Building on a remarkably successful 2021, despite the many challenges associated with the pandemic, AIMS moved into 2022 with a great deal of momentum.
In a sign of member satisfaction with AIMS leadership, the full AIMS Board of Directors was re-elected for another term. Their good work continues, but without the leadership of Michael Cronk, who took on a new professional role that disqualifies him from serving. Steve Reynolds (Imagine Communications) has adroitly stepped into the role as board chair, working alongside AIMS Vice Chair Terry Holton (Yamaha), Chief Financial Officer Andreas Hilmer (Lawo), and board members Andrew Starks (Macnica) and Chuck Meyer (Grass Valley).
“I know I speak on behalf of the whole AIMS community when I say we will miss Mike enormously,” says Reynolds. “He has been instrumental in the formation and success of AIMS, and his commitment of time and energy over the past six years has made the AIMS mission of IP adoption a reality. Under his leadership, AIMS created programs such as the IP Showcase — and these programs continue today as a leading source of industry education and advancement. While I am certain that Mike will miss his work and colleagues within AIMS, I’m also confident that we’ll continue the good work in his stead.”
Following its launch late in 2021, the new AIMS Education Working Group is moving full steam ahead in working to expand the pool of industry professionals prepared to design, build, and operate standards-based IP media technology and solutions.
Although SMPTE ST 2110 is mature, stable, and working as a media-over-IP standard for broadcast, the industry needs more engineers who can do the design work, professionals who can do the implementation work, and operators who have the right skillset and expertise to work with these new IP-based systems. The new Education Working Group will work with other industry organizations to connect media professionals with better training, broad-based educational programs, and possibly even testing and certification they can use to validate their proficiency for prospective employers.
AIMS joined other organizations in another vital effort: the shift to more inclusive language in standards and engineering documents. The alliance formally announced its support for this shift and its embrace of efforts by standards bodies and other organizations to ensure that the language used to craft such documents is free from stereotypes, subtle discrimination, and demeaning or exclusionary expressions.
“We stand behind the work that SMPTE, the IEEE, and other leaders are doing to ensure that the standards and recommendations guiding our industry are built on inclusive language,” says AIMS Chief Financial Officer Andreas Hilmer. “Words have power, and it makes a difference when we employ more conscious, respectful use of language across not just standards documents, but communications of any kind. It’s a small but nevertheless significant step in the right direction.”
Adoption of AIMS’ proposed AV-over-IP standards and specifications, collectively known as IPMX (IP Media Experience), is also moving in a promising direction. IPMX was featured on the Macnica booth at InfoComm, and Phil Hippensteel penned this article in Sound & Video Contractor magazine about IPMX and his experience at the show.