UK's first common TV Programme delivery standards

16/03/2011

Post production departments will be glad to hear that the Digital Production Partnership (DPP) has today unveiled common technical standards for tape delivery of HD and SD TV programmes to all major UK broadcasters.

Producers will now have just one set of guidelines that cover Technical Specifications, Picture and Sound Quality for Delivery to the BBC, Channel 4, Channel 5, ITV, S4C and BSkyB.
Forming the contractual basis between broadcasters and producers for all new commissions, the standards also aim to provide clarity around HD deliveries for the production community. These standards do not prescribe the suitability of particular cameras, or post-production technologies, as these can vary from production to production and will remain subject to discussion between producer and broadcaster.
Kevin Burrows, CTO – Broadcast and Distribution, Channel 4, and Chair of the DPP Technical Standards Working Group said, “Having one set of standards for HD delivery across the industry is of huge benefit in formalising current industry practice, rationalising delivery processes, and saving costs for independent producers – a very welcome development.”
These guidelines are the first in a series that aim to help the TV industry maximise the potential of digital production and mark the first time UK broadcasters have agreed a set of common achievable technical standards.
The partnership will make announcements on other guidelines over the coming months, including metadata standards for delivered programmes, HD File based delivery specification and, later this year, plans to publish a ‘Producers Guide’ covering best practice acquisition and post-production techniques.
For detailed information on the guidelines, please visit the DPP’s new website at www.digitalproductionpartnership.co.uk, which has links to the guidelines.

Producers will now have just one set of guidelines that cover Technical Specifications, Picture and Sound Quality for Delivery to the BBC, Channel 4, Channel 5, ITV, S4C and BSkyB. Forming the contractual basis between broadcasters and producers for all new commissions, the standards also aim to provide clarity around HD deliveries for the production community. These standards do not prescribe the suitability of particular cameras, or post-production technologies, as these can vary from production to production and will remain subject to discussion between producer and broadcaster. Kevin Burrows, CTO – Broadcast and Distribution, Channel 4, and Chair of the DPP Technical Standards Working Group said,

“Having one set of standards for HD delivery across the industry is of huge benefit in formalising current industry practice, rationalising delivery processes, and saving costs for independent producers – a very welcome development.”

These guidelines are the first in a series that aim to help the TV industry maximise the potential of digital production and mark the first time UK broadcasters have agreed a set of common achievable technical standards. The partnership will make announcements on other guidelines over the coming months, including metadata standards for delivered programmes, HD File based delivery specification and, later this year, plans to publish a ‘Producers Guide’ covering best practice acquisition and post-production techniques. For detailed information on the guidelines, please visit the DPP’s new website at www.digitalproductionpartnership.co.uk, which has links to the guidelines.

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