Complete Coverage: IBC 2016
Now that the 2016 IBC conference in Amsterdam is over, organizers are touting more than one milestone: a record 55,796 attendees (representing 160-plus countries), more than 1,800 exhibitors (249 first-timers), and more than 430 speakers for 100-plus sessions.
“IBC really is the only forum that attracts a global audience, the most comprehensive exhibition, and the best thought-leaders to spark the debate,” Michael Crimp, CEO of IBC, said in a statement. “But IBC, above all else, is about bringing people together to share knowledge and to do business. It is clear, from the buzz around the whole show, that this has been a great year.”
The 2016 edition of IBC saw organizers reacting to the changing interests of broadcasters, with a virtual reality-capable theater, a dedicated demonstration area for IP-related advancements (the IBC IP Interoperability Zone, backed by the Alliance for IP Media Solutions and International Association of Broadcasting Manufacturers), and two new session tracks (Platform Futures and Audiences and Advertising).
The IBC Leaders’ Summit pulled in approximately 150 C-level executives; keynotes included filmmaker Ang Lee, Oscar-winner Lord Puttnam and Shahrzad Rafati, founder and CEO of BroadbandTV; and attendees watched astronaut Kate Rubins accept an IBC honor for NASA from the International Space Station, via a live stream.
“The continuing success of IBC is down to the hard work of a lot of people, staging an event that is relevant and engaging across the whole of our transforming industry,” Crimp said. “We continue to evolve, and I am confident that next year’s IBC — our 50th anniversary edition — will be even better.”
