Day two of CABSAT 2023, the flagship event for broadcast, satellite, content creation, production, distribution, digital media and entertainment industries, welcomed visitors from around the world to network, collaborate, and seek opportunities for advancement.
Through a dynamic program of conference sessions, live technology demos, and showcases of global innovation, the 29th edition of CABSAT has reaffirmed its position as the region’s largest gathering of the creative, broadcast, and satellite communities that will run until May 18,2023, at the Dubai World Trade Centre (DWTC).
During the event’s second day, industry leaders participated in panel discussions on a range of topics. Session topics included, ‘Women Power: Shattering the Glass Screen,’ ‘Content Partnerships in MENA: Trends in Co-productions, Commissioning, and Content Rights Sharing,’ and ‘Fireside Chat: How Social Media is Disrupting the Disruptors,’ among others. Discussions focused on emerging developments in the media and entertainment industries, allowing participants to evaluate the current conditions and develop effective strategies for the sector’s future.
Catherine Mwangi, Head of the TV at Kenya Television Network, said: “Kenya Television Network took part in the Content Congress platform’s session at CABSAT 2023 entitled, ‘Women Power: Shattering the Glass Screen,’ which was geared towards women working in the media. Having the opportunity to engage with leading female executives who are shaping global content, laying the foundation for future generations, and advancing inclusivity was an honour. At Kenya Television Network, we will continue to work towards making women’s voices heard, to build a society that is more inclusive and equitable, as well as support the invaluable contributions of women in all spheres of life.”
“The MENA content industry is currently experiencing significant growth in premium content production. Through collaboration with high-calibre talents and leading partners, we are dedicated to bringing quality content to audiences in the region and beyond. As part of CABSAT 2023’s ‘Content Partnerships in MENA: Trends in Co-productions, Commissioning, and Content Rights sharing’ session, we were able to lead effective discussions on the importance of collaboration in driving the region’s content industry forward and how successful film production relies on the collective effort of a diverse group of talented professionals,” Darine El Khatib, VP of Film Production at Majid Al Futtaim, commented.
CABSAT’s SATEXPO Summit on day two, took place concurrently with the Content Congress, the most comprehensive gathering of regional and global satellite and space technology industry influencers. Innovators established executives, engineers, government officials, and diverse solution providers attended the Summit, which also examine the role of satellite and space technology in promoting and enhancing sustainability on Earth.
The NEXTGen Content Screening programme on CABSAT’s second day showcased some of the best content the Middle East and Africa have to offer, providing an impactful addition to the Content Congress agenda. The screening features content from TV, film, serial drama, kids, documentary, and sports genres, and facilitates prearranged meetings with content buyers to foster collaborations and partnership opportunities.
Moreover, key news releases were unveiled during the event, providing valuable insights into the latest industry trends.
Nevion, a Sony Group Company and award-winning provider of virtualized media production solutions, announced the integration of its Nevion Contribution solution by Viacom18, a subsidiary of Network18 Group, one of India’s most diversified media and entertainment conglomerates, at CABSAT. Nevion’s solution, which was delivered in just three weeks, is being used for live coverage of the hugely popular TATA Indian Premier League (IPL) cricket tournament.
CABSAT’s 29th edition also highlights the latest technologies that are transforming the production, remote production, editing, preservation, and distribution channels of movies, including the revolutionary Glambot camera made famous by the Oscar’s red carpet, dual cameras bringing the real world and Virtual Reality together, along with an on-site virtual production studio hosted in partnership with PIXOJAM. The Beijing Pavilion, which featured an ‘8k Zone,’ displayed examples of 8k resolution content, the latest evolution of display technology. A video conference between Beijing and the UAE was also held in the pavilion to fortify relations between the two countries and encourage collaboration within the industry.
CABSAT also provided over 21 French companies with the chance to present their technological innovations, promote La French Tech, and build alliances with businesses from the Middle East, as well as other nations like Turkey or India. France further highlighted its goal to adapt and capitalise on its film and audio-visual industry’s assets, which are among the most diverse and dynamic in the world in terms of creativity, originality, artistic expertise, and skills ranging from direction and production to post-production.
The event proved to be a successful networking opportunity, with business deals being struck amongst attendees.
Arabsat announced the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with Loft Orbital (Loft) to collaborate on the mission definition for a future infrastructure in low earth orbit (LEO). Both companies will work together to create the infrastructure that will cater to the needs of various sectors of Arabsat’s customers.
Exhibitors praised the three-day exhibition for the host of opportunities it offers to the industry to present breakthrough innovations to peers, potential investors, and decision-makers.
Philipp Glänzel, General Manager – CTO, Qvest Dubai, said: “CABSAT 2023 has been pivotal for us, not only because it has been a home game for our Qvest team in the MENA region, but also for providing us with an excellent opportunity to interact with industry partners and customers, especially with cloud-based technologies creating new possibilities for content creation, management, and delivery. We are convinced that a strong tech stack will be the key differentiator going forward to establish reliable hybrid integrations in both on-prem and multi-cloud environments. Furthermore, platforms like CABSAT will undoubtedly increase our potential for strategic alliances and ensure a reliable forum to expedite the adoption of current market trends.”
Jonas Michaelis, Head of Operations, Techtriq, stated: “At CABSAT 2023, our focus was on generative Artificial Intelligence tools, as they offer tremendous potential to media companies both in the MENA region and worldwide. For instance, we completely integrated ChatGPT into qibb in January of this year, providing us and our customers with improved options for even more efficient professional media workflows in our cloud-based integration platform. With our participation, we were able to highlight the competitive advantages of these tools and look forward to their widespread adoption for the sector’s advancement.”
For the first time, this year CABSAT is co-located with the inaugural edition of Integrate Middle East, which brings together the region’s global professional audio-visual (Pro AV) and media technology communities.
