Lights, Camera, Collaboration - Feature

The inaugural Broadcast and Mediatainment Expo, meticulously organized by PDA Ventures Pvt Ltd, took place at the HITEX Exhibition Centre in Hyderabad from December 13-15, 2023.

The event emerged as a hub of innovation for the future of entertainment, showcasing cutting-edge technology, dynamic discussions, and groundbreaking strides toward an innovative and dynamic future.
C K Jain, Former Deputy Director General, Prasar Bharati, and Advisory Committee Member, Broadcast and Mediatainment Expo, graced the show with his presence and set the tone of the event with the welcome address.  Ravi Kottarakara, President, Film Federation of India & President, South Indian Film Chamber of Commerce, delivered the keynote address. A special address was given by Sunil Srivastava, Additional Director General, Prasar Bharati, President, Broadcast Engineering Society, and Vice-President, Asia Broadcasting Union.
The landscape of the Indian broadcast, media, and entertainment industry is undergoing significant transformations, driven by technological advancements, shifting customer preferences, and the ever-changing international environment. The Indian Media and Entertainment (M&E) sector currently holds the position as the fifth largest in the world. Projections from a Boston Consulting Group (BCG) report anticipate the market to reach approximately US$ 55-70 billion by 2030. Broadcasters, media entities, content creators, and infotainment producers are actively pursuing state-of-the-art end-to-end solutions and technologies to enhance viewership and gain a competitive edge in the industry.

Navigating the Technological Frontier
Reflecting on the evolving landscape of the event and exhibition industry, Pradeep Devaiah, Chairman & CEO, PDA Ventures, emphasizes the importance of integrating digital technologies for promoting shows. He notes, “With our two decades of experience in organizing successful trade fairs and conferences, we strongly believe that the implementation of digital technologies is essential for promoting events.” While digital strategies play a pivotal role, he says that it is crucial to acknowledge that a purely digital approach may not suffice.

“We believe that maintaining a personal touch and facilitating face-to-face interactions remain equally vital. This balanced approach ensures the ongoing relevance of our events within the sector and serves as a key factor in attracting exhibitors and the right visitors,” he continues. 

Industry professionals had the opportunity to experience cutting-edge technology and equipment through exhibits and demonstrations tailored for radio, television broadcasting, film production, and video post-production at the show. Positioned as a guiding compass for the future of media, entertainment, and broadcasting, BME 2023 showcased itself as a premier event. Devaiah emphasizes the significance of industry gatherings like BME 2023, considering them as essential platforms for stakeholders to explore emerging technologies and share experiences. These interactions foster mutual support, resource sharing, and collaborative efforts to address industry-wide challenges.

BME Conference Unraveled
The theme of the conference was ‘Vision 2025 - A Road Map for the Future of Media, Entertainment, and Broadcasting’. Industry leaders, innovators, and creators discussed trends and technology influencing the future era of content production and delivery. Devaiah explains, “While the expo included a diverse array of exhibitors presenting cutting-edge technology and solutions for the broadcast, media, and entertainment sector, the conference focused on insightful sessions, masterclasses, and panel discussions. 

These were led by industry experts charting the road map for the future of the sector.” To ensure optimum engagement in the exposition space, a strategy-based setting for BME 2023 as a debut event was planned and structured. Exhibitors were exposed to prospective clients with the aim of cultivating joint ventures related to the sourcing and supply of specific products and technologies. The conference covered a spectrum of topics, including Key Drivers of Next-Gen Broadcasting, Untapped Potential of Media Monetization, Movie Making in the Digital Age, VFX Integration for Cinematic Excellence, Analyzing Right Digital Radio Technology for India, Opportunities and Challenges with 5G/6G for Broadcasting and Streaming, and OTT: Multi-platform Content Delivery.
Aside from the conference, masterclasses were conducted with practical skills, in-depth analysis, and a competitive edge in the rapidly emerging areas of broadcasting, media, and entertainment. 

The topics covered included How Digital Radio in FM Band Benefits the Indian Radio Industry, Virtual Production on a Budget, Previsualization: Composition and Tonal Range, Demystifying Virtual Production: A Guide to ICVFX Workflow, and Motion Capture.

Industry Associations Join Forces
Highlighting the collaborative efforts to ensure BME’s success, Devaiah affirms that the organizers have been working very closely with industry associations to attract professionals from various media segments to attend.

These associations include the South Indian Cinematographers Association (SICA), Telugu Cinematographers Association (TCA), Telangana VFX, Animation and Gaming Association (TVAGA), News Broadcaster Federation (NBF), Audio Engineering Society, Hyderabad Film Club, Entertainment Content Owners Associations India (ECON), Hyderabad Film Club, Association of Designers of India (ADI), Producers Guild of India, Society of Motion Picture & Television Engineers (SMPTE), Western Indian Film Producers Association (WIFPA), SatCom Industry Association (SIA-India), Working News Cameramen's Association (WNCA), and many more. “Apart from this, several direct campaigns have been conducted to create awareness about the event and encourage them to attend,” he adds.

Leaving an Indelible Mark
BME 2023 utilized advanced technology, thought-provoking talks, and collaborative exploration as ways of building foundations for the industry tomorrow. According to Devaiah, there is a growing trend of increased investment in Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Machine Learning (ML) solutions within Indian businesses.

The integration of AI in the media sector is steadily increasing, transforming workflows, and amplifying creative pursuits. Events such as BME 2023 play a pivotal role in crafting strategies for collective progress, fostering networking opportunities among industry professionals, and propelling India further in the sector.