Are you ready for ISE 2026? Don't worry, we have you covered. Before Fira de Barcelona opens its doors to thousands of visitors from Feb. 3-6, SCN asked several exhibitors to share some inside information. Through this series of short Q&As, we'll talk trends and pre-show buzz, plus give you an exclusive sneak preview of what you'll see on the show floor.
Today, Jürgen Diniz-Malleck, director sales EMEA, Riedel Communications, discusses simplifying complexity in AV and broadcast control or theaters, events, and the entertainment industry.
SCN: What is your company’s main focus at the show this year?
Jürgen Diniz-Malleck: At ISE, we are showcasing our comprehensive solutions for theaters, events, and the entertainment industry, building on our Artist and Bolero intercom lines, MediorNet media infrastructures, and SimplyLive production solutions. A key focus this year is simplifying complexity in AV and broadcast control without sacrificing flexibility. We will highlight hi human interface, our vendor-agnostic control system, showing how even the most complex baseband and IP environments can be easily operated through a single, intuitive workflow layer.
We are also highlighting our modular stage systems, which bring together communications, multiviewing, video routing, and video production tools into a coherent, modular approach for stages and venues of different sizes. In addition, we will demonstrate our Private 5G solution, Easy5G, and how it can serve as a reliable and secure wireless IP layer; not only for live productions, but increasingly for critical applications in industrial and corporate environments as well.
SCN: What makes ISE a unique trade show for the Pro AV industry?
JDM: ISE has become the central meeting point for the EMEA Pro AV industry, bringing together a wide range of disciplines that increasingly overlap in real-world projects. For us, it is both a place to reconnect with long-standing partners and customers and an opportunity to engage with new audiences who may be approaching AV and live production from different angles.
What makes ISE particularly unique is its role as a convergence point. In recent years, we have seen a noticeable increase in visitors from the broadcast sector, which mirrors how workflows are evolving. Customers no longer think in isolated categories like “AV” or “broadcast,” but instead focus on end-to-end workflows that need to work reliably across venues, productions, and network infrastructures. ISE reflects this shift and provides a valuable snapshot of where the industry is heading next.
SCN: What are some of the latest advancements in intercom systems?
JDM: One of the most notable developments in intercom systems is the step-by-step shift toward virtualized and hybrid intercom infrastructures. This approach gives productions and AV operators greater flexibility in how systems are deployed, scaled, and operated, particularly in distributed or multi-site environments. As intercom infrastructures become more software-driven and interconnected with enterprise and production networks, IT security is increasingly coming to the forefront. Virtualized environments introduce new considerations around authentication, access control, and encrypted communication. What was once a relatively closed system is now part of a broader IP ecosystem, making security a critical aspect of system design, deployment, and operation.
Riedel’s Virtual SmartPanel reflects this evolution by extending established professional communication workflows into a virtual hybrid environment with a strong emphasis on IT security. Designed to operate within modern IP and IT infrastructures, it supports secure user authentication, encrypted connections, and controlled access to intercom resources via Smartphones or tablets. This allows organizations to enable remote and hybrid intercom workflows while aligning with internal IT security policies and reducing exposure in networked environments, an increasingly important requirement across live event, broadcast, and corporate AV deployments.
