INTERNATIONAL ACADEMY OF BROADCASTING

About Us

The IAB was founded in 1993 with the support of prestigious national and international broadcasting institutions such as the European Broadcasting Union (EBU), the International Television Symposium (ITVS), the Asia-Pacific Broadcasting Union (ABU), the Arab States Broadcasting Union (ASBU), the Organización de la Televisión Iberoamericana (OTI), the International Telecommunication Union (ITU) and UNESCO.

Between 1993 and 2001, from its campus in Montreux, Switzerland, the IAB offered a graduate (third level) programme solely dedicated to the arts and sciences of broadcasting, leading to a Master’s degree in Broadcasting. This programme offered students a unique opportunity to acquire a multidisciplinary knowledge while preparing them to become the leaders in the broadcasting world.

The programme was suspended at the end of the 2001 academic year due to rising costs and a difficult financial climate in the media world at large. It is hoped to offer the programme again in the future in a new and improved form. Meanwhile graduates of the course have returned to their respective companies and organisations where they have been able to put to use the knowledge and skills developed at the IAB.

Throughout the years since the establishment of the IAB, in parallel with the regular post-graduate course of studies and in association with leading international organisations, the IAB has organised a number of international Seminars, Workshops and Master Classes covering the most topical subjects of the world of broadcasting. Particular successes included the regular Broadcast Managers' courses and the DVB World conferences since 2001.

DVB - Seminars

DVB standards are now firmly established throughout the world but new, exciting, innovations are presenting themselves. The DVB Project strives to maximise the technology by extending the applications in order to fully exploit the potential of digital broadcasting and to keep in tune with developments in related technologies.

A new generation of large displays, LCD and Plasma, is now set to dominate the marketplace. How is DVB technology coping with the demand for higher quality?
Satellite broadcasting continues to expand. DVB-S2 will allow better utilisation of transponder capacity. Mobility has become a dominant feature of this modern world. DVB-H meets the needs of the market where the mobile phone has become ubiquitous. Current pilot projects have provided positive results.

HDTV is now high on the broadcasters' agenda. Will the new coding techniques allow greater flexibility in providing additional services?
These and other topics will be discussed at DVB World 2005, providing the only opportunity to receive a direct briefing from DVB Chairs. If you care about digital media you cannot afford to miss this event.

Program of Study

Graduate Study Programme (suspended 2001)

Organisation of studies

The International Academy of Broadcasting offers an intensive nine-month course of study in broadcasting related topics. The programme includes the preparation and defence of a graduation thesis/project.

The IAB curriculum

The basic philosophy of the IAB comprises three elements: (i) a multidisciplinary approach, (ii) a comprehensive study of the multiple aspects of the media and (iii) the opportunity to acquire specialised knowledge in selected areas. Consequently all IAB students are required to follow common core courses offering the essential multidisciplinary knowledge that every broadcasting manager needs. Alongside this common core, for specialised subjects the IAB offers the possibility of selecting between programme production, management and engineering subjects.

The core courses for all IAB students are:

CPE 01 History and structures of broadcasting – TV Globo Chair

CPE 02 Legal aspects of broadcasting

CPE 03 Broadcasting management

CPE 04 Aesthetics of broadcasting

CPE 05 Radio and television production management

CPE 06 Writing skills for radio and television

CPE 07 Sports on radio and television

CPE 08 Marketing and advertising

CPE 09 Ethical standards and responsibilities in broadcasting

CPE 10 Television production techniques I and II

CPE 11 Cable, terrestrial and satellite communications and distribution systems

CPE 12 New radio and television technologies and development trends in the electronic media

CPE 13 Television as a mass medium

CPE 14 News operations and news-making

CPE 15 Broadcasting technology

CPE 16 Psychophysical aspects of viewing and hearing

CPE 17 Fundamentals of interactive multimedia
 
To complete their studies, students must select two elective courses from the following list:

EPE 01 Audio-visual communication skills

EPE 02 Children’s programmes

EPE 03 Light entertainment programmes and music videos

EPE 04 Picture origination

EPE 05 Video tape-recording

EPE 06 Audio engineering

EPE 07 Documentary programme production

EPE 08 Digital processing and compression techniques

EPE 09 Introduction to global television - Bayerischer Rundfunk Chair

EPE 10 Corporate and instructional programme production

EPE 11 Radio production theory

EPE 12 Public relations
 
In addition, students will be requested to attend at least three one-week seminars selected from the following:

SPE 01 Magazine format production

SPE 02 Drama production

SPE 03 Radio programme concepts

SPE 04 Technical aspects of films for television

SPE 05 Audience research methods

SPE 06 International standardisation methods and institutions

SPE 07 Broadcasting economics

SPE 08 Distribution and sales of television programmes

SPE 09 Programming and scheduling

SPE 10 Ars acustica

SPE 11 Transnational broadcasting

SPE 12 Journalistic techniques in live television

SPE 13 Regional, local and community radio

SPE 14 Radio and television auxiliary services

SPE 15 Frequency planning and allocations

SPE 16 Specific audio and video measurement techniques and subjective assessment methods – Snell & Wilcox Chair

SPE 17 Basics of dramaturgy

SPE 18 Radio formats

Students should select the preferred seminars at the time of enrolment. These seminars will not be followed by an exam, but attendance is mandatory and is a prerequisite for the successful completion of IAB studies.

Note: The IAB reserves the right to cancel or add courses, or make substitutions in the course listings, as may be deemed necessary.

Practical work

In parallel with the formal lectures, discussions and seminars, students must attend practical work sessions, involving their participation in the production of audio-visual materials.

Extra-curricular activities

Guest lecturers

During the school year, the IAB will invite leading personalities from the world of broadcasting to deliver special lectures on some of the main topics of the day.

Academic calendar

As a rule, the first term begins at the end of September with orientation and the third term ends in mid-June. Key dates in the IAB academic year are as follows:

• Fall term October – December
• Winter term January – March
• Spring term April – June

The following holiday periods are observed during the academic year:

• Winter 3 weeks
• Spring 3 weeks

Students can also enrol for a course of study which starts at the beginning of the Winter term (January). For these students, the academic year ends in December, with two holiday periods:

• Spring 3 weeks
• Summer from mid-June to end September.

News

Latest News:

• John Simpson to Chair panel of adjudicators for The Radharc Award 2004 (Word Doc 34KB) 27 January 2004

News Archive:

• DVB World 2004 Press Release  (Word Doc 28KB)
• The Radharc Award for documentary to be organised by IAB 
• Dates announced for DVB World 2004
• CableLabs President to give keynote speech at DVB World 2003
• IAB and the University of Oklahoma offer International Exchange Program
• IAB and the Ryerson University, Toronto have established co-operation Links
• IAB and the EBU Educational TV Unit have established co-operation Link

Promotional Opportunities

Every year IAB hold promotional opportunities. In 2005, IAB DVB World 2005
Jurys Hotel and Towers in Dublin from 2- 4 March  will be the fifth in the series of annual events, which bring together the top professionals responsible for the development and deployment of digital television, satellite, cable and terrestrial.

The intimate atmosphere of Jury`s Hotel and Towers provides an ideal opportunity for the promotion of hardware and services to an audience dedicated to the establishment of an all digital broadcasting environment.

DVB World will highlight the developments in High Definition Television (HDTV) and Hand Held Television (DVB-H), both hot topics that have dominated agendas during the past year.

The Conference provides the opportunity for companies to promote their products at a limited number of exhibition stands situated outside the main conference room.
Stands are allocated on a first come first served basis and early booking is always recommended.

Other promotional opportunities, including sponsorship of Conference Events are also available. Advertising slots are also offered in the Conference Proceedings, which is issued on CD-Rom to all participants and is available for sale after the event.