DTG CEO Richard Lindsay-Davies talks cyber security, the move to IP and personalisation.

Richard Lindsay-Davies, whose career credits include a major role in the UK’s digital switchover, says he used the IBC show to “take the temperature of the industry”.

Richard Lindsay Davies Index image

Richard Lindsay Davies, CEO, DTG

The Digital Television Group CEO said: “There is an element abroad, and technologists are guilty of this, of trying to find a home for technology. And so we look at some of the innovations in 5G and IP at the moment and think there is a risk that we are not putting the consumer first.

“Is innovation actually going to bring genuine viewer benefit and a corresponding business benefit as well?” he added.

The biggest UK-related concerns for the DTG involve IP and cyber security.

Om innovation in TV, he explained, “our concern is the universal deployment of IP to match the reliability and the qualitative experience of broadcast.”

For Lindsay-Davies, the future of TV is very much IP, but it is about finding new, innovative, aspirational and inspirational pieces.

“We are starting to see a much richer, IP-driven and interactive industry and we excited about things like personalisation and your own TV channels.”

The DTG is also concerned about cyber security, and has been working with the National CS Centre and the UK Department of Culture, Media and Sport to see how the industry might adopt legislation.

“It is in train and will be put before the next Parliament. Our context here is secured by design. The UK government has made 10 recommendations, and the top three are going to be part of the legislation,” said Lindsay-Davies.

The DTG wants to take the best of today and embrace the best of tomorrow.

“We must sustain the good bits of TV – the universality and quality of experience, and the resilience. In recent power cuts in the UK the transmitters did not go off, but the mobile masts did!”

The DTG has strong partnerships with IBC, the DVB Project, the RTS, both the UHD Alliance and Forum, and the Edinburgh TV Festival, and it played a crucial role in developing HbbTV.

“Going forward we will watch innovations at W3C and the WAVE web access video ecosystem project. This area is increasingly important,” said Lindsay-Davies.