The Digital Production Partnership (DPP) – a joint initiative by the BBC and UK broadcasters ITV and Channel 4 – has now published its standards for both the technical aspects and the metadata when delivering programme content over IP. This follows its 2011 standard on tape-based HD delivery. Although the DPP is a UK initiative, the status of the broadcasters and technologists involved strongly suggest that this will become an international standard. To this end it worked closely with the Advanced Media Workflow Association (AMWA) in the US to drive the creation of a new standard, AS-11, for file format, structure and wrapper. By implementing one set of pan-industry technical standards the DPP aims to minimise confusion and expense for programme-makers and avoid a situation where a number of different file types and specifications proliferate. To encourage international adoption, it was worked closely with the EBU to map its minimum set of common data to existing EBU Core and TV Anytime metadata sets. “Having one set of standards for file-based delivery across the industry is of huge benefit in ensuring ease of exchange and compatibility,” said Kevin Burrows, CTO of Channel 4 and chair of the DPP technical standards group. “It will also reduce costs for independent producers as well as minimising confusion among programme makers.” The members of the DPP were keen to emphasise that agreement on the standard does not signal an immediate move to file-based delivery. During 2012 BBC, ITV and Channel 4 will begin to take delivery of programmes on file on a selective basis. Only after a period of piloting will it become the preferred delivery format, probably in 2014. www.digitalproductionpartnership.co.uk
