TVBEuropes Jenny Priestley sits down with new SMPTE president Richard Welsh to discuss his aims for the organisation going forward, its efforts to attract a younger, more diverse membership, and broader industry adoption of IP technologies
By Jenny Priestley
Published: March 10, 2025 Updated: March 12, 2025
TVBEurope's Jenny Priestley sits down with new SMPTE president Richard Welsh to discuss his aims for the organisation going forward, its efforts to attract a younger, more diverse membership, and broader industry adoption of IP technologies
target=_blank title=Share on LinkedIn class=share-linkedin>
Established in 1916 as the Society of Motion Picture and Television Engineers, SMPTE has published more than 800 technical standards and related documents for broadcast, filmmaking, digital cinema, audio recording, information technology (IT), and medical imaging over the past 100+ years.
Appointed as the organisation's president in January, Richard Welsh is the latest in a long line of media technologists tasked with guiding SMPTE as it navigates the ongoing changes within the industry, including the move from hardware to software, and the rise of artificial intelligence.
Richars Welsh, president, SMPTE We're still very much an international standards development organisation, which is how we started, explains Welsh, but what I think is really cool about SMPTE is that over and above that we're a really amazing technology community, and it's all about developing talent and bringing the community together to learn from each other across all the different areas of technology that we're touching in media.
Welsh describes SMPTE's membership as a very broad umbrella open to broadcasters and vendors alike. A transport protocol like SMPTE ST 2110 is implemented by vendors, but it has to be architected by broadcasters, he explains. Both parties have to work together to do that because you don't use one piece of hardware that does everything.
Even before being appointed president, Welsh was involved in engaging new members not just in the United States or UK but around the world. One of SMPTE's biggest areas of expansion currently is in India, which Welsh hopes will become its own section within the SMPTE membership. Similarly, with the UK and Europe, we are seeing an increase in membership, he adds.
In the UK, currently the fastest-growing region in SMPTE, there's been a push to reach out to members outside of London with meetings and events taking place in Manchester and Leeds. This has been driven by members of SMPTE who volunteer to run the events. In each region, you have to find people who are enthused and active and can give time to it, and nurture that local community to bring it together, states Welsh.
He cites the events being held outside London as a good example of members who want to bring their local media technology community together, under the wider umbrella and resources of SMPTE. On a global level, the network is amazing. I want to see us build on that, and take advantage of the fact that we have these incredibly dedicated individuals who are putting their time and energy into SMPTE for the good of SMPTE and the good of the community. We need to recognise it and build on it. That's how we will increase our international activity and also make us feel more global. That's not to say we're not a global organisation. We absolutely are, but it can feel US-centric.
The future of 2110 SMPTE officially ratified 2110, its standard for video, audio and metadata over IP networks, in 2017. But, like any standard, it hasn't stood still since ratification. Not only is 2110 seeing adoption in traditional broadcast workflows, but the AV industry is finding uses for the standard as well. Welsh cites the Sphere in Las Vegas, which is using 2110 to sync all the servers for its 16K x 16K screen. It's the only protocol they could make work for such a complex and critical environment. You can't have any slip there, because it's going to immediately be a problem for the audience.
But while some broadcasters and venues are embracing 2110, full adoption across the broadcast industry remains slow. Adoption is always one of the challenges. You can write a standard, but it doesn't always go the way that everyone just starts using it, he admits. I guess the nervousness covers some real concerns around reliability, robustness and security effectively.
Asked what his message would be to broadcasters who are nervous about adopting IP, Welsh says he wanted to encourage them to get more involved with SMPTE and help make the standard fit their needs. If there are gaps, then help us make the standard better. If it's something more than that and there's a bigger conversation, again, SMPTE is a great place to have that, because we bring together all these different members of the community, the vendors, the content owners, even the creatives.
Another challenge for SMPTE is moving to a more modern way of developing, publishing and maintaining standards. 2110 is in what Welsh describes as a maintenance and development phase where it can be used but also evolve along with the industry. Any standard is going to keep developing. I think the way in which we develop them will also keep evolving.
It's not just standards that are evolving, the way viewers consume content is undergoing fundamental change, and then there's the rise of immersive technologies such as extended reality and virtual reality. With the likes of IPMX emerging as a standard for the AV industry, Welsh says there are opportunities where it and 2110 can exist side by side. They have 2110 embedded in there as a timing protocol along with PTP. I think evolving it towards these next-generation formats that effectively wil
Europe Stories
05/01/2027
Worlds first 802.15.4ab-UWB chip verified by Calterah and Rohde & Schwarz to be ...
09/10/2026
September 10 2026, 06:00 (PDT) Dolby Expands Dolby OptiView Platform with New Capabilities at IBC 2026
New Sports Intelligence helps providers better unders...
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...
11/09/2026
Spark series gains compact modelling stompbox
Positive Grid's Spark amps have become a popular part of the company's line-up, offering a convenient ...
11/09/2026
New flagship sequencing plug-in revealed
Rapid Flow have just launched a new 16-track sequencer plug-in which they say has been designed for total rhythmic...
11/09/2026
Rohde & Schwarz unveils the air-cooled R&S TM1 medium-power UHF transmitter at I...
11/09/2026
Friday 11 September 2026
Sky Sports extends US Open deal to 2030
Sky has agreed a three-year extension to its US Open deal, ensuring Sky Sports & NOW remains ...
11/09/2026
Wuppertal September 11, 2026
A Decade of Innovation: AMP VISUAL TV Builds on Ten Years of MediorNet EvolutionAMP VISUAL TV is continuing the evolution of its ...
11/09/2026
Wuppertal September 11, 2026
Mediacom Deploys Riedel Easy5G for Wireless Camer...
11/09/2026
Wuppertal September 11, 2026
Touring Video Expands Flexible Production Workflows With Riedel MediorNet and hiRiedel Communications today announced that Tourin...
11/09/2026
Wuppertal September 11, 2026
Riedel Technology Powers Record-Breaking Esports World Cup Production in ParisFrom July 6 to Aug. 23, 2026, Paris hosted the Espo...
11/09/2026
Article courtesy of Digital Production
Read the article
With Baselight 8 coming in 2027, the interesting part is not the number of new buttons. Some features...
11/09/2026
It's almost iPhone Pro time. Starting Saturday, September 12, at 1 p.m, cust...
11/09/2026
RT has today announced Benetti Menswear as the sponsor of its 2026 Amgen Irish Open coverage for a sixth consecutive year, further strengthening the heritage c...
10/09/2026
Editing, restoration & mastering suite upgraded Acon Digital Acoustica 8 audio editing restoration mastering software.
Acon Digital have just launched the la...
10/09/2026
Classic synths & drum machines available to play
Based in Reading, UK, Readipop are a music and arts charity with a long track record of innovative, partici...
10/09/2026
Popular model updated & new addition introduced
With many of the models in Neumann's KH family now boasting onboard DSP and support for the company'...
10/09/2026
Improved desktop interface announced
The latest iteration of Arturia's flagship desktop audio interface has just arrived, introducing improved preamps, ...
10/09/2026
Progress needs proof: Rohde & Schwarz showcases its trailblazing test solutions ...
10/09/2026
The beloved duo are back with big challenges and even bigger laughs as they discover if you're ever truly too old to try something new.
Previous praise for...
10/09/2026
Thursday 10 September 2026
Sky News Defence Insider app launches as new researc...
10/09/2026
Thursday 10 September 2026
Award-winning network Sky Mobile to offer Apple iPho...
10/09/2026
Thursday 10 September 2026
Sky unveils gripping teaser for The Good Daughter, coming this NovemberTurn on cookies to view this content. Go to Privacy options a...
10/09/2026
Harmonic Leads the New Era of Broadband Connectivity at SCTE TechExpo 2026 Showcase Spotlights Include:
New cOS SensAI intelligence fabric unleashing data-pow...
10/09/2026
RT to Broadcast Amgen Irish Open free-to-air
New multi-year agreement will see RT continue to bring the Amgen Irish Open to Irish audiences
Ryder Cup hig...
10/09/2026
More than 30 women report allegations of sexual harassment, misogyny and bullying within National Ambulance Service
Tonight on RT Prime Time, 9:35pm, RT One ...
10/09/2026
Series 3 of Nero's Class begins Friday 11 September on RT Listen
The third...
09/09/2026
New parts aimed at hip-hop and pop productions
The latest update to Celemony's innovative virtual session musician expands the collection of built-in in...
09/09/2026
Save up to 40% until 21 September 2026
Sonarworks are currently running their Autumn Sale, with discounts of up to 40% currently available across their rang...
09/09/2026
Upcoming title officially launches in September 2026
Bjooks' celebrations for this year's 909 Day will be welcome news amongst drum machine lovers, ...
09/09/2026
Chennai/Luxembourg, 9 September 2026 - SES, a leading space solutions company, today announced the inauguration of its new office in Chennai, India, marking a s...
09/09/2026
September 9 2026, 22:35 (PDT) Cinema Sunshine Becomes Japan's First Exhibit...
09/09/2026
Wednesday 9 September 2026
Tom Daley adds final stitch to giant Baa-Ewe' t...
09/09/2026
Red Seat Ventures Integrates Barometer into Speakeasy to Maximize Podcast Revenu...
09/09/2026
Baselight-powered color comes natively to Media Composer, connecting creative de...
09/09/2026
RT brings three packed days of live radio, entertainment, news, weather and fun
Join RT Radio 1: Morning Ireland, Oliver Callan, Today with David McCullagh,...
08/09/2026
Built for rap producers, by rap producers
Sauceware Audio, the independent plug-in company founded by Grammy-nominated producer Jacob (Travis Scott, 21 Sava...
08/09/2026
Classic Sound Techniques design revived
Warm Audio's latest release delivers a meticulous recreation of the preamp circuitry employed by the Sound Techn...
08/09/2026
Latest soft synth inspired by the Memorymoog
XILS Lab have just launched a software instrument that draws its inspiration from Moog's iconic Memorymoog,...
08/09/2026
September 08, 2026 NORTHRIDGE, Calif. - Soundcraft today announced the launch of its Signature Plus Series Analog Connected Mixing Consoles. As the next genera...
08/09/2026
Tuesday 8 September 2026
Sky Go gets a major upgrade for Sky Glass and Sky Stream customers
Today, Sky launches a new version of the Sky Go app for Sky Glass ...
08/09/2026
Documentary thriller simulating a Russian attack on UK soil will culminate in a live final episode reuniting the playersTuesday 8 September 2026
Trailer releas...
08/09/2026
Tuesday 8 September 2026
Jamie Demetriou and Amelia Dimoldenberg to host next t...
08/09/2026
Wuppertal September 8, 2026
Riedel Introduces New OnAir Headset PlatformRiedel Communications today announced the launch of its new OnAir headset platform, a...
08/09/2026
BERLIN, September 8, 2026 - J nger Audio will introduce a major expansion of its flexAI audio processing platform at IBC 2026. The flexAI system adds autonomous...
08/09/2026
New Vendor-Agnostic Broadband Intelligence Fabric Reduces Operational Complexity and Improves Service Quality for Broadband Service Providers SAN JOSE, Calif. -...
08/09/2026
Arvato Systems Brings TI Expertise to the Stage
Panels, workshops, and real-world examples at the TI-SUMMIT 2026
Arvato Systems, a partner of the TI-SUMMIT 2...
08/09/2026
On October 1, Apple Arcade is rolling out a lineup of fun new games for players ...
07/09/2026
Two new full-range, flat-response cabinets introduced
HeadRush have recently introduced a pair of new full-range, flat-response cabinets designed for player...
TVBEuropes Jenny Priestley sits down with new SMPTE president Richard Welsh to discuss his aims for the organisation going forward, its efforts to attract a younger, more diverse membership, and broader industry adoption of IP technologies
