X2X Media Group, the entertainment industry leader in the development of secure communication and content management solutions, has announced the formation of X2X Labs, a highly technical team focused on developing specialised services and workflows in pre-production, on set, and throughout the post process. X2X Labs will help accelerate the adoption of new products and services that brands PIX and CODEX introduce to the market, provide valuable feedback on product direction, and provide tailor-made solutions in the rapidly evolving production landscape.

X2X Labs, will be under the direction of Craig Mumma, a 20-year production industry veteran and his scope is to provide custom solutions including API gateway extensions, third-party integrations, bespoke hardware and software solutions and on-location support.

Gravity Media, the leading global provider of complex live broadcast facilities and production services to content owners, creators and distributors, has appointed former Pac-12 Networks Sr. Director, Content Production Laura Podolak Waddell as its new Director, Strategic Partnership Management for North America. Laura joins the team to enhance brand relationships with a focus on an ongoing studio operations project that Gravity Media is overseeing for a major media and technology brand.

After nearly a decade of local news production for radio stations in Colorado and California, Laura became part of Pac-12 Networks’ launch team in 2012. The considerable amount of broadcasting experience she gained during her time there has led her to join Gravity Media where she will bring teams across the country closer together to streamline production processes and improve content output for clients. As Laura emphasises, the role comprises everything that fascinates her about production; “compelling content, a fast-paced environment and all the unique personalities of content creators.”

Laura’s past seven years at Pac-12 Networks were focused on relationship building, enhancing communication across content teams and implementing production best practices. The biggest challenge she’s seen in the broadcasting industry over that time was engaging a young audience, finding out where the younger viewers are consuming content and what sports they’re most interested in watching to entice the next generation of fans. “Nobody can predict exactly where media consumption is going, but what we do know, is that people want to watch engaging content,” she notes.

PIX and CODEX have announced that the two companies are to be brought under a single unified brand identity with the establishment of the X2X Media Group. This brand consolidation will further strengthen the Group’s offerings to the entertainment industry, leveraging the two companies’ reputation for pioneering innovation and engineering strengths under a single umbrella while maintaining their strong identities and their independent routes to market.

Gravity Media Group was formed in 2000 to purchase leading broadcast solutions provider Gearhouse Broadcast which was founded in 1993. In 2015 the group acquired HyperActive Broadcast, a leading international provider of post-production and live workflow solutions for both film and TV which was established in 1985.

In 2016 the group secured substantial investment from TowerBrook Capital Partners and in 2017 it took over leading sports production company Input Media and Australian communications solutions company Stranger Designs. In 2018 Gravity Media bought Germany-based Genesis Broadcast Services to meet the needs of the production markets of Northern Europe and acquired Proshow Broadcast, a leading supplier of mobile production solutions to broadcasters, producers and rights holders throughout North America. In September 2019, Gravity Media acquired Chief Entertainment, a leading Sydney, Australia-based provider of live studio and production services.

Gravity Media worked with Superunion, the leading global brand agency, to develop its new brand strategy and visual identity which is now being rolled out across the business world-wide.

John Newton, CEO at Gravity Media, commented:

“At Gravity Media we are driven by client service excellence, and we never stand still. We’re always looking and listening, keeping up with the latest broadcast innovations – or pioneering them. Above all, we channel our energy into maintaining our reputation for flawless execution, deep technical expertise, and efficient delivery.

“We use the collective pull of our people and resources to capture, craft and create world-class content that inspires and excites. Gravity Media is a brand-new company with a 30-year pedigree, a force to be reckoned with formed by the coming together of four well known broadcast and production houses: Gearhouse Broadcast, HyperActive Broadcast, Input Media and Chief Entertainment.

“We are confident that this change and our new modern branding will make it easier for our clients to recognise Gravity Media as the leading provider of live broadcast facilities and production services.”

KitPlus Show, MediaCityUK, Manchester 5 November: A record number of exhibitors, ready to demonstrate leading products, services, and technologies from more than 100 brands – many for the first time - will be on hand at the ninth annual KitPlus Show MediaCityUK.

Simon Tillyer, KitPlus Show says, “Having recognised that people are increasingly less able or willing to travel long distances to shows, we decided a long time ago to take KitPlus Show to regional media hubs such as Glasgow, Bristol and Manchester. The concept is to give visitors the opportunity to see the very latest in new kit without having to travel far in a friendly, relaxed environment, and it doesn’t cost a thing.

“As well as getting hands on with new kit and speaking directly with manufacturers, there are workshops, training sessions and seminars throughout the day together with excellent networking opportunities. The emphasis is on creating quality time, and the exchange of quality information, both of which are far more readily available at these regional shows than during the crush of major trade shows.”

These free-to-attend events host many of the top names in the business, including Editshare, Blackmagic Design, Canon, JVC, NewTek, Panasonic, and many more.

Boy band BTS have sold over 15 million albums worldwide, making them South Korea’s best-selling artist of all time. They are continuing their world domination by thrilling fans around the globe with their ‘Love Yourself: Speak Yourself’ World tour.

Gravity MediaRiedel Bolero wireless intercom systems for its burgeoning Event Communications business. This significant kit investment is in response to the growing market demand for the Bolero system that is capable of supporting 10 beltpacks per antenna and up to 100 antennas in a single deployment. It also highlights Gearhouse’s vendor agnostic approach, with it now able to offer its customers a choice of either the Bolero or fellow class-leading solution, Clear-Com’s FreeSpeak II, alongside its in-house expertise and support.

Deal creates premier provider of live and fast-turnaround programming with studios and post-production facilities

Gravity Media, the leading global provider of complex live broadcast facilities and production services, has completed the acquisition of Chief Entertainment Pty Limited, a leading Sydney, Australia-based provider of live studio and production services, from Telstra Corporation Limited, Australia’s leading telecommunications and technology company. Gravity Media already operates in Australia under the Gearhouse Broadcast, HyperActive Broadcast and Input Media brands and this acquisition will complement the existing Input Media production centres in the UK as well as its Melbourne production and Sydney post-production facilities. The transaction completed on Friday 30th August 2019.

Gravity Media, the leading global provider of complex live broadcast facilities and production services, has agreed to acquire Chief Entertainment Pty Limited, a leading Sydney, Australia-based provider of live studio and production services, from Telstra Corporation Limited, Australia’s leading telecommunications and technology company. Gravity Media currently operates in Australia under the Gearhouse Broadcast, HyperActive Broadcast and Input Media brands and this acquisition will complement the existing Input Media production centres in the UK as well as its Melbourne production and Sydney post-production facilities. The transaction has not yet completed and is expected to complete by the end of August, subject to certain conditions being satisfied.

SMPTE®, the organization that is defining the future of storytelling, today announced the full event lineup for the Society's annual technical conference and exhibition, the world's premier forum for the exploration of media and entertainment technology. SMPTE 2019 will be held Oct. 21-24 at the Westin Bonaventure Hotel & Suites in downtown Los Angeles. Complete information about SMPTE 2019, including a detailed schedule and registration, is available at 2019.smpte.org.

The IP Showcase announced today that it will make its first appearance in Australia at METExpo (Media + Entertainment Tech Expo) 2019 in Sydney, 17-19 July. The IP Showcase will feature a full slate of theatre presentations covering all aspects of the industry transition to IP, with an emphasis on technology tutorials and case studies.

Mediaproxy, the leading provider of software-based IP broadcast solutions, will show the latest updates to its LogServer compliance, monitoring and analysis package at SMPTE Australia's Media+Entertainment Tech Expo on booth F27 in the International Convention Centre Sydney (ICC Sydney) from 17 to 20 July 2019.

The SMPTE® San Francisco Section and the Advanced Imaging Society (AIS) are partnering to present Entertainment Technology on the Bay 2019 (ET@19), a two-day event in Silicon Valley that will focus on the art and science of next-generation storytelling. Slated for June 5 and 6 at the Santa Clara Marriott, the conference will connect attendees with the technical experts and creative innovators leveraging new and emerging tools and techniques to shape the future media landscape. The price of general admission registration includes a one-year individual membership to both SMPTE and AIS.

The Australia Section of the Society of Motion Picture and Television Engineers® (SMPTE®), the Alliance for IP Media Solutions (AIMS), and the IABM have announced that they will stage an IP Showcase for the first time in Australia in conjunction with Media + Entertainment Tech Expo (METExpo 2019) in Sydney, 17-19 July.