MEASA Is Thriving in Media & Entertainment – CabSat 2023 Lessons

Spherex • May 31, 2023

The best way to learn about other countries and cultures is to experience them. On 16-18 May 2023, Spherex attended CabSat in the Emirate of Dubai, a regional trade show similar in focus and content to the National Association of Broadcasters (NAB) show in the U.S. At CabSat, two things stood out among the technologies and topics discussed: the region's market size and its resolve to produce local film and television content.

The Media and Entertainment (M&E) market throughout MEASA is massive. The region covers 17 countries in the Middle East, Africa, and Southern Asia with a combined population of 3.9 billion. Sixty-four (64%) of consumers in the region, or 2.5 billion, have Internet access. The average age in the Middle East countries is 29 years old. In Africa, it's 19 years; in Southern Asia, it's 26 years. People increasingly live in urban areas, have high incomes, are family-oriented, and brand-conscious. Everything about this region indicates that MEASA is an ideal market for appropriate original content.

Increasing Demand for Homegrown Content

Like any audience, MEASA consumers prefer stories with which they can identify and that are relevant to their lives. Homegrown productions are one way to effectively feed the public’s appetite for relatable content. Except for titles from India and Nigeria, much of the content shown in the region is imported and localized from elsewhere, particularly the U.S. and Europe. These titles are often at odds with the region’s cultures or customs, resulting in censorship to comply with cultural norms or regulations, which can affect the story significantly.

World-class Production Facilities

These factors drive regional governments to invest in large, ultramodern local production facilities. Projects worldwide have used these locations and capabilities. Tom Cruise climbed the side of the world's tallest building, the Burj Khalifa in Dubai, for "Mission Impossible: Ghost Protocol" (2011). "Dune" (2021) was shot in Jordan and the UAE. According to IMDBPro, over 450 films are currently under production throughout the MEASA region.

As recently discussed, Dubai has invested billions of dollars in sound stages, media, and post-production facilities while offering tax incentives to attract outside film or TV productions. Many other countries in the region offer similar enticements, including Jordan, Israel, Malaysia, Morocco, New Zealand, Turkey, South Africa, and South Korea. These same countries are also very active in regulating or censoring content.

Censorship or Cultural Respect?

Regional governments have established production guidelines. For example, in Saudi Arabia, every script, regardless of the film genre, e.g., animated, drama, or horror, must obtain government script approval before pre-production can commence. Censors must also approve any script, location, or story changes made during production. The region's writers and directors understand the rules and adhere to them. It's not as challenging as non-locals believe.

A World of Opportunity

An insatiable international market exists for great stories, and the MEASA region is no exception. It is an attractive market for both producing and exhibiting content. The key to success lies in localization – culturally adapting the content to meet production guidelines set forth by local governments and making the content locally compliant and appealing.

Spherex is the only commercial company that accurately assesses titles for culturally objectionable content in any film or TV market. Contact us today to learn more about how Spherex ratings™ and Spherex greenlight™ AI technologies can make this critical part of your production and release workflow faster and easier.

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AI was Dominant at NAB 2024

By Spherex • 03 May, 2024

As predicted in our blog post , the 2024 NAB show focused on Artificial Intelligence (AI) technologies and their impact on the Media and Entertainment (M&E) industry. The event showcased the transformative potential of AI across various aspects of content creation, production, and distribution. Focus on Content Over 130 companies exhibited AI products and services, while 80 panels and workshops explored AI's role in the M&E sector. These sessions demonstrated how AI revolutionizes workflows, enhances creativity, and enables stunning visual effects and ultra-high-resolution graphics. Attendees gained valuable insights into integrating AI across the entire content pipeline, from scriptwriting and video editing to post-production and distribution. AI in Multilingual Content Production Another key focus was the role of AI in facilitating multilingual content production on a global scale. Workshops and panels explored how AI is automating and refining transcription, translation, and re-voicing processes, ensuring accurate and localized content delivery to diverse audiences worldwide. Experts also shared their experiences and best practices in leveraging AI for content creation and programming, discussing the balance between harnessing AI's potential and maintaining human oversight to address ethical concerns. AI's Impact on Content Policy Panels also delved into the critical policy issues related to AI adoption. For example, the future of AI-driven personalization in content delivery, the importance of responsible AI implementation in fostering diversity and inclusion, and the potential of generative AI to transform the media and entertainment landscape. AI Expands into Business Operations AI's reach in the industry increases daily and into products and services many people have not considered. For example, several AI-based back-office products were introduced that handle rights management, finance and royalties, market targeting and analytics, and advisory services. AI-based content management, security, and distribution systems ensure production assets are safe throughout the entire product chain; in-house AI development hardware reduces development and production costs; AI chips in consumer TV sets control screen pixels to eliminate glare and enhance image quality and enhance advertising and marketing tools to connected TVs are now coming to market. There can be no doubt that AI will, in some way, become part of every aspect of M&E for generations to come. Here to Stay Artificial Intelligence (AI) is becoming integral to the mindset of the media and entertainment industry. From AI-assisted scriptwriting and intelligent video editing tools to automated localization services and personalized content recommendations, the technology empowers companies to unleash their creative potential, streamline workflows, and connect with audiences on a deeper level. With a wide array of AI-powered solutions now available, such as Spherex AI ™, the industry is poised to drive innovation, efficiency, and growth, shaping the future of storytelling and delivering unparalleled experiences to viewers worldwide.

Looking Ahead to 2030: Thriving in the Localization Landscape

By Spherex • 16 Apr, 2024

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By Spherex • 08 Apr, 2024

Technology continues to drive change and opportunity.

Spherex To Demo its AI-powered Video Compliance Solution at NAB 2024

By Spherex • 27 Mar, 2024

Santa Clara, CA (March 27, 2024 ) — Spherex , a global technology and data company serving the Media and Entertainment industry, will showcase Spherex AI ™, its pioneering AI platform for video content compliance and analysis, at NAB 2024 in Las Vegas from April 13 to 17. The Spherex AI ™ platform empowers content owners to adapt their narratives for the broadest international audience while avoiding regulatory restrictions and censorship barriers. Spherex will be exhibiting at Booth W2217 in the West Hall of the Las Vegas Convention Center. Spherex AI ™ drastically reduces the time and resources required for video content localization, mitigates the risk of cultural insensitivity or noncompliance, and enables creators to accelerate expansion and reach the right audience faster, cost-effectively, and without brand risk. The platform scans film, TV, or advertising content quickly and affordably, making it the ideal solution for verifying the suitability of any video content for any global market. “Today, content providers and streaming platforms must navigate complex regulations and cultural norms to operate successfully in different markets,” said Teresa Phillips, Co-founder and CEO of Spherex. “By seamlessly integrating sophisticated AI with cultural and regulatory insights, Spherex helps content creators, studios, distributors, and platforms unlock new markets, broaden their audiences, and increase revenue.” At the heart of Spherex AI ’s™ innovation is its proprietary AI technology, based on a decade of meticulous research and analysis of laws, regulations, and film/TV classifications in over 100 countries, as well as the screening of millions of film and TV clips for training and validation. Unlike conventional methods that employ AI and Machine Learning (ML) to identify objectionable content in a scene, Spherex uses advanced techniques to interpret the cultural context surrounding classifiable elements such as drugs, violence, sexuality, and profanity. Understanding the context is crucial because it's not just about the events happening in a video or who is involved; it's about comprehending the setting, characters, impact, and consequences. These factors are essential in determining local age ratings and cultural suitability for worldwide markets. To book a meeting with Spherex at NAB, contact Davinder Lu thra here . About Spherex Spherex is a global technology and data company transforming how media and entertainment enterprises create, adapt, and deliver film and television to audiences worldwide through AI and machine learning. With unmatched expertise in culture and regulatory compliance, Spherex works with the world's largest media companies, movie studios, networks, distributors, and streamers to build larger audiences, speed up content discovery, drive more video views, and generate higher revenue. Learn more at www.spherex.com .