SMPTE 2017: Attendance Hits High of 2,500+

LOS ANGELES—The book is officially closed on the SMPTE 2017 Annual Technical Conference and Exhibition, and according to SMPTE it was the most attended year in the event’s run.

More than 2,500 registered attendees took part in the week’s festivities that included 70 expert presentations, 105 exhibitors, the IP Showcase, Broadcast Beat’s Live! Studio and symposiums on artificial intelligence and machine learning.

During the conference, SMPTE Executive Director Barbara Lanage announced the dates for the 2018 conference, which will take place from Oct. 22-25. There will be a new location for the 2018 conference, due to the reported continued increase in attendance, with festivities moving to the Westin Bonaventure Hotel & Suites in downtown Los Angeles. The 2018 conference will be chaired by SMPTE Fellows Thomas Edwards, vice president engineering and development at Fox, and SMPTE Education Director Sara J. Kudrle, product marketing manager for playout at Imagine Communications.

SMPTE 2017 concluded on Thursday, Oct. 26, with the Annual Awards Gala, where SMPTE Honorary Membership was bestowed posthumously on Renville “Ren” H. McMann Jr. The organizations Progress Medal was presented to Paul E. Debevec.

See more of TVT’s SMTPE coverage here.