Trade journalists will tell you that covering an industry show can be a nightmare. Attending sessions, making booth appointments, writing a show daily – it’s all enough to drive you batty. Since launching this business in 2010, I have had no need to attend shows as a full-time journalist. On occasion, however, I have agreed to help friends who have that role. I did that in September 2019 at IBC with John Moulding, editor-in-chief of Videonet. 

My assignment: 11 IBC-related stories based on interviews with designated vendors at their booths. In light of other ongoing research and writing, I also made another seven appointments. Altogether, I agreed to meet 18 vendors over three days. That sounds reasonable, until you consider the notoriously byzantine RAI Center in Amsterdam. Without the burden of a show daily and armed with a hand-written spreadsheet and annotated map, I met with with all 18 companies, being late (less than five minutes) only twice. Amazing if you consider my previous record at shows as editor of Communications Technology. I also managed to connect with another half dozen people I was hoping to see. I checked in at their booths as I navigated between other meetings. 

11 published stories

From first meeting with Kaltura on 2:00 pm Friday to the final events with EditShare and Verimatrix on Sunday (the day I rented a bike to get to and from the RAI), I accomplished everything I needed in order to file a raft stories on the following companies over the next few weeks: ActiveVideo, Akamai, Amino, AWS-Elemental, BitMovin, Broadpeak, Grabyo, Irdeto, Kaltura, Norigen Media, and Verimatrix. Plus, I spent some time with John and his team and saw plenty of other friends and acquaintances – just what you hope to do at an event like this.