Erik Huggers, director of future media and technology at the BBC, will keynote the IBC2009 conference in Amsterdam in September. His keynote, which will identify areas for growth in the broadcasting industry, is key to “the business of broadcasting,” one of three streams running throughout the conference. The IBC2009 conference will tackle the changes in commercial models currently challenging the industry.

Huggers’ background makes him uniquely qualified to cover the subject. During his time at the BBC Huggers has overseen the rapid development of the iPlayer catch-up service, for radio as well as television. Before joining the BBC he was with Microsoft Corp. where he helped establish Windows Media in Europe, and prior to that he worked on interactive media at European production company Endemol Entertainment.

“When planning the IBC2009 conference, it is of course right that, in the current economic climate, we look at the business side of our industry,” says David Crawford, chair of the conference committee. “We simply cannot bury our heads in the sand. We have to tackle the massive shifts in commercial balance. These are driven by new technologies every bit as much as economic circumstances, so IBC is clearly the right forum for this debate.”

For 2009 the IBC conference has been reorganized to run along three parallel streams: technological advancements, content creation and innovation, and the business of broadcasting. Within each stream there is a full program of papers, workshops, panels and debates.

The IBC2009 conference runs from 10 September 10–14; the exhibition from September 11–15 September. The Erik Huggers keynote will be held on September 11.