12 V I D E O A G E January 2022 Below, find a Q&A with Curtis J. LeGeyt, the newly appointed president and CEO of the Washington, D.C.-based National Association of Broadcasters (NAB). The 98-year- old association represents more than 8,300 U.S.-based radio and TV stations, and is famous for staging two NAB Shows a year, one in Las Vegas in April, the other in New York City in October. On January 1, 2022, the 43-year-old LeGeyt replaced 70-year-old former Oregon Republican Senator Gordon Smith, who recently retired from his post as NAB president and CEO after 12 years. LeGeyt joined NAB in 2011 as SVP and legislative counsel and became the association’s COO in 2020. LeGeyt previously served as senior counsel to then-Senate Judiciary Chairman Patrick Leahy (D-VT), and in 2008 was part of Barack Obama’s campaign “Obama For America.” VideoAge sat downwithSmith for itsNovember/ December 2012 Issue (see photo on page 14), and now, 10 years later, it’s LeGeyt’s turn to answer a series of questions: VideoAge: What are some of the changes you’ve made to the NAB Show that will be held April 23-27 in Las Vegas since the last time it was held in person in 2019? Curtis LeGeyt: We are reimagining the NAB Show around three main pillars of the content lifecycle — “Create,” “Connect,” and “Capitalize.” Our show floor and programming will be organized around these three pillars, allowing attendees to elect the experience that is most closely aligned to their business focus. We believe these pillars better represent how content is conceived, developed, produced, distributed, and consumed in today’s world, and we have curated pathways to help NAB Show attendees navigate their areas of interest. “Create” will focus on all aspects of content creation, from pre-production to post. If you want to grow your skills as a storyteller or discover new technologies to elevate your work, this is the place for you. For example, in this area, a Show attendee could learn about cutting-edge production software or try out the latest cameras on the market, or even listen to discussions with preeminent craftsmen in their field. In the “Connect” destination, Show attendees will have the opportunity to explore the changing ways content is distributed and delivered. In a world where consumers can access media with the touch of a button — anytime and anywhere — understanding how to engage with audiences today and into the future is of significant interest to our Show community. “Capitalize” is where content meets commerce. With next-gen technologies changing the way content is consumed, new revenue streams are developing for broadcasters and the larger media industry. This destination will help attendees perfect their monetization strategies through exploration of issues such as audience measurement, the use of data and analytics, overthe-top platforms, and targeted content. The NAB Show experience has also been designed to guide attendees in an easy, accessible, and efficient way through these destinations. Within each of the three Show floor destinations, we are creating “Inspiration,” “Innovation,” and “Implementation” experiential zones. These zones will offer our community the opportunity to discover new ideas, technologies, practices, and products that will help them move ahead with their current and next project. Our conference programming will also be organized around Create, Connect, and Capitalize themes, and will include correlating networking opportunities to connect attendees with like-minded professionals. VA: On the exhibit floor, what new technological developments would be of interest to broadcasters? CLG: NAB Showwill be the best place for media executives and technologists to learn about how advances in computing power, networking, wireless technologies, and IP architectures are changing the business at both ends: from production to delivery. We have created a new destination, the “Intelligent Content” showcase, that explores the shift in focus to a more data-driven media ecosystem and how smart technology is being used to inform how content is concepted and created, is delivered and distributed, and is measured and monetized. Data, artificial intelligence and machinelearning are revolutionizing the future of content. Data utilization can be used to curate content or foster better engagement with audiences. AI can analyze audience behaviors, and inform better decision-making. Machine-learning can help accelerate production schedules and improve workflow efficiency. NAB Show will offer a platform for in-depth learning about this revolution, how it is influencing today’s media landscape and how it will affect the future of the content ecosystem. Broadcasters are also in the midst of the transition to NEXTGEN TV, with the new transmission standard now available in over 40 television markets across the country. There is tremendous opportunity for broadcasters to seize on this technology and provide cuttingedge audio and video innovations for audiences. A powerful feature of NEXTGEN TV is how it combines broadcast with broadband, and our New NAB CEO Curtis LeGeyt Explains NAB’s In-Person Show NAB Show Preview Curtis J. LeGeyt, president and CEO of the National Association of Broadcasters The new president and CEO talks about a reimagined NAB Show, the advantages and challenges of new technology for broadcasters, and more. (Continued on Page 14)
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