This article has been taken from the IABM Journal Issue 108. To see the full Journal click here.
Hassan Ghoul
Director of MEA, IABM
CABSAT 2019
As I write this, we are two weeks away from CABSAT 2019. The 25th anniversary edition of the show will run from 12 to 14 of March 2019 in halls 2 to 7 of the DWTC Convention Centre. Show timings are from 10am to 6pm on the first two days and 10am to 5pm on the last day.
For visitors of the show, CABSAT remains the place to meet the people from the Broadcast and Media industry in the region and to catch up on the latest changes taking place in our industry.
2018 is behind us now and, although it was a tough year for the broadcast and media business in the MEA region, or even globally, CABSAT attendees will be looking for the upcoming opportunities. The CABSAT website highlights that ‘The MENA region is forecast to be the biggest global contributor to the growth in Entertainment & Media industry at a CAGR of 11.5%and anticipated to reach US$66 billion by 2022’ (Source: PWC Global E & M Outlook 2015-2019).
CABSAT 2019 will feature a few new initiatives including an eSports Pavilion (the region’s first esports B2B forum), Photography sessions with professionals offering workshops, demonstrations and presentations, and ‘Flix on 86’ live cinema shows.
The Content Congress will run over two days, 12 and 13 March, and will feature several panel discussions and presentations which will tap into some of the key challenges and opportunities facing the global and regional markets.
OTT technology is bound to take a prominent role at CABSAT as media consumption is steadily shifting from conventional linear TV to the Internet, and Middle East viewers are demanding more video content. The CABSAT Digital Hub will focus on the Digital & Over The Top (OTT) technologies that facilitate the delivery of video or digital content via internet protocol.
On Monday March 11th (the day before CABSAT 2019 opens), the ‘Arab HDTV and Beyond Group’ will hold its Annual Meeting in Dubai. This event is usually well attended by manufacturers as well as broadcasters. The meeting will take place in the Crowne Plaza hotel and will run from 9:30am until 1:30pm.
Following the ‘Arab HDTV and Beyond Group’ meeting, IABM will run an Executive Summit. This is the first time we have run a content event like this in Dubai alongside CABSAT and in conjunction with ASBU. The summit will run from 3pm until 7pm. It will include presentations by IABM staff and IABM members as well as two panel discussions. The event will close with a networking reception. We anticipate a mixture of delegates between IABM members and end-user customers.
IABM has always run a networking event before CABSAT and this has proved to be highly popular in the past. Attendees are mostly (80%+) C-Level and a mixture of international and UAE delegates. IABM will promote the event to all its stakeholders in the UAE region.
ASBU
ASBU will be organizing the 20th edition of the ‘ASBU TV & Radio Festival & Convention’ in Tunisia from 28 until 30 June 2019. The IABM has been invited to participate in this event.
This 20th edition coincides with ASBU’s 50th anniversary and will include several activities including TV & Radio Programs contests, a Broadcast Convention, ASBU Awards ceremony and several conferences and seminars.
