The Digital Production Partnership (DPP) formed between UK networks ITV, Channel 4 and BBC, has made two major interventions in digital production for television. The first is the release of a report, “The Reluctant Revolution – Breaking Down Barriers to Digital Production in TV.” The second is the announcement of common Technical & Metadata standards for file-based delivery of TV programs to all major UK broadcasters.
The second announcement reflects the commitment on the part of broadcasters to get more involved as the DPP has unveiled the key features of its Technical & Metadata Standards for File-based Delivery. It will be published in full at the end of this year.
Through the DPP, six broadcasters have agreed to the UK’s first common file format, structure and wrapper to enable TV program delivery by file. These new guidelines will complement common standards already published by the DPP for tape delivery of HD and SD TV programs.
The common metadata standards, which form an important part of the new file-based delivery guidelines, have been developed with reference to the European Broadcasting Union’s “EBU Core.”
The DPP has also worked closely with the Advanced Media Workflow Association (AMWA) on a new specification for the delivery of finished programs as files: AS-11, MXF for Contribution. The specification is slated to be published by AMWA by the end of the year, and the DPP guidelines will require files delivered to UK broadcasters to be compliant.
