Inside IBC 2025: What We Learned, Who We Met, and Why It Matters
From September 11th to 15th, Caspian One joined thousands of media and broadcast professionals at the RAI in Amsterdam for IBC 2025, one of the industry's most influential gatherings. With five packed days of meetings, panels, and impromptu conversations, the event offered a clear snapshot of where the sector is heading and how we can help shape it.
Why We Showed Up
IBC continues to be a critical touchpoint for Caspian One’s work across broadcast, content delivery, and media infrastructure. Our goals for attending were threefold:
Connecting with clients: Strengthening relationships with existing partners and opening doors to new ones.
Scanning the horizon: Understanding what’s next in broadcast tech, content delivery, and infrastructure.
Spotting opportunities: Identifying hiring trends and project pipelines that align with our capabilities.
We came with a clear purpose: to listen, learn, and lead. And we left with a sharper view of the challenges and opportunities shaping the next two quarters of business.
What Everyone Was Talking About
Across meetings and sessions, a few themes kept surfacing, not just as buzzwords, but as real strategic priorities:
AI & GenAI: Hype Meets Reality
Artificial Intelligence dominated the conversation, but not always in the way headlines suggest. Broadcasters are cautiously optimistic, with real-world use cases emerging around metadata tagging and adtech automation. The consensus was that AI won’t replace jobs, it’ll enhance workflows, especially in creative and operational roles. Many startups are showcasing impressive tech, but adoption is still selective. The next two years are critical in terms of the early adopters being able to prove and justify investment in AI, clearing the path for the rest to follow. At that point we will undoubtedly see more strategic spend in AI driving more AI projects, skills requirements and growth.
FinOps: The New Must-Have
With advertising revenue under pressure, cost control is front and centre. FinOps is gaining traction as a way to manage cloud spend and reduce waste. It’s becoming a core discipline for CTOs and engineering leads navigating tighter budgets. Since the Covid-19 pandemic, we've seen spending power being diverted away from engineering and technology teams, landing with procurement and finance teams making key technology spend decisions. By technology teams embracing FinOps, it gives them more sway and authority to make the strategic technology purchasing decisions again.
Live Content Still Rules
Within the disparate viewing landscape we operate in, live sports, news, and events remain the backbone of linear TV. This trend underscores the necessity for a robust real-time delivery infrastructure and the requisite talent to support it. Core revenues for PSBs tend to hang off of major live events and predominantly sports. Possible threats to PSBs remain, including Netflix, Amazon, DAZN, and others. They are slowly proving they can deliver top-quality live-streamed sporting events.
IP Engineering: Still Growing, But for How Long?
The shift to IP-based workflows continues, with another 2–3 years of growth expected before the market stabilizes. For now, demand remains strong, especially in live production environments.
Freelancers in High Demand
Live events are booming, but the freelance talent pool isn’t keeping pace. There’s a clear gap in the market for skilled contractors who can support fast-moving productions, a space where Caspian One is well-positioned to help.
Satellite’s Quiet Comeback
While not a headline trend, satellite technology is quietly re-entering strategic conversations, particularly around content distribution. It’s an area we’ll be watching closely.
On the Ground: Meetings, Momentum, and a 4K Run
Beyond the panels and booths, IBC is about people, and we made the most of it. Our team held targeted meetings with clients and prospects, discussing everything from hiring needs to long-term strategy. These conversations weren’t just exploratory; many led to tangible outcomes and follow-up actions.
One standout moment? The IBC-organised 4K run, which brought together a mix of current and potential clients in a relaxed, high-energy setting and all for a good cause.
Reflections from the Team
“IBC gives you a real feel for the direction of the industry, not just what’s trending, but what’s actually being implemented. You get a real sense of urgency, not just around tech trends like AI and FinOps, but around hiring, delivery, and execution. It’s a space where you can gauge the market’s appetite, understand what’s actually being funded, and position yourself to deliver value fast.” – Phil Hodgetts
“There’s a lot of noise around AI and cost optimisation, but the real value comes from understanding how these trends translate into actual business outcomes. IBC is a must-attend if you want to stay visible and relevant.” – Ralph Barrett
From dinner with clients, spontaneous booth conversation, and deep dives into hiring trends, the event delivered on every front. And while the tone was optimistic, there was also a clear sense that the industry is evolving fast, and those who aren’t adapting are falling behind.
What’s Next for Caspian One
IBC 2025 reaffirmed our role as a strategic partner in broadcast and media tech. We’re following up on conversations, exploring new partnerships, and refining our approach to support clients navigating AI adoption, FinOps strategy, and live content delivery. We’ll be back next year, not just to attend, but with the aim of contributing more to the conversation.
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