#Warner Bros. Motion Picture Group to Receive IBC’s Highest Honor

IBC (International Broadcasting Convention) will bestow its most prestigious award, the International Honor for Excellence, to Warner Bros. Motion Picture Group in celebration of the studio’s 100th anniversary. The award will be presented Sept. 17 in Amsterdam, during the annual confab’s IBC Innovation Awards ceremony.

“We are delighted to accept IBC’s International Honor for Excellence award in the studio’s 100th year,” said co-chairs and CEOs Michael De Luca and Pam Abdy in a statement. “Warner Bros. has always been at the forefront of the industry because of its commitment to innovative storytelling and we want nothing more than to continue that legacy. The success of Barbie is a fantastic example of this because not only is it a great story, but it means something to people and has an impact on societies and cultures globally.

“We look forward to another hundred years of best-in-class movies told by incredible storytellers, who have created countless stories that have inspired a century, as well as a new generation of visionaries who we are excited to see take Warner Bros. to new heights,” they added.

In making the announcement, IBC notes that Warner Bros. Motion Picture Group “epitomizes the ability to continually adapt to media and entertainment market changes. Beginning as a pioneer in cinema, the company has since emerged as a leader in every aspect of the entertainment industry – from feature film, television and direct-to-consumer production to animation, comic books, video games, consumer products, themed entertainment, studio tours and brand licensing.” IBC also cited Warner Bros.’ library of more than 145,000 hours of programming.

Said IBC CEO Mike Crimp, “Warner Bros.’ work has had a profound impact on our industry and society over the last century and continues to do so today, shaping our culture and our understanding of the world around us through its films, television programming and other productions.”

Several additional special award winners were announced on Thursday. The inaugural IBC Changemaker Award will be presented to Eurovision Song Contest “in recognition of the cultural phenomenon and the global production network involved in delivering the event.” The 2023 Eurovision Song Contest, organized by the BBC and the EBU on behalf of Ukraine’s UA:PBC, was watched by 162 million viewers on five continents.

A Special Award for Social Impact will be presented to the Women in Streaming Media Mentorship Program, an international effort focused on career development and personal growth; while a Special Award for Innovation will go to the German DVB-I pilot, an initiative bringing together stakeholders from the German media industry, including broadcasters and device manufacturers, with an aim to advance the DVB-I digital television standard.

Lastly, for their contribution to deploying a 5G standalone non-public network at the coronation of King Charles III, its authors will receive the Best Technical Paper Award.