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IBC Exhibitor Viewpoint: Vincent Benveniste, Netia

Cybersecurity is a great concern and will be at the heart of several discussions at IBC

IBC2017 is approaching. Between now and then Radio World offers a series of short Q&As with manufacturers about their plans and offerings, to help you get the most out of the annual trade show. Vincent Benveniste is the president of Netia’s owner, Radio Act.

Vincent Benveniste

Radio World: How has business been for the company since last year’s IBC show?
Vincent Benveniste:
A lot has happened at Netia since last September: new owners, an updated focus and a new home. It is both a return to the basics and the beginning of a promising era. Radio Act, the agency my partner Anthony Savelli and I founded, is now the sole shareholder of Netia. We are private entrepreneurs exclusively focused on media and radio in particular. I am the president of Radio Act and in May Anthony Savelli was appointed CEO of Netia. We have set three main priorities for the team: reenergize Netia’s position in the Montpellier digital scene and ecosystem; empower Netia’s those who focus on radio as a core business, and invest in best IT practices. We have been overwhelmed by the reactivity of our team, customers and industry partners. Netia staff moved to new headquarters this summer. The move puts us in a better position to recruit, collaborate and welcome clients and partners. This is all very positive, challenging and exciting! This is just one example of the transformation Netia is experiencing, a change that will certainly be beneficial to our customers.

Radio World: What are you hearing from your customers about their business outlook this year? In what areas should we expect growth or the most interesting projects?
Benveniste:
We have conveyed our redirection toward radio personally to all the decision makers we have met across the world. Both my partner Anthony Savelli and I have been traveling around the world for the last eight months, strongly engaging with our existing key account customers. During our meetings, we have committed to concentrating heavily on radio broadcasting and to providing our strongest support to guarantee an outstanding radio listening experience. We see numerous projects coming from India, Australia, the United States, the Middle East, as well as from France and Italy. Our goal is to add value to existing clients’ installations and provide high-quality software and services. We are also expanding our footprint worldwide, with national public radio broadcasters in Jordan and Chad adopting Netia software earlier this year.

Radio World: What do you anticipate will be the most significant technology trend at IBC2017?
Benveniste:
Cybersecurity is a great concern and will be at the heart of several discussions at IBC.

In an increasingly hostile world, and Netia being a solution provider for major public service radio broadcasters, we have opened a dialogue with our existing clients and started evaluating risks, sharing ideas on how to protect their content and defend infrastructures, working hand-in-hand on defining a common roadmap.

Radio World: You have been active in the broadcast software market foralmost 10 years. What’s the biggest problem or challenge facing users in this segment right now?
Benveniste:
Radio, as a medium, is gifted as it can be consumed in many ways with an outstanding reach of more than 90 percent. Radio certainly will have a bright future in this new phase of the digital era as long as it remains smart, lean, mobile and agile but most importantly goes beyond listening. The biggest challenge is for radio broadcasters to adapt to the evolving consumption patterns and to cost-effectively acclimatize to provide the best experience for each platform. Audience interaction and fan engagement are pushing our clients to rethink their way of doing radio, to have to produce an increasing amount of content rapidly, and therefore challenging traditions and creating new opportunities.

Radio World: How has IP technology affected your company, if at all?
Benveniste:
In many ways, IP technology is affecting the manner in which our clients work. IP means less dedicated hardware and it opens doors to the virtualization of production. Netia has a dedicated team working on a French governmental research project and collaborating with other vendors to support radio broadcasters in the transition to IP. This project may also lead to a new international patent for Netia.

Radio World: What new products will your company be showing? Why should attendees visit your booth?
Benveniste:
As mentioned above, our focus at this year’s show is to continue to get closer to our clients. We will be exhibiting at Booth 8.C77 during IBC2017 and attendees are welcome to drop by to meet and connect with our team. We will present our most recent production that we have named “IBC2017 release.” Our entire company worked together to ensure that our software is ever more reliable — increasing documentation clarity and simplifying and optimizing installation and support. Our goal is to enhance customer satisfaction and user experience!

Radio World: Is the IBC Show a good investment?
Benveniste:
It is hard to measure ROI when investing in tradeshows and attending conferences. IBC offers a tremendous opportunity to meet with our clients and reach our core audience. Creating moments to share ideas with the industry is always good.

Radio World: What is your favorite thing about the IBC show?
Benveniste:
The multicultural atmosphere of the city of Amsterdam, biking on the canal and meeting with friends from the industry. The fact that it happens over a weekend allows our guests to be less distracted by office tasks, which is conducive to good meetings.

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