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The influence on and integration of social media with television as a medium is drastically growing, Super Hi-Vision is 16 times better than the HD television standard and simply ''unbelievable'' and the merging of TV content and devices - especially in the field of branded entertainment - is continuing at a rapid pace.
I asked her about what some of the most interesting developments were that was discussed and highlighted regarding the trends and innovation that's currently impacting and shaping the medium of television globally.
''The first thing was the role of social media and the fact that social media is becoming its own recommendation engine for fellow TV viewers about what to watch. The electronic programme guide (EPG) and programme listings will always remain. But this growing trend is going to mean that social media influences, and will in a bigger way, give an indication and suggestions to viewers as to what to watch.''
''A growing number of people are no longer watching TV without also being busy on their laptop, or on their iPad, or on their cellphone. Basically its the 'old' EPG but incorporating social media, but delivering it on a second screen. That was the one thing.''
''The other interesting was that NKH [Japan's public broadcaster] displayed Super Hi-Vision, technology that they've developed - 16 times better quality than high definition (HD), and 22 times better sound. It's unbelievable. You can't believe what you're seeing,'' says Aletta Alberts.
''The other big thing was branded entertainment and the role of branded entertainment. If you work in the content industry, you can simply no longer see and develop and distribute content separately from technology and devices. It's no longer a case of you develop content and put it on something - just two different things. There is a merging of content and device. It's almost as if the consumer of content and the user of a device now has a built-in expectation that the content simply has to be there and be available.''
''People are also watching more television on more devices all the time. And then 15 years ago I was at a digital kids' conference where the argument was: 'Will we be watching television on computers, or will we be using computers on or with television?'. Then it disappeared and now we're also once again back at that point. Those are the big take-outs from IBC 2011,'' says Aletta Alberts.
