The Media Revolution Broadcasting will Lead – ABU Seoul GA

Four a.m., December 31st, 2012: Terrestrial analogue broadcasting in Korea will cease and the entire country will have access to high quality digital broadcasting. As we approach the new digital broadcasting era, media professionals from around the world plan to gather in Seoul to discuss the challenges of the future and how to tackle them at the 49th ABU General Assembly.

The annual Asian-Pacific Broadcasting Union (ABU) meetings will be held in the South Korean capital from October 11th – 17th. Under the theme, Beyond the Wave, the General Assembly will unfold at the 63 Convention Centre and KBS facilities on the island of Yeouido in central Seoul. Delegates from more than 60 countries and 220 ABU members will participate, including several representatives from European and U.S. based entities as well as IT firms such as Google.

The world is experiencing rapid changes in the broadcasting and communications industry, especially with the convergence of social media and smart devices. This phenomenon even has an influence on the individual level, with people’s private lives evolving according to the conspicuous social trend. We have approached an era in which anybody can create and share content, experiences, and knowledge with the world. But this change can have negative effects on the terrestrial TV industry.

This is the crucial time in which broadcasters around the world need to anticipate the future, adapt to the unpredictable wave that influences society and promote creative advances to interact with the audience. This years’ theme will prove to be of great importance as it reflects the remarkable sea change in media and the need to think one step ahead to lead the media revolution.

However, we cannot ignore the current realities of the immense Asia-Pacific broadcast region in our anticipation for the future. ABU is one of the largest international broadcast organizations and represents diverse members.

Geographically spread from Turkey to Samoa, Antarctic to Russia and a population of 3 billion, the ABU is number one in terms of audience. These statistics are a point of pride for the ABU, but also present many challenges. To help meet those challenges, KBS has taken on a greater leadership role at the ABU and has made many preparations for its responsibilities as host of the General Assembly.

The broadcast technology at KBS can be considered among the top-class in the world. KBS has bolstered its reputation through such feats as becoming the first terrestrial wave broadcaster in the world to offer 3D coverage of sporting events such as the 2010 Daegu International Track and Field Meeting. In preparation for the GA and in order to improve broadcasting quality in the Asia-Pacific region, KBS has continuously supported its fellow ABU members in developing parts of the region by spreading its technological know-how.

It has offered such support to Cambodia’s national broadcaster, providing OBVs and technical assistance last year. KBS has also coordinated special workshops to share production techniques. Additionally, KBS has sought support on behalf of financially challenged members that have found it difficult to secure rights to broadcast Olympic events, actively engaged in Olympic TV rights negotiations for the members. The outcome was that 30 countries and 40 organizations have benefited and now have the opportunity to broadcast the London 2012 Olympic Games.

This years’ GA theme is important as the future of broadcasting depends on how members cooperate, grow and stand together. Gender equality and challenges affecting youth are global issues to be solved and broadcasters can play a crucial role in building better futures through awareness. Discussions on important pending issues across various fields include broadcasting of sporting events and copyrighted co-produced programs, technical cooperation, and ways to promote new projects.

Also importantly, the new Asia-Pacific View project will officially be announced during the GA. This will ensure underdeveloped country members will have free access to cloud computer networks at high speeds to broadcast content around the world. Ambitious special sessions and forums for the public have also been prepared. The Super Panel Session will serve as a forum for experts to share the innovations inspired by the growing worldwide digital revolution era, while the Gender Media Forum, organized with the cooperation of ITU, UNESCO, ABU, KBS and other organizations, will focus on the discussion of gender equality and empowerment.

Korea is making waves in international pop culture as the growing market for Korean dramas and K-Pop attests. With advances in smart phones, tablet PCs, and other electronic devices, content makers in Korea can easily distribute their content worldwide. This is one of the reasons ABU 2012 Seoul is receiving so much attention.

This year’s ABU General Assembly aims to strengthen the cultural exchange among Asia-Pacific nations and demonstrate the steps Korea is taking to promote its culture. Special events, such as the ABU Radio Song Festival and the ABU TV Song Festival will forge cooperative ties in the region by highlighting promising amateur talents and showcasing world-class stars, respectively.

Our theme, “Beyond the Wave” invokes the idea of excellence and progress, and reflects the discussion topics to be examined during the General Assembly sessions. We are confident that those who attend the General Assembly will get a head start on their quest for smarter ways to broadcast Asia-Pacific contents.