There is fierce competition for the prestigious IBC Innovation Awards, which represent the best of collaboration to use innovative technology to solve a real challenge. The call for nominations for the IBC2015 Innovation Awards is now open.
There are three categories in the IBC Innovation Awards: for the most innovative projects in Content Creation, Content Management and Content Delivery. Entries are invited from broadcasters and service providers, and from technology companies who are proud of their successful collaborations. The winners of an IBC Innovation Award receive international recognition for their ground breaking achievements. The nomination process is open now, and entries must be submitted by 21 February 2015. Details can be found at www.ibc.org/awards.
Shortlisted projects will be announced in mid-May. This timescale allows the finalists to maximise their marketing in the run-up to IBC2015 in September. The names of the winners remain a closely-guarded secret until the ceremony itself, which, at IBC2015, will be on Sunday 13 September.
"People care about the IBC Innovation Awards because they are relevant to what happens in the real world," said Michael Lumley, who chairs the judging panel. "Our awards are not about new ideas which look good on paper. They honour projects which have achieved a real creative, technical or commercial benefit.
"That is why our awards go not to manufacturers or developers, but to the end-users," he continued. "The awards go to projects which have involved real collaboration between suppliers and users, and have solved a real challenge."
As well as the Innovation Awards, the ceremony will also see the presentation of the IBC International Honour for Excellence, which goes to an individual or an organisation which has represented leadership in our industry over a long period. In 2014 this award went to FIFA for 84 years of innovation in football coverage. Previous winners have included Sir David Attenborough and the NHK Science and Technology Labs.
The awards ceremony also sees presentations to the most important paper in the technical conference, and to the exhibitors with the most imaginative and practical stands. From time to time IBC also makes special awards: in 2013, for example, it honoured 100 years of Indian cinema.
In 2014, IBC Innovation Awards went to Sky in the UK for bringing two competing graphics companies together to create its stunning vision for the Monday Night Football programme; to Project Skynet at Sky News Arabia, an innovative solution to business continuity; and to Turner Sports for its NBA League Pass online sports delivery service. In each case, the broadcaster was joined on stage at the awards ceremony by representatives of their key suppliers in the project.
Find out more about the IBC Awards and submit your entry at www.ibc.org/awards