WIG, the Workflow Innovation Group, was founded in 2010 to provide a forum for an open conversation about the business and technology challenges facing the media industry.

Spun out of the highly successful “WIG Talks” podcasts, WIG Talks Live will feature lively panel discussions that aren’t afraid to tackle the difficult questions, plenty of audience interaction and any sales rhetoric firmly left at the door.

Hosted and moderated by media consultant Christy King and WIG co-founder Steve Sharman, the event will discuss two technology trends impacting the media industry, AI and 5G.

As with past Workflow Innovation Group events, the primary focus of the event will be on the business and commercial implications of these technologies, however to satisfy attendees of a more technical persuasion, the event will also incorporate a Vortech track, covering technical aspects of the same topics.

Vortech, a summit for media developers and technologist, was first hosted by Vidispine in Stockholm in 2019 and followed up in 2020 with the vortechConnect virtual event.

Agenda – May 26, 2021

11am EST/4pm CET – The Intro

This session features the regular contributors of the WIG Talks podcasts to introduce the days topic. Following the theme from the podcast, during the session, our podcasters will pose a number of “Brilliant or Bust” statements around our two topics to be challenged through the event.

11.15am EST/4.15pm CET – The Meat

For the “main event” we will split into a “WIG” track and a “Vortech” track.

The first WIG session will focus on 5G and the business opportunities for broadcasters and media organizations – looking not only at the B2C but the operational elements and B2B opportunities. In the second session we’ll look at AI and “Making it Pay”. What and how can be implemented so it actually saves/makes money and what are the real-world savings or monetization realities when implementing AI?

For our “techies” the Vortech track will start by looking at one of the biggest issues surrounding AI – how to handle all the metadata it generates. We’ll take a look at some of the standardization initiatives for structuring metadata and debate the pros of cons for different approaches. For the second session, we’ll ask if 5G and FTTH gives us this incredible performance at the edge, how can/should we realize that? What’s needed to make remote collaboration really possible? What are the blockers?

1.15pm EST/7.15pm CET – The Summary

To wrap things up, we’ll come back together and put the spotlight back on our podcasters to answer those “Brilliant or Bust” statements and call out the highlights from each of the main sessions.

What’s your take on 5G or AI? What are “the elephants in the room” on those topics and the big questions that everyone seems to avoid?