Mobile TV in the Spotlight

Europe : The role of the mobile phone as a major new distribution channel for broadcast television was a central theme of IBC 2005 in Amsterdam.

Owned by six broadcast industry partners representing both visitors and exhibitors, IBC is run ‘by the industry for the industry’. Virtually all new television genres and programming innovations can trace their origins to technologies and techniques first demonstrated at IBC. The ability to experience the whole world of content creation, management and delivery under one roof attracted a record 43,939 visitors to IBC 2005.

IBC 2005 included three major Mobile TV elements: a Mobile Broadcast Tutorial provided a comprehensive overview of the technologies and terminologies behind current mobile TV platforms; Mobile Applications was the theme for day three of the conference and examined The Business of Mobile TV, Content on the Move, Policy Options and mobile’s impact on Future TV; and a dedicated Mobile Zone within the exhibition attracted more than 30 exhibitors and featured live demonstrations of DMB and DVB. See www.ibc.org/mobile for an overview of the mobile-related elements at this year's event.

More than a thousand people attended the tutorial or mobile theme day sessions.

Mike Short, Vice President O2 and Chairman Mobile Data Association (MDA), who helped develop the mobile theme day, said, “Mobile TV is where the mobile and broadcast sectors converge. The enthusiastic response to the mobile events at IBC 2005 demonstrated a real thirst for knowledge about the mobile TV opportunity among broadcasters.”

“Delegates were interested in the technology of today and tomorrow: from video clips delivered over current cellular mobile networks to the proposed DMB/DVB-H/MediaFLO overlays; from Text TV to Participation TV and interactive live TV.”

Ken Blakeslee, Chairman of WebMobility Ventures, who spoke in a session on ‘Mobiles - in search for killer content’ said, “For mobile professionals, IBC is an invaluable opportunity to better understand a sector that will become a partner of strategic importance."

The inaugural Mobile Zone reflected IBC’s global reach and influence. Demonstrating DMB and representing the world’s most advanced Mobile TV market were the Korean Broadcasting Commission, Korean Electronics Technology Institute, LG Electronics and Samsung. Champions of DVB-H included Axcera from the US, Cardinal Systems from Finland, the European Union’s IST-INSTINCT project and TeamCast from France. Qualcomm from the US promoted its proprietary MediaFLO mobile TV platform.

Other exhibitors included companies specialising in sourcing, adapting, managing and delivering content to mobile phones and application developers that exploit mobiles to make television more interactive. Programming genres that gained exposure to IBC’s international audience included news, sport, comedy, cartoons, advertising and even ‘made-for-mobile’.

Vanessa Vigar, Vice President Communications at the Mobile Media Company, a leading producer and global distributor of branded, made-for-mobile entertainment said, "The Mobile Zone was our first experience exhibiting at IBC. We've made some excellent new contacts among broadcasters, TV networks and mobile content producers. We are already planning our activities there next year."

Mike Crimp, IBC's Marketing & Business Development Director said, “With numerous trials underway around the world, the Mobile TV story will continue to unfold over the next year. Building on this year’s successes, IBC 2006 will provide the perfect forum for broadcast and mobile professionals interested in the business opportunities created by the ‘fourth screen’”.