With so many changes in media production and operations over the last 35 years, Xytech knows the industry’s biggest challenges.
The demand for content has never been higher, budgets have never been more scrutinised due to global economic headwinds, and the necessary workforce hasn’t been able to execute productions due to a lack of tools to meet the demand.
On top of that, with the dispersed nature of productions today, it’s clear that teams need to efficiently orchestrate people, resources, and assets on time and within budget parameters.
In this exclusive interview we speak exclusively to President and CEO Keith Buckley to discuss the company’s plans for upcoming IBC Show in Amsterdam following their latest mobile-native UX launch, as well as a roundup of the top trends/insights gained from interviewing 150+ broadcast and media experts for the recently released State of Media Operations report.
He also talks about recent industry trends in distributed workforces of today and why mobile-native applications are the answer to keeping production teams and creatives on time and on budget.
Thank you for joining us, Keith. For our unfamiliar readers, can you give us a quick overview of yourself?
Thanks for having me, it’s great to be here. A bit about myself: I have decades of experience managing high-growth companies like Federos, The Switch, and ASC Signal.
I’ve always been fascinated by the media and network software & services sector and have built a passion for technology with real-world impact. This is what made Xytech such an attractive proposition.
When I was appointed President and CEO in June 2022, the company was already one of the leading providers of end-to-end media operations for the world’s premier media and broadcast entities.
However, I saw an opportunity to help enhance its commitment to product innovation and operational excellence, as well as establish a core mission to drive visibility, efficiency, and automation across the media & broadcast markets.
My focus is to continue to enhance the company’s operational capabilities, speed the delivery of functionality essential to our customers today, and scale to meet the high demand for Media Operations.
What challenges does Xytech solve for its customers in the Media Operations space?
It’s important to understand that Xytech was founded out of a need for a solution that would help facilities and media operations teams do a better job. We always had the producer’s perspective because we were also part of a production facility. So, that gave us the realisation that the software we’ve built for ourselves could serve other facilities and media operations teams to do a better job.
Since then, we’ve seen a lot of changes in media production and operations over the last 35 years. Our industry is extremely innovative and continuing to grow at a pace most production teams can’t keep up with. That adds complexity to workflows and media operations, which we’re addressing with our current product suite today.
We also know that teams are under pressure to do more with less. An obvious example is the surge in remote production, accelerated by the pandemic, which has prompted media companies to find new and more flexible working methods that distribute people, equipment, and assets in disparate places.
How does your latest mobile-native UX announcement serve production teams and remote working creatives? What benefits does it bring?
Our latest mobile-native Media Operations UX specifically addresses those on-the-go needs of remote media workforces with a slimmed-down Mobile Operations version that captures the most crucial web platform features for use across any smartphone or tablet.
What’s interesting about this tool is being able to decentralise operations with the simple touch of a button, regardless of location, which our customers have asked of us, and we’ve listened.
In today’s fast-paced media landscape, Mobile Operations UX empowers production crews and creatives to remotely manage people, resources, and assets efficiently.
It helps implement familiar mobile-friendly features such as face ID login for quick launch into the dashboard, reminders for key events, and support for dynamic changes in platforms to accommodate and fill any screen width while maintaining usability.
It also offers real-time notifications alerting users to the latest workflow changes. We’re prioritising creatives on the go with an easy-to-use application that enables them to review their schedule, process time cards, and perform work order start times instantly.
Lastly, we know you’re heading to the IBC Show year – what can visitors to Xytech’s booth expect from you?
We’re excited to reconnect with customers and partners on the show floor at this year’s IBC. We know it’s a crucial moment for the media and entertainment business as the industry goes through a period of exciting change, with new technologies driving innovation and growth opportunities.
It’s also clear that the demand for content has never been higher, budgets have never been more scrutinised due to global economic headwinds, and the necessary workforce hasn’t been able to execute productions due to a lack of tools to meet the demand.
To back this up, we’re bringing the latest figures from discussions with the top 150+ media and broadcast industry experts in our State of Media Operations Report to the show floor. Our conversations will be underpinned by a realisation of the economic effect on the industry, the importance of predicting costs, and the need to automate workflows.
The show is also an opportunity for us to engage with production teams and remote-working creatives to discuss the latest trends, showcase our mobile-native UX demos, and gain any feedback that will improve our Media Operations tools of the future.
In fact, I’ll be hosting a fireside chat with Gordon Castle, Director, of Strategic Business Development, AWS Media, Entertainment, and Sports, to examine how we can centralise Media Operations to enable the management and orchestration of resources and technology through the cloud.
I welcome any visitors to join us at the Innovation Stage, Hall 3, on Friday, 15th September. Also, if you’d like to chat with us at the show, make sure to drop by our booth C50 in Hall 1.