Trends in Media and Entertainment for 2024 and Beyond
IBC is over for another year. 45,085 attendees from 170 countries ascended into Amsterdam. There was also an increase in the number of exhibitors, which grew by 100 to over 1,350 from the previous year. As ever, IBC is the best place to soak in all of the innovation from the show floor. We have rounded up some of the key trends to keep a lookout for 2025.
Privacy is on Everyone’s Minds
As broadcasters and media companies leverage data for personalized experiences, privacy has become a central concern. IBC 2024 dedicated significant attention to this crucial issue, highlighting the industry’s commitment to responsible data practices. This was a topic that came up during our panel. Tom Dvorak, our Chief Commercial Officer and Co-founder, highlighted that service providers need to be transparent not just about what data is utilized but how this information is being used. One of the most significant challenges discussed was finding the right balance between providing personalized, engaging experiences and respecting user privacy. Our solution can do this, as all the data we use to personalize users’ watching experiences is anonymized.
AI Everywhere – Exploration to Adoption
Following on from IBC 2023, it was not surprising that AI dominated the halls and sessions once again. The focus was on broadcasters leveraging AI technologies to streamline production processes and deliver more engaging, tailored experiences to viewers. Compared to last year, though, rather than AI overtaking roles, this year, it was a more positive way of thinking in that AI is here to aid existing processes and reduce the cumbersome tasks. With XroadMedia, we are utilizing AI for metadata enrichment processes, creating emotive and relatable row titles, improving the conversational search experience and more.
AI was the overarching theme, which fed into a few other trends throughout the show, a few of which we have gone into below.
Enhancing User Engagement
One of the most discussed topics at IBC 2024 was the evolving landscape of user engagement in media and entertainment. As competition for viewers’ attention intensifies, broadcasters and content creators are exploring innovative ways to keep audiences engaged and invested in their content. Throughout the show, we had many conversations about this topic as services are looking to improve their user experiences with personalization. We use advanced AI-based algorithms to create highly personalized viewing experiences, from customized content recommendations to dynamically adjusted ad experiences based on individual viewing patterns and preferences.
Efficiency and Scalability
One of the keywords for this year was definitely efficiency, ensuring that services can do more with less. Of course, not just in production workflows or cloud storage but with user engagement and retention. As budgets are getting smaller, and the fight for audience attention is getting more difficult, it’s not surprising that providers are searching for technology that can save or make money. Although AI can help with efficiency, it can also be an expensive way of doing things. Especially when it comes to scale. With everyone wanting to do more with less, this theme dominated a lot of our conversation on our stand.
The trends we’ve explored from IBC 2024 paint a picture of a dynamic, resilient industry that’s not just adapting to change, but actively shaping the future of media consumption. As these trends continue to evolve, it shows that services are putting the consumer at the center, creating more immersive, personalized, responsible, and engaging experiences than ever before.
