Ross Video offers a wide array of products, including video switchers, graphics systems, motion graphics, robotics, automated production control, and live streaming solutions. They cater to various industries such as broadcast television, sports venues, corporate communications, and houses of worship. 

Ross Video’s continuous focus on innovation has helped its clients create compelling content more efficiently, leveraging advanced technology and creative solutions.

Simon Roehrs, Director of Sales, Asia at Ross Video, leverages over 20 years of experience in the broadcast media industry to drive sustainable growth and innovation. Simon Roehrs shares exclusive insights in a freewheeling interview on Ross Video’s vision and plans for the future.

Simon began his career as a software developer and progressed to leadership roles at companies like Rohde & Schwarz, VizRT, LAWO, and Riedel Communications, where he contributed to the world’s first native SMPTE 2110 facility. Based in Asia since 2011, Simon has become an expert in post-production workflows, studio automation, and broadcast technology.

What are the key strategic priorities for Ross Video over the next 3-5 years?

This year, Ross Video is celebrating its 50th anniversary. This remarkable achievement is a testament to our dedication to innovation, strategic growth, and commitment to delivering exceptional solutions to clients worldwide.

Ross Video's success over the years has been driven by a rock-solid product strategy, significant technology investments, and a series of smart acquisitions that have been seamlessly integrated into the company’s operations. These efforts have enhanced the company’s product offerings and positioned Ross Video as a leader in delivering cutting-edge solutions to clients across various industries.

Looking ahead, Ross Video is poised for further growth and success with a clear focus on geographical expansion. The recent decision to incorporate in India is a strategic move that reflects the company’s belief in the immense opportunities within the region. India’s dynamic market presents a fertile ground for Ross Video to introduce its innovative products and services and establish a strong foothold in the region.

Additionally, Ross Video is set to intensify its presence in the Sports, Live Events (SLE) market—a sector where the company is already recognized for its world-class sports solutions. As sports continue to attract global attention and massive viewership, Ross Video's expertise in this domain will undoubtedly drive further growth and expand its influence in the market.

With a legacy of success and a future filled with promising opportunities, Ross Video is well-positioned to continue delivering exceptional value to its clients while expanding its global reach. Here’s to the next 50 years of innovation and excellence!

How does Ross Video differentiate itself from competitors in the broadcast and production technology industry?

Our most significant differentiator is the Ross Code of Ethics. This code emphasizes our commitment to being a great partner, which means we always keep our promises and go the extra mile to keep our customers happy. This principle aligns perfectly with our ambition to deliver extraordinary customer experiences.

Moreover, Ross Video offers one of the largest product portfolios in the broadcast industry, enabling us to create tailored solutions that meet the diverse needs of our clients. With a strong focus on technology, we ensure that our customers have access to a broad and versatile technology stack.Whether they require SD-SDI, ST2110, Cloud, or even AI solutions, we can say “Yes.”

How is Ross Video adapting to the ongoing shift towards IP-based production environments?

As IP technology is not new to us, we continuously enhance our products with robust IP capabilities. At the core of our offerings is Ultrix, our software-defined, hyperconverged platform that provides integrated switching, routing, and multi-viewing. This powerful platform supports any signal type, including 12G SDI, ST2110, MADI, DANTE, and more. Additionally, Ultrix comes fully equipped with all the essential tools required in a modern broadcast environment, such as frame synchronization, colour correction, SDR/HDR conversion, audio mixing, and beyond. 

We offer IP functionality across a wide range of our products, including Media I/O, Voyager, and XPression.

In January this year, we announced a strategic partnership with NDI to further our commitment to advanced IP adoption. This partnership offers our clients even greater flexibility and choice when it comes to IP integration. Today, NDI support is available in many of our products, enhancing our IP offerings across the board.\

What are the biggest challenges you see in the broadcast and live production industry, and how is Ross Video positioned to address them?

The media landscape is undergoing a profound transformation, and one of the most significant challenges the broader broadcast and live production industry faces today is the increasing pressure from new media platforms such as OTT (Over-the-Top) services and social media. These platforms have dramatically altered viewer habits, leading to a shift away from traditional linear TV towards more flexible, on-demand content consumption.

This shift has had severe consequences for broadcasters, who are now grappling with declining ad revenues due to decreased linear TV viewership. The traditional revenue model, heavily reliant on advertising, is being disrupted, forcing broadcasters to rethink their strategies. To navigate this evolving landscape, broadcasters must find ways to reduce costs, increase operational efficiencies and most importantly, produce more and higher-quality content that can captivate and retain their audience in an increasingly crowded market.

Adding to the complexity, new, cash-rich entrants like major streaming giants have entered the fray, competing directly with traditional broadcasters by securing broadcast rights for major sports events. This competition has intensified the battle for viewership, as these streaming platforms not only offer convenience and flexibility but also invest heavily in exclusive content and innovative delivery methods, further eroding the market share of traditional broadcasters.

For Ross Video, this changing environment presents opportunities. The company’s expertise in delivering world-class broadcast and live production solutions positions it uniquely to support broadcasters in this time of transition. By providing tools and technologies that enhance content creation, streamline operations, and enable cost-effective production, Ross Video can help broadcasters adapt to the new realities of the media landscape. Additionally, as broadcasters look to differentiate themselves by delivering premium, high-quality content, Ross Video’s innovative solutions will be instrumental in helping them meet these demands.

The future of broadcast and live production is undoubtedly complex, but with the right strategies and solutions, there are opportunities to thrive amidst the change.

How do you see the role of AI and automation evolving in the broadcast industry, and what role will Ross Video play in this transformation?

AI has rapidly emerged as one of the top three most discussed key technologies in our industry, and it continues to gain traction as clients become increasingly eager to discover its potential applications for the future. The growing interest in AI is driven by the recognition that it can revolutionize workflows, enhance operational efficiencies, and openupnew possibilities for innovation.

At Ross Video, we recognized the potential of AI early on and have been proactive in exploring how this technology can be harnessed to benefit our clients, particularly in the broadcast industry. Our commitment to innovation has led us to integrate AI into various aspects of our solutions, with a focus on streamlining processes and increasing workflow efficiencies.

One area where we have successfully implemented AI is in our News Workflows solutions. By leveraging AI, we have been able to automate and optimize several aspects of the news production process, allowing broadcasters to deliver content faster and more accurately. This improves efficiency and enables news teams tofocus more on creativity and quality rather than being bogged down by repetitive tasks.

Another exciting development is the introduction of RossBot, our AI-powered tool designed to assist with technical support queries. RossBot is already available to our clients and represents a significant step forward in how we deliver support services. With RossBot, clients can quickly get answers to their technical questions, allowing them to resolve issues more efficiently and continue their work with minimal disruption. This AI-driven support system exemplifies how we use AI to enhance our products and improve the overall client experience.

The future of AI in broadcast and live production is filled with exciting possibilities, and at Ross Video, we are committed to staying at the forefront of this technological evolution. As our clients continue exploring what AI can do for them, we are dedicated to developing innovative AI solutions to help them achieve their goals, drive efficiency, and create outstanding content.

Can you share insights into how Ross Video is expanding its market presence globally? Are there any specific regions or sectors you are focusing on?

As Ross Video marks its 50th anniversary, the company is celebrating past achievements and strategically positioning itself for future growth. One of the key initiatives in this forward-looking strategy is our recent decision to incorporate in India. This move reflects our commitment to expanding our global footprint and underscores the importance of the Indian market in our long-term growth plans.

Establishing an office presence in India is a critical step towards supporting the market as effectively as possible. By being on the ground, we can better understand the unique needs and challenges of our Indian clients and tailor our solutions accordingly. This local presence will enable us to offer more personalized and responsive service, strengthening our relationships with existing clients and fostering new partnerships.

To support this expansion, Ross Video is planning a significant number of hires across various functions. We will be enhancing our sales and marketing teams to ensure we have the right strategies and resources to grow our market share in India. Additionally, we recognize the importance of after-sales support in maintaining client satisfaction and trust. Therefore, we are also investing in building a robust after-sales presence, ensuring that our clients in India have access to the same high level of support and service that Ross Video is known for globally.

This expansion into India is not just about establishing a physical presence; it’s about building a solid foundation that will enable us to deliver even greater value to our clients. By increasing our sales and marketing capabilities and strengthening our after-sales support, we are setting the stage for Ross Video to become a leading player in the Indian market, providing innovative solutions and unparalleled service to broadcasters and live production companies across the region.

As we embark on this exciting new chapter, we are confident that our expansion into India will play a pivotal role in driving Ross Video’s continued success and helping our clients achieve their goals in this dynamic and rapidly evolving market.

How does Ross Video gather and integrate customer feedback into product development? Can you provide an example of how customer input has shaped a recent product?

At Ross Video, we are deeply committed to understanding and meeting our customers' requirements—this principle is enshrined as No. 2 in our Ross Code of Ethics. This code is not just a set of guidelines; it is a cornerstone of our corporate culture, well-known by Ross employees and recognized throughout the industry.

Our dedication to this principle has been instrumental in driving the successful growth of Ross Video over the years. By empowering our employees to always do the right thing and prioritize our customers' needs, we have built strong, lasting relationships founded on trust, loyalty, and mutual respect. This approach helps us deliver exceptional solutions tailored to our clients' unique challenges and fosters follow-on business and brand loyalty, ensuring that Ross Video remains a trusted partner in the broadcast and live production industry.

As we expand into new marketsand continue to innovate with technologies such as AI, our commitment to understanding and exceeding our customers' expectations remains at the heart of everything we do. This unwavering focus on our customers will continue to guide us as we navigate the future, helping us build stronger partnerships and achieve even greater success together.

Ross Video has been known for its innovation. What’s the company’s approach to fostering creativity and innovation within the organization?

At Ross Video, our commitment to listening to our customers and incorporating their feedback into our products is a core principle that drives our continuous improvement and innovation. Understanding our customers' needs and challenges is essential to making our products even better and more aligned with the evolving demands of the live video production industry. 

In addition to our customer-centric approach, Ross Video is fortunate to have a dedicated creative department known as Rocket Surgery. Acquired in 2015, Rocket Surgery serves as the creative arm of Ross Video, bringing together a global team of highly talented real-time graphics and broadcast professionals, along with skilled developers. This team specializes in creating and delivering advanced solutions that integrate graphic design, workflow optimization, data management, and control applications tailored for our customers.

Rocket Surgery is pivotal in ensuring that Ross Video remains at the forefront of innovation. By being deeply embedded in the creative and technical aspects of the industry, Rocket Surgery is uniquely positioned to identify emerging trends, new ideas, and the latest demands in real-time graphics and broadcast technology. This proactive approach allows us to stay ahead of the innovation curve, continually pushing the boundaries of what’s possible and delivering solutions that exceed our customers’ expectations.

The combination of listening to our customers and leveraging the expertise of Rocket Surgery enables Ross Video to respond to current needs and anticipate future trends, ensuring that we provide the most advanced and effective solutions in the market. This commitment to innovation and customer satisfaction is what drives our success and helps us build long-lasting relationships with our clients around the world.

How does Ross Video maintain its company culture as it grows and expands internationally?

The Ross Code of Ethics is more than just a set of guidelines; it is the foundation of how we conduct ourselves in every aspect of our business. This code is our recipe for engaging with customers, business partners, and even competitors. It reflects our deep commitment to maintaining the highest standards of integrity and professionalism in all our interactions.

For instance, our Code of Ethics explicitly states in principle No. 7 that we will treat our competition with respect. This is not just a statement but a practice that we believe is crucial in maintaining Ross Video’s reputation as a positive force in the industry worldwide. We understand that competition drives innovation and growth, and by treating our competitors with respect, we foster a healthy, collaborative environment that benefits the entire industry.By doing so, we also respect our customers because they buy from the competition too.

Our CEO, David Ross, personally authored the Ross Code of Ethics, underscoring the importance of these values to our company’s identity. This code is so integral to our operations that it is displayed in every Ross office around the world, serving as a constant reminder to all employees of the principles that guide our actions.

The positive and collaborative company culture at Ross Video is a direct result of 50 years of stable leadership. Founded by John Ross and now led by his son, David Ross, the company has always placed a high value on its people, understanding that a supportive and respectful work environment is crucial to ongoing success. That has ensured that the values of respect, care, and integrity are deeply embedded in our culture. As we continue to grow and innovate, the Ross Code of Ethics remains our guiding light, ensuring that we stay true to our values while navigating the complexities of the global market. This commitment to ethical conduct and respect for all stakeholders sets Ross Video apart and helps us build lasting, positive relationships across the industry.

What do you believe are the key attributes of a successful leader in the tech and broadcast industry today?

There are three critical attributes for success in our industry. First, it's essential to listen to your customers. Understanding their needs and taking their input seriously is paramount. Second, having a clear vision for the future of the broadcast industry is vital to staying ahead. Lastly, a strong leader must bridge the gap between technology and the evolving requirements of the customer.

Looking ahead, what emerging technologies or trends do you believe will have the most significant impact on the broadcast and production industry?

I believe AI will play a pivotal role in the future of our industry. Right now, we're only scratching the surface of what's possible with AI, but in the next five years, I expect to see more TV stations leveraging AI to enhance workflow efficiencies, troubleshoot issues, intelligently route signals, and even assist with content creation and production. AI is unlocking incredible opportunities. However, it won't replace the creative talents in our industry; instead, it will amplify their capabilities. With AI support, creative professionals will have another tool to push their creativity even further, and it will be exciting to see where that leads us.

At Ross Video, we are already deeply immersed in exploring how AI can empower our customers to tell their stories more creatively, produce more content, and run their operations more efficiently than ever before.