AIMS appoints board officers and Working Group Chairs

AIMS appoints board officers and Working Group Chairs posted: 12/02/2016

The Alliance for IP Media Solutions (AIMS), the not-for-profit organization of broadcast and media industry suppliers, formed to promote open standards and interoperability in the transition to IP, has appointed its board and the chairs and deputy chairs for its newly formed marketing and technical working groups.

The AIMS board has been appointed, comprising three directors, Chairman Michael Cronk (SVP, Strategic Marketing, Grass Valley), Vice-Chairman Steve Reynolds (CTO, Imagine Communications) and Financial Officer Andreas Hilmer (director of marketing & communications, Lawo).

Following their appointment, the board in turn has appointed Kerry Wheeles (CTO - Networking, Imagine Communications) as Chair of the AIMS Technical Working Group, and Scott Barella (CTO, 5280 Broadcast) as Deputy Chair.

Commenting on the appointments, Chairman Michael Cronk said, I am pleased to announce that the AIMS board has appointed Kerry Wheeles as the Chair of the technical working group. Kerry brings a rich experience technical standards development. I want to thank Kerry for his willingness to serve in this capacity. I am also pleased to welcome the appointment of Scott Barella as Deputy Chair. Scott brings a wealth of industry knowledge, both from a vendor and user perspective, of broadcast technologies. Under Kerry and Scott's leadership, the technical working group will guide AIMS members and the industry, on successful implementation of and compliance with, the standards that will shape the transition to IP.

As we move to implement interoperable solutions over IP, there is a need to swiftly identify interoperability issues, clarify operating points, demonstrate interoperability, and develop positions on yet to be standardized aspects of IP. By doing so, we can serve to greatly accelerate the deployment of multi-vendor interoperable IP solutions which support the great work of SMPTE/EBU/VSF. Please join me in congratulating Kerry and Scott and offering them your full support.

In inaugurating the AIMS Marketing Working Group, the board has appointed Andy Warman (Director, Production and Playout Strategy and Market Development, Harmonic) to the position of Chair and Roger Sherwood (Digital Content & Media Solutions Business Development, Cisco) as Deputy Chair.

Welcoming these appointments, Michael Cronk further stated, I am pleased to announce that Andy Warman has been elected by the board as Chair of the marketing group, and Roger Sherwood as his deputy. As we move forward, Andy and Roger will work to establish additional roles within the marketing working group. There is much to accomplish in these formative times in our industry, and critical milestones such as NAB loom very near on the horizon. Please join me in congratulating Andy and Roger on their appointments and offering your full support as we work together towards one common set of protocols for IP interoperability.

AIMS' efforts will be focused on promoting the adoption, standardization, development and refinement of open protocols for media over IP, with an initial emphasis on VSF TR-03 and TR-04, SMPTE 2022-6 and AES67. Broadcasters and other media companies are seeking to leverage IP to increase the flexibility of their networks, help streamline workflows and improve agility to better compete in a rapidly evolving ecosystem. Open standards are the key to protecting current investments and ensuring long-term interoperability.

Open standards work for the IP transition is already underway by the 74-member Video Services Forum (VSF), with the support of organizations such as SMPTE and the EBU. AIMS endorses the work of the VSF and will continue to lend support in the development of a standard approach to IP; more than 30 broadcast equipment suppliers and broadcasters were involved in the development of VSF TR-03 and companies are actively testing and validating it today.

AIMS provides specific guidance in its bylaws to its members and to the media industry via the AIMS Roadmap. The organization endorses an IP transition plan that includes support for SMPTE 2022-6, AES67 and VSF recommendations TR-03 and TR-04.

A number of solutions are already on the market to help media companies begin the transition by introducing IP components to an SDI workflow. The transition represents a significant investment and will not happen overnight. An open standards approach allows media companies to implement the technology over time and transition at the pace that makes sense for their businesses.

Membership in AIMS is available to all individuals and companies that support open standards and share a commitment to the group's founding principles.

About the Alliance of IP Media Solutions

The Alliance of IP Media Solutions (AIMS) is a not-for-profit organization dedicated to the education, awareness and promotion of industry standards for the transmission of video, audio and ancillary information over an IP infrastructure, as well as products based on those standards. The group represents the interests of both broadcast and media companies and technology suppliers that share a commitment to facilitating the industry's transition from SDI to IP through industry standards and interoperable solutions that enable the rapid evolution to open, agile and versatile production environments.

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