The female voice drives the future of audiovisual media at the close of the 4K HDR Summit

• The ‘Women in Tech & Contents’ space, dedicated to female talent, aimed to give visibility to female leadership, promote more inclusive and diverse work environments, and motivate new generations of women to join an industry still marked by the gender gap.
• Úrsula Romero, CEO of International Sports Broadcasting (ISBC); Irantzu Díez-Gamboa, Regional CEO North America at Grup Mediapro; Dagmar Driesnack, Senior Solutions Engineer at Appear; Pilar Crespo, Chair of the Board of Directors of the Andalusian Association of Women in Audiovisual Media (AAMMA) and producer at Magnetika Producciones; Laura González, Director of Market Intelligence & Monetisation at Whale TV; and Mari Carmen Fernández Tallón, independent consultant, shared their experiences and sent messages of inspiration to new generations of girls and young women.
• In addition, presidents of the world’s leading industry associations, broadcasters and companies shared some of their latest innovations, work and projects in Ultra High Definition 4K, 8K and HDR.
• The 4K HDR Summit will return in 2026 with its twelfth edition, which will take place from 10 to 13 November.

The eleventh edition of the 4K HDR Summit, held from 11 to 14 November with two days of in-person events at the Cartuja Auditorium – managed by Yventu – at Sevilla TechPark, dedicated part of its last day to the ‘Women in Tech & Contents’, with the aim of raising the profile of women leaders, promoting diversity in the workplace and encouraging new generations to participate in a sector still marked by the gender gap. Six prominent professionals shared their experiences, challenges and visions on technological innovation, audiovisual production and female leadership.

Úrsula Romero, CEO of International Sports Broadcasting (ISBC), shared her experience at the helm of the production of the 2025 World Games in China, where she coordinated more than 1,200 professionals and 22 production teams to cover 34 sports live, integrating cutting-edge technology such as SRT transmission, 4K production and vertical coverage that exceeded 19 million views. Romero highlighted the creation of a proprietary OTT platform and the impact of “a female technical team that went viral in China,” reaffirming her commitment to female leadership and sustainable innovation in the sector.

Irantzu Díez-Gamboa, Regional CEO North America at Grup Mediapro, shared how her technical services company promotes equality and innovation in sports audiovisual production, including in emerging and women’s disciplines. As founder of ‘Mujeres Ejecutivas Hispanas’ (Hispanic Women Executives), she highlighted three fundamental values: adaptability, integrity and empathy, and recalled that “technology is a bridge for telling stories and connecting people, and every woman’s voice is necessary in that process.”

Dagmar Driesnack, Senior Solutions Engineer at Appear and EMEA, Central & South America Region Governor at SMPTE, highlighted the importance of collaboration, empathy and open standards as keys to the future of audiovisual innovation, encouraging young women to “train with authenticity and follow their passion in a sector that requires diversity and technical and human cooperation.”

Laura González, Director of Market Intelligence & Monetisation at Whale TV, emphasised that curiosity, perseverance, respect and honesty have been pillars of her success in a sector still dominated by men. She underlined the importance of mentoring and supporting other women and sent an inspiring message: “If you are passionate about what you do and believe you can make an impact, go for it. Curiosity and perseverance will take you far.”

Mari Carmen Fernández Tallón, a telecommunications engineer and leading figure in the technology sector, recently honoured by the Government of Catalonia, highlighted the need to balance technical, social and management skills and to promote technology education from childhood. Looking to the future, she encouraged the younger generation to train in technical disciplines: “We are building the foundations for the future. Technology will be the engine of change, and we need more women leading that progress.”

Finally, Pilar Crespo, president of the Andalusian Association of Women in the Audiovisual Media (AAMMA) and producer at Magnetika Producciones, highlighted the association’s achievements in promoting gender equality and female visibility in the Andalusian audiovisual sector, emphasising training, generational renewal and collaboration with national associations. Crespo closed her speech with a motivational message: “Success in this sector is based on hard work, perseverance and passion,” reminding us that “although the road is hard, it is also deeply creative and satisfying.”

The conference made it clear that female leadership and diversity are essential for the future of the audiovisual sector, and that technological innovation, mentoring and intergenerational collaboration are key drivers for transforming the sector towards more inclusive and sustainable environments.

‘PRESIDENTS’ DAY’ OFFERED A GLOBAL VISION OF THE FUTURE OF AUDIOVISUAL MEDIA IN ULTRA HIGH DEFINITION

The final day of the 4K HDR Summit also brought together leaders from the world’s leading Ultra High Definition organisations, such as the Ultra HD Forum, Streaming Video Technology Alliance (SVTA), UHD Alliance and the 8K Association, who joined the Ultra HD World Association, a participant in the in-person conference. It was also attended by broadcasters such as Canal Sur and leading companies in the audiovisual sector, providing a glimpse into the future of 4K, HDR and 8K. Participants agreed that the convergence of technology, creativity and artificial intelligence will define the new era of visual excellence.

The chairman of the Board of Directors of Canal Sur, Rafael Porras, opened the conference by highlighting “Canal Sur’s pioneering role in Ultra High Definition broadcasting and production since 2020“. Porras fondly remembered Ricardo Medina, the driving force behind the event, and stated that “2025 marks the definitive consolidation of 4K HDR in Spain”. He also underlined the importance of public-private cooperation and “the work of Andalucía Hub as a platform for innovation, training and audiovisual production”, reaffirming Seville and Andalusia as international benchmarks in the digital transformation of the sector.

From the United States, Sam Matheny, recently appointed president of the Ultra HD Forum and CTO of the National Association of Broadcasters (NAB), presented the advances of the ATSC 3.0 (NextGen TV) standard, which already covers 76% of US households. “We are experiencing a transition that combines traditional broadcasting and streaming, bringing Ultra HD to millions of households,” he explained. Matheny also highlighted that the FCC is working to accelerate the complete transition before 2030, which “will open a new era of unprecedented interoperability and audiovisual quality”.

For his part, Jason Thibeault, CEO of the Streaming Video Technology Alliance (SVTA), announced the merger of his organisation with the Ultra HD Forum with the aim of “uniting the worlds of broadcasting and streaming under a common vision: the delivery of high-quality, secure content on a global scale”. He explained that the SVTA, comprising more than 130 companies, “fosters technical collaboration between producers, operators and suppliers to solve the challenges of Ultra HD and HDR content production and distribution.”

UHD Alliance Chairman Bill Baggelaar presented the latest innovations in Filmmaker Mode, highlighting the new ambient light compensation feature, which automatically adapts the image to the surrounding lighting. “Our goal is to preserve the creator’s original vision,” he said. Baggelaar emphasised the need to educate consumers about the benefits of UHD and HDR, highlighting “the growing role of artificial intelligence in audiovisual production as a tool for creative support and efficiency.”

The Executive Director of the 8K Association, Juan Reyes, outlined the advances in the 8K ecosystem, driven by more than 20 leading companies in the sector. “8K is no longer a promise, it is a real and immersive experience ,” he said. Reyes pointed out that studios such as Warner Bros, IMAX and MGM are already rescaling their titles in 8K and that “artificial intelligence is revolutionising image restoration and scaling, enabling 8K quality with bandwidths similar to 4K.”

Adventurer, shark expert and diving tourism entrepreneur Karlos Simón presented his documentary ‘Sharks: Lights and Shadows’, filmed in six locations around the world and awarded for its educational value. “We wanted to show sharks as they really are: creatures essential to marine balance, not monsters,” he explained. He highlighted the technical challenges of underwater filming and how 4K HDR technology has made it possible to “capture the beauty and truth of the ocean like never before.”

The Director of Operations and Production at the Arab States Broadcasting Union (ASBU), Ines Gdoura, gave an overview of the expansion of HDR in the MENA region. “Arab audiences value vibrant images, and HDR allows us to show the beauty of our culture with greater realism,” she explained. She noted that, although adoption is uneven, Gulf countries are leading the transformation thanks to platforms such as beIN Media Group. “HDR is more than technology,” she emphasised. “It is a bridge between creativity and innovation that drives the way we tell our stories.”

Olivier Chiabodo, CEO of The Explorers, addressed the connection between technology and content, from 4K to 17K. “We continue to build a global catalogue of natural and cultural heritage in Ultra High Definition,” he said. He highlighted the collaboration with brands such as Apple and Samsung, and the role of artificial intelligence in file and metadata management. “Authentic, quality content is still king,” he concluded.

Travel XP CEO and founder Prashant Chothani fondly remembered Ricardo Medina and reviewed the evolution of 4K to its consolidation as a global standard. “HDR is now mainstream, it’s in all major sports and OTT content,” he said. Chothani highlighted that Travel XP was the world’s first linear 4K HDR channel and is now distributed in more than 110 countries. “Artificial intelligence is a great ally, but it will never replace human emotion and creativity,” he said.

The day was marked by participants’ fond memories of Ricardo Medina, the driving force behind the 4K HDR Summit. Former Ultra HD Forum president Thierry Fautier added to these memories with an emotional message, remembering Ricardo Medina as “a visionary whose passion and commitment were essential to the development of UHD in Spain.” He added: “Your legacy will live on in every innovation and every story told in high definition. Farewell, my friend.”

The closing of the eleventh edition of the 4K HDR Summit was given by María Medina, Managing Director of Medina Media Events, who highlighted how special this eleventh edition has been, while sharing that her greatest inspiration is her father, Ricardo Medina, whom she recognised as “a mentor, professional role model and driving force behind this UHD community“. “He is the reason why we are all connected here today, at the 4K HDR Summit, this whole great UHD family,” emphasised María Medina, before thanking Ricardo Medina for his legacy and his impact on both international television and numerous professionals. “It is an honour for me to continue his legacy today, together with my sister Sonsoles Medina, Director of Operations at Medina Media Global, and the entire Medina Media team. We are truly a family,” she said, closing with one of the great lessons her father taught her: “The path is made by walking.”

The 4K HDR Summit will return in 2026 with its twelfth edition, which will take place from 10 to 13 November.

The 4K HDR Summit 2025 is organised by Medina Media Events and supported by RTVE, SES, RTVA, Axión, Appear, Ateme, Google Cloud, Elecard, Aicox with Small Pixels, AJA, UWA, Lawo, Eutelsat, Synamedia, Rohde & Schwarz, Canon, Hispasat, Cellnex, Alfalite, Netgear, MoMe, Datos Media with Telestream, Sapec, AEQ, Gsertel, Techex, Cisco, Avixa, Hurí, Sevilla FC, Vestel, Daewoo, JVC and Toshiba, among others.

All conferences will be available for viewing on demand through ‘The Observatory’, Medina Media Events’ digital platform, where each conference can be viewed throughout the year, 24 hours a day, free of charge.