Making the Media

S6E03: Tip Top Tech TalkThe media industry is in a state of constant reinvention. From cloud technologies, to AI, to story-centric workflows, new production processes and delivery methods and more. In a rapidly changing world, how does a technology CTO set strategies to ensure they stay ahead of the curve? That is the role of Tom Sharma, who is Avid’s Chief Technology Officer. In this episode of Making the Media, hosts Craig Wilson and Ray Thompson hear about Tom’s background in technology, and the innovations which he is spearheading to drive creative and efficient workflows which take advantage of automation and AI.Tom Sharma, Chief Technology Officer, AvidTom is an experienced leader with a strong background in product and engineering. He has successfully created, developed, and led global product & engineering teams, giving him unique experience spanning Media and Entertainment, Video Streaming (CTV, FAST), and Adtech. He had the opportunity to contribute to Integral Ad Science's transformative high-growth phase, collaborating with a talented leadership team and leading an exceptional group to expand their global product and technology portfolio. Earlier in his career, he was a founding team engineering leader at Hulu, where he was recognized with the Edison Award for developing the Hulu syndication product. He later founded Impex Digital, a video streaming and e-commerce company that was eventually acquired by TCS. Before that, he held various product & technology roles at NBC Universal, focusing on digital media and production automation across News, Entertainment, TV Stations, and the Olympics.More ResourcesFor more on this topic, check outAvid Content Core – Discover more about Avid’s coming Content Data Platform for media productionAvid’s News Solutions -  Get the latest updates on Avid’s storycentric, digital first newsroom solutions. Contact UsQuestions? Comments? Cool ideas? Get in touch: makingthemedia@avid.com. FollowAvid at @avid.CreditsHosts:Craig Wilson and Ray ThompsonProduction team: Matt Diggs, Owen Lynch and Wim van den BroeckTheme Music: Greg “Stryke” Chin

S6E02: Treasure HunterTapping into archives can unearth hidden gems and ensure thatmaximum value is extracted from a valuable resource. But often the workflows to uncover that material can be cumbersome and inefficient. In this episode of Making the Media, we find out about some new innovations which are streamlining this process, removing complexity from the productionpipeline and stimulating the creative process.Presented by hosts Craig Wilson and Ray Thompson the episode focuses on the work of archive specialists Spectra Logic, and their latest integrated workflows with Media Composer.Hossein ZiaShakeriSenior VP of Business Development and AlliancesSpectra LogicHossein is a seasoned executive driving innovation andsuccess within Spectra Logic’s business and technology teams. With 40 years of expertise in design, development, and management of storage products (hardware and software) — particularly in the Media & Telecommunications industry—Hossein plays a pivotal role in maintaining the company's leadership in product innovation. More ResourcesFor more on this topic, check outMedia Composer Panel SDK – Harness the innovation directly in Media ComposerVideo Post Production Solutions -  Get thelatest updates on Avid’s collaborative post production pipeline workflows andtools. Contact UsQuestions? Comments? Cool ideas? Get in touch: makingthemedia@avid.com. FollowAvid at @avid.CreditsHosts:Craig Wilson and Ray ThompsonProduction team: Matt Diggs, Owen Lynch and Wim van den BroeckTheme Music: Greg “Stryke” Chin

S6E01: The Editing InnovatorsMaking the Media is back! And this time, as a vodcast, as well as a podcast, on all the main platforms. The season kicks off by discussing one of the hottest topics in media these days—the use of AI in the creative process. Hosts Craig Wilson and Ray Thompson interview the team behind Quickture, which is causing a sensation in the world of post-production editing by helping teams quickly go from raw footage to a rough cut in Media Composer.Irad Eyal, ChiefExecutive Officer, QuicktureIrad is a serial entrepreneur and veteran reality tv producer with 25 years of experience in the industry. After developing shows for global powerhouse Endemol, Irad launched his own production company, Haymaker West, where he created hit series like Southern Charm on Bravo. In 2020, he created and produced the competition phenomenon Floor Is Lava on Netflix, which topped the global charts for 6 weeks.In 2024, Irad tapped his engineering background to launch Quickture, an AI story building engine for professionals. Quickture revolutionizes the editing process, allowing editors and producers to work on the level of beats and scenes instead of clips and frames. Quickture fits into the professional workflow, integrating seamlessly with Avid and Premiere.Matt Hanna, ChiefStrategy Officer, QuicktureMatt is a television industry veteran with 25 years of experience creating award-winning content for networks and streamers. As the former EVP of original content at Esquire Network and thepresident of Our House Media USA, he has overseen the development and launch of dozens of hit series, including American Ninja Warrior (Esquire), Stylish with Jenna Lyons (HBO Max), Too Cute (Animal Planet), and The Fabulous Life (VH1). Now, as chief strategy officer at Quickture, he brings deep industry expertise and contacts to revolutionize storytelling with AI-driven editing solutions.More ResourcesFor more on this topic, check out MediaComposer Panel SDK – Harness the innovation directly in Media ComposerVideo Post Production Solutions -  Get the latest updates on Avid’s collaborative post production pipeline workflows andtools. Contact UsQuestions? Comments? Cool ideas? Get in touch: makingthemedia@avid.com. FollowAvid at @avid.CreditsHosts:Craig Wilson and Ray ThompsonProduction Team: Matt Diggs, Owen Lynch, and Wim Van den BroeckTheme Music: Greg “Stryke” Chin

Season six of Making the Media and for the first time, we are available as a vodcast.Ray Thompson also joins Craig Wilson for the presenting duties as they delve into the big topics impacting the world of postproduction, news and sports.Check out this trailer for a flavor of what is to come.New episodes coming soon!Contact UsQuestions? Comments? Cool ideas? Get in touch: ⁠makingthemedia@avid.com⁠CreditsHosts: Craig Wilson and Ray ThompsonProduction team: Matt Diggs, Owen Lynch and Wim van den BroeckTheme Music: Greg "Stryke" Chin

S5E11: The Generation GameThere is a mismatch between the rate of development of generative AI tools for the news industry and the adoption of the technology within newsrooms itself. That is one of the main findings of a major new report. Host Craig Wilson interviews Dr. Alexandra Borchardt, who is the author of a report for the European Broadcasting Union (EBU) called “Leading Newsrooms in the Age of Generative AI.”Our Guest This Episode: Alexandra BorchardtEBU Report AuthorAlexandra Borchardt is a senior journalist, researcher,university teacher, and independent advisor with more than 25 years of newsroom experience, 15 of these in leadership roles. In the past five years, she has supported 26 European publishers in digital transformation as a coach for the WorldAssociation of News Publishers’ (WAN-IFRA) Table StakesEurope Program. Alexandra teaches leadership and strategy as an honorary professor for Leadership and Digital Transformation at TU Munich’s TUM School of Management and is affiliated with the Reuters Institute for the Study of Journalism at the University of Oxford as a senior researchassociate, after having created and led their profit-center leadership programs until 2019. Prior to this, she was managing editor of Süddeutsche Zeitung (SZ), Germany’s leadingquality daily. She is the author of the EBU news report “Leading Newsrooms in the Age of Generative AI” and lead author of three previous EBU news reports, the latest ones being “Trusted Journalism in the Age of Generative AI” (2024) and “Climate Journalism That Works: Between Knowledge andImpact” (2023). More Resources:For more on this topic, check outWhat's Next? – From 2022, Alexandra Borchardt discusses the future of Europe’s leading broadcasters.Avid and Wolftech Redefine News Production– How can a story-centric approach change the way newsrooms operate?Avid Ada Solutions – Discover Avid’s work to implement AI in products. Contact Us:Questions? Comments? Cool ideas? Get in touch: makingthemedia@avid.com or @craigaw1969. Follow Avid at @avid.Credits:Host:Craig WilsonProducer:Matt DiggsSocial:Wim Van den BroeckThemeMusic: Greg “Stryke” Chin

S5E10: Predicting the FutureMoves by respected news organizations to be transparent in their reporting may become meaningless to consumers bombarded by such claims. This could even lead to what is being called “Trust Washing,” where claims of being a trusted news source are used by people spreading misinformation. This is just one of the predictions in a recent major report by the organization the DPP. In this episode of the Making the Media Podcast, Edward Qualtrough, the DPP’s editorial director, discusses their 2025 Predictions Report.Our Guest This Episode:Edward QualtroughDPP Editorial DirectorEdward is editorial director at the DPP, the international network for media and technology, where he produces industry research and facilitates events and workshops that help enable DPP members to tackle some of the biggest technology and business challenges in media, broadcasting, news, and entertainment.Edward was a technology and business journalist for 15 years. As a former editor of CIO magazine and technology editor at New Statesman Media Group, Edward engages regularly with chief technology officers, chief information officers, digital leaders, and tech executives to discuss C-suite challenges, industry trends, and disruptive threats.More ResourcesFor more on this topic, check outThe European Exchange– What are the major concerns of Europe’s leading broadcasters?Shaping the Future of Journalism – How can a story-centric approach change the way newsrooms operate?Avid Ada Solutions – Discover Avid’s work to implement AI in products. Contact UsQuestions? Comments? Cool ideas? Get in touch: makingthemedia@avid.com or @craigaw1969. Follow Avid at @avid.CreditsHost:Craig WilsonProducer:Matt DiggsSocial:Wim Van den BroeckThemeMusic: Greg “Stryke” Chin

S5E09: Local MattersLocal TV stations in the United States want to take advantage of AI to make them more efficient but insist this cannot come at the risk of their journalistic credibility. That is the view of an Emmy® award-winning newsroom leader in the latest Making the Media Podcast, who also highlights the role of streaming and social media in building and retaining audiences. In the episode, Bob Ellis, VP and general manager of WDIV in Detroit, Michigan, says that they are investigating ways in which AI can help their reporters through the generation of interview transcripts, for example, but he says it is crucial that their reporters and producers verify content before publication.Our Guest This Episode:Bob EllisVP and General Manager, WDIV in Detroit, Michigan Bob Ellis is the vice president and general managerof WDIV, the Graham Media Group, Inc. media hub in Detroit. It’s his second stint at the station, he previously spent 15 years of his career at WDIV in various management roles, including news director.  He has held the position since October 2021.        Ellis, known for his creativity and bold ideas, has led WDIV in launching several innovative projects to, as he often says, “Putmore local in Local 4.” In both 2023 and in 2024, Radio + TV Business Report placed Ellis #1 on their annual Top Local TV Leaders List as the top general manager in America.   In 2020, Ellis participated in the 20thanniversary class of the National Association of Broadcasters Broadcast Leadership Training program.      From 2009 to 2021 Ellis served as the vice president and general manager of WJXT and WCWJ, the Graham Media Group, Inc. duopoly in Jacksonville, Florida. In 2013 Ellis was named General Manager of the Year for markets 25-50 by Broadcasting and Cable Magazine.    A Michigan native, Ellis graduated from Michigan State University with a degree in Radio, Television, and Digital Communication. He began his TV career in sports with his first job as producer of the football and basketball coach’s shows at MSU. Ellis is an 11-time Emmy winner and under his leadership, his stations have earned two national Edward R. Murrow Awards.       Emmy® is a trademark of National Academy of Television Arts & Sciences (“NATAS”) and The Academy of Television Arts & Sciences (“ATAS”).More ResourcesFor more on this topic, check out:Shaping the Future of Journalism – How can a story-centric approach change the way newsrooms operate?Avid Ada Solutions – Discover Avid’s work to implement AI in productsBarreling Towards Burnout – Hear Bob’s earlierappearance on the podcast from 2021 Contact UsQuestions? Comments? Cool ideas? Get in touch: makingthemedia@avid.com or @craigaw1969. Follow Avid at @avid.CreditsHost:Craig WilsonProducer:Matt DiggsSocial:Wim Van den BroeckThemeMusic: Greg “Stryke” Chin

S5E08: TikTok Trailblazing  Developing a successful strategy for storytelling on the social media platform TikTok can help tackle the challenge of news avoidance, particularly among younger audiences. That’s the view of a senior news leader at the Canadian Public Broadcaster, CBC, which has recently passed the milestone of one million subscribers on the video sharing platform. In this episode of the podcast, Irene Thomaidis, who is the acting managing editor of digital publishing for CBC News, talks about how they have grown on the platform since launching in 2022. She says that being authentic on the platform has been critical to their success.   Irene Thomaidis Acting Managing Editor of Digital Publishing for CBC News Irene Thomaidis has more than 20 years of experience in digital news and is currently the acting managing editor of digital publishing at CBC News, where she has worked for nine years. Previously, as executive producer of social and audience, she led the launch of CBC News' TikTok and Snapchat channels and expanded the network’s presence on YouTube, focusing on strategies to engage younger and more diverse audiences. Before joining CBC News, Irene held roles at Postmedia, CanWest Interactive, and AOL Canada, building a strong foundation in digital media. She began her career 25 years ago as a print reporter and has always prioritized understanding and responding to the evolving needs of news audiences.     More Resources For more on this topic, check out CBC TikTok – Check out CBC’s TikTok channel Exploring New Audiences – Find out more about the CBC FAST Channel, CBC Explore Avid and Wolftech – Discover the story-centric, digital-first future of news   Contact Us Questions? Comments? Cool ideas? Get in touch: makingthemedia@avid.com or @craigaw1969. Follow Avid at @avid. Credits Host: Craig Wilson Producer: Matt Diggs Social: Wim Van den Broeck Theme Music: Greg “Stryke” Chin

S5E07: Transparency and Trust  A standards body fighting against misinformation and media manipulation is building an evolving toolkit which can be used “as a Swiss Army knife,” according to its chair. In this episode we are joined by Andrew Jenks, chair of the Coalition for Content Provenance and Authenticity (C2PA), and he tells host Craig Wilson of the work of the organization and how it is having to rapidly evolve to deal with emerging challenges. The C2PA is attempting to address the issue of media provenance by developing technical standards which the industry can use to verify content. It is supported by major tech companies and media organizations such as Microsoft, Meta, Google, Adobe, the BBC, Amazon, Sony, and others. Avid is a member of the C2PA.   Andrew Jenks Chair, Coalition for Content Provenance and Authenticity and Director of Media Provenance, Microsoft Andrew Jenks leads the Azure Media Security team that focuses on ensuring the safe distribution and uses of digital media in accordance with the owner’s intent. This work includes directing media provenance investments across the company and overseeing PlayReady, the industry-leading digital rights management streaming service. Andrew currently serves as Chair of the Coalition for Content Provenance and Authenticity and leads a global, cross-company team of experts in developing the next evolution of authentic media and bringing a new level of transparency and trust to published media. He is also actively involved in related media provenance initiatives supporting digital news efforts with Project Origin and creators with Content Authenticity Initiative.  More Resources For more on this topic, check out C2PA – Discover the work of the C2PA and the technical standards they produce Do You Trust Me? – Listen to this episode from season 1 of Making the Media about Project Origin Avid Champions Responsible AI in the Media – Find out more about Avid’s approach Contact Us Questions? Comments? Cool ideas? Get in touch: makingthemedia@avid.com or @craigaw1969. Follow Avid at @avid. Credits Host: Craig Wilson Producer: Matt Diggs Social: Wim Van den Broeck Theme Music: Greg “Stryke” Chin

S5E06: Training Talk  The role of post production supervisors in film and television production is receiving a boost through new micro-certifications, crucial to smoothing the way a project moves from preparation to delivery. The certifications are a joint approach from Avid and the organization Post Super, whose founder is the latest guest on the Making the Media Podcast. Gemma Nicholson says there has been a clear gap in the market for training people in the role to be better prepared for the challenges they face. Our Guest this Episode:   Gemma Nicholson   Gemma Nicholson is one of the co-founders of Post Super alongside her sister. The inspiration behind this was a desire to create a platform that post management could tap into for community, information, training, and tools. Post Super is a personal passion project for Gemma, who had spent over 22 years in post production. Gaining a wealth of experience from working on prestigious and diverse projects, such as multiple Harry Potter films and massive high-end episodic television productions like Netflix’s The Dark Crystal: Age of Resistance. Gemma was first a sound editor, then a successful post coordinator and supervisor, and it was through her experiences as the latter that she came to fully understand the frustrations and needs of the post management community. Gemma gets excited about the information and training part of Post Super, and she runs multiple courses on post supervision for the NFTS, ScreenSkills, and has recently partnered with Avid Technology to create Avid Post Super Micro-Certifications.   More Resources For more on this topic, check out Avid and Post Super Courses– Get the information on the latest courses available What's New in Pro Tools– Discover the updates in the world’s leading DAW What’s New in Media Composer – From transcription to Titler+, find out the cool features Contact Us Questions? Comments? Cool ideas? Get in touch: makingthemedia@avid.com or @craigaw1969. Follow Avid at @avid. Credits Host: Craig Wilson Producer: Matt Diggs Social: Wim Van den Broeck Theme Music: Greg “Stryke” Chin