Click here to register for your free Exhibit Hall Pass, Day Pass, or Full Conference Pass

The WABE Media & Entertainment Technology Conference is your chance to connect, learn, and see technology that is shaping content creation and distribution in Canada today. This is your once-in-three-years opportunity to attend in Calgary at no cost with a free Exhibit Hall Pass, or by choosing a Day Pass or Full Pass to take in all sessions and networking events.

Kicking Off Bridging the Past and Building the Future with a Celebration

On September 29, we kick off at 6pm with WABE’s 75th celebration that includes a gathering of SAIT Broadcast Systems Technology graduates and staff. Some are flying in from around the country, some are from just down the street, but it’s sure to be a great reunion for all who attend.

The SAIT BXST program, which closed in 2020, has a far-reaching and important legacy in the broadcast and media entertainment industry. Graduates are working behind the scenes at companies like CBC, Rogers, Bell, Dome, TSN, NBC, and at Cisco, Diversified, Ross Video—just to name a few of the companies still feeling the impact of the quality graduates this program produced.

WABE has always kept students and their connection to the industry in mind. This is why students can attend the conference and audit all programming for free—to grow their networks, expand their understanding of the industry, and discover where they can work. Maybe their job is in front of the camera, maybe it’s behind the scenes, working for a company that makes or installs the technology.

This year, we already have students signed up for tours during the Exhibit Hall hours, and whole first- and second-year classes coming to explore, meet people working in media and entertainment technology, and fill their delegate bags with swag that reminds them of the gear they’ll soon be using.

We also have something special planned on Monday, September 29 before the evening kickoff. If you’re in town, meet us at the reception desk at 4:15 PM, where Erin Ruttan will lead a walk to the Calgary WAVE Tech Centre. There, you’ll get a personal tour and introduction to how the City is experimenting with ATSC 3.0 as part of its Smart Cities program. The WAVE Tech Centre is a hub that allows City teams to explore new and emerging technologies, encourage pilots and experiments, and guide investment decisions—all in support of Calgary’s digital transformation.

Panel discussion with industry leaders

Navigating the Future: Regulation, Innovation, and the Canadian Media Landscape

Moderator: Connie Thiessen – Broadcast Dialogue

Goal: To examine the current regulatory landscape of Canada’s media sectors—including radio, television, and film—and discuss proactive ways industry professionals can engage, influence, and adapt.

Panellists: Kirk Nesbitt – CAB Technical Steering Committee, Steve Jones – President, Stingray Radio, Damian Petti – 2nd International VP, IATSE, Adnaan Wasey – City of Calgary Film Commissioner

Connecting the Dots: Opportunities and Challenges in Canada’s Media & Entertainment Technology Landscape

Moderator: Tim Truax – Podcast Summit

This engaging panel will bring together experts from AV, broadcast, film, and live event production to explore opportunities for growth, collaboration, and innovation within Canada’s media & entertainment technology landscape and beyond.

Panellists:

Kevin Desjardins – President, CAB; Jeff Moore – EVP & CMO, Ross Video; Johnathan Garcia – Technical Marketing Director, Crestron; Mike Johnson – Director of Engineering, Dome Productions

Featured Presentations you don’t want to miss!

Check out our schedule now.

Beyond the panels, WABE 2025 is packed with cutting-edge sessions from leaders across broadcast, post-production, radio, and film. On the morning of September 30 if your on holidays wear your orange shirt and join us for these great topics. WABE will open the conference with Robert Seeliger of Fraunhofer FOKUS, who will share insights on Green Streaming – Technologies for an Energy Efficient Delivery Chain. Later that day, Guillaume Aubuchon of Avid, presented by Annex Pro, will take attendees through From Rough Cut to Final Frame: AI’s Role in the New Editorial Workflow, while Jeff Welton of Nautel offers a practical session on Radio Transmitters and Sites: Tips, Tricks and War Stories. In audio, Greg “Stryke” Chin from Dolby will demystify immersive sound with Not Just for Blockbusters: Practical Dolby Atmos for Smaller Studios, and Erin Ruttan from the City of Calgary will showcase NextGen Broadcast Innovations with The City of Calgary. Vendor showcases from Sam Schauland of LAWO and ATEME will provide direct looks at next-generation tools, while sessions on October 1 include Guillaume Aubuchon of Avid returning with AI in Broadcast: Strategy, Risk, and Real-World Impact, Charles Rousseau of CBC presenting Toward Dynamic Media Facility (DMF), and Leigh Whitcomb of Meinberg with PTP Made Easy: Uncovering the Mysteries of SMPTE 2110 and Genlock. Radio-focused talks continue with Grant Biebrick of PTS and Kirk Harnack of Telos Alliance exploring Beyond The Box: A Software-First Approach for Today’s Radio Air Chain. Film professionals won’t want to miss Ivona Ries-Arri and Brigette Bennett of Panavision, who will discuss Technology in the Film Industry, while Paul Stechly of Applied Electronics closes with a deep dive into Design and Implementation of SMPTE 2110.

The Exhibit Hall – Always Free

There’s very little that’s free these days, but our Exhibit Hall is free. Come grab a coffee (maybe even a cookie), meet suppliers and vendors, and see the latest technology shaping our industry.

Tuesday, Sept 30: 1–6 PM (5pm Happy Hour)

Wednesday, Oct 1: 9 AM–12 PM

No other sessions are scheduled during these hours, so you can give your full attention to the exhibit hall floor.

Vendor Showcases & Exhibitors

Vendor Showcases from LAWO & ATEME

At WABE 2025, attendees will have the opportunity to engage with a diverse array of industry-leading exhibitors in our free exhibit hall.

These include:

Blackmagic Design,  G.S. Broadcast Technical Services Ltd., RCS Sound Software, SMPTE, KLZ Innovations Ltd., Pippin Technical Service Ltd., VidCom Communications Ltd., Kokusai Denki, SFM, DataVisual Marketing Inc., Adder Technology, AVL Media Group, Streamwell, Telestream, Diversified, RED Digital Cinema, IJES Camera Support Systems Inc., LAWO, Ateme, Imagine Communications, Studio Network Solutions, Ross Video, Interfax Systems Inc., SHAPE, Rohde & Schwarz, Nautel, LEMO Canada Inc., Matrix Video Communications Corp (MVCC), Sony Electronics Inc., Riedel Communications Inc., Technalogix Ltd., GerrAudio Distribution, Text Groove, Gates Air, RVALM, Burli News Software, Radio.Cloud, Applied Electronics, LG Electronics Canada Inc., Sennheiser Canada, Novanet Communications Limited, Avateq Corp, WideOrbit, Grass Valley Canada, Deltech Communications Group Inc., Daktronics, VW Mason, AVIXA, Ericsson Professional Services

Registration Options

• Exhibit Hall Pass – FREE 
• Media Mixer Ticket – $15 (Reunion/Birthday/Awards) 
• Day Pass – $90 access to sessions & panels for one day 
• Full Conference Pass – $175 (includes all sessions, Media Mixer, and networking opportunities) 

Register here today and make your plan to attend.

Bring a friend, a student, or a colleague. Forward this article to someone in your network. 

Don’t let October 2 be the day you realize you should have come. Sign up now and attend WABE Media & Entertainment Technology Conference in Calgary.

The post WABE: Bridging the Past and Building the Future with its 75th Celebration appeared first on Broadcast Dialogue.

With renewed focus on its FM radio business, the company has named two new partners – SCMS in the U.S. and Pippin Technical Service in Canada.

Dielectric President Keith Pelletier joins this special, sponsored episode of Broadcast Dialogue – The Podcast to talk about the evolution of the industry and the importance of broadcast industry partnerships.

The post LISTEN: Dielectric President Keith Pelletier on the value of broadcast industry partnerships appeared first on Broadcast Dialogue.

Beyond the largest global enterprise businesses, it’s nearly impossible to cover the world as a manufacturer without the assistance of in-country partners. Dielectric has long relied on the professional services and relationships of dealers and integrators in Asia, South America and elsewhere to get closer to the end customers.

While most North American broadcast manufacturers favour this strategy, there has been a tendency to “go it alone” on our continent, where direct sales are traditionally more successful. But seasons change as do business opportunities, and there comes a time where it makes strategic sense to align with companies you know and trust for a specific mission.

That moment arrived last year when FM Radio business opportunities escalated in the United States and Canada. While no stranger to radio, our North American business had largely been focused on TV opportunities over the previous decade, fueled through the U.S. spectrum repack and early ATSC 3.0 trials and technology developments. As those opportunities wrapped up and gave way to expanded FM activity, the moment for strategic partnerships arrived.

Enter SCMS (United States) and Pippin Technical Service (Canada), Dielectric’s valued FM Radio partners in North America.

SCMS Success

Much of Dielectric’s recent FM radio business success is owed to SCMS, widely recognized through North America as a leading distributor of radio’s strongest brands. Since hitting the pavement on behalf of Dielectric and its FM antenna systems, SCMS has boosted FM sales by a very large margin over the first year, leveraging its strong industry relationships and knowledgeable sales team to secure major wins with Minnesota Public Radio and Maine Public Radio, among other commercial and public radio projects. 

On the commercial side, SCMS will soon close a major deal with a large commercial FM broadcaster involving a master FM antenna system in Michigan. Beyond partnerships, Dielectric’s engineering efforts over the past 18 months have birthed innovative solutions for enterprise-level master antenna projects, including a range of FM manifold combiners with clever modular designs.

“The number of master antenna products that enter our view is rising as the leading tower companies continue to buy more real estate, and broadcasters continue to consolidate,” Matt Cauthen, Vice President, SCMS. “The tower companies bring the most opportunity as they court more stations onto their towers. That creates the demand that’s spinning up industry wide.”

SCMS’s brand reputation in radio was always on the radar of Dielectric executives, and the cyclical nature of the transmission business inspired them to bring SCMS on board to build their FM presence.

“SCMS has been instrumental in introducing the merits and expanse of our FM product line to executives and engineers unaware of our research, development and engineering efforts for radio,” said Keith Pelletier, President and General Manager, Dielectric. “Moving forward, we anticipate that SCMS will specify us into more installation-based projects with complete RF system buildouts.”    

Progress with Pippin

Broadcast Dialogue readers are by now familiar with the Dielectric brand as the company has been a consistent voice on Canadian RF activity over the past two years. The success of its SCMS partnership inspired the company to enter into a similar partnership in Canada. 

Pippin Technical Service (PTS) was clearly the right choice for several reasons, including the opportunities for FM radio business taking shape through Pippin’s most active regions. That includes the majority of Western Canada, beginning in Manitoba and extended west through four provinces, as well as Yukon and Northwest Territories to the north. PTS’ Saskatchewan headquarters offer an ideal central access to point to all six regions, including Alberta and British Columbia.

For PTS President and CEO Tyler Everitt, Dielectric’s FM product depth – including an expanded line of cost-efficient and lightweight FM ring antennas – signals new opportunities for Dielectric, PTS, and radio broadcasters.

“We see a lot of opportunity for the FM replacement market coming together where we can refresh aging broadcast infrastructure,” said Everitt. “These projects usually begin with the transmitter and soon extend into the rest of the RF chain. That means new combiners, filters, transmission line and antennas, and the opportunities to modularly build onto exciting systems as new frequencies are added.”

The PTS partnership, which effectively was set in motion around the beginning of this year, has quickly developed as the companies consider new equipment which included modifying a combiner system to be able to operate five high-power stations in HD radio plus the addition of a new station. Dielectric’s clever new technologies with manifold combiners and RingMaster antennas are going to be instrumental in the expansion market as new signals are added to existing sites.  

PTS’ initial strategy includes developing presentations that will breed familiarity with the Dielectric brand and its range of products. Beyond sales and marketing, PTS’s turnkey services for Dielectric will include RF site planning, system design, integration, commissioning, and post-sales technical support and maintenance. This full suite of services, along with PTS’ RF expertise, territorial reach and long-standing industry relationships, makes PTS the ideal Canadian partner for Dielectric.

“PTS’ impressive reach has already taken the Dielectric brand into some of the further reaches of the country, while their strong reputation brings us closer to more broadcasters throughout western Canada,” added Daniel Bizet, International Sales Manager, Dielectric. “That creates new opportunities for the existing replacement market as well as with new FM licenses that we anticipate will surface this year and and beyond.”

Dielectric President Keith Pelletier joined Broadcast Dialogue – The Podcast to talk about the evolution of the industry and the importance of broadcast industry partnerships. Listen on your favourite podcast app or here:

The post Dielectric finds FM radio business success in partnerships with SCMS, Pippin Technical Service appeared first on Broadcast Dialogue.