Judges for the2009 edition of theIBC Innovation Awards have selected nine finalists — three each in three separate categories: most innovative use of technology in content creation, content management and content delivery.
The Innovation Awards, which recognize technology and its application in the real world, have recognized accomplishments as diverse as CNN for its backpack satellite newsgathering system for journalists reporting from war zones to the Disney 3-D “Hannah Montana” movie.
Under consideration in the content creation category this year are:
- ESPN for its use of a custom version of an Electronic Arts computer game to recreate NFL plays on the studio floor;
- Oceanopolis working with Boom Audio and Video to create a new underwater HD camera that can work at depths of 1600ft; and
- Expert TV in Moscow for its tapeless, multiplatform HD news operation created with support from Media-Alliance and ISPA.
The finalists in the content management category all are involved in making an enterprise more efficient and repurposing assets to earn future revenue. They include:
- YLE in Finland, which has brought more than 50 years of archives together into a unified asset management solution with technology from Blue Order;
- RTBF in Belgium, which has created an integrated production workflow across television, radio and the Web, based on solutions from a consortium of vendors, including Dalet, EVS, Orad, Avid, MediaGenix, Fairlight, Front Porch Digital and FAB; and
- Italian Mediaset group, which has focused on repurposing content with lead supplier TXT Polymedia.
In the content delivery category, the 2009 finalists are:
- Arab States Broadcasting Union, with members in 28 states, which introduced Menos, an IP-based satellite content exchange system, with the help of Newtec;
- TV Barrandov in the Czech Republic, which is now on the air in HD using both DVB-T and IPTV, thanks to HaiVision with Mattes and MediaStream; and
- Virgin Media in the UK, which is using technology from SeaChange to add advertising to its on-demand service at the point of delivery.
Judges have the discretion to select one winner from the three categories for the special Judge’s Prize. The winners of the IBC Innovation Awards will be announced Sunday, Sept. 13, at a special ceremony that’s part of IBC2009, Sept. 10-15, at the RAI Center in Amsterdam.
