Not long after IBC2012, a collaborative industry project — the Future of Innovation in Television Technology (FITT) taskforce — was launched, and the findings have now been made available.
“The FITT report helps to clarify a number of important issues, opportunities and challenges facing the UK television industry,” said Ed Vaizey UK MP, Minister for Culture, Communications and Creative Industries. “We will take careful note of the specific recommendations for government and will work closely with the industry-led Next Generation TV Planning Programme.”
The report covers new reviews of consumer trends, the evolution of devices and applications, computing for the creative industries, data management, and future networks and infrastructure. The steering group made 13 recommendations based on the evidence from this work. These include the establishment of a leaders assembly to guide a next generation TV technology planning programme; a technology advocacy programme for innovators to share newly-developed technologies and applications; and a cross industry working group to respond to the challenges of big data in TV.
The taskforce noted anxieties about privacy, which it says remain the biggest barrier to widespread consumer adoption of video on any device at any time in any place, and said that this highlights the need for transparency from providers — potentially delivered via an industry-led review of self-regulation — and digital literacy programmes for consumers.
“The UK TV industry is an amazing success story, with an enviable heritage of innovating in television technology,” said Dr. David Docherty, chairman of the FITT taskforce and of the DTG (pictured). “But it’s facing unprecedented challenges to its ability to compete, let alone lead. The FITT report is testament to the resolve that exists within the industry to deliver innovation that consumers and viewers want and to keep the UK TV technology industry globally competitive.”
