for production companies, it is less effective for broadcasters,” says Burrows. “They would prefer to receive files over an IP network so that they can avoid manually copying files, and make use of fully automated workflows starting at the entry point into the broadcaster’s architecture.” Realistically, broadcasters
may need to share infrastructure based on technologies such as Signiant and Aspera to enable companies to transfer completed programmes to them. “It is reasonable to expect
broadcasters to take the lead — with key suppliers — in defining the most effective and pragmatic means of file delivery over the next year or two regardless of the volume of content delivered,” the DPP states. Burrows adds: “We are
happy to take in any mechanism — removable hard drives or LTO or leased lines. But for some producers delivering large volumes or daily programming it make sense to use Signiant and Aspera — and there are various licensing models for those. We are not going to mandate one or another — it is whatever fits with a broadcaster.”
Live production The live guidelines, which were issued in October, cover contribution by satellite links, fibre or microwave links as well as recommended practices for the delivery of stereo and multichannel audio. “Historically, live production has been driven by Sky and the BBC, mostly based on MPEG-2 using whatever kit was available at the time and using a mix of high and some lower quality bitrates,” explains Burrows. “Given that there are only a handful of major live sports production companies in the UK, the DPP felt we should and could agree guidelines. “This is standardised on MPEG-4 to try and drive old kit out. We recognise that in some areas this is hard — with something aired at 3am it may be harder to justify high bitrates than in primetime — but the timing was right for a guideline that people will follow. If a broadcaster sees fit to change it for commercial reasons that’s at their discretion.” Aside from ramping up the
pilots, the DPP will next address loudness. “We want to get a revised spec in place for Q1,” says Burrows. “We are complying with EBU R128 loudness metering but we want to issue guidelines of usage for whether a show is live or recorded or within genre. The other thing is that EBU R128 is a measurement designed for long
form, so how does short form content fit that?” The DPP’s speed and relative equanimity with which it has cracked the file-barrier is arguably the envy of other countries. Its official
documentation is called ‘The Bloodless Revolution’. Explains Burrows: “A lot of content in the UK emanates from small production companies where there is not a lot of dedicated expertise so the over-arching idea
was to give them guidance on the whole end to end workflow from acquisition through post to delivery. In the longer term this makes it easier for everyone so we’re not battling lots of different standards and broadcasters don’t,
for example, receive a file from one production company that won’t play out on their server. Files will never be as easy as tape but by trying to standardise we are trying to avoid the interoperability issues which plague us all.”