NABACASTER | DEC. 2016 — JAN. 2017

what technology. If broadcasters can As with evolutions from B&W to colour, world is just the latest shift facing the clearly articulate the threat model (who film to tape, and SD to HD, the broadcast industry. Events such as the NABA Cy- may attack and why) it becomes possible industry has a rich history of changing ber Security in Broadcast Media Sympo- to create security solutions and responses with the times and adapting to the chal- sium provide great value to member to effectively defend broadcast environ- lenges that come with new technologies. companies in the middle of revitalizing ments from attack vectors. This current transition to incorporating their broadcast technologies for a safer, cyber security in a now-digital broadcast more secure tomorrow. ∎

esting day and an event thank him for his leadership, energy, and Director-General’s Report that many noted had creativity. John Ball is the new Chair, Michael McEwen, NABA filled a void in some of supported by Kazimir Bacic and Joe Shi- the international confer- mizu (NHK). NABA therefore once Since our last ences and exhibitions which now domi- again holds the Chair (as we did for al- Report in Octo- nate our calendar. Food for thought. most 25 years with CNN’s Dick Tauber). ber’s NABAcaster The next Forum will be in Washington, we have had a DC hosted by the NAB from May 31st – very busy time. June 1st. And as we wind down for the Technical Committee (WBU-TC) holidays I Bob Plummer was Chair of this commit- thought it would tee but with his retirement, the Chair has be useful to highlight some of our activi- moved to Simon Fell (EBU). John Lee ties and on-going work. (CBC/NABA) and Amal Punchihewa (ABU) are the Vice-Chairs. They are WBU Update planning their first teleconference in The WBU Conference early February to confirm their agenda At the end of October the World Broad- and mandate for the next few years, in- casting Unions (WBU) held a one day cluding a closer working relationship conference hosted by the Asia-Pacific with the IMCG. Broadcasting Union (ABU) following their Annual General Meeting in Indone- CBC/Radio-Canada’s English Services Broadcaster Treaty Working Group Ombudsman — Ester Enkin — addressing the sia with the kind assistance of Radio Re- delegates at the WBU Conference in (WBU-WIPO BTWG) publik Indonesia (RRI), Indonesia’s na- Indonesia. The current Chair, Heijo Ruijsenaars tional public broadcaster. It was the first (EBU), will remain, supported by WBU Conference in more than 20 years. WBU Committee Renewal NABA’s legal consultant Erica Redler. NABA continues to be the Secretariat for As noted earlier, we are coming to a cru- The conference was a great success for the WBU and I continue to Chair the cial crossroads in our quest for a Diplo- those delegates attending, with a focus on WBU Secretaries / Directors-General matic Conference on a new Broadcaster themes that are prevalent for media or- (WBU-SG/DG) twice-a-year meetings, Treaty and the work of the BTWG will ganizations including; accountability, which direct the activities of the WBU be crucial to a successful conclusion. violence, technology, climate change, and their committees and projects. and disaster coverage. NABA partici- Sports Committee (WBU-SC) pated with CBC/Radio-Canada’s English International Media Connectivity While NABA does not participate in this Services Ombudsman, Esther Enkin, Group (WBU-IMCG) committee since sports rights are com- sitting on two panels; one on Responsible Over the last three years, this Forum has petitive between NABA members, the Practices and the other on Climate renewed its mandate to look at collection committee thrives for many regions in Change. The WBU’s Technical Commit- and distribution on all platforms with an the world and is chaired by the ABU. tee Chair (and NABA-TC Vice-Chair), emphasis on IP. Akira Ogawa (NHK) Bob Plummer from Fox, sat in on the was the driving force of this change, sup- NABA Update Technology panel too which focussed on ported by John Ball (Turner) and Cyber Security in Broadcast Media low cost technical solutions with those Kazimir Bacic (HRT/EBU). The reforms Symposium still challenged by the digital transition. have been a great success with usual Fo- As stated in our cover story this event rum attendance at well over 100 partici- was held on December 1st in New York I had the privilege of opening the confer- pants twice a year at locations in Europe, and can certainly be considered a huge ence and participating in the closing Asia, and North America. event for NABA in 2016. Conceived by panel looking at how we can better serve NABA’s Board of Directors at our AGM our audiences in the future. A most inter- Akira has stepped down as Chair and I Continued on Next Page...

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NABACASTER | DEC. 2016 — JAN. 2017 in February, the Symposium was pulled transition to digital radio. ers. An active year is ahead. together in about eight months. Interest and participation came from all NABA The third installment of Future of Radio & Technical Committee (NABA-TC) members and included participants from Audio Symposium will be held this time in The TC has yet to begin its renewal proc- other broadcast associations and stake- Washington, DC on February 16th, and ess. This will happen in January. The TC holders from around the world. More than hosted by the NAB. is arguably our core committee to achiev- 125 people were registered. ing NABA’s larger agenda. John Lee Since the RC was established three years (CBC/Radio-Canada), Jim Starzynski My sincere thanks to John Lee (CBC/ ago it has provided solid support for (NBCU), and Bob Plummer (Fox) have Radio-Canada) for his leadership here. North American broadcasters by pursu- provided terrific guidance and leadership Also, a huge thanks to NBCU and their ing initiatives in Mexico, the US and Can- over the past four years by broadening our own Michael Higgins for hosting and sup- ada, including the future of the car agenda and creating a far better scope on porting this event. It reminds me that the dashboard, and apps that provide addi- all the technical and operational challenges success of these activities depends on the tional services to listeners. we face. These include Working Groups support and engagement of the members. on Media over IP, File Formats Common Metadata Specifications NABA Committee Renewal (improving our workflow), and NABA committee leadership Next Generation Television is now in the process of re- technology needs, challenges newal as well, as called for in and transition issues. our by-laws. This renewal in our four standing committees The TC work in the above noted is fairly significant and sets areas will continue and will be the organization on an ever- joined by Cyber Security, the more relevant path for 2017. Cloud, and the ever-present spectrum and International Risk Awareness & Telecommunication Union chal- Continuity Committee lenges. (NABA-RACC) With the departure of Michael Final Thoughts Miller (Disney/ABC) from the Please keep in mind the follow- Chair of the RACC, John Jean Philip De Tender (EBU), Michael McEwen (NABA), ing... Moore (Fox) has taken the Javad Mottaghi (ABU), Abdelrahim Suleiman (ASBU), and The 2017 NABA AGM Chair’s seat, along with Rod- Gregoire Ndjaka (AUB) closing-out the WBU Conference. Event will be held February 15th ney North (CBS) as the new and hosted by PBS in the Wash- Vice-Chair. They met November 30th to Legal Committee (NABA-LC) ington, DC area. The Board has confirm their leadership of the committee, The LC has chosen a new Chair — planned for an interesting day of con- renew the committee mandate and create a Gerardo de Cote Munoz (Televisa) who is tent focussed on the current industry work plan for the year ahead. We will re- the current LC Vice-Chair. The outgoing issues and trends. I hope all our mem- view that plan at the AGM in February. As Chair — Ben Ivins (NAB) — will serve as bers can attend. There is a Save the part of this change of leadership, it has the LC’s Vice-Chair. It is a switch in roles Date notice on Page 6 of this NABA- been agreed that Cyber Security will move that I’m pleased to note helps with conti- caster. out from this committee and that RACC’s nuity on some critical issues. The Broad- John Lee has announced that he is focus will be on resiliency, safety of crews caster Treaty, which has dominated the leaving CBC/Radio Canada after 39 in the field, and health issues. RACC will committee’s agenda for many years, is years of service. Remarkable. John maintain an ongoing liaison with the Cy- actually closer to a potential Diplomatic was a colleague of mine when I too ber Group since there are obvious areas of Conference than at any other time in re- worked at the CBC and then gradu- overlap. Cyber will move to the TC as a cent years. 2017 will be a make or break ated to other things, as I’m sure John sub-committee as they chart a new man- year for this important update in protection will be doing. He is simply too young, date based on the increasing importance of of broadcast signals in the digital era. The knowledgeable and engaged to leave this topic to us all. issue of Folklore is now up for discussion our industry. During the last four at the World Intellectual Property Organi- years John and I have worked closely Radio Committee (NABA-RC) zation (WIPO) and may pose challenges to on broadening the technical and op- RC leadership will remain the same with current privileges that content producers erations agenda for NABA, and his Julie McCambley (CBC/Radio-Canada as now enjoy. The Committee is keeping a leadership has been outstanding. His Chair and Paul Brenner (Emmis Commu- watching brief. The LC is now also start- support for NABA and our mission nications) as Vice-Chair. The committee ing to look at the regulatory environment has been steadfast, creative and continues to be focussed on enabling the in all three countries and sharing the trends effective. He understands the impor- FM Chip in smartphones and the ongoing and decisions which affect all broadcast- Continued on Next Page...

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NABACASTER | DEC. 2016 — JAN. 2017

tance to our industry of finding con- members have all done in renewing and bers have been supportive of the agenda sensus, sharing best practices and building this great association. Our Board and projects we have taken on. Nice to producing effective solutions. Thank has been amazingly supportive and inven- reflect on all of this as another year ends you John for everything. tive as they’ve made changes to improve and a new one begins. and broaden our agenda, and increase our So as the year ends and I look back to the value and relevancy to the industry we My very best wishes to you all for the almost five years since I returned to serve. Our committees have been effective Holiday Season. ∎ NABA, I’m very proud of what you the in realizing their mandates and our mem-

WBU-IMCG Forum Review

Akira Ogawa, NHK discussing the outlook for OTT in the importance of the rule of law and legal years ahead, panelists warned that the law enforcement initiatives. The World Broadcasting Unions - Interna- in many places has not yet caught up with tional Media Connectivity Group (WBU- the technology, and many content provid- Continuing IMCG’s historical role of co- IMCG) held its latest forum in Dubrovnik, ers are still struggling to develop OTT ordinating interoperability programs for on November 17-18, 2016. This solutions that economically scale with compression standards, NHK Counsel's installment of the bi-annual event, hosted their businesses. For this reason, one pan- Tom Gibbon moderated a panel of repre- by Croatian public broadcaster HRT on a elist posited that we are currently “living sentatives from leading codec vendors scenic perch overlooking the , in the midst of a great media experiment,” (NTT Electronics, ATEME, Harmonic, continued IMCG’s mission of addressing a the results of which remain unknown. NEC Corporation, Ericsson, and Adtec widening range of issues affect- Digital) to discuss HEVC interop- ing broadcasters in today’s com- erability. The threshold questions plex media landscape. An array for the panel were whether the of perspectives were repre- time is right for HEVC interop- sented, including broadcasters, erability testing (from a contribu- programmers, satellite and other tion perspective) and if so, network operators, video equip- whether the companies repre- ment vendors, subtitling/ sented on the panel are willing to localization experts, and service participate in a structured pro- providers across the technology gram similar to the ones previ- and media spaces. ously developed through IMCG for MPEG-2 and MPEG-4. The IMCG Vice-Chair and host answer to both questions was an Kazimir Bacic (Head, Technical unequivocal “yes.” The panelists Department, HRT) opened the moved on to discuss the scope Forum with a brief video intro- such interoperability testing ducing HRT’s 90 years of radio might take, and the logistics of and 60 years of public service independent hosting and ensuring television in Croatia. HRT’s CTO, Boris Picking up on a thread from the previous fair play. A preliminary consensus formed Kotarski, also offered a words about the panel, the next session focused on the around UHD/HD, 4.2.2, 10 bit, and the steady march of media connectivity to IP, overlapping issues of piracy and security. group expressed interest in achieving sig- and the pressure placed upon broadcasters Panelists tackled these issues from vastly nificant progress by the next IMCG Forum to respond to budgetary pressures with different perspectives, ranging from mo- in Spring 2017. exploration and development of new tech- bile journalism to satellite services, and nical approaches and innovations. from data science and media services to Taking a break from the panel discussion watermarking technologies. As the panel format, two reports were presented to up- A diverse mix of topics occupied the detailed the range of threats to the security date the audience on recent efforts con- event’s first day, starting with a panel on of information flows, a common viewpoint cerning media-over-IP (MoIP), and inten- over-the-top (OTT) video delivery in emerged that organizations can do more to tional interference to satellite services. Europe. Throughout the conversation a acculturate and educate their own people First, Thomas Bause Mason from NBCU fundamental tension surfaced between the to reduce the risk of breach, as well as presented findings from a membership accepted wisdom that OTT is the future, employ technology to deter attacks. In this survey conducted by NABA’s MoIP Sub- and the acknowledgment of several as-yet sense, the panel’s approach to the topic Committee. While a final report from the unresolved challenges related to rights, was somewhat inward-looking, which Sub-Committee remains a work-in- piracy, costs, and uncertainty about how drew some countervailing perspectives progress, with a target delivery date viewing habits will change over time. In from the audience about the continued Continued on next page...

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