changes that’ve taken place over that time, both across the show floor and throughout the wider industry. My first IBC feels like a lifetime ago, yet the memories are still vivid: the endless five-day schedule that tested even the hardiest exhibitor, the suits that everyone seemed to wear, and the strong satellite industry presence. Today the show is four days, the dress code is more relaxed, and the satellite exhibitors are a lot less prominent. It’s a different world, but the buzz of IBC has never gone away.
Major industry changes
The technology shifts that have taken place over the course of the 2+ decades that I’ve been going to IBC are quite astonishing. Back when I first started going, analogue was still very much a part of our vocabulary, and SD was standard. Now, digital has replaced analogue, UHD and 4K are the norm, streaming is the main mode of viewing for many viewers, and cloud and IP-based workflows are firmly established.
Helen Weedon
Managing Director, Radical Moves Ltd
Satellite’s role in the broadcast industry has changed significantly over the same time. While still vital for some broadcast applications, shifts in viewer behaviour and the rise of IP-based delivery and latterly 5G, have led to satellite’s role in the broadcast industry evolving.
Immersive technology is gaining momentum, and every year there are new immersive tech demos to be seen. And in recent years, we’ve seen AI disrupting pretty much every aspect of the industry, yet this is only the tip of the (AI) iceberg. What strikes me most is not just the scale of change, but rather how much faster it all seems to happen now. Innovations that once took years to gain traction can become mainstream within a year or two.
How the show has changed
The show course mirrors the changes seen in the industry with key focuses matching industry trends at the time. The show itself has expanded over time, growing from 11 halls in 2005 to the 14 halls that it now fills at the RAI. There are some really interesting additions such as the IBC Accelerator Programme, the Innovations Showcase, and startup areas.
Hall 1 and 5 once felt like the centre of the satellite universe, but today those companies occupy a fraction of the space they once did, taking up just a tiny portion of Hall 1. The show itself feels more relaxed, and the side events are more dynamic and vibrant. Another thing that I’ve noticed changing over time is that there are now many more women at the show, the steadily growing queue for the ladies’ toilets is testament to that. When I first started going to IBC, the ladies were generally empty while the men queued around the corner! Initiatives like the IBC Pride Happy Hour, which returns for a second time this year are also helping to give the show a more open and inclusive feel than when I first walked the halls over two decades ago.
Some things have stayed the same
Of course, some things haven’t changed. The sheer effort that goes into preparing for the show remains the same, as do the long days, late nights and sore feet! Many exhibitors are still in the same spots they’ve occupied for years, and the tradefair booth still keeps its UK exhibitors topped up with tea and biscuits. And while the technology and business models evolve, the value of face-to-face conversations is as strong as ever. That’s probably the real reason so many of us keep coming back year after year.
I have plenty of personal IBC memories, some funny in hindsight, others unforgettable. In 2005, while working for Dolby, I ended up doing IFA (a consumer electronics show) in Berlin followed immediately by IBC, all while about 13 weeks pregnant with my first child. Exhausting doesn’t even come close but at least I always got the booth chair! And then there was the mad dash through the halls, swapping badges so I could attend meetings under different hats. Not something you can get away with anymore, since ID checks have put a stop to that sort of trick. The post-COVID queues at Schiphol also stand out as unforgettable, four hours of shuffling along until my legs nearly gave out. Needless to say, that return journey was NOT fun at all.
IBC 2025
This year, I’m looking forward to a real mix of events. I’m catching The Flint Green Line Eurostar for the first time so that is sure to be great fun. The Accelerator Programme projects always catch my eye, and this year I’ll be paying close attention to ECOFLOW II and the two AI-focused initiatives. I’m pleased to see the Pride Happy Hour event return, and as always, I’ll be keeping a close eye on the awards, especially since many of our clients have submitted for IABM, CSI, Corporate Star, Best of Show, and RISE awards. The first Amsterdam Media and Entertainment Mixer promises to be a highlight too, following the success of the Bristol and London editions which have all been a blast. Add in the SIG Drinks at the ST Engineering iDirect booth on Saturday, and for the first time ever, the novelty of hiring bikes to get to and from the show, and it’s shaping up to be another packed few days.
In the end, what makes IBC special isn’t just the technology on display or the new product launches, it’s the people you meet, the stories you share, and the sense that you’re right in the middle of a fast-moving industry that never stands still. Two decades on, IBC still has that same pull for me, and I’m looking forward to seeing where the next twenty years will take us.
If you would like to meet up with someone from the Radical Moves, Marketing and PR agency covering M&E and space and satcom, get in touch.
