WABE honoured the past and unveiled the future of regional media conferences in Canada.
The WABE organization would like to thank the following businesses for sponsoring our Media & Entertainment Technology Conference this year in Calgary:
Applied Electronics · GPA · Pippen Technical Service · Telos Alliance ·Super HiFi · LG Business Canada ·Matrix Video ·Burli · RCS Software · Broadcast Systems International · Grundy Telecom · WideOrbit · Deltech Communications · SFM · Broadcast Technical Services · RVA Lighting & Mast · Dialight· Avid · SFM
Sponsorship continues to be a major way we help fund events, rent spaces, provide food, and maintain a place for us all to come together. This year’s vision was to take what we’ve learned about the value of regional conferences and just invite more friends for our 75th, and bring people together for the SAIT Broadcast System Technology alumni for a reunion on Monday night as well as many organizations across the industry from APPA to AMPIA to SMPTE, SBE and NCRA who can benefit from connections and technology partners accessible for free in our Tech Exhibit Hall.
With over 375 in attendance over the course of the three days, and the beginning of the vision to have a cross-sector broadcast, live production, AV, post-production, film techie show (which some called the “mini NAB of the North”), we believe that with the support of sponsors & business and the volunteers in our community it is possible to sustain and grow this event to support, connect and innovate right here in Canada.
Our volunteer group, who came from almost every kind of background working behind the scenes in tech, is one that I am immensely proud to serve beside, including the executive:
Cameron Thomson (President) · Rob Brown (Vice President) · Daniel Oong (Secretary) · Treasurer · Host Chairs: Ken Gould (Diversified), Cheryl Bruley (Applied), Program Chairs: Chris Lee (Retired), Jim McTighe (Bell Media), Todd Fletcher (CBC), Sessions Chairs: Darren Kronlund (CTV), Tammy Byrka (CTV), Matt Jakuszko (Rogers Media), Social Media Chair: Amrita Rai (Dome Productions), Exhibit Chair: Alan English (Matrix Video), WABE Historian: Randy Opperman (Rogers Media), SAIT Reunion: Chris Lapp (Cisco), Special Projects: Dale Coutts (retired), Content Stragegist & Video Producer: Shilpa Sharma (Ascendant Financial Inc.), Runners: Bedford Gould (recent graduate) & Liam Jeffs (SAIT).
One of WABE successes has always been having volunteers come together from different backgrounds and businesses. Volunteering has been one of the most rewarding things for me in recent years and connecting with others who work behind the scenes but whom I wouldn’t meet in my daily work. I’m always impressed by how much people are willing to give of their time to help our community.
With over 60 vendors participating this year in our Exhibit Hall (not counting the sales staff who attended from other brands and manufacturers), the buzz is still being felt with the question of where we go next. If you attended this year, please fill out our survey. Let us know how we did and where you want to go next.
On the first day, we had a great tour with Erin Ruttan and the City of Calgary with over 40 technicians, who walked to see the Calgary Wave Tech Centre and view testing being done with ATSC 3.0 technology, in partnership with the Humber Broadcast-Broadband Convergence B²C Lab and the City of Calgary.
The evening’s festivities continued with a Media Mixer, or kickoff event, that was one part birthday party, one part broadcast technology reunion, and one part awards.
This year’s award winners were: the WABE Excellence in Engineering Award to Kerry Downs from Pattison Media in Medicine Hat; Tom Wiebe from Golden West Broadcasting; and the Sheila R. East Women in Broadcasting Award, presented to Heather Best from Diversified. We also had a very special W. Lamb Award presentation to instructors in attendance from the SAIT BXST program, with an outline of how impactful this program has been to the industry and the lives of its students, given by Chris Lapp.
People were also thrilled to see the over 70 students whom we toured through the Exhibit Hall, giving them a first-hand look at media tech and opening their eyes, many expressed a “wow” as they walked into the hall. People who want to work in our industry are excited when they see technology they might one day work with.
Tuesday evening, our Festivus for the Rest of Us event saw over 120 people pile into the Palomino to enjoy some barbecue eats and fixings, and get to know a few people they might not have met before. Team trivia was a great way to connect and network with those outside their regular circle.
Two highlights from our program stand out:
#1 People really enjoyed Leaders stepping up to speak in our panels. What came out was thoughtful, insightful, and forward-thinking about what’s important.
Navigating the Future Regulation, Innovation and the Canadian Media Landscape
Moderator -Connie Thiessen, Kirk Nesbitt – CAB, Steve Jones – President Stingray Radio, Damian Petti – IATSE, Adnaan Wasey – Calgary Film Commissioner
Leaders Panel – Connecting the Dots. Opportunities and Challenges in Canada’s Media & Entertainment Technology Landscape
Jeff Moore – Ross Video, Jonathan Garcia – Technical Marketing Director for Creston in the Americas, Mike Johnston – Director Engineering Dome, Kevin Dejardins – CAB, Moderator – Tim Truax – PodSummit
#2 There’s still a strong appetite to hear, see, and ask questions in person. This type of learning still has value in our careers, many people emailed me afterwards about how motivated they felt for their jobs in the months to come.
I thought the event would generate all kinds of AI talk, and it did. There was a good conversation about AI being used as a tool in video and audio for efficiencies, the same kind of efficiencies we’ve seen before with automation. It’s clear that companies making products do not want to replace creative people and creative jobs and compromise great content.
Some of the topics that resonated and were talked about around the coffee station were:
- How to open doors to the next generation
- How to pass on expertise in a field where most mastery comes from 10+ years on the job
- How to build cross-sector collaboration (Broadcast, AV, private and public broadcasters)
- How to navigate regulation, rules, and government legislation in a complex landscape while new tech knocks at the door
What’s clear though, behind-the-scenes in media and entertainment tech, whether you’re an operator, a technician, or a creator from content creation to delivery, there is opportunity in Canada to earn a living and be part of great projects.
Over the past five years, I have sometimes heard doom and gloom: restrictions, reduced buying, and business changes. It all feels a bit negative, but I see opportunities: new sports teams, new facilities, cross-platform delivery, advancing tech, and an appetite for Canadian content. There’s a bit of a back-to-basics for radio: talk to your community, call on your community, program for your community. After years of corporate cycles, some stations are returning to private ownership, and station managers and leaders are supporting staff to attend conferences like ours, to learn new tech and efficiencies.
Investing in people, and local journalism, is still happening, albeit in smaller form. New facilities are being built and integrated for multi-use, screens, connectivity, and production workflows. Tools for filmmakers are improving daily, making it easier for a small production to overcome hurdles that would once have required a big budget.
Celebrating 75 years of the organization is a big achievement. Keeping this going this long shows the power of community and the need for educational sessions, the chance to see and touch technology in our Exhibit Hall, network, and meet real people working in our industry across sectors.
For those wanting to see slideshows or our SAIT BXST reunion photo slideshow, check out the front page of our website: wabe.ca. If you want to volunteer, reach out any time at info@wabe.ca. We’re always looking for marketing, web, and other people who can help us reach more folks and invite them to our community gathering. Stay tuned—sign up for our newsletter so you can find out where we’re headed next and join in our next event.
75th anniversary WABE Technical Display at the conference
We’re incredibly proud to stand behind Canadian businesses, manufacturers, resellers, integrators, and every company that sends people to connect, learn, and grow with us. At WABE, we bridge the past while building the future of what a Media & Entertainment Technology Conference can be in Canada.
AVIXA Women’s Council Meet Up
Our vision is simple yet powerful: to connect the Media and Entertainment Technology industry and their ideas. We do this through inclusivity, by welcoming everyone from those just starting their careers to seasoned industry veterans, because if you’re engaged in media technology, you belong here. We do it through connection, by offering a space where professionals who often work in small teams or alone can find their people, share stories, and spark new ideas. Through education, we stay committed to continuous learning, ensuring our members remain at the forefront of innovation in a fast-moving field. And through collaboration, we remind ourselves that it’s not who we work for that defines us, it’s the work we do together that drives the entire industry forward.
That’s what makes WABE the organization more than a conference, it’s a community, a catalyst, and a celebration of the people shaping the future of media and entertainment in Canada together.
Tessa Potter
Volunteer President, WABE
