As we welcome 2021 with open arms and leave 2020 behind us, we all felt a bit of a void not welcoming the new year with our annual trip to Vegas for CES. Fortunately, despite its virtual presence, this year's event did not disappoint. In fact, it was an impressive feat with attendees and participants alike, absorbing the innovation, knowledge and trends that will shape the technology world in the coming years from the comfort - and safety - of their homes.
One of the key highlights was the 2021 Variety Entertainment Summit: A CES Partner Program, where Andr Kudelski, Chairman & CEO of the Kudelski Group, was a featured speaker during two popular sessions. The first was a one-on-one interview with Variety NY Digital Editor, Todd Spangler titled, Key Technology and Innovation Trends . He then joined the Tech Heroes of the Pandemic panel moderated by Variety Artisans Editor, Jazz Tangcay.
In line with the current events of the world, both sessions explored how the M&E market, as well as communities, businesses and individuals everywhere, have been fundamentally transformed by the COVID crisis. Attendees gained a unique perspective on Mr. Kudelski's knowledge and holistic vision of the global innovation and technology landscape. If you were not able to attend the virtual event, here are the key takeaways:
Tech Trends to Watch in 2021:
According to Mr. Kudleksi, the main technology and innovation trends to look out for in 2021 include cloudification, telecommunications and security. Variety's Hanna Hensler's recent article, Kudelski Group CEO Andr Kudelski on the Top Technology Trends to Look Out for in 2021, includes important takeaways, as well as access to the one-on-one interview that took place during the event.
Artificial Intelligence (AI) advancements also ranked high on the list of trends to watch. This includes AI as it applies to helping people adapt faster in their current environments. AI should not be looked at as a standalone technology, but rather a way to enhance the way people work and react faster and better to get things done.
Taking a closer look at security threats, the need for content protection is on the rise because pirates are taking advantage of the disruption in the world combined with an increased demand for content from consumers. This is not isolated to media content; the same trend applies to consumer data. Taking the correct steps with the right technologies can help address this issue. Moving forward we will see that the need to protect data and content will be more important than ever before.
Acceleration of Digitalization: A Fundamental Change in How We Move Forward
For years, businesses have been looking for ways to accelerate digitalization. However, massive strides were not made until a number of actors, companies, individuals and societies were essentially forced to make the leap to digital. Until now, there was never a strong enough reason to stop, disrupt business, and restructure the way we do business. This global crisis forced people out of their comfort zone to take the necessary, calculated risks to keep business going while implementing new and innovative ways to work.
The only way to survive in such a disruptive time is to adapt, to adapt quickly and to change the engrained behavior that has been embraced for decades. Fortunately, many have found innovative ways - fairly quickly - to adapt. This is the key in today's digitation acceleration, with initiatives that took years are now taking months. It is a radical shift.
Optimizing Collaboration - Making Connections in a Digitized World
Not a single company or even a single government can do everything by themselves. This is why collaboration is so important. With the current landscape, it is more challenging to collaborate effectively as face-to-face meetings are limited. Tech innovations are trying to fill the void, but there are a number of important meetings that are simply not effective in a remote environment. Face-to-face interaction is essential. Moving forward, there must be investments in ways to make true collaboration possible with a balanced approach that includes the right technologies, combined with in-person experiences when necessary.
Activating Immersive Entertainment Experiences
In the M&E world, there is a chemistry when people come together. This not only applies to the professional side of business, with innovations such as remote working and remote production, but also in the relationships between people when you deliver an ultimate entertainment experience. Unfortunately, this chemistry has been limited with the pandemic. Now, there is a real opportunity to interconnect fans and viewers to enjoy something together by using technology to reproduce a sense of community. Once pandemic is over, this will morph into a hybrid solution between the two - both in-person and digital experiences. Consuming content for entertainment purposes will no longer be a passive experience.
What's Next:
If there is one thing we have realized over the past year, it is that we are not able to choose the downside of a crisis. However, it's important to note that in every crisis there can be immense opportunity and when reach the bottom, there is only one way to go and that is up. By taking a look at the current tech and media landscape, we can see that there is so much opportunity to be had when digital transformation technologies and people are in sync and the desire to evolve is embraced.
Contact us to learn how NAGRA can help M&E companies innovate in todays digitized world.
Europe Stories
05/01/2027
Worlds first 802.15.4ab-UWB chip verified by Calterah and Rohde & Schwarz to be ...
04/08/2026
Dalet, a leading technology and service provider for media-rich organizations, t...
04/07/2026
April 7 2026, 19:00 (PDT) Detective Conan: Fallen Angel of the Highway Opens in...
01/06/2026
January 6 2026, 05:30 (PST) Dolby Sets the New Standard for Premium Entertainment at CES 2026
Throughout the week, Dolby brings to life the latest innovatio...
14/05/2026
At Spotify, we're focused on making every listening experience feel intentio...
14/05/2026
Spotify recently welcomed songwriters, artists, executives, and music students t...
14/05/2026
New articulations, ostinatos, Motion Scoring Articulation Sets & more
Sonuscore's flagship cinematic string library has just been treated to a significa...
14/05/2026
World-class studio opens on T rkiye's Aegean coast
P r Recording & Residence have announced their official opening, introducing a new world-class reside...
14/05/2026
Now supports channel layouts up to 9.1.6
Nugen Audio have just released an update for their AI-powered dialogue intelligibility and compliance tool. Set to ...
14/05/2026
New recordings & one-key chord tool
UVI have just announced the release of Orchestral Suite 2, a ground-up redesign of their all-in-one symphonic orchestra ...
14/05/2026
Two new arrivals & expanded factory content
Rob Papen's all-encompassing plug-in and virtual instrument collection has just been treated to another upda...
14/05/2026
Embed QR codes into DAW sessions
FSK Audio's latest plug-in doesn't process audio, but serves as an organisational tool that allows QR codes to be e...
14/05/2026
Rohde & Schwarz transforms spectrum complexity into situational awareness and ef...
14/05/2026
Rohde & Schwarz and Quantum Systems join forces to redefine EW and C-UAS-enabled...
14/05/2026
Rohde & Schwarz showcases STANAG aligned ARDRONIS Counter UAS capability at NATO...
14/05/2026
Code of Silence has won the BAFTA for Best Drama Series at Sunday night's ceremony at the Royal Festival Hall.
The series, starring Rose Ayling-Ellis and w...
14/05/2026
Vivid Broadcast was embracing remote production long before it became the industry norm. Now, with Calrec's True Control 2.0-enabled Argo M and Type R conso...
14/05/2026
RT is today publishing the earnings of its top 10 highest-earning presenters for 2025, ahead of the publication of RT 's Annual Report 2025 later this year...
14/05/2026
What can I watch on UKTV and stream on U this week?
This week on UKTV and the free streaming service U, viewers can watch a range of new and returning programm...
14/05/2026
The high-stakes chase thriller from Oscar- and BAFTA-nominated writer Matt Charm...
14/05/2026
Back From The Brink airs Sunday 17 May and Sunday 24 May at 6.30pm on RT One an...
13/05/2026
13 May 2026
VEON Delivers Strong Start to 2026 1Q26: Revenue 17.0%, EBITDA 17...
13/05/2026
Thousands of props donated from Skys longest-running original seriesWednesday 13 May 2026
How a neon windmill from A League of Their Own ended up in a dogs'...
13/05/2026
SAN JOSE, Calif. - May 13, 2026 - Harmonic (NASDAQ: HLIT) today announced that I...
13/05/2026
A definitive portrait of one of Ireland's most influential musicians
New TV documentary airs Monday 18 May on RT One and RT Player at 9.35pm
Watch the...
12/05/2026
Spotify is where fans and artists come together, turning discovery into somethin...
12/05/2026
Features patented Marco-MMC clocking technology
Black Lion Audio's latest release combines the company's expertise in clocking with their renowned p...
12/05/2026
New Track Panel, sequencer upgrades & more
Following their recent public beta release, Reason Studios have announced the full release of Reason 14. With the...
12/05/2026
Rohde & Schwarz presents its advanced solutions for power electronics testing at...
12/05/2026
aconnic AG (ISIN: DE000A0LBKW6), Munich, has developed a modified fund raising p...
12/05/2026
FOX Announces Schedule for 2026-27 Season FOX'S POWERFUL NEW SERIES PIPELINE FUELS A BREAKOUT SEASON WITH RETURNING HITS AND BOLD NEW STORYTELLING ACROSS ...
12/05/2026
Customer demand for data continues to grow in the first quarter of 2026 at Magya...
12/05/2026
The latest drama underscores Sky's continued investment in regional production and Welsh creative talent.Tuesday 12 May 2026
Wales takes the spotlight in S...
11/05/2026
As Eurovision fans gear up to celebrate the 70th anniversary of the iconic song ...
11/05/2026
Pela primeira vez na hist ria, o Brasil figura entre os oito maiores mercados de...
11/05/2026
New desktop instrument focused on tactile performance
Bastl Instruments have announced the Kalimba, a new desktop instrument that combines physical modellin...
11/05/2026
Compact sampling workstation gains new features
1010music have announced the blackbox 2, a new version of their compact standalone sampler designed for DAWl...
11/05/2026
Performance-focused sequencer with microtonal control
Berlin-based KOMA Elektronik have announced Monoplex, a new 42HP Eurorack sequencer designed for hands...
11/05/2026
Boasts wireless control from mobile devices
The latest iteration of IK Multimedia's compact amp and effects modelling pedal expands on the capabilities ...
11/05/2026
Spans traditional orchestral and experimental sounds
Sonora Cinematic have recently released the third instalment in their Transfigured Orchestra series, de...
11/05/2026
Our exhibition coverage
Watch all our SUPERBOOTH 2026 video coverage in one place. Check back to this page regularly as we will be updating with more video ...
11/05/2026
aconnic AG (ISIN: DE000A0LBKW6), Munich, is participating in the Equity Forum Ge...
11/05/2026
Bounteous Acquires Cartesian to Accelerate Enterprise AI
May 11, 2026
Business Assurance
News
Acquisition enhances deep data and analytics capabil...
11/05/2026
11 May 2026
VEON Shareholders Re-elect Board and Chairman, Reaffirming Confiden...
11/05/2026
Fox Corporation Reports Third Quarter Fiscal 2026 Financial Results NEW YORK, NY, May 11, 2026 - Fox Corporation (Nasdaq: FOXA, FOX; FOX or the Company ) t...
11/05/2026
Arvato Systems Becomes a Member of InsurLab Germany
Collaboration in the insurance industrys leading innovation network
G tersloh - Arvato Systems has joine...
11/05/2026
Pirate Predator uncovers new information from victims and survivors of abuse on ...
10/05/2026
RT ALL-IRELAND DRAMA FESTIVAL WINNERS ANNOUNCED DURING GALA AWARDS STREAMED LIVE ON RTE.IE/CULTURE
Kilmeen Drama Group hailing from Rossmore, Co. Cork Scoops ...
09/05/2026
New desktop instrument focused on tactile performance
Bastl Instruments have announced Kalimba, a new desktop instrument that combines physical modelling, F...
As we welcome 2021 with open arms and leave 2020 behind us, we all felt a bit of a void not welcoming the new year with our annual trip to Vegas for CES. Fortunately, despite its virtual presence, this year's event did not disappoint. In fact, it was an impressive feat with attendees and participants alike, absorbing the innovation, knowledge and trends that will shape the technology world in the coming years from the comfort - and safety - of their homes. 
