2016 looks likely to be the year when adoption of IP-based broadcast technologies accelerates and the ability of the industry to cope with its technical demands seems not to be an issue, says Futuresource Consulting research.
The study of VPs of technology and chief engineers from leading broadcasters in eight major countries, commissioned by media transport firm Nevion, found that while barriers like cost, perceived immature technology, security issues and interoperability concerns do exist, when it comes to the full adoption of IP in broadcasting, lack of skills is not one of them. Indeed as many as two-thirds said they have the right skills or partially have the right skills when asked if their organisations had the correct levels of operational and technical knowledge required for a transition to IP in live production.
Broadcasters in the US demonstrated higher confidence levels in their in-house skills, with half of respondents in the country indicating they had the correct skills in place compared with just 14% of European broadcasters. A further quarter of US respondents said they partially had the right skills, while 43% of their European counterparts said the same thing. Broadcasters in both regions are turning to training and recruitment to bridge the gaps that do exist. Overall, just over half of respondents are hiring new staff, while 81% are training their existing personnel. When comparing the US and Europe, 69% of US broadcasters are looking for new hires and 77% are training existing staff, while only 36% of European respondents are hiring with 86% opting for training.
“Overall the research indicates that the transition to IP is already underway, with the main barrier being the cost of the upgrade. On the flip side, the major driver for the change is the potential cut in OPEX,” explained Futuresource senior analyst, broadcast and professional video equipment Adam Cox. “But surprisingly, while the lack of knowledge and expertise is an issue for some broadcasters, the majority of those surveyed don’t see these factors as a major barrier.”
“We’re seeing a definite appetite for the use of IP in live broadcast in the market place, something supported by the research findings,” added Nevion CEO Geir Bryn-Jensen. “The confidence of broadcasters in their skills is a very positive factor. Other obstacles, like costs, can be overcome by making the transition to IP incremental and enabling co-existence with existing technology – something Nevion has been promoting heavily.”