At least 56 exhibitors, sponsors and media partners have so far confirmed they will take part in the ABU Digital Broadcasting Symposium 2019.

DBS takes place at Kuala Lumpur from March 4 to 7. This year’s theme is ‘Digital Transition and Transformation’.

More than 60 companies are taking part in the exhibition, which will showcase their products and services at the exhibition from March 5 to 7. The exhibition will highlight the latest digital technologies and services available to broadcasters.

The conference on the same dates will feature expert speakers from the region and beyond. It will have 12 sessions, all focusing on topics of strong interest to broadcasters.

Session topics include Broadcasting Strategies for the Future, Cybersecurity and Media – Action Required, Migrating to IP – Standards, Strategies and Challenges, and Advances in Digital Radio & TV Technologies.

The primary role of the symposium, which turns 15 in 2019, is to help broadcasters in the region make a smooth transition to digital broadcasting.

When DBS was launched in 2005, a lot of Asian broadcasters had not yet started going digital. Many have now completed the process, or are busy doing so.

The symposium has shared that journey with them, growing steadily along the way. It is now one of the region’s leading events for the broadcasting industry.

The Asia-Pacific Broadcasting Union (ABU) launched it as a way for broadcasters to help their fellow broadcasters go digital, with help from many others in the industry.

An ever-expanding range of technologies is now on the market, providing broadcasters with important new opportunities. DBS showcases these to help broadcasters make the right decisions.

The symposium is held each year in Kuala Lumpur. It consists of a conference, an exhibition, masterclasses and workshops, and attracts more than 1,000 participants annually. In 2018, they represented 355 organisations in 48 countries.

The Principal Sponsor in 2019 is WorldDAB, a global industry organisation responsible for defining the DAB and DAB+ standards for digital radio.

It will also hold a workshop on 4 March and have a WorldDAB Pavilion at the exhibition featuring five of its members.

Major Sponsors are Rohde & Schwarz and the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission.

In addition to WorldDAB, the workshop sponsors include Dolby, DVB, Rohde & Schwarz, Dalet, Whiteways Systems and DRM.

A masterclass on the use of drones in video and broadcast production will be a highlight of DBS 2019.

In a first for the symposium, the 90-minute masterclass will be held each day from 5 to 7 March. A specialist in the field of advertising and video production will conduct it.

Participants will be able to gain first-hand experience in controlling a drone, along with advice on how to handle drones in critical or emergency situations.

They will learn about the various types of drones and their practical applications, as well as receiving professional tips and advice on how to give their footage an extra edge through post production techniques.

Interactive masterclasses will also be staged throughout the symposium on three other topics: mobile journalism, immersive virtual reality, and using the latest broadcast quality cameras.

An award-winning South African journalist, Viasen Soobramoney, will conduct full-day masterclasses on mobile journalism on 4, 6 and 7 March. He will look at how to create engaging content and professional videos using a smartphone.

Eight masterclasses on virtual reality, showcasing state-of-the-art storytelling and content creation, will take place over the course of three days, 5-7 March. Jointly presenting them will be Funique VR and HTC Vive. Each session will last about 50 minutes.

The masterclass on broadcast camera setup, operation and techniques will focuses mainly on the skills needed to operate new, broadcast quality HD/UHD cameras.

An expert from Iran, Mohieddin Moradi, will conduct it. He is a video engineer in the research and development department at Iran’s national broadcaster, IRIB, and an instructor at IRIB University.

Several workshops presented by manufacturers, experts and solution providers offer a great opportunity to learn and understand more about the application and implementation of specific technologies and how best to use them in a given environment.

The symposium will feature a best booth award, to be decided by participants. The winner will receive a free booth in 2020. There will also be a lucky draw on the three days of the conference. 

Registration for the symposium is still open. To register, please visit http://dbs.abu.org.my. The exhibition is open to the public free of charge.