Making the Media

S4E07: Predictive Text 2024 will be the year that broadcasters focus on driving greater revenues from their audiences on all platforms and seek to deliver more efficient workflows throughout their organization. That is the view of Rob Ambrose, co-founder of one of the leading industry analysts, Caretta Research, and detailed in the first episode of the Making the Media Podcast of the new year. This episode looks back on the major developments and trends of 2023 and assesses what are going to be the key developments in 2024 across the media landscape, including in general production and news. Our Guest This Episode Rob Ambrose Rob is a consultant, industry analyst, writer, and technologist advising international broadcast and media companies, technology vendors, and industry associations. He started in the analogue industry at the age of 15 in BBC local radio, going on to a wide range of production, technology, and consulting roles for tech vendors and broadcasters across Europe, MEA, and Asia. As co-founder of Caretta Research, Rob is working with the industry’s biggestand most-experienced team of media-tech analysts, helping buyers and vendors. Caretta Portal now provides the industry's best source of market data, product deployments, vendor news, and market sizing data. In his consulting work, Rob has advised dozens of technology vendors and media/telco companies on go-to-market strategy, account planning, addressable markets, buyer cohorts, product and competitor information, as well as producing reports and advising investors.    More Resources For more on this topic, check out How Real is the Move to the Cloud? – Avid’s VP of strategy, development, and alliances, Craig Dwyer, answers the big questions. What’s New in Avid | Stream IO – Get the latest updates on Avid’s innovative ingest and playout software solution. 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

S4E06: Navigating the Media Maze Leading media technologist, Roberto Raponi, discusses the challenges with cloud developments, the move to more software-based applications, and artificial intelligence are posing to the industry. An industry veteran from the Italian Public Broadcaster, RAI, he says that this is an exciting time for the industry, with a rapid pace of developments, but it is also impacting the skills required among the technical teams to address the challenges. Cloud workflows are a case in point, highlighting the need for highly-skilled local teams to support new workflow opportunities. Our Guest This Episode Roberto Raponi   Roberto is a broadcast industry veteran and workflow specialist. Working within RAI CTO-Technology department, he advises their news and production areas on digital workflow, training, and project implementation. He oversees and provides technical support for suppliers and technology partners on RAI-Technology major projects. He is also responsible for assessing new trends and tools within the broadcast industry, gathering and analyzing product solutions, and delivering proofs of concept within RAI and using them to identify new workflows.   More Resources For more on this topic, check out Create, Collaborate, and Deliver with AI and Avid MediaCentral – watch the virtual event to get the latest news of Avid and AI AI – The Human in The Loop - Discover the view of the BBC’s Laure Ellis in this podcast episode on AI 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

S4E05: Community Service New approaches to journalism are required to engage with audiences, restore trust, and connect with communities turned off by the traditional news agenda. In this episode, we explore the view of a US-based journalist and academic who is the co-author of a report calling for the establishment of more community-centered journalism as a way of turning the tide against news avoidance. Damian Radcliffe was one of the authors of the report, “Redefining News: A Manifesto for Community-Centered Journalism,” which calls for a radical new approach to story creation and agenda setting. It calls for far greater involvement with communities to understand their needs and tell their stories in ways that re-establish the value which journalism can bring. Our Guest This Episode Damian Radcliffe   Journalist, researcher, and professor based at the University of Oregon with over 25 years of experience in the media industry, Damian has worked in editorial, strategic, research, policy, and teaching roles in the USA, Middle East, and UK.   His work focuses on digital trends, social media, technology, the business of media, and the evolution—and practice—of journalism.    As an analyst, researcher, and trainer, he has worked with a wide range of additional industry and academic organizations including the BBC World Service, Facebook, FIPP, INMA, Thomson Reuters Foundation, World Association of News Publishers (WAN-IFRA), and the United Nations. He has been quoted on issues relating to digital media and journalism by major outlets such as AFP, BBC News, Business Insider, NPR, The New York Times, Snapchat, Wired, and Voice of America.    As a freelance journalist, his work has also been published by leading publications and trade outlets such as the BBC, Columbia Journalism Review (CJR), Global Investigative Journalism Network (GIJN), Harvard’s Nieman Lab, HuffPost, PBS MediaShift, Poynter, TheMediaBriefing, and ZDNet.    More Resources For more on this topic, check out A Manifesto for Community-Centred Journalism  – Read the paper MediaCentral virtual event  – Watch the webinar to find out more about news collaboration Contact Us Questions? Comments? Cool ideas? Get in touch: makingthemedia@avid.com or @craigaw1969. Follow Avid at @avid.

S4E04: Challenging the Norm Overcoming challenges which many companies in the Western world would not even contemplate has been a hallmark of the Rudaw Media Network in Kurdistan. But now, twelve years after launch, they are continuing to expand. In this episode of the Making the Media Podcast, Hejar Berenji, the CTO of the Rudaw Media Network, which is based in Irbil in Iraq, has spoken of how they stayed on air in the face of power cuts, the fight against ISIS, recruiting and training staff to deliver high-quality news, and remaining fiercely independent. Our Guest This Episode Hejar Berenji Chief Technical Officer at Rudaw Media Network,   With over eleven years of experience, Hejar excels in managing technical departments, specializing in broadcast technology, project management, and business development. He is dedicated to enhancing news and media production and delivery while ensuring network security and reliability. Hejar fosters a creative work environment, empowers his team, and forges strategic partnerships with other media outlets and stakeholders.    More Resources For more on this topic, check out Avid MediaCentral and AI webinar – Watch a demonstration of Avid Ada AI tech previews  Fosterning Creativity through the use of AI – Read about AI innovations 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

S4E03: The State of Media Tech Media technology companies are increasingly looking beyond their traditional markets for new revenue streams, and the use of artificial intelligence is growing in importance, according to a new report. In the new episode of the Making the Media Podcast, the IABM’s head of knowledge, Lorenzo Zanni, discusses the findings of their recently released report, The State of Media Tech, published at the IBC Trade Show. Our Guest This Episode Lorenzo Zanni  IABM Head of Knowledge A graduate of Pisa, Durham, Swansea, and Glasgow Universities, Lorenzo Zanni holds a BSc in economics and management, an MSc in business economics, and an MSc in data analytics. Lorenzo is the head of knowledge at IABM, and he has been responsible for growing IABM’s Business Intelligence portfolio into the authoritative resource it is today. Lorenzo’s research is widely quoted in international industry publications, and he has presented at shows around the world, including IBC and NAB Show.    More Resources For more on this topic, check out Avid MediaCentral and AI Virtual Event – Watch a demonstration and discussion of Avid Ada AI tech previews Fosterning Creativity Through the Use of AI – Read about AI innovations 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

S4E02: Let Me Explain Journalists must always consider whether the way they are telling stories is right for the audiences they are trying to reach to ensure that their work remains relevant. In the new episode of the Making the Media Podcast, BBC News analysis editor, presenter, and author, Ros Atkins, discusses how he constantly re-evaluates his work to ensure he explains topics clearly enough across multiple platforms. Ros has just released a new book, called The Art of Explanation, and in the podcast episode, he outlines the techniques he deploys when gathering, interpreting, and then presenting information. Our Guest This Episode Ros Atkins BBC News Analysis Editor, Presenter, and Author Ros is the creator and presenter of “Outside Source” on the BBC News Channel. His “Ros Atkins on….” explainer videos have become an online hit with millions of views across a variety of platforms. He co-presents “The Media Show” on BBC Radio 4 and the topical program “Ros Atkins On The Week” on BBC1. A journalist for more than thirty years, he is based in London. More Resources For more on this topic, check out Data Driven – Discover how Channel 4 News in the UK are using data to enhance their journalism Avid Empowers the Modern Newsroom – Discover how Avid is delivering innovative news workflows 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

The podcast explores the impact of AI in journalism and the need for ethical considerations. It discusses the role of the BBC's R&D department in exploring AI and partnerships with organizations. The podcast also emphasizes the importance of personalization and safety considerations in AI. It highlights the growth of AI in journalism and the potential of AI as a co-pilot. Content authenticity and detection, as well as ongoing conversations about AI, are also important topics covered in the podcast.

S3E20: The value of mentoring and encouraging staff to continually learn and develop their skills cannot be underestimated, particularly with the advent of remote working in the post-production industry. In the final episode of season three of the podcast, host Craig Wilson talks with Ed Bengoa, director of post production at ITN in the UK, about the challenges and benefits posed by the advent of remote working procedures. Our Guest This Episode Ed Bengoa Director of Post Production ITN Ed is currently the Director of Post Production at the UK-based news and content producer ITN, where she has worked since 2021.   Prior to this Ed was the Head of Post Production at MSV Post, part of the Tinopolis group of companies and also has experience working as the Facilities Manager with Directors Cut Films. Audio was her first love, and she spent nine years working with BBC Studioworks in a variety of audio-related roles. Prior to this, she worked as a dubbing editor at the leading post-production house, Molinare.   More Resources For more on this topic, check out Avid | Edit On Demand – Discover the benefits of a fully cloud-deployed post-production environment with Media Composer and Avid NEXIS running in Microsoft Azure   Avid NEXIS | EDGE – Open up new possibilities for remote post-production working, connecting to your on premises Avid NEXIS storage   Making the Media Season Three – Catch up on all 20 episodes of Season Three   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

S3E19:  Post production, like many industries, is facing recruitment challenges, and not just at entry levels. There is a recognition that hiring and retaining staff is now tougher than ever post-pandemic, and that greater competition from other content creators is posing challenges to the sector. In the latest episode, host Craig Wilson speaks to Jai Cave, technical operations director at the UK-based post house ENVY and Caroline Orme, associate professor at Ravensbourne University in England about the current situation and the work they are doing to address the challenge. Our Guests This Episode Jai Cave ENVY Post Production Technical Operations Director   Jai has over 17 years of experience in the broadcast industry and holds the position of technical operations director at ENVY. He is involved in all aspects of the business, from client liaison and business development, through to workflow design and project management. He designs and manages operational change throughout the company and researches and implements new technology, from system design through to the implementation of new services.  His previously held roles include head of operations, where he managed a multi-level team of 70 through the move to fully file-based acquisition and delivery. More recently he has designed and delivered the company’s new ENVY Remote platform, a full suite of remote editing and collaboration tools available across web and mobile apps.   Caroline Orme Associate Professor Ravensbourne University   Caroline is an interdisciplinary artist, international director, editor, and post-production expert, specializing in 3D stereoscopic and color grading. Caroline’s work has featured in 30 film festivals throughout the UK, Europe, and internationally.    Following an MSc in 3D stereoscopic media, her research has been presented at conferences, and her paper, titled Do 3Ds and VR Share the Same Visual Grammar? was presented at the International Broadcasting Conference (IBC) in Amsterdam.   She also has experience in broadcasting and worked as an audio commentary systems operator at the London Olympics in 2012. She has done live projects at Ravensbourne with the Museum of London, The Queens House, The Science Museum, PricewaterhouseCoopers, Sharpshooters, Tag Rugby Trust, and UNESCO, that led to exhibitions and screenings at the Science Museum, Imperial War Museum, BBC Rugby Union Online, and Sky.    Caroline specializes in teaching asset management (Avid NEXIS), the art of editing, Avid (as an Avid-certified trainer), online (working to a digital production partnership high-definition specification) and color grading (Nucoda).    More Resources For more on this topic, check out Media Composer for Students  – Discover Avid’s new program giving students free access to the industry-leading editing software The Skills Crisis – Listen to this podcast to discover how one high school is innovating to help students, and the importance of diversifying the workforce in post production. 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

S3E18: Using data to illustrate stories in new ways or uncover hidden stories is a key facet of modern journalism. But how do you take that information and turn it into informative and engaging content that works across multiple platforms? In the latest episode, host Craig Wilson speaks with Sunita Bhatti, head of regions from Channel 4 News in the UK, on how they are planning to use data to do just that, and how artificial intelligence (AI) can also help them do it. Our Guest This Episode   Sunita Bhatti Head of Regions Channel 4 News   More Resources For more on this topic, check out Technology Builds Collaboration and Content – Two news leaders discuss the ways in which technology is assisting their news teams to do more and deliver across multiple platforms. Stream On with Avid News – In this webinar, discover the latest on Avid’s news solutions. The Innovation Station – How are ABC News Australia innovating to find new audiences? 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