The Society of Broadcast Engineers’ Ennes Workshop at the NAB Show in Las Vegas will feature two tracks for the second year.
The event takes place on Friday and Saturday, April 4—5.
There is an RF101 track, for RF-based transmission methods. Meanwhile David Bialik and Fred Willard are helping to organize the second Media Over IP track, which focuses on both audio and video delivery of IP-based media — that is, “everything except the transmitter.” That track is the focus of this article.
Willard has been an SBE member since 1985 and is a manager of its Washington, D.C. chapter. He is the senior RF engineer at TelevisaUnivision. Bialik is the director of engineering at MediaCo New York and is active in the New York City SBE chapter.
Radio World spoke with them to get an idea of what is on tap in the MoIP sessions.
The right questions to ask
The pair was enthusiastic about Ennes workshops not only as an opportunity for engineers to gain knowledge but also to network. “An engineer does not have to know everything, but an engineer has to know how to get the answer,” Bialik said.
Willard said to expect mostly new material in the MoIP sessions this year. “It covers some of the same subjects, but the content has changed,” he said.
Bialik noted that the sessions had standing-room only crowds last year and expects a similar reception this year.
He said the sessions — generally 30 to 40 minutes in length — are aimed not only at engineers but also at those wanting to become engineers or technology directors, providing them with the tools they need to “know what questions to ask” about such technologies without getting too lost in the details.
“At the NAB Show, we have some of the top people in the world in these areas and subjects who are willing to volunteer their time, and we’re really grateful for that,” Bialik said.
Willard came up with an idea last year to organize Q&A sessions with three speakers at a time. The concept was well received, and it will be part of the MoIP track again this year.
Serving a convergence of media
According to Willard, the sessions reflect a convergence of media platforms — including radio, TV and streaming.
He pointed to a session on Friday, hosted by Alun Fryer of Ross Video Systems, which gives an overview of using different formats in news automation systems. “A lot of radio stations use the Tricaster and the NDI format but they’re making video now,” Willard said.
Bialik will moderate the “Media Over IP and Broadcaster” session on Saturday, featuring the father-and-son duo of Jeff and Joe Geerling. They could not quite coordinate the timing last year, but Bialik was persistent in getting them on the docket this year. The two will discuss testing setups, including mini-labs, for new equipment installation.
Bialik is also looking forward to the “IP Audio Formats” session he will moderate on Friday, where a panel will discuss compatibility among AoIP formats, including Dante, WheatNet and Livewire.
ATSC President Madeleine Noland will kick off the track on Saturday by updating the status of ATSC 3.0.
Both tracks conclude on Saturday by sharing an “Opening and Operating Your Own Consulting Engineering Business Panel Discussion.” Bialik said it will feature tips on how to thrive and survive in the multimedia engineering world.
The Ennes workshops at the NAB Show will also give SBE members a chance to meet Mike Downs, its new executive director.
Bialik and Willard emphasized the idea of information beyond the word “broadcast,” including for those organizing technology for houses of worship, post-production facilities or other non-broadcast purposes.
“Convergence is the biggest point here,” Willard said.
(View the full lineup of sessions at the SBE Ennes Workshop at the 2025 NAB Show.)
