The Sharjah Broadcasting Authority dispatched a technical team to the International Broadcasting Convention that opened in Amsterdam on September 11, where the group is examining advancements in media production and distribution. According to the Emirates News Agency, SBA explores new media technologies at IBC 2026 to identify solutions that can improve operational efficiency and content quality for its television and radio services. The event has drawn approximately 1,300 exhibitors and 45,000 participants from more than 170 countries, IBC organisers reported, establishing it as a primary venue for assessing tools in broadcasting, virtual production and digital infrastructure. SBA officials toured vendor stands and held discussions with experts on automation and advanced imaging systems during the first days of the gathering that runs through September 14.
Artificial intelligence has emerged as a central theme at the convention, with demonstrations shifting focus from theoretical uses to practical deployment in newsrooms, archiving and content personalisation. The delegation reviewed cloud-based workflows and content distribution technologies that align with the authority’s goal of enhancing delivery to regional audiences. IBC data from prior editions shows that technologies showcased at the event often become integrated into broadcaster operations within two to three years. Sharjah Broadcasting Authority representatives are documenting options that could support expansion of its digital platforms while maintaining high production standards.
The visiting group includes Sheikh Omar bin Humaid Al Qasimi, Director of Radio Technical Operations, along with Rashid Matar Rashid Al Tunaiji as Head of Broadcasting Technology and several engineering specialists responsible for studios and digital services. In the WAM dispatch, the authority framed the visit as an opportunity to benchmark international practices against its own technical roadmap and to evaluate tools that accelerate content delivery. The team has prioritised sessions on real-time experiences and predictive AI applications that could streamline workflow across its multiple channels. Such targeted engagement builds on the authority’s established pattern of adopting broadcast innovations to serve both Emirati and expatriate viewers.
Earlier this year the Sharjah Broadcasting Authority launched an artificial intelligence engine paired with a digital video library containing more than 120,000 archived assets dating to 1989, a WAM report on the July event stated. That platform employs facial recognition, automatic transcription and translation to transform legacy material into searchable resources available to government entities and the public. The IBC 2026 visit allows the delegation to explore complementary technologies that could further enhance archiving and retrieval functions within the new system. Officials plan to compile findings into an internal assessment that will inform future procurement and training initiatives upon their return to Sharjah.
Organisers have structured the 2026 convention around three guiding pillars that include shifting business models, transformative technology and people and purpose, according to the official IBC programme overview. Dedicated zones highlight startups, future tech demonstrations and networking opportunities designed to connect broadcasters with solution providers. More than 600 speakers are scheduled across expanded theatre spaces to address topics ranging from AI in sports rights management to content authenticity and provenance. The SBA team is attending selected sessions that address live streaming, real-time production and strategies for building trust in media outputs.
The authority, reorganised in 2019 after operating previously as the Sharjah Media Corporation, oversees Sharjah TV, several radio stations and the Maraya digital platform that has seen significant growth in downloads and viewership. Past technology upgrades, including IP-based disaster recovery systems and multichannel production switchers, have positioned its facilities for smoother integration of emerging standards. Participation in the Amsterdam convention continues a long-standing practice of monitoring global trends to support sustained development of local media capabilities. The delegation’s work at IBC 2026 is expected to contribute directly to ongoing upgrades across the authority’s studios and outside broadcast units.
