Schedule – BroadcastPro Summit KSA | 25 February 2024

Date25 FebVenueVoco Riyadh, an IHG Hotel

25 FEBRUARY 2025 / voco Riyadh, an IHG Hotel

- 8:45 AM – 09:00 AMRegistration and Networking
- 09:30 AM
  
  WELCOME ADDRESS
  
  Vijaya Cherian, Editorial Director, BroadcastPro Middle East
- 9:45 AM – 10:15 AM
  PANEL DISCUSSION
  Transforming Arabic Content: Studios, Producers and Regional Impact
  - Developing strategies to craft narratives for Pan-Arab and global markets
  - Creating engaging Arabic content for youth-centric platforms
  - Government and private sector collaboration to strengthen the Arabic content ecosystem
  - Fostering creativity through cross-border co-productions and partnerships
  - Balancing tradition and modernity in Arabic content creation
  - The rise of Anime in the Arab world
  Moderator
  
  Tarek Matar, Partner, Strategy& Middle East
  
  Confirmed Panelists
  
  • Ben Ross, CEO, Image Nation Abu Dhabi
  • Hana Al Omair, Creative Director, MBC Studios
  • Hussein Fakhri, Chief Commercial Officer and Executive Producer, Katara Studios
- 10.15 AM – 10.30 AM
  
  FIRESIDE CHAT
  Playing to Win: How MBC Wizzo is engaging the swipe generation
  
  • Arif Aabed, Senior Manager of Technology Partnerships, MBC Group
  • Dr. Mohammed Alshahrani, Country Manager KSA, BytePlus
  
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- 10.35 AM – 11:15 AM
  PANEL DISCUSSION
  Tech Strategies for an Evolving Modern MENA Media Ecosystem
  - Maintaining relevance in a streaming-first era with interactive content and live events to retain audiences on linear platforms.
  - Transitioning to cloud-based solutions for DR and leveraging IP-based broadcasting for scalability
  - AI-driven content creation, distribution optimisation and personalisation strategies
  - Exploring hybrid monetisation models like AVOD, SVOD, and FAST for diverse audience preferences
  - Enhancing content discovery with recommendation engines, metadata tagging and cross-platform personalization
  - Strategies for penetrating underserved markets and collaborating with regional broadcasters and telcos
  - Using analytics for real-time audience behaviour insights and adaptive content programming.
  Moderator
  
  Athanas Jamo, Chief Client Director, Ipsos
  
  Confirmed Panelists
  
  • Dominic Farrell, Group CTO, MBC Group
  • Dom Wedgwood, CTO, Arqiva
  • Nisrine Ghazal, VP Digital, Rotana Media Services
  • Peter Van Dam, Chief Broadcast Officer, Saudi Pro League
- 11:15 AM – 11.30 AM
  COFFEE BREAK and SOMETHING SPECIAL
- 11:30 AM -12:15 PM
  PANEL DISCUSSION
  The Next Era of Sports Broadcasting: AI, Automation, and Immersive Storytelling
  - Visual Storytelling: Bringing Sports to Life Beyond Graphics
  - Production of the Future (NDI versus SMPTE 2110)
  - Data Integration and AI with Graphics and Production
  - Remote Production, Automation, Cloud Live Production, HTML5 Graphics
  - Fan Engagement and Personalisation Through Technology
  - Leveraging global sports media investments to build regional soft power
  Moderator
  
  Zayed Alhammori, Excellence Director MEA, Vizrt
  
  Confirmed Panelists
  
  • Ammar Hina, Senior Broadcast and TV Production Director, Saudi Pro League
  • Faisal Alshadokhi, Live GFX Manager, Alamiya Media
  • Jamal Abdulnaser Ali, Broadcast & Television Production Director, UAE Pro League
- 12.30 PM -2.00 PM
  Lunch Break
- 2:00 PM – 2.30 PM
  PANEL DISCUSSION
  Unlocking AI in Broadcast and Streaming: Innovations and Challenges
  - AI in sports broadcast with automated highlights, player tracking and real-time analytics
  - AI-driven video production automation, virtual production and analytics for optimised delivery
  - AI-powered piracy protection with automated detection, watermarking and real-time takedowns
  - Scaling AI in broadcast and streaming with cloud AI, federated learning and infrastructure optimisation
  - AI-driven metadata tagging and indexing for faster search, retrieval and content discovery
  - Automated speech-to-text and video analysis for seamless archiving and content repurposing
  - AI for personalisation and monetisation with recommendations, dynamic ads and audience insights
  - Key AI challenges around costs, performance, input readiness, adoption and mindset
  Moderator
  
  Jody Neckles, Principal Solutions Architect, Backlight (Founder, Technative)
  
  Confirmed Panelists
  
  • Eyad Al Dwaik, Director of Engineering, stc/Intigral
  • Kathey Battrick, Head of Media Management and AI Taskforce Leader, Asharq Network
  • Alaa Ali, Director of Anti-Piracy and Technology, RightsHero
- 2.30 PM – 2.45 PM
  
  FIRESIDE CHAT
  Bringing Real-Time Audience Insights to Linear Broadcast TV – A First and Exclusive
  
  • Badis Khaldi, Founder and CEO, Audimatic
  • Vijaya Cherian, Editor, BroadcastPro ME magazine
- 2.45 PM – 3:15 PM
  PANEL DISCUSSION
  The Power of Podcasts & Audio Streaming in Saudi Arabia
  - The growth of Arabic-language podcasts and exclusive audio content
  - The role of media houses and audio streaming platforms in shaping Saudi’s audio landscape by expanding beyond music
  - Monetisation models for podcasts and digital radio
  - Podcasts as a trusted source for cultural and societal discussions
  - How is technology evolving to accommodate this growing sector?
  Moderator
  
  Joe Morrison, Live Television Anchor and Commentator, Saudi Pro League
  
  Confirmed Panelists
  
  • Alexander Agishev, Head of MBC LOUD FM station
  • Ahmed Raafat, GM & Co-founder, Takwene
  • Zeina Tabbara, Multimedia Producer and Content Strategist, Asharq Podcasts
- 03:30 PM
  Conclusion and Giveaways

Tapping into Saudi Arabia’s Broadcast
and Streaming Market: Effective
Strategies for Growth and Success

Agenda