Steve Belford, enterprise innovation architect at Channel 4, talks to TVBEurope about the broadcasters aim to be as well known for its approach to innovation as it is for its content, and its involvement in this years IBC Accelerator programme
By Jenny Priestley
Published: September 6, 2024 Updated: September 9, 2024
Steve Belford, enterprise innovation architect at Channel 4, talks to TVBEurope about the broadcaster's aim to be as well known for its approach to innovation as it is for its content, and its involvement in this year's IBC Accelerator programme
target=_blank title=Share on LinkedIn class=share-linkedin> Steve Belford, enterprise innovation architect at Channel 4, talks to TVBEurope about the broadcaster's aim to be as well known for its approach to innovation as it is for its content, and its involvement in this year's IBC Accelerator programme
https://www.tvbeurope.com/business/why-channel-4-is-open-for-innovation title=Share via Email class=share-email>
At IBC2024, UK broadcaster Channel 4 will be involved with three projects in the IBC Media Innovation Programme.
It's the first time Channel 4 has been involved with the Accelerator programme, as part of the broadcaster's aim to be as well known for its approach to innovation as it is for its content. Part of our objectives in technology within Channel Four for this year is to be seen as open for innovation, Steve Belford, enterprise innovation architect at Channel 4 tells TVBEurope.
Belford adds that Channel 4 sees the Accelerator programme as a way for it to begin to understand some of the emerging technologies within the media tech industry, and how the broadcaster can utilise them.
Steve Belford It allows us to take on some of these challenges that are kind of bite-size in nature, he continues. It's a way for us to step into working with our peers and technology partners in these kinds of smaller initiatives, which has a lesser impact on our resources. We are a public service broadcaster so we have a finite set of resources, but it allows us to gain valuable insight. It's also important for Channel 4 to be seen as a voice in the industry at such a pivotal time in terms of digital transformation.
Belford and his team attended the IBC Accelerator Kickstart Day in March when 12 projects were presented. They chose to be involved in three: AI Media Production Lab, Connect and Produce Anywhere, and Evolution of the Control Room - HTML-Based Graphics Solutions.
The Connect and Produce Anywhere project is exploring ways to remove complexity in the broadcasting and creation process, such as using low-latency connections and moving broadcast workflow into the cloud.
For us, it's a great project that allows people to make that broadcast process more creative, more flexible and also more sustainable as well, says Belford. For Channel 4, there was a real drive to get younger participation and it seemed a great opportunity for us to get our broadcast apprentices involved, and give them great exposure to areas of broadcast that maybe they wouldn't get working with Channel 4 alone, and also start looking at how they could work with peers and build networks beyond as well.
Artificial intelligence (AI) is also an area that the broadcaster is paying close attention to, particularly around how it can supplement the creative process rather than replace it. We're interested in where we can use AI to support the human in the loop. [The AI Media Production Lab] is a research and development project for us to step in and start understanding the positive nature of AI in terms of the creative process.
Belford says Channel 4 is constantly having conversations with technology partners about AI solutions and has already begun working to understand how some of the tools that they're delivering into existing platforms can be used.
From a Channel 4 perspective, we're obviously focused in terms of mission and purpose in making sure that we use AI for good, he adds. We want to make sure that we're focusing on the value that those tools can represent for Channel Four, but also our wider network, in terms of their relationships with independent production companies.
We want to make sure that [vendors] are transparent, making sure we understand how the models are used and how they're created, and really digging into the elements of risk and compliance before we step into any kind of technical relationship, continues Belford. That may have put us slightly behind the curve in terms of our partners, but it's important for Channel 4 to stand next to its purpose and mission.
Europe Stories
05/01/2027
Worlds first 802.15.4ab-UWB chip verified by Calterah and Rohde & Schwarz to be ...
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...
02/05/2026
Dalet, a leading technology and service provider for media-rich organizations, t...
01/05/2026
January 5 2026, 18:30 (PST) NBCUniversal's Peacock to Be First Streamer to ...
01/04/2026
January 4 2026, 18:00 (PST) DOLBY AND DOUYIN EMPOWER THE NEXT GENERATON OF CREATORS WITH DOLBY VISION
Douyin Users Can Now Create And Share Videos With Stun...
13/03/2026
Spotify has always been built around your taste. More than 80% of listeners say personalization is what they love most about us. Now we're taking that even ...
13/03/2026
The new Spotify Legends Club has opened its doors. Its members: select German-sp...
13/03/2026
Pushing drum sampler technology into new territories
The latest version of Klevgrand's software drum sampler has just arrived, boasting a newly designe...
13/03/2026
Expanded headphone support & engine improvements
IK Multimedia's recently introduced ARC On-Ear system brings the power of their monitoring-correction s...
13/03/2026
Extra sound collections, more presets & new Keys category
UVI's rhythm and pattern instrument has just received a major update that introduces four new ...
13/03/2026
13 Mar 2026
VEON Delivers Record Digital Growth: 4Q25 Digital Revenues Grow 84%...
13/03/2026
Friday 13 March 2026
Sky Adds Blood on Snow to Original Film Slate in Acquisiti...
13/03/2026
RT has announced today that Rick O'Shea is the new presenter of Arena RT Radio 1's flagship weeknight arts and culture programme. Rick has been pres...
13/03/2026
Lights! Camera! Action! The 98th Oscars set to air live as RT backs the Irish n...
12/03/2026
Staines-upon-Thames, UK, 11th March, 2026 - Yospace, the trusted leader in Dyna...
12/03/2026
In Latin America, women are shaping music and defining its future. To kick off t...
12/03/2026
En Am rica Latina, las mujeres est n moldeando la m sica y definiendo su futuro....
12/03/2026
Let's turn back the clock 20 years: The music landscape was a world away fro...
12/03/2026
Bad Bunny is no stranger to Spotify's Billions Club. In fact, he has a whopp...
12/03/2026
Spotify was at the London Book Fair this week, joining conversations across the publishing industry about how people can make reading part of their daily lives....
12/03/2026
Mastering tool improves mono compatibility
Tokyo Dawn Labs' Ohlhorst Digital range is a series of mastering-focused plug-ins developed by Jan Ohlhorst, ...
12/03/2026
Wave FX processor integrated into four products
Lewitt have teamed up with Elgato to create a new processor for the company's Wave Next product range, i...
12/03/2026
Free tool for annotating audio files
Mix Notes is a new, free iOS App that provides users with a simple way to annotate their audio files. It's been cre...
12/03/2026
Side-chain ducking tool gets an upgrade
Devious Machines' popular side-chaining and envelope-shaping tool has just been kitted out with an improved enve...
12/03/2026
Ceremony to take place on 16 April 2026
The MPG (Music Producers Guild) have revealed the full shortlist for this year's MPG Awards, which will be takin...
12/03/2026
Emulates three classic dbx 160 variants
The latest arrival to Overloud's Gem Series plug-in range faithfully recreates not one, but three versions of th...
12/03/2026
New granular soft synth announced
Said to be their most advanced software synthesizer to date, Baby Audio's latest release has been built on a new granu...
12/03/2026
Latest version now live!
Edit 11 March 2026 - Bitwig Studio 6 is now live, and available for all to download!
The latest version of Bitwig's DAW softwa...
12/03/2026
Latest free eBook now available!
Designed for recording engineers, audio-technology students and technically minded musicians, our latest free eBook deliver...
12/03/2026
Rohde & Schwarz Cybersecurity expands SITLine network encryptor portfolio - more...
12/03/2026
Rohde & Schwarz to showcase future-proof EMC testing solutions at EMV 2026 Rohde & Schwarz will participate in EMV 2026, Europe's premier trade fair and c...
12/03/2026
Modern media operations demand a platform that unites automation, orchestration, and human oversight without compromise. In this post, we explore the six key te...
12/03/2026
A deep dive into the platform
Architecture The Blue Lucy platform follows a distributed microservices architecture, meaning the overall operational capability...
12/03/2026
Orchestration platform enables broadcasters to deploy multiple AI models safely with full auditability, rights protection, and regulatory oversight.
LONDON, En...
12/03/2026
Wuppertal March 12, 2026
Riedel Expands Managed Technology Division in the Ame...
12/03/2026
Advanced Media Server Delivers Double the Channel Density at Half the Cost per C...
12/03/2026
The Late Late Show Show St Patrick's Day special
Dancing with the Stars f...
11/03/2026
First Medium-Earth Orbit (MEO) deployment of the emergency.lu platform for refugees and their host communities' use provides dependable broadband for humani...
11/03/2026
Following a successful first series, UKTV today announces the commission of two ...
11/03/2026
Wednesday 11 March 2026
Sky and CANAL launch new partnership to develop English-language drama
Sky and CANAL are today announcing a strategic co commissioni...
11/03/2026
NTCA, Cartesian Release New Report on the Business Case for USF
March 11, 2026
Network Economics
News
NTCA - March 11, 2026 - As the FCC and Congr...
11/03/2026
TELL US YOUR (SHORT) STORIES
The 2026 RT Short Story Competition is now open for entries
Recognising and rewarding the best new Irish fiction writing for...
11/03/2026
RT 's The Traitors Ireland is among the nominees for the 2026 Celtic Media Festival Torc Awards for Excellence, announced today....
10/03/2026
10 Mar 2026
VEON's Largest Market Pakistan Almost Triples Mobile Spectrum i...
09/03/2026
Contains all six dual-ensemble libraries
VSL's Duality Strings series offers an intriguing alternative to your average string library, capturing two str...
09/03/2026
Outstanding Contribution To UK Music
Photo: Samuel Bradley
Ahead of their upcoming MPG Awards, the Music Producers Guild (MPG) have revealed the latest win...
09/03/2026
Two new high-quality DI boxes announced
Boasting some impressive technical specifications and versatile routing options, Strymon's latest active DI boxe...
09/03/2026
Latest MPE-capable Soundbox library released
The follow-up release for Sonora Cinematic's Pure Nylon has arrived, and becomes the latest addition to the...
09/03/2026
Popular wireless mic head design revived
Sennheiser have revealed that the MD 9235, a cardioid mic head designed to pair up with their handheld wireless sys...
Steve Belford, enterprise innovation architect at Channel 4, talks to TVBEurope about the broadcasters aim to be as well known for its approach to innovation as it is for its content, and its involvement in this years IBC Accelerator programme
