6 TVBEurope Register John Wilson
The long-standing IBC Chairman, John Wilson, has died at the age of 82. Holly Ashford refl ects on the career of a man regarded as the ‘architect’ of the modern day IBC
JOHN WILSON worked for EMI in the 1960s, before moving to Prowest as general manager. He later joined Link Electronics as a sales director, during which time he established a display division within the company. This later became Anna Valley, after Link was liquidated by owner Quantel. The UK-based kit rental company still exists as a subsidiary of Shooting Partners. More recently, his exceptional personal contribution to the supply side of the broadcast media and technology industry was recognised by the IABM, which awarded Wilson with an honorary membership. Wilson joined the IBC Management Committee, and in 1991 took over from Peter Mothersole as chairman. The
changes over the following years, under John’s leadership, were instrumental in shaping the IBC as we know it today. At the time of Wilson’s joining, the IBC was based at the Grand Hotel in Brighton, though it soon became clear the venue could not accommodate the IBC’s rapid growth. After a year in which it spilled over into the Metropole Hotel and Conference Centre, as well as a pavilion on the beach, the decision was made to move to the Netherlands.
1992 marked IBC’s arrival at the RAI, Amsterdam, and from 1994 it was held annually. Under Wilson’s leadership, improvements were also being made at management level. The fi rst IBC came about through a group of manufacturers’ desire
Wilson’s IBC vision takes fl ight IBC Content
Everywhere Europe Launching at IBC2014, IBC Content Everywhere Europe will provide a forum for discussing the latest developments and the future of digital content in Europe’s Single Market.
IBC Content
Everywhere MENA Held at the Madinat Jumeirah, Dubai 18-20 November 2014, IBC Content Everywhere MENA will provide a forum for the vibrant media sector of the Middle East and North Africa to interact with technology companies and service providers dedicated to opening
up global opportunities for online content distribution.
IBC Content
Everywhere LATAM IBC Content Everywhere LATAM will be held in Sao Paolo, Brazil, in 2015, with the country forecasted to be one of the highest profi le and most active broadcast markets in the near-term. Intelligence from comScore reports that Brazil is already the seventh largest internet audience in the world with 62.1 million unique visitors at the end of March 2013, while online video consumption in the country grew 18 per cent in 2012 — faster than the UK (11 per cent) and the global average of three per cent.
to organise an exhibition, and from 1968 was managed by the Institution of Electrical Engineers (IEE). This later became the IET, following the merger between IEE and IIE in 2006.
With Wilson at the helm, IBC became an independent body, owned by six partner bodies: IABM, IEEE, IET, RTS, SCTE and SMPTE, with a full- time professional staff. These developments ensured that the event was still run by the industry for the industry, with a dedicated staff allowing the organisation to be more fl exible and responsive. Many people were involved in this transition, but its success was due in very large measure to Wilson’s skills, contacts and vision.
The structural changes in management overseen by Wilson have helped create the IBC team as it is today, continually looking at ways to develop the event to meet the rapidly changing needs of the industry, and always looking to extend its reach.
When he passed the mantle on as chairman, he was given the title president. He remained one of the busiest people on site during the annual IBC show, so keen were delegates to talk with him.
Through it all he remained softly spoken, polite and calm. David McGregor, founder of TSL and a veteran of every single IBC, said “John Wilson was always the perfect gentleman who in his own quiet way worked extremely hard for the benefi t of IBC and the
www.tvbeurope.com July 2014
John Wilson
broadcast industry in general. His chairmanship transformed IBC into the well-drilled organisation it is today.” The remarkable legacy he leaves behind is emphasised by the scale of IBC’s growth since adopting permanent annual residency in Amsterdam in 1994. 2013 saw total exhibiting companies surpass 1,500, with almost 53,000 attendees from more than 170 countries. This year has also seen the introduction of a new ‘IBC Content Everywhere’ series of global events covering markets in Europe, the Middle East and
North Africa, and Latin America. The new annual events will be for professionals “engaged in the creation, management and delivery of entertainment and news content worldwide,” and will span areas such as rich media production, devices, apps, digital marketing, social media, content personalisation, big data, cloud services, second screens, and investment.
It is testament to Wilson’s vision that the business he helped to mature from its modest Brighton roots, is now taking fl ight to more international frontiers.
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