TV technology, slot machines and Elvis? It must be NAB….

Babel has worked with companies in the broadcast, video and media space for many years, and as part of this has delivered countless NAB campaigns. Our expertise in this sector means we can help our clients rise above the noise of the LVCC floor and make sure their message reaches the crowds of important decision makers that attend the show every year.

NAB is a central part of the broadcast industry calendar, with thousands of TV and video companies descending on Las Vegas to network and do business, as well as enjoying the nightlife that the iconic city offers. It’s a melting pot of ideas, innovations and product launches which are all helping to move the TV and media industry forward. So, who were the big movers and shakers this year and what were the hot topics that everyone was talking about?

The business of sport

As part of this year’s conference, NAB attendees were treated to a whole day of sessions focusing on sports broadcasting. This highlights just how critical sport is as a revenue generator for broadcasters and content providers across the globe, as the demand from consumers to enjoy the latest NFL, baseball and soccer action continues to grow.

In particular, the growth of eSports was a topic much discussed around the convention centre. Research from the Washington Post and UMass-Lowell found that eSports is almost as popular as football with young Americans. This was evident at the show as various companies talked about how eSports now fits into their product road map.

AR/VR

No blog looking back on NAB 2018 would be complete without a mention of augmented and virtual reality. These are the technologies that everyone is talking about, and there were launches aplenty to prove the point. But is AR/VR just a fad? It seems not, and the possibilities in particular for sports broadcasting are hugely exciting – the drive to deliver increasingly immersive and ‘realistic’ experiences for consumers mean that these are buzzwords that can’t be ignored.

Consumer, viewer, consumer, viewer

It may sound old hat, but if there’s one overriding factor causing the media industry to move at such pace, it’s Joe Bloggs on the street. The way we watch content has changed enormously in recent years, and it’s that change that is propelling the world of TV forward to a new era. For those companies that can anticipate consumer expectations and that can truly understand what the end customer wants, there lies a world of possibilities. And as has mostly been the case in recent years, that consumer focus was at the crux of this year’s NAB. As Harry Gordon Selfridge, founder of Selfridge’s department store, once said: “The customer is always right.”

The road to Amsterdam

The next big event on the agenda for many of the companies that were in Vegas is of course IBC in Amsterdam. Babel is an old-timer when it comes to helping clients make the most of IBC and this year promises to bigger and better than ever. Roll on September!