Sir Michael Lyons to Open IBC2010 Conference

AMSTERDAM, May 20 /PRNewswire/ -- The opening plenary session of the IBC2010 conference will feature an address by Sir Michael Lyons, the chairman of the BBC Trust, on the future of public service broadcasting. The session also includes keynote addresses by Yoshinori Imai, vice president of Japanese national broadcaster NHK, and by Ingrid Deltenre, director general of the European Broadcasting Union. All three will be subject to questioning from leading media journalist and commentator Raymond Snoddy.

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This year's IBC conference has the title Challenging Mindsets in a Modern Media Landscape, and seeks to tackle the real commercial, creative and technical issues facing the broad industry. One of these is the place of public service broadcasting (PSB) in an increasingly online, on demand world. Is the national and cultural role of the PSB sufficient to protect its privileged position in today's highly competitive and commercially cut-throat world?

The PSB issue is one of the hot topics running through the conference and is set against a second hot topic which looks at the ways we will pay for content in future. How can you make money from high quality programming and trusted brands in a world seemingly obsessed with user-generated content and social media?

In an Olympic and FIFA World Cup year sport is on everyone's mind. The IBC conference draws the leading players together to talk about the technical, creative and business challenges and opportunities. And linked in an important way, the fourth conference key topic looks at the future of stereoscopic 3D. It has won huge numbers of fans in the cinema but will it make it into the home? Will sport be the engine to take it there?

In a matrix with these four topics are three vertical streams: technology, content creation and innovation, and the business of broadcasting. Each will be investigated from every angle, ensuring that delegates get the coverage that meets their particular needs and can contribute to real debates that will drive the industry forward.

"In recent years the IBC conference has leapt forward as the forum which gets right to the heart of the key issues in our industry," said chair of the conference committee Michael Lumley. "It attracts world-class speakers and delegates who recognise that it is the best place to drive forward the debate.

"A key ingredient of that success is down to the production standards, which ensures every single session is a lively exchange of views, with unrivalled facilities to experience cutting edge technology and creativity," Lumley added. "Add to all that the proximity of a world class exhibition and plenty of opportunities to network with peers from more than 140 countries, and it is clear the IBC conference is the place to meet if you care about the future of our industry."

As the programme for the IBC2010 conference develops with up to the moment speakers and sessions, so it will be published at www.ibc.org/conference. Online registration for IBC2010, 9 – 14 September in Amsterdam, is now open.

SOURCE IBC