NEWS
Reasons to Be Cheerful
Audio Media’s new consulting editor Jim Evans gives his state of the industry address touching on trade shows, broadcast, and the live music scene.
THIS YEAR, the professional audio and music industries have hit the track at pace. Barely a month in and there has been much activity, record-breaking show attendances, a wealth of new products and technology developments, and more. To paraphrase the lyrics of the much-missed Ian Dury, there are more than a few reasons to be cheerful. The great exhibition debate
continues – are there just too many? Are they too expensive? Whatever your views, the show merry-go-round slid into top gear early in 2014. January’s NAMM show in Anaheim was as well attended as ever, with a strong showing from the pro-audio sector alongside the many developments in musical instruments and production. I am still wading through a mountain of press releases and product catalogues from the event. It’s just as well most press releases are now issued via email rather than in print format – a couple of rainforests will have been spared. On to this month, February,
and we kick off with what is set to be another record- breaking Integrated Systems Europe. In 10 years ISE has come a long way – proof that
the installation/integration sectors remain in buoyant mode. The first ISE tradeshow was held in Geneva, Switzerland, in February 2004 as a joint venture between InfoComm International, CEDIA, and NSCA. The show attracted 120 exhibitors and just under 3,500 attendees (I was one of a handful of journalists who covered the event). ISE 2013 saw a record-breaking 894 exhibitors and 44,151 attendees pass through the doors of the Amsterdam RAI – and the accredited press count was in excess of 400. These figures will no doubt be eclipsed this month. PLASA, meanwhile,
continues its programme of staging regional shows on both sides of the Atlantic – in Nashville this month and Leeds, UK, in April. The format appears to be working well, and further expansion may well be on the cards. The main PLASA show itself will stage its second event at London’s ExCeL in October. The first saw a drop in participation by pro-audio companies and it will be interesting to see how this year’s event pans out. The lure of Berlin might signal a change in fortunes
for the annual AES European convention/exhibition, which has been in steady decline for some years. The organisers will be more than happy if their attendance/exhibitor figures approach those of the US show where last October’s New York event broke various records.
BROADCAST BIRTHDAYS On the broadcast front, the number of shows worldwide has hit an all-time high, with manufacturers and distributors having to be more selective regarding where and when they participate. Meanwhile, there are a couple of anniversaries to celebrate. To mark the TV channel’s
50th birthday, ‘BBC2: Origins; Influence; Audiences: A 50th Anniversary Conference’ will take place at London’s Science Museum in April. On 20 April 1964 the BBC launched its second television channel: BBC2. Although the launch was a flop (due to a major power cut) the station soon became a fixture of UK broadcasting. Says the museum’s spokesman: “This conference marks the 50th anniversary of BBC2, but is also timely in other ways. The way we view television
programmes is changing at a startling rate, not only because of satellite and cable, but as a result of the convergence of television and internet technologies, producing services that audiences watch as and when they choose. With the shift in technology the way we study the history of the television must also change, as not only types of programmes, but the idea of a self-contained channel becomes a thing of the past.” Radio Caroline, the first of
the pirate radio stations, launched at midday on Easter Sunday, 28 March 1964 and nothing was ever quite the same again. Radio Caroline, along with Wonderful Radio London was a fundamental part in the revolution of the British music and broadcasting industries and made many of the great names that are still played today. The first record played
on Caroline was the Rolling Stones’ Not Fade Away.
ROLLING ON The aforementioned Rolling Stones continue to ply their trade on the world’s stages, with 2014 seeing them play Abu Dhabi this month, before heading out on the road across the Far East and Asia, Australia, and New Zealand. And talking of oldies, Rick Wakeman will take his Journey To The Centre Of The Earth project on the road – 40 years on from its inception. The concert touring sector
continues to thrive – from small pub gigs through to the mega stadium productions. The festival calendar is full again, with Glastonbury having sold out in one hour and twenty seven minutes – another record. All in all, there is much to
look forward to. Here’s to the start of a very good year.
www.audiomedia.com
February 2014 11
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