This year's content programme will focus on five key themes: Production & Post Production, Content Supply Chain, OTT, Direct to Consumer (Content Everywhere), Live & Remote Production and Innovation. World-class speakers from renowned studios, broadcasters and media service providers will deliver Convention Keynotes spotlighting emerging industry trends and business strategies.

"IBC2021 will create a safe and engaging environment for the industry to educate, learn and network in-person after being separated for too long," said Michael Crimp, Chief Executive of IBC. "IBC will support the industry's return to live events by delivering an action-packed content programme featuring game changing insights from industry visionaries, all of which will be available for free to all attendees. We have always had an unwavering commitment to encouraging knowledge sharing within the industry, which is now more important than ever before and mirrored in our decision to make all sessions free-to-attend."

As part of IBC’s strategy to make this year’s content programme more accessible for attendees, the convention keynotes will be moved to the heart of the action and take place in the new Showcase Theatre in Hall 12. The Showcase Theatre will also feature thought-leadership led sessions on rapid growth markets from exhibitors and sponsors. IBC is also launching a series of themed Show Floor Stages that will host live exhibitor content sharing insights on trends from across the industry value chain. 

IBC is also supporting several initiatives which fall under its Innovation umbrella. The 2021 Technical Papers programme will cover a broad range of topics, including facial recognition, orchestrated devices, AI, advances in audio, XR, 5G, and include papers from Akamai, BBC, Comcast, IBM, MediaKind, NHK, RAI, TV2, and Vimond amongst others. It will also host sessions from some of the organisations that own IBC, including the IEEE Broadcast Technology Society (BTS), International Trade Association for Broadcast & Media Technology (IABM), Institute of Engineering & Technology (IET), Society of Telecommunications Engineers (SCTE) & the Society of Motion Picture & Television Engineers (SMPTE).

The IBC Accelerator Media Innovation Programme will also return to Amsterdam and showcase boundary-breaking live demonstrations along with discussions with participants about each of their challenges and solutions. This year’s champions include Al Jazeera Media Networks, Associated Press, the BBC, ITV, Olympic Broadcasting Services, Sky and WarnerMedia, to name just a few. Eighty-five companies are participating overall to develop innovative solutions focused on key trends, such as 5G, AI and sustainability in live production.

The IBC Innovation Awards will return to IBC2021 to honour and celebrate collaborative projects within the content and technology industry. Alongside celebrating this year’s finalists and their technology partners, the IBC2021 Innovation awards will also announce the recipient for IBC’s highest accolade: the IBC International Honour for Excellence.