United Kingdom

The UK Section holds monthly evening meetings, where we get together to socialise and discuss topics impacting our industry. Take a look at the meetings listed below, sign up and come along! Priority is given to SMPTE members, but newcomers are very welcome. At every event, there will be an interesting technically-oriented presentation, plenty of time to network with industry peers, and ample refreshments courtesy of our sponsors and supporters.

Take a look at our previous meetings to see what we've been upto! 2025 meetings | 2024 meetings | 2023 meetings | 2022 meetings | 2021 meetings | The Bill Lovell Memorial Lectures

Next meeting

SMPTE UK Young Innovators 2026

It's back again by popular demand! In early 2026 SMPTE UK will hold Young Innovators in London and in Salford.

Registration is now open! Click below to register.

Hosted at Sky’s Osterley campus in the South and at MediaCity in the North, we'll gather students, early career engineers, and media and motion picture engineering pros… all in one space.

Whether you’re an engineering manager on the hunt for sources of tech talent, or at the beginning of your career and looking to engage in technical community - this is the event for you…

What to Expect:

• Engaging Tech Talks & Fireside Chats: Hear from talented students and early-career engineers as they share their innovative ideas and projects.
• Networking Opportunities: Meet industry pros and peers, and make valuable connections that could shape your career.
• Attracting Talent: If you're an engineering manager looking to connect with emerging talent, this event will give you direct access to the next wave of tech innovators.

Attendance is free of charge. Ample refreshments will be provided courtesy of our generous sponsors. If you're a student, we can help with your travel costs to get to the meeting.

We are really enjoying working with the folks at TVBEurope to get to know some of our SMPTE Young Innovators alumni better, in the run up to this year's events.

This week is the turn of Jon Bourne - one of our OG 2021 lightning speakers! Click here to read the excellent article.

And may we encourage you to sign up for the TVBEurope newsletter - a great source of industry news!

Our first meeting in Newcastle!

SMPTE UK visits... BBC Newcastle

When: 11 February 2026
Where: Collaboration Zone, BBC Broadcasting Centre, Barrack Road, Newcastle NE2 4NS

We’re thrilled to be invited by our friends at the BBC to visit the BBC English Region broadcasting centre on Barrack Road in Newcastle. Come with us and see first-hand the innovative work the BBC is doing, with focus on the North East.

The evening will look at the BBC’s growing technology presence in the North East and at the developments in studio technology that support local broadcasting. You will also hear from members of the BBC data science team whose work underpins the BBC’s digital apps and services.

Doors open at 6pm for ample refreshments and networking. The event starts at 7.00pm and ends at 8.30pm, with further networking and refreshments to 9pm. As is SMPTE UK North tradition, post-event informal networking will then continue in the Cosy Dove pub, just down the road

Just like all SMPTE UK events, this meeting is open to existing professionals and students alike. Attendance is free of charge. Ample refreshments will be provided courtesy of our BBC hosts. If you're a student, we can help with your travel costs to get to the meeting. Get in touch with us.

The Collaboration Zone has capacity for 50 guests so get your ticket before they all go!

February meeting in the South

The Control Plane in Modern Media Systems

When: Thursday 26 February | 6:30 - 9:30pm

Where: Atos, Second Floor, Mid City Place, 71 High Holborn, London WC1V 6EA

• How control is implemented today and where legacy approaches persist
• The security implications of long-established but often insecure protocols
• Whether standardisation is necessary, practical, or achievable
• How broadcasters and vendors balance innovation with operational reality

Call for papers

Call for Papers – SMPTE Media Technology Conference Europe

SMPTE will be back again this May running the Media Technology Conference at MPTS, London Olympia. This year our conference will be bigger and better than ever, with a new SMPTE-branded theatre on the main show floor and we're planning on two full days of thought-leadership. So for the first time this year, we're opening a call for papers.

Do you have new research, ideas or case studies in media technology? We invite you to submit a manuscript and share your work at the SMPTE Media Technology Conference Europe on the 13th and 14th May 2026 at MPTS London Olympia.

What to submit

• Abstract (300–400 words) — Describe the originality of your work and (if available) early results.
• Top three take-aways — What will the audience learn from your presentation?
• Proposed paper type — For example: Research/Theory, Case Study, Tutorial, Novel Technology, or Industry-change proposal.
• Target audience — Indicate who will benefit most from your talk.

If your abstract is accepted, you will need to submit a PowerPoint presentation deck (up to 40 slides)

Please note we will also review the content for potential inclusion in the journal. To be included in the journal we would ask you to also submit a manuscript (max 5000 words min 2000).

Key dates

• Abstract deadline: End Feb
  
• Notification of acceptance: Mid March
• Draft manuscript + presentation deck due: Mid April
  
• Final manuscript & presentation due: First week of May

Topics of interest (not limited to):

• Emerging & disruptive technologies
• Content creation & production innovation
• Media infrastructure & distribution
• Compression, processing & optimization
• Capture, hardware & display technologies
• Industry trends, security, sustainability & standards

Why submit?

• Present your work at the growing European SMPTE conference inside MPTS a platform for media & entertainment technology professionals
• Share insights that could influence innovation, standards, workflows or industry direction
• Gain visibility, feedback, and opportunities for collaboration across the SMPTE community

Upcoming meetings

We have a busy 2026 planned at SMPTE UK! Here's a preview of the events we're preparing over the coming months, subject to change. Tickets are normally advertised six weeks before each event, so please check back closer to each event to register.

SMPTE UK is run by an enthusiastic group of volunteers, all of whom have day-jobs as professionals in the Motion Picture and Television industries. SMPTE runs elections each year to appoint members to these and other leadership roles. If you'd like to help out with running SMPTE UK, or even run for election to one of these roles in a future year, come to our meetings and talk with our current Chair, John Ellerton.

We look forward to welcoming you at our next UK meeting.

We really want to hear your ideas and suggestions as we build up SMPTE UK. Feel free to get in touch if you have topics for talks you think people would be interested to hear; or a venue we could use for one of our evening meetings. We're always on the hunt for a new venue or facility to tour!

Add your name to our mailing list — click on 'Join our Friends List' at the top of this page, or contact us.

SMPTE is a members’ organisation - we gather together for community, to educate one another, and to set standards, and we'd really like you to play a part.

The benefits of SMPTE membership are vast. Whether you're a student, graduate or industry professional, there's a lot to gain. Click here to find out more! And as an extra benefit for UK tax-payers, your membership subscription can be offset against tax.