How is IBC this year likely to pan out from a Central and East European perspective?
Certainly on the news front, we can expect some interesting announcements, with companies such as Telekom Austria, which are very much focused on the region, having scheduled press conferences.
News is also likely to be forthcoming, in one form or another, from a host of other actively involved players including Telenor Satellite Broadcasting, SES and Eutelsat.
At the time of writing this column (Thursday, September 10) we have already had one interesting piece of news, namely confirmation that the next Cable Congress will take place in Warsaw in June 2016.
Alongside all this at IBC, there will a number of companies, some high profile and others less so, either based in CEE or with strong connections to the region, that will demand our attention.
Take, for instance, SPI International, which will be presenting its Funbox 4K/UHD at the event. The channel is clearly a major step forward for SPI and this time next year it is likely to be present on many platforms, not just in Europe but around the world.
Then there is Cubiware, which underwent a major change of ownership earlier this year when it was acquired by TiVo. How is it shaping up and what is its strategy, now as a subsidiary of a leading global player?
Let’s not forget ADB, now also a truly global player but with strong Polish connections? Or indeed Antik Telekom, which is based in the eastern Slovak city of Kosice but making a huge impact way beyond its country’s borders?
While the list may not be endless, it is certainly long. And that, perhaps, is the beauty of IBC. Despite being a busy – and many would also argue stressful – event, it provides us with a golden opportunity to meet all these interesting companies in one venue.
