Dr Alex Connock is a Senior Fellow at Saïd Business School, University of Oxford and recently wrote a textbook on media and AI. He discussed AI through in the context of media perception with John Maxwell Hobbs.
Connock’s broadcasting background is practical as well as academic, having co-founded the indie Ten Alps with Bob Geldof in the late 90s and was the Managing Director of Endemol Shine North through 2017.
An explosion of interest in AI
Connock felt that AI’s major impact on the media landscape was getting short shrift in academia and set out to correct that. “The textbook is guide to media, reframing how you might see it in the 2020s. I was struck when teaching the subject that there really wasn’t a textbook that described the media that people actually live and work in today,” he said. “Most of the textbooks were framed around a rather 1980s vision, with a series of articles about things like exhibition, publishing, and agencies with no relation to, firstly, the way it is structured now with social networks, and streamers, and podcasters. Secondly, they didn’t really have any recognition of the technology that was defining who the biggest media players actually are: AI - in particular recommendation algorithms.”
“What was interesting when I pitched it in 2020,” he continued, “Is that Rutledge sent it off to...
You are not signed in.
Only registered users can view this article.
.jpeg)
Juno Innovations to bring VFX at scale closer to home
Moving VFX workflows to the cloud has proved challenging, but a US-based startup could be about to change that. Adrian Pennington reports.

Freely highlights HbbTV’s role in evolution to all-IP future
As more UK consumers decline to connect their TVs to an aerial, UK broadcasters are looking to the Freely platform to ensure their continued relevance. CTO Orf Warr explains the technology choices underpinning the platform.

One4HDD: Further R&D in 5G broadcast dependent on government priorities
Hot on the heels of a successful demonstration at Brands Hatch, DTG’s Alex Buchan discusses the evolution of the 5G One4HDD project and how it may yet progress beyond its official 31 March ending, providing fresh government funding falls the right way. George Jarrett reports.
Live volumetric streaming: “Volumetric video is better than conventional video”
Volumetric video holds the potential to re-invent the live-streaming experience, with UK tech outfit Condense emerging as a pioneer.
.jpg)
End of an era: Retiring Dr. Blakeway says IBC Board is “all about the strategy”
As he retires from the IBC Board, former SCTE President Dr. Roger Blakeway discusses the origins of the collaboration between the two organisations, the development of the IBC organisation, and the show we recognise today.