UpStream, already popular in the UK, was held for the first time in the Middle Eastern region on 21 May 2024. Jointly hosted by AVIXA and IABM and dedicated to the Pro AV industry, the event focused on the latest advancements in capturing, storing, streaming, and distributing broadcast-quality content.
UpStream Dubai was a hotspot for AV integrators, consultants, and end users who participated, gaining crucial insights and networking opportunities. The event was packed with invaluable information, intelligence, and experiential sharing, featuring a series of focused sessions with the latest in Broadcast Market Trends and Research. The sessions shed light on current trends, providing a comprehensive overview of the evolving broadcast market.
Attendees gained insights into emerging technologies and market dynamics driving the industry forward from IABM’s senior Research Analyst, Olga Nevinchana, who then handed over to Dan Goldstein, Chief Marketing Officer of AVIXA.
Dan picked up on Olga’s final thread about the convergence of broadcast and ProAV industries and delivered an insightful talk. He expanded the topic and emphasized how every enterprise has evolved into a content creator. He highlighted a critical gap many organizations face: they can create content but lack the necessary tools to make it both valuable and impactful.
This was followed by an inspiring case study presentation about the RFP by a traditional Broadcast SI, which had been sent out by the Marketing Director of a major entertainment complex in the region. This an excellent example that fully illustrates the differences in business, budgetary and delivery requirements for a Pro-AV led solution and, although similar, emphasized the differences between a broadcast and Pro-AV solution, including the different stakeholders involved as well as the specifications and budget available for a broadcast quality studio for content creation, a podcast studio and an editing suite to manage in-house brand content creation for promotions and communications as well as providing solutions for live streaming and distribution and asset management for both the in-house team and by visiting TV crews supporting a complex and varied live onsite events programme by Hasan R. Sayed Hasan, Managing Director, Master Media.
The inaugural session of Upstream Dubai concluded with a final Panel Discussion featuring Dr Naser Refat, CTO of Rotana Media Group and Blinx, Chief Creative Officer Fadi Radi, Moderated by Hasan R. Sayed Hasan, Managing Director, Master Media. The discussion highlighted deployments of AI across various functions, including Automating the conversion of mobile/portrait content into broadcast/landscape formats, Media Asset Management (MAM), and Storytelling enhancements like language translation and the manipulation of speaker lip movements to synchronize with different languages.
