Education for all: Broadcast Academy's Ekta Hutton on creating a lasting legacy By Heather McLean, Editor
Wednesday, August 21, 2019 - 09:06
Print This Story
The Broadcast Academy's Ekta Hutton
Sports broadcasting is all about the fan experience, encouraging the viewer to care and magnify the emotion. To make that possible, people in the television industry need education, and for those looking to get into this area, training needs to be made available.
While this type of educational resource is readily available in some countries, for some people it is harder to access, for instance, women and people from disadvantaged backgrounds. However, the Broadcast Academy, part of Host Broadcast Services (HBS), is helping to level that playing field. The Academy is headed by Ekta Hutton.
Lasting legacy
The Broadcast Academy aims to create a lasting legacy, Hutton says. That legacy is a practical way of developing talent to make a positive change in the industry on an international scale.
She explains: We are trying to create a cross-platform learning initiative that can bring us closer to our counterparts in other parts of the world, be they in Africa, the Middle East or Asia-Pacific. We have three key pillars: train tomorrow's stars; encouraging women in leadership positions in our industry; and sustainability. Our objective is to take small practical steps in the right direction and our efforts combined with all our participants' efforts is creating a domino effect of a more diverse and skilled workforce.
We have a long way to go as we feel this is just the beginning. The more support we get from partners and well-wishers, the better we will be able to serve our community.
The Broadcast Academy has evolved since she became part of it. Its success is visible in the success of its participants. Vera Bichler, a BA graduate, is now the first woman director at ORF, Austria. Refat Hamid from Palestine will be attending IBC 2019 for the very first time and Josephine Mankfu Talla, the only woman football director from Cameroon, is breaking all stereotypes in her home country.
Says Hutton: From an operations point of view, we are serving our community through our programmes in London, Paris, Liege, Amsterdam, Tunis, Hanoi, Colombo, Miami, and Kuala Lumpur. Our courses are attracting participants from far afield and one participant even came from Peru to London.
However, there is a lot more work to be done, she adds: We have a long way to go as we feel this is just the beginning. The more support we get from partners and well-wishers, the better we will be able to serve our community.
Ekta Hutton with people from the Broadcast Academy's Tunis programme
Onwards and upwards
Taking the Academy forward is a team effort, notes Hutton. She says the team consists of dedicated individuals that have devoted their time and effort to establish the Academy to its current level, including HBS management, Dan Miodownik and Luc-Antoine Charial, who are both supporters of the Academy, and Hutton adds, are not only resourcing the project but also creating a very clear roadmap and vision for the Academy .
She goes on: Secondly, it is our technical partner, EVS, that provides all the equipment and the support required to deliver a high end learning experience. We are also proud of our partnership with UNESCO that helps us bring awareness to issues facing the broadcast community.
Skills, training and accessibility in sports broadcasting today are areas that need a lot more work, Hutton states. She explains: The sports media world is a fantastic industry and full of passionate and talented people. But just like other industries, we also have our own share of challenges. The primary challenge is how do we attract talent, how do we develop that talent and then how do we ensure that our industry fosters equality and has a diverse workforce?
With the big broadcasters now moving from in-house production teams to outsourcing freelance staff, the challenge has now become clearer; who is responsible for the development of the talent? Is it the broadcasters, is it the government? If not the government and the broadcasters is it the individual himself or herself?
The difficulty is the disparate nature of this industry, she comments: In every country there are different stakeholders but no one currently is leading the path in developing talent.
I have met many people who feel passionately about the subject but are not sure how to lend their support. Providing training, exposure and opportunities are ways that broadcasters can bring out positive changes in our industry.
Through our programmes, we are able to offer a limited number of bursaries for women and minority groups. As a result, the participants are able to build industry networks and acquire skills and confidence required to progress in their careers.
As to what the sports broadcasting industry needs to do to rectify these issues, Hutton concludes: A coordinated effort. I have met many people who feel passionately about the subject but are not sure how to lend their support. Providing training, exposure and opportunities are ways that broadcasters can bring out positive changes in our industry.
SVG Europe is a great promoter of diversity and, by highlighting the challenges, is spreading awareness about the issue which is also a great way of making people accountable in their roles, she notes. I definitely do not believe in quotas and think the best way for us to address any issue is through conversation and education.
Ekta Hutton helping to create a lasting legacy at the Asian Games
Adventure and travel
Globetrotting throughout her career, Hutton has moved from India to the Middle East, to the UK, to Singapore and now Paris.
On how Hutton made the move from her homeland of India to the Middle East, she say
Most recent headlines
05/01/2027
Worlds first 802.15.4ab-UWB chip verified by Calterah and Rohde & Schwarz to be ...
07/10/2026
Dalet, a leading technology and service provider for media-rich organizations, today announced the latest Long-Term Supported (LTS) release of Dalet Flex. Build...
06/09/2026
June 9 2026, 23:00 (PDT) Dolby and MagentaTV Bring Fans Closer to the FIFA Worl...
19/08/2026
As the cost of IP nears price parity with traditional SDI, Reynolds argues that ...
19/08/2026
A private 5G bubble was chosen instead of traditional broadcast RF for the race ...
19/08/2026
(L-R) Rafael Manuel and Isabel Sicat attend the Filipi ana premiere during the 2026 Sundance Film Festival at The Ray Theatre on January 23, 2026, in Park Cit...
19/08/2026
Studio owners invited to have their say on rates cuts
The Music Producers Guild (MPG) are inviting UK-based studios to take part in an in-depth survey that ...
19/08/2026
Vintage-inspired desktop interface revealed
Harrison's latest hardware offering sees them head into the world of audio interfaces, delivering a 10-in/12...
19/08/2026
Granular effect remains locked to scale and tempo
Described as your dream granular effect , Minimal Audio's latest creation is capable of turning any s...
19/08/2026
First polyphonic SWAM instrument incoming
Audio Modeling's latest physical-modelling orchestral instrument is just around the corner, and is now availab...
19/08/2026
World Cup Games Generate 84 Billion Minutes Across FOX, Fox Sports 1 and NBCU...
19/08/2026
July brought typical peak-holiday drops in viewership, driven primarily by viewers stepping away from screens and a visible decline in reach across both traditi...
19/08/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
19/08/2026
Henry joins BCE as the company accelerates its commercial strategy and expands its international presence across the media, broadcast and technology markets. He...
19/08/2026
iWedia, a leading provider of software solutions for connected TV devices, today announced a major milestone in Android platform optimization with the successfu...
19/08/2026
NTP Technology announces that ST 2110-30 audio-over-IP connectivity with AES67 and RAVENNA capabilities is now available for the brand's world-class audio i...
19/08/2026
Net Insight has been selected to provide its Nimbra platform by the service provider Big Blue Marble, formerly ORS Group, as the core media transport solution f...
19/08/2026
LiveU has supported Coventry City FC and several other top-flight UK football clubs through one of their most demanding live production challenges of the year, ...
19/08/2026
Nature Seekers Documentary Shot with Blackmagic URSA Cine 12K LF
Brie Clayton August 18, 2026
0 Comments
Filming endangered turtles required camera...
19/08/2026
Neyrinck Brings D-Control Consoles Back to Life on Apple Silicon with D-Control ...
19/08/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
19/08/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
19/08/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
19/08/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
19/08/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
19/08/2026
Riedel Communications today announced that Edith Cowan University (ECU) in Perth, Australia, implemented a comprehensive communications infrastructure that brin...
19/08/2026
QuickLink, a leading provider of award-winning video production and remote guest contribution solutions, will spotlight a major leap forward in remote guest con...
19/08/2026
Integrated platform melds media asset management, playout automation and newsroom workflows
EMAM, PlayBox Neo and SNEWS have officially launched Nuvex, a conne...
19/08/2026
Screen Australia releases the Private Investment Toolkit to strengthen screen in...
19/08/2026
Do Aussies truly value local content? Unpacking Screen Currency 2026 with Deirdr...
19/08/2026
There's an early Christmas gift for Bookish fans, as UKTV confirms the re-commission of the hit U&alibi drama, created by and starring Mark Gatiss. Viewers ...
19/08/2026
Wednesday 19 August 2026
Sky gives sports fans the chance to watch multiple liv...
19/08/2026
On Saturday September 5 Katie Taylor will step into the ring for the fight of her life against Flora Pili in front of 80,000 fans in Croke Park. A legendary fig...
18/08/2026
SportStream 2026, a free three-day virtual event, will take place September 15-17. One registration provides access to all three days of live programming and on...
18/08/2026
BeckTV will introduce BeckFlow to the European market at IBC2026, demonstrated on the Providius stand (10.F53).
BeckFlow is a web-based schematic documentation...
18/08/2026
Boland Communications will introduce a SMPTE ST 2110 input option for its 4K monitors at IBC2026, along with a new 55-inch super-narrow bezel display for video ...
18/08/2026
Dolby Laboratories and the Seattle Seahawks have announced a partnership integrating Dolby OptiView into the Seahawks' live streaming coverage, making the S...
18/08/2026
For BMG Executive Producer of Sports Production, Graham Taylor, producing live s...
18/08/2026
TMRW Sports has appointed Rufus Hack as President of Golf, a newly created role in which he will lead the company's golf businesses including TGL presented ...
18/08/2026
SMT will provide race technology for FOX Sports' coverage of the Freedom 250 Grand Prix of Washington, D.C. on August 23, when the NTT INDYCAR SERIES races ...
18/08/2026
The live, YouTube-native roundtables combine fan voices, credentialed reporters,...
18/08/2026
Behind The Mic provides a roundup of recent news regarding on-air talent, includ...
18/08/2026
The industry legend sounds off on replacing the Heat's iconic Medusa score...
18/08/2026
William F. Rasmussen, the sports fan-turned broadcaster and entrepreneur whose out-of-the-box idea of a 24-hour cable sports network, ESPN, changed forever the ...
18/08/2026
DAZN Group has completed its acquisition of ViewLift, a provider of streaming and digital solutions for sports content owners. The acquisition was first announc...
18/08/2026
The American Association of Professional Baseball (AAPB) has added SI TV, Sports Illustrated's 24/7 streaming channel, as a broadcast partner for the remain...
18/08/2026
The Esports Foundation has announced that the inaugural Esports Nations Cup (ENC), originally scheduled for November 2026 in Riyadh, will be postponed to Novemb...
18/08/2026
Diversified has announced a new Global Managed Services Practice, consolidating the company's managed services capabilities into one organization. Rob Mello...
18/08/2026
Appear has completed a proof of concept with Thoroughbred Racing Productions (TRP), demonstrating multi-camera remote live production over bonded 5G cellular an...
Education for all: Broadcast Academy's Ekta Hutton on creating a lasting legacy By Heather McLean, Editor 
