The DPP has published its analysis of IBC 2024, and found media technology suppliers are responding to their customers’ need to reduce costs.
IBC 2024: Demand vs Supply looks at four current areas of demand for media organisations: newsroom innovation; empowering creators; understanding audiences; and engaging consumers. It then assesses the state of supply at IBC 2024 for each of these areas.
The findings show a strong focus from the supplier community on helping their customers to be more efficient - while also trying to be more effective in a highly competitive market.
“There are plenty of reasons to be gloomy about the media economy”, says David Thompson, Technology Strategist for the DPP, and author of the report. “But IBC demonstrated a lot of energy and positivity from suppliers in their determination to solve their customers’ problems”.
Perhaps significantly, this dynamism was most in evidence in the two production areas explored by the report: innovation for the newsroom, and the provision of tools and services for creators. In both spaces suppliers are creating solutions that have the potential to reduce costs while making it easier for creative teams to manage content.
A similar approach was taken in the downstream areas of audience data and audience engagement. But these topics are proving more difficult for vendors to support
“The closer we get to the consumer, the more difficult it is for suppliers to support their customers”, says Thompson. “There are some great companies providing valuable solutions, but this is where the realities of the modern media market really kick in. There are forces at play which no vendor can resolve”.
IBC 2024: Demand vs Supply is the fourth report in a series which began with NAB 2023. The reports not only shine a spotlight on some of the key innovations to be found at the major trade shows, but they are also beginning to build a picture over time of the areas in which customers most need help - and the work of the vendors to support them.
“Even in the space of a couple of years I feel I am seeing changes”, Thompson adds. “Customer/vendor relationships have more potential to be genuine partships than perhaps ever before".
DPP members can download the report here.
