techMEDIA TECHNOLOGY & INNOVATION issue-i 16 • june 2013

The Sustainability Imperative Plus • EBU RADIO RECOMMENDATION • FoBTV PROGRESS REPORT • THE MEDIA APP LANDSCAPE • NETWORKED MEDIA TASK FORCE and more...

tech.ebu.ch viewpoint

Visions of a tech bright future -i Lieven Vermaele contents EBU Director of Issue 16 • June 2013 Technology & Innovation t the end of last year the EBU 3 News & Events launched Vision2020, a strategic study investigating how Public driver for linear and live TV in future. In 4 News & Events AService Media (PSM) and the the world of massively more information 5 News & Events EBU must adapt to serve audiences and and content there will be a growing need stakeholders in the best way. The project, for a guide, a media curator, a trusted 6 Sustainability which involves many Members, will deliver brand and a (social) friend. 7 Green Case Study reports in the months and years ahead, Competition. Here, in terms of barriers however I want to take this opportunity to to entry, broadcast protects and broadband 8 FoBTV Update give my own early impressions. liberates. The growth of broadband leads Firstly, there is great diversity in our EBU to more international competition, making 9 In My Opinion membership. Every EBU Member and it easier for international brands to reach 10 Member Profile: TVP every country has a unique national out to us locally. New, small competitors situation. In fact, each country in Europe is or non-native media brands will not start 11 Networked Media a PSM and media experiment in itself. This with linear TV services, but will build up 12 Radio diversity can make Europe a very creative their brand in alternative ways. New youth Recommendation place, but makes it harder to benefit from brands do not necessarily have to start economies of scale or harmonization (as in from linear TV anymore. 13 Future of AM the USA). Process and people. These products 14 Integrated On the other hand there is considerable and interfaces will call for a complete alignment of views on future trends. EBU reform of the media production Production Members see the same trends - though at environment. It will need to be much more 16 CCDM at VRT different speeds - and have similar item based (‘atomized’) and integrated. priorities. This is where the EBU can help Until now, the only parameter a media 18 Media Apps by forming a common vision of the future planner had was time – the broadcast 19 In the Spotlight: of media, the landscape and the role of schedule. A new creative talent will arise PSM in society. Let me share my thoughts that is able to package all these items into a Pere Vila Fumas on the trends and the directions that service offering or interface. should be taken. Partnerships. European PSM The product and the brand. The organizations will remain relatively small Cover Story: The EBU’s Sustainable Technology medium of (linear) radio or television will and local, and have few opportunities for in Broadcasting group held a meeting in the not disappear, but it will become absorbed economies of scale. They will need to UK earlier this year. They took the opportunity into a combined service. As a proportion explore opportunities for cooperation in to visit Europe's most sustainable broadcasting of total viewing time, linear usage will their market for production or service facility, the new Sky Studios just outside decline. Linear viewing time will be shared platforms. Their plan should be “compete London. There’s an update from STiB on page 6 with other media usages. Brands will in content and services, cooperate in and a report from BSkyB on page 7. become independent of specific delivery technology and platforms”. © European Broadcasting Union 2013 technology. The brand, if strong and PSM and society. PSM will need a new relevant, will survive and prosper. A brand contract with society. We should see PSM All rights reserved. The reproduction of can become an application that assembles as society’s investment fund, investing in articles in tech-i is authorized only with linear, on demand, multimedia and social content and services and creating a return the written permission of the publishers. elements. A brand will offer this service in for society. PSM will be a benchmark and The responsibility for views expressed in a structured way via an interface, adapted driver for the media market in many tech-i rests solely with the authors. to the user and his context; and launched countries. Published by the EBU on any available screen. A brand (and its I will leave the EBU during the summer Technology & Innovation Department app) will always be there for you, to to spend more time with my technology 17a, L’Ancienne-Route, inform, guide and entertain. start-up. But I’m pleased to have CH-1218 Le Grand-Saconnex User behaviour and expectations. contributed to the initial phases of Switzerland. People will use more and more media, both Vision2020. The future opportunities for live and on demand, local and global. PSM are visible today. Win-win solutions Editor-in-Chief: Lieven Vermaele Managing Editor: Eoghan O'Sullivan Today we are trending towards more and can and should be developed, both Email: [email protected] more individualization of media usage; internally in the media organization, and Tel: +41 22 717 2745 tomorrow media usage will be even more between media players in the market. If we individual and personalized, but equally do so, I see a bright future for European Design: Louise Tait people will look for moments to consume media, PSM, and the EBU as an Printed on FSC Certified paper media together. This demand will be the organization. by New Goff n.v.

2 tech-i | tech.ebu.ch | june 2013 news

ASIA-PACIFIC BROADCASTING UNION EBU TECHNOLOGY & INNOVATION DEPARTMENT FAREWELL TO SHARAD Sharad Sadhu, the Director of the digital radio. In Sharad’s farewell ABU Technical Department, album, fellow ABU Director retired in March 2013 writes Takeshi Doki, wrote a poem that David Wood. He also steps down sums him up well: as vice-chair of the World “There is a man who stands firm Broadcasting Union’s Technical even in a storm. Committee. Sharad has worked Dreaming of the sun coming in broadcasting for 42 years, back in the blue sky. living through the great We are proud of this person like transitions to colour television, a sunflower.” digital television and high definition. He joined the ABU in 1993 after a distinguished career in India. This included being Director of Engineering of the Indian national broadcaster, Doordarshan, and a Professor at WELCOME TO MICHAEL the Indian Film and TV Institute. We are pleased to welcome Michael Barroco to the EBU, where he joins Sharad has been a firm supporter the Media Delivery & Services team in the Technology & Innovation of the WBU and the ITU, and a Department. He’s not a complete stranger to the EBU having spent time friend of the EBU. He has helped working as an intern on various projects in recent years. He played a key considerably the journey of role in the development of the EBU’s open source tools for hybrid radio Asia-Pacific broadcasters to production, building on the work of the RadioDNS organization. digital television. Two of his He holds an MSc in Computer Science from EPFL, the highly regarded causes célèbres have been technical university in Lausanne. He completed his thesis, on real-time preserving spectrum for television analytics for large-scale video streaming platforms, while working at broadcasting in the face of the Livestream in New York during the past seven months. He’s 25 years old land grab by wireless broadband, and is originally from Geneva. He’s looking forward to getting his teeth and encouraging the rollout of into EBU projects around broadband networks and user experiences. DIGITAL RADIO SUMMIT 2013 MORE THAN 120 DELEGATES ATTENDED THE EBU’S DIGITAL RADIO SUMMIT 2013

FRESH OPTIMISM AROUND DIGITAL RADIO The EBU’s Radio Week provides an annual opportunity for the universal receiver (FM, DAB, DRM, IP) based on the US$35 Raspberry technical community of Europe’s radio industry to step back and Pi computer and a multiplatform radio app from RAI.Many members take stock. At the centre of these five days of meetings, assemblies of the RadioDNS hybrid radio community were present, with and workshops was, as usual, the Digital Radio Summit, which this particular interest this year in progress with visual radio using year attracted more than 120 participants from 20 countries. (Radio RadioVIS and the possibility of integrating work done at VRT on Week events attracted a total of 160 people.) radio chaptering with the RadioEPG work. One of the clear signals emerging from the Summit this year was Other highlights of a packed Radio Summit programme included a optimism for the future of digital radio in Europe. One of the factors presentation on the strategy behind the successful RadioPlayer contributing to this was the announcement of the EBU’s new initiative from the UK and an insight into how NPO is implementing recommendation on digital radio distribution, R 138, which was hybrid radio in the Netherlands based on the RadioDNS specification warmly received by the delegates. (See page 12 for an introduction and using tools provided by the EBU. Predictably, there was plenty of to R 138.) Sony’s Andreas Schneider, speaking on behalf of interest in the presentation from the Norwegian regulator on plans manufacturers’ group DIGITALEUROPE, stressed the need to for FM switch-off in that country. harmonize across Europe with simple and focused requirements. He Elsewhere in this issue of tech-i (p.13) you can find an article on welcomed the new EBU recommendation in this regard. the future of the AM bands, based on Niels Dreijer’s presentation to The EBU’s radio technology expert Mathias Coinchon reported on Digital Radio Summit. All presentations from the event are available the RadioHack workshops that had taken place over the previous to EBU Members from: http://tech.ebu.ch/drs2013 two days. Among the projects shared at this year’s event were a

tech-i | tech.ebu.ch | june 2013 3 news

BROADTHINKING 2013 MUSCADE WORKSHOP A BROAD PERSPECTIVE ON BROADBAND DELIVERY As usual, mid-March brought broadband and mobile broadband networks. While media delivery to the top of the agenda at there’s still work to be done on bringing the EBU with the annual BROADTHINKING DASH to the point where it’s ready for peter kovacs seminar. This year’s event – on 27-28 March widescale deployment, standardization work – was preceded by meetings of the DASH is making good progress. For broadcasters its Industry Forum, which meant it really was inclusion in the HbbTV specifications is a broadband week at the EBU. notable point in its favour. BROADTHINKING attracted more than 90 On the second day of BROADTHINKING the DANCING WITH DEPTH participants, for a programme featuring 22 focus turned to content delivery networks – AND DIMENSIONS presentations and plenty of opportunities to CDNs – generating plenty of discussion and network and to discuss the many demos on questions from the floor. Speakers As the MUSCADE project comes to a close in show. representing some of the key players in the June, a workshop was held at the 3D Presentations from IHS and NPO during domain gave participants an overview of the Innovation Center in Berlin on 21 March to the opening session illustrated clearly the options, from building your own CDN to using show the final outcomes of the project and growing importance of online media CDN federation to reduce costs and increase demonstrate new technologies to the public channels. But, in what was something of a reach. Martin Boronski of French commercial and the European Commission. MUltimedia reality check, they also also highlighted the broadcaster M6 made a strong case for the SCAlable 3D for Europe is an FP7 Project set fact that linear TV using broadcast continues build-your-own approach, citing a saving of up to create major innovations in the fields to dominate and that online consumption around 30% when compared to a global of production equipment and tools, still represents a very small percentage of CDN. Nevertheless, for M6 some challenges production, transmission and coding formats overall viewing. Speakers emphasized the remain relating to, for example, Quality of for 3D content. considerably higher costs – and, in the case Service and a need to increase capacity. A number of impressive demonstrations of Janet West speaking on behalf of the BBC, The event came to a close with a session were presented as part of the event. Using environmental footprint - that come with on hybrid TV platforms, including updates on the 3D Innovation Center studios, a dance broadband delivery. the spread of HbbTV services across Europe performance was captured with a special 3D For broadcasters, who made up more than as well as reports on progress with MHP- rig developed within MUSCADE. The rig uses a third of the participants, it was a useful based services in Italy and the UK’s YouView four cameras to generate multiview content, chance to learn about technologies that will platform. with two central cameras generating a dominate in the years ahead. A combination BROADTHINKING 2014 will take place “traditional” stereo 3D picture and two of HEVC video coding plus MPEG DASH 26-27 March; and EBU Members can access cameras placed outside them to acquire adaptive streaming is likely to be the the presentations from this year’s event at: additional views and improve the depth standard for online distribution, over fixed http://tech.ebu.ch/broadthinking2013 information. The real-time decoding and reproduction of the transmitted multi-view GUY BISSON OF IHS PROVIDED video plus depth (MVD) content was A REALITY CHECK WITH REGARD presented on an auto-stereoscopic (i.e. TO THE RELATIVE COSTS OF glasses-free) screen. The basic stereoscopic BROADBAND VS. BROADCAST content captured by the central pair was also displayed in the 3D cinema, proving that the MUSCADE rig is suitable for display-agnostic 3D content production. Other demonstrations included multiview 3D content transmitted over satellite, automated correction of audio based on measurements of the room’s acoustics, and real-time encoding for multi-view 3D content to be rendered on lightfield displays. The workshop was jointly organized by the EBU and Fraunhofer HHI. There were around 65 participants. For more information on MUSCADE visit: www.muscade.eu

THE MEDIA & IT RENDEZVOUS Broadcast production increasingly makes use of IT- based infrastructure and storage. This means that broadcast engineers find themselves dealing more and more with IT tools and services, but also that IT specialists are playing a greater role in the world of broadcasting. The programme of the EBU NETWORK TECHNOLOGY SEMINAR reflects this evolution. We’re keen to increase the participation from IT specialists working at EBU Members, a group that may not be familiar with the event. Please make sure your colleagues know about NTS 2013 – The Media & IT Rendezvous. http://tech.ebu.ch/nts2013

4 tech-i | tech.ebu.ch | june 2013 diary

DIGITAG Metadata Developer Network Workshop BROADCASTING REACHES... 5-6 JUNE, GENEVA THE EUROPEAN COMMISSION This workshop is a unique chance to be updated on the DigiTAG, the association tasked with protecting broadcast spectrum use of metadata in the broadcast industry and to learn for broadcasters, will be launching a series of events in the next year by joining the discussions. to promote the initiative ‘Broadcasting reaches...’. The association http://tech.ebu.ch/mdn2013 has developed the Broadcasting reaches… message to promote the benefits of terrestrial broadcasting. The message needs to be clear to administrations, governments and the European Commission: EBU Technical broadcasting will remain a key part of the media landscape. Assembly Broadcast spectrum is coming under greater pressure, and 13-14 JUNE, MUNICH broadcasters and the broadcasting industry need to come together This year’s TA takes place in Munich, hosted by the to protect spectrum now and in the future. public broadcaster of the German state of Bavaria, Broadcasting is at a key juncture. As the majority of countries in Bayerischer Rundfunk (BR). All Technical Directors Europe switch off analogue it is important that those outside the and Chief Technology Officers of EBU Members are DTT world are reminded of the importance of terrestrial encouraged to attend. broadcasting. The full broadcast value chain needs to support the http://tech.ebu.ch/ta2013 right of broadcasters to spectrum, which has traditionally been allocated to allow for future growth of the industry. Broadcasting brings a return for society both socially and economically, something Network Technology which shouldn’t be lost in the race for spectrum. Seminar 2013 Broadcasting reaches…is an initiative launched by DigiTAG as a 25-26 JUNE, GENEVA reminder that broadcasting is part of everyday life. It reaches all people, socio-economic groups, platforms, screens, individuals, The Media and IT Rendezvous. Bringing together groups and ages. Lieven Vermaele, DigiTAG’s president said “An specialists in broadcast engineering and IT networks and informed society needs broadcasting. It remains important for social infrastructure, whether for production, contribution, cohesion and it’s time the broadcasting community speaks together B2B, or primary distribution. with one voice to protect the future of broadcasting. We are seeing http://tech.ebu.ch/nts2013 other lobbies bringing together their industries; the broadcasting industry needs to be clear in its message so that it protects the Libre Software future of the industry. DigiTAG is the platform on which we can Meeting 2013 bring together all of the players from the world of broadcasting to 6-11 JULY, BRUSSELS ensure our voice is heard.” The first Broadcasting reaches... event will be held in Brussels on An open platform for users, developers and stakeholders Thursday 6 June, jointly hosted by DigiTAG and the EBU. For further in free and open source software. The EBU will once information on this and other Broadcasting reaches... events, please again organize sessions on media, radio and television. contact the DigiTAG Project Office: www.digitag.org Broadcasting reaches… one message, one industry, one voice. http://tech.ebu.ch/opensource2013 IBC 2013 13-17 September, Amsterdam

As usual the EBU will be present at Europe’s premier broadcast media convention. Along with demos and presentations on the EBU booth (10.F20), a conference session on Saturday afternoon will show how innovation is alive and well in public service media. http://tech.ebu.ch/ibc2013 Looking further ahead... Forecast 2013 Digital Radio 13-14 November Summit 2014 Production Technology 12 February Seminar 2014 Broadthinking 2014 28-30 January 26-27 March

The presentations given at all EBU Technology & Innovation events are available from our website, often with accompanying videos. Just visit our Event Calendar and click on Past Events. http://tech.ebu.ch/events

tech-i | tech.ebu.ch | june 2013 5 strategic programme update The Sustainability Imperative OVER THE LAST EIGHTEEN MONTHS AN EBU STRATEGIC PROGRAMME FOCUSING ON GREEN ISSUES HAS BEEN TAKING SHAPE. ITS INTERIM CHAIR, SIMON TUFF (BBC), HERE SETS OUT THE OBJECTIVES OF THE GROUP, NOW RENAMED “SUSTAINABLE TECHNOLOGY IN BROADCASTING”.

t is now almost beyond doubt that we are entering a period of climate change, almost certainly Iman made. There are those who disagree but given the increasing strength of the scientific evidence it would seem prudent, whatever your view, for all businesses, organizations and individuals to have an awareness of the issues and to plan how they should respond. When doing this you need to consider not only environmental factors but also factors such as dwindling supplies of finite resources (like rare earth metals, essential for most modern electronics, and fossil fuels) and the waste we generate, including its quantity and methods of disposal. To help Members tackle these challenges the EBU has calculated that worldwide broadcasting 4 To establish the requirement to formed a strategic programme to is responsible for approximately 1.8% use carbon calculators as part of examine the impact of broadcasting of the global carbon footprint (see BBC programme production and through technology on the environment and WHP 189). Very little has been done to this to develop and deliver best investigate how best this can be mitigate this impact in the years since, practice. managed. and we have generally made things worse 5 To help produce and/or publish by delivering content demanding larger guidelines on sustainable best practice IMPACT OF BROADCASTING screens, with more loudspeakers and on in broadcast production in How significant is broadcasting in the diverse platforms. coordination with the BeyondHD and overall climate change picture? The This trend will continue as we FNS groups. It is expected that these IPCC report from 2007 (the most recent fully migrate to HD with 5.1, then will help deliver benefits from the use set of global figures published to date) to 4k and 8k UHDTV with 22.2 of carbon calculator tools. considered aviation, usually seen as the audio, encourage the use of multiple 6 To help members understand how bad boy of environmental impact, to be devices simultaneously, such as social to use sustainable measurement responsible for about 2% of the global interactivity via the second screen, and and metrics to deliver business carbon footprint. Aviation’s proportion adopt IP delivery. It’s been estimated that transformation, thus aiding informed of global carbon emissions has, perhaps IP delivery uses at least three times the decision making. This could be surprisingly, remained remarkably energy per viewer hour compared with supported by the use of case studies flat in recent years, mostly as a result digital terrestrial transmission. and should take advantage of work of investment in improved aircraft done in other related industries like the technology and processes and, to some OUR OBJECTIVES ITC sector. This is expected to focus extent, the the suppression of demand The EBU Strategic Programme on on programme production, apparatus caused by economic conditions. Sustainable Technology in Broadcasting rooms, data centres, contribution and The Information Technology and (StiB) has set the following as its high distribution. Communication sector is also calculated level objectives: By working towards the above to be responsible for around 2% of the 1 To communicate the why and the how objectives we can help protect the global carbon footprint. However a rise of sustainable broadcast technology viability of our industry, safeguard its to 3% or even 4% is predicted in new and how broadcasting organizations reputation, reduce the impact of climate figures to be released later this year. This can develop internal strategies for events and resource constraints, and save increase is led by an elastic growth in sustainability. money (in a world of rapidly increasing demand, in spite of industry efforts to 2 To facilitate a workable definition of energy and material prices).Finally, to develop low power technology and more sustainability for the broadcasting an increasing number of people, it just efficient data centres. (This phenomenon industry and to help identify and form seems like the right thing to do. of improved technology leading to standards for use by the industry. increased consumption is explained by 3 With the support of the Technical If you want to help your organization the “Jevons paradox” which is well Committee to establish strong working deliver a more sustainable future explained on Wikipedia.) relationships with or a sustainability or just want to find out more then How does broadcasting measure up facet within all EBU technology go to the EBU’s website at: within this? In 2007 the UK’s Ofcom projects and working groups. http://tech.ebu.ch/green

6 tech-i | tech.ebu.ch | june 2013 case study Greening Sky BSKYB IS ONE OF EUROPE’S LEADING COMMERCIAL BROADCAST ORGANIZATIONS, DELIVERING TELEVISION, BROADBAND AND OTHER SERVICES TO MORE THAN 10.7 MILLION HOMES IN THE UK AND IRELAND. THE COMPANY IS ALSO TAKING A LEAD ON SUSTAINABILITY MEASURES. LAURA STEELE, SKY’S ENVIRONMENT MANAGER, PROVIDES AN OVERVIEW.

ky was pleased to host a recent funded from a specific green capex pot increasing awareness of sustainability meeting of the EBU’s STiB for low-carbon and carbon-efficient issues within the production industry; (Sustainable Technology in projects over the next five years. Together working with key production companies SBroadcasting) group at ‘Sky these contribute about 10% of the and other media organizations to reduce Studios’, Europe’s most sustainable overall energy demand, which equates to their impacts and associated emissions; broadcasting facility. We provided 7,600 MWh/yr of energy and saves the and more broadly increasing customers' the group with what we hope was an equivalent of £800k per year in avoided awareness of environmental issues through interesting and informative visit, including energy costs. programming. a tour of our 4.4MW Combined Cooling Being led by our CEO, Jeremy Darroch, Sky has commissioned ten programmes and Heating Power biomass plant (CCHP) and with continued commitment from the so far to help raise awareness of and 100kW wind turbine – two renewable most senior levels in the business, these deforestation and has run over 130 hours energy projects that provide over 40% of projects have been a success. The business of environmental programming across the energy that is required by Sky Studios. recognizes the need for a secure energy our channels, via six specially created Although planning requirements supply if it wants to be sustainable in the ‘Rainforest Weeks’. This is all as part of mandated only a 20% contribution from long term. This support and commitment Sky Rainforest Rescue, a partnership with renewable energy sources for Sky Studios, from management is ever-present. WWF that aims to help save one billion we made the decision to go beyond this Renewable energy is not without trees in the state of Acre, in northwest during construction to maximize the its challenges though, and any owner Brazil. Tackling deforestation plays an use of on-site renewables at the facility. operator should be well informed before important part in combating global This was done with a long term view of embarking on a large scale investment. warming, which is why, through such continuing to redevelop our London- Technologies remain in development, and programming, we hope to inspire people based campus. Thus the CCHP plant many options available on the market to take action on climate change and help will be able to provide heat requirements are still quite immature. At Sky we have to protect the rainforest. for the proposed new campus as well as tackled these challenges by working providing additional cooling through closely with our maintenance provider. a district distribution system. This has All stakeholders involved in the design been viewed very positively by the local and operation of such groundbreaking planning authorities as they develop their technologies must be empowered and applications for future buildings, and incentivized to optimize the plant ultimately will make a great contribution operation so that efficiency and benefits to their sustainability targets. are maximized.

AMBITIOUS TARGET RAISING AWARENESS Sky Studios’ two renewable energy Sky’s ambition is to lead the way across projects are part of a wider target across our industry in promoting sustainable all Sky’s owned sites to obtain 20% of production. But making our studios as our energy from owned or controlled sustainable as possible isn’t our only renewables by 2020. To achieve this we focus; our commitment to sustainable have deployed an range of state-of-the- production is also reflected by what we art renewable technologies. These are do right across the business. This includes

tech-i | tech.ebu.ch | june 2013 7 standardization & interoperability Grand Aspirations IT’S A GRAND TITLE: THE FUTURE OF BROADCAST TELEVISION. THE ASPIRATIONS OF THE GROUP ARE EQUALLY GRAND. SO WHY IS FoBTV IMPORTANT, WHAT IS IT TRYING TO DO AND HOW DOES IT HOPE TO GET THERE? ON THE NEXT PAGE DAVID WOOD OFFERS A VIEW ON SOME OF THE TECHNIQUES BEING CONSIDERED; HERE THE EBU’S PETER MACAVOCK CONCENTRATES ON THE NUTS AND BOLTS.

ark Richer, the president FoBTV Founders itself, but will rather rely on the constituent of ATSC, should be bodies to do the standardization work credited with being the • Advanced Television Systems using requirements from FoBTV – these are Mfather of FoBTV. But it Committee (ATSC) the Calls for Technology referred to above. was not difficult for him to find like- • Canadian Broadcasting Corporation How this will work in practice remains to minded individuals seeking to seize the (CBC) be seen, but it’s certainly ambitious. opportunity to develop a single worldwide terrestrial broadcasting system meeting • Communications Research Centre GLOBAL DIVERSITY the requirements of American, Asian and Canada (CRC) But it’s not all plain sailing. FoBTV boasts European broadcasters. In the past, one • Digital Video Broadcasting Project a diverse membership from all corners of could accept specific television standards (DVB) the world, each bringing its own culture for each distinct geographical region, but to the organization. This richness has its • European Broadcasting Union (EBU) those who make the TV sets are global disadvantages when planning work, but the players and, more and more, those TV sets • Electronics and Telecommunications enthusiasm of the participants is infectious cross international boundaries. Indeed, the Research Institute, Korea (ETRI) and I am sure they will find a way. broadcast business can no longer afford to • TV GLOBO, Brazil At present, the meeting cycle centres on be formed of distinct islands. Broadcasting key international trade shows. If work is must go the way of other global technology • IEEE Broadcast Technology Society to accelerate – as it must to address the industries like information technology, (IEEE-BTS) requirements set – then FoBTV must hold telecommunications, internet, etc. • National Association of meetings outside trade shows. This will The far-sighted founders of FoBTV Broadcasters, US (NAB) challenge the working methods further, as are listed in the blue box to the right. such an international effort will have to • National Engineering Research Since their signatures on the original deal with online participation on a grand Center of Digital Tv of China Memorandum of Understanding brought scale and across the world’s many time (NERC-DTV) FoBTV into being in November 2011, 48 zones. additional organizations have joined the • NHK Science and Technology initiative. In April 2013, the chair passed Research Laboratories, Japan PARADIGM SHIFT from ATSC’s Richer to DVB chairman Phil (NHK STRL) So is FoBTV going to succeed? In a way, Laven. With this transition, FoBTV enters • Public Broadcasting Service, US it already has. The use cases are valuable a second and arguably its most challenging (PBS) in themselves, as they represent a truly phase: deciding on technology. worldwide set of such cases. Even if no • Brazilian Society of Television technology comes from the group, it A UNIQUE VISION Engineers (SET) represents a paradigm shift in TV standards What makes FoBTV unique is that for development: for the first time, the world the first time, a group of organizations agrees that it needs a worldwide TV previously working to address requirements HDTV, interactive TV, to name but a few. standard. for their home markets have recognized Laven’s task as new FoBTV chairman The task of the new chairman will be the importance of a global approach to will be to steer the group as they embark to bring together all these diverse cultures terrestrial broadcasting in future. The on turning these use cases into a set of Calls and working methods, develop an FoBTV vision of FoBTV is that a TV set bought for Technology based on an agreed system way of doing work, and then keep to in the US will work in Europe, China or architecture. The unenviable task of aggressive timelines. If, over the course of Japan. FoBTV is the first serious attempt coordinating these CfTs falls upon the able the next year, the work can adapt to the from the industry to address this so that shoulders of technical group chair, Jiang challenges of agreeing core architectures future generations of TV receivers can Wenjun (NERC-DTV, China). and technology requirements, then FoBTV work across the world. An ambitious task, A key aspect of FoBTV’s work is that will have achieved something very useful is it not? it doesn’t expect to develop technologies indeed. And they are all there: DVB’s traditional ‘competitors’ ATSC and ARIB are both FoBTV partners, as are Chinese proponents of systems. With the EBU and NAB to the fore in the effort, FoBTV has already gathered a set of 61 use cases from the stakeholders around the world. These cases represent how their proponents expect broadcast television to be used: mobile phones, tablets, UHDTV,

8 tech-i | tech.ebu.ch | june 2013 in my opinion From Paris with love

n April 2011, a small group met at a In the first approach, the coverage areas do restaurant in the Paris casino in Las not overlap, but they do touch up against the Vegas for dinner. Between the entrée next one along. Normally, today, adjacent Iand the plat principal, Mark Richer, transmitters are not allowed to use the same DAVID WOOD EXPLORES president of the ATSC, suggested that broadcast channel. In other words, there TWO OF THE OPTIONS ON the world was ready for a common next is gap of transmitters, before a frequency generation terrestrial television system. channel is reused. Now, in our system design, THE TECHNOLOGY MENU We took the idea further and formed what we arrange to provide the highest bit rate we FOR THE FOBTV GROUP AS was, at first, the ‘Paris Group’ to try to do can from each transmitter – maximum data THEY DISCUSS A GLOBAL so. The food at the casino was good, but the throughput. The limitation on the bit rate is TERRESTRIAL TV SYSTEM. initial name was indigestible to many, and essentially set by the capacity of the receiver the group became FoBTV – the Future of to distinguish small differences in signal level Broadcast Television group – more explicit and interference. but less romantic. Bit rates in these kinds of systems have Two years later there are many members, been rising as receivers are able to distinguish groups, and not a few meetings to try to ever smaller differences in broadcast signal distil a long list of ‘wants’ for a future digital levels. We have come a long way. The first terrestrial television system into one that the digital DVB-T terrestrial system had a world can accept as its own. Apart from the capacity of about 24 Mbit/s in one channel. questions of what services it should provide, Last year, NHK tested a system (technically one of the most interesting issues on the table 4kQAM plus MIMO) which offered about will be the way a future digital terrestrial 90 Mbit/s capacity in one RF channel. television system itself should be designed. If you were starting from a clean sheet ...TO MAX FREQUENCY RE-USE you might look for the system which is not But there may be another way to design a ‘the unique best’, because there isn’t one. system. Imagine now that all transmitters use You look for an optimized system, taking the same frequency channel. The channels into account all the variables. Thus, for our are re-used immediately. This is a maximum future digital terrestrial television system, frequency channel reuse approach. In this we might try to find the system which offers case, we transmit much nominally smaller the best overall combination of a) largest useful bit rates in each of them, but we have coverage, b) largest capacity (bit rate), c) put a wrapper of protection around them, lowest cost to broadcaster and viewer, d) which makes them still work in spite of the most efficient use of precious frequency interference coming in from the transmitter channels, and maybe e) the possibility of next door. working with our current systems. The price of this wrapping is that it takes up capacity in the channel. But, the FROM MAX DATA THROUGHPUT... advantage is that all transmitters are now Up to now, digital television systems have using the same frequency channel. been designed in a particular way, technically We can now further increase the capacity “One of the called a ‘maximum data throughput’ somewhat for a service by using a number approach. What this is should become clear of transmitters emitting from the same most interesting in a minute. This is the basis of terrestrial aerial on the same channel (technically a systems such as ISDB-T, DVB-T, DVB-T2, hierarchy), and we could arrange to combine issues on the and DVB-NGH. the data from them in the receiver. So, we But there is a school of thought that have become more efficient in our use of table will be the another approach would be better, one frequency channels, but less efficient in our technically called a ‘maximum frequency re- use of each specific channel – alleviated by way a future use’ approach. This second idea is proposed multiple transmitters from the same mast. by a group that includes the CRC in Canada Will both of the approaches be more or DTT system and others. less equivalent in efficiency overall in the There are complexities, but to understand end, or will one or other have a serious itself should be grosso modo these two approaches, imagine advantage? There is probably quite a lot of a row of TV transmitters. They each serve maths to be done in sorting this out – and I designed” viewers in an area around them. am not the man to do it. Maybe you are?

tech-i | tech.ebu.ch | june 2013 9 member profile TVP – Telewizja Polska THE PRIORITY OF TVP IS TO REAP THE FULL BENEFITS OF THE ANALOGUE-TO-DIGITAL SWITCHOVER PROCESS BY IMPLEMENTING A FULL RANGE OF ADDITIONAL INNOVATIVE SERVICES, WIESŁAW ŁODZIKOWSKI, DIRECTOR OF THE TECHNOLOGICAL DEPARTMENT, EXPLAINS.

he first experimental television "VISITING WARSAW", WITH A PANORAMA OF WARSAW INCLUDING broadcasts in Poland took place THE PALACE OF CULTURE AND SCIENCE (27 MAY 1960) in Warsaw in 1931. However, TWorld War II hampered the development of TV , and it took another two decades before, on 25 October 1952, the first programme was broadcast. It was only 30 minutes long and could be watched on the 24 TV receivers that were in the country at the time. This was the starting date for the TVP1 service. Since that time TVP’s offer has grown and it now consists of 26 services, three of which are HD. An internet broadcast from both chambers of the Parliament is also available (TVP Parlament). A unique strength of TVP is the availability of 16 separate regional services.

DIGITAL TERRESTRIAL Terrestrial reception still dominates the Polish broadcasting market. Therefore TVP has always prioritized the provision network. Access services are of special was given live on 6 November 1953. Today of good terrestrial coverage. Now the concern and that is why TVP leads among shows can also be watched on computers switchover process is in its final stage, with other broadcasters in DVB subtitling, and mobile devices. Internet users can switch-off date set for 23 June 2013. A original audio and audio description. choose from several different viewing number of gap-fillers are being deployed to TVP was also the very first broadcaster angles (multiview) or use the second screen. bring coverage to above 99%. in Poland to launch DVB-T2 tests There are three free-to-air terrestrial including SFN (single frequency network) ARCHIVES & INTEGRATION multiplexes in Poland. TVP broadcasts configuration. The DVB-T2 standard gives TVP is in possession of unique audiovisual its services in part of multiplex no. 1 and TVP the potential to boost its position archives – a very important part of our exclusively in multiplex no. 3. within the terrestrial market segment. national cultural heritage. Over time There are eight TVP services available different production methods and storage free-to-air via the digital terrestrial HYBRID TV media were used. In order to prevent their network: two HD services and two TVP retains its pioneering role in degradation and possible loss, a state-of- different regional services for each region, introducing hybrid TV into the Polish the-art HD/4k complete reconstruction specially chosen to fit best the needs market. The first HbbTV services were system has been built to allow restoration, of local viewers. These factors clearly launched to complement transmissions correction and conversion to digital distinguish TVP’s terrestrial programme from 2012 UEFA European Football formats for both the video and audio. portfolio from those of other broadcasters. Championship and the 2012 London Media production and distribution Olympics. is evolving into the file-based domain. HD, 3D AND MORE A special platform has been developed A strategic decision has been made to Our first HD channel, TVP HD, was by TVP to accommodate the whole range implement an integrated centralized Media introduced in 2008. However it was a of HbbTV services: news, sport, weather Asset Management (MAM) system. It premium service which was not available forecasts and culture. A dedicated hybrid consists of two core components: Central on the terrestrial network. In June 2012, service for the purposes of emergency Ingest and Digital Archive, the first of which just before the UEFA European Football management and alerts is under has already been implemented. The whole Championship which was co-hosted by development. investment will be completed in 2014. Poland and Ukraine, the two main TVP TVP adapts to evolving market and The infrastructure of the 16 regional services (TVP1 and TVP2) became available media consumption trends. Therefore branches of TVP is also undergoing in HD free-to-air via the DVB-T network. most of our audiovisual materials are modernization to allow file-based workflow The TVP HD channel is seen as a vehicle available via the TVP website. It comprises and reduce the number of physical data ewski z for testing and introducing innovative 46 portals, 3,668 web pages and almost storage media in use. technological solutions. Starting with 236,000 videos. In 2012, 15.5 million users We are very proud of our company’s the finals of UEFA EURO 2012, it has generated 74 million hits. history of over half a century, but this broadcast content in 3D on a regular basis. Teatr Telewizji (TV Drama Scene) is an gives us no special advantage in a rapidly

Zygmunt Janus A number of additional services have excellent example of a marriage of tradition changing market. We must do our best to

PAT been made available over the DVB-T and technology. The very first performance keep pace.

10 tech-i | tech.ebu.ch | june 2013 in focus Use the Task Force THE TRANSITION TO FILE-BASE WORKFLOWS, REPLACING SPECIALIZED TAPE-BASED EQUIPMENT WITH IT INFRASTRUCTURE, HAS BEEN EMBRACED BY MOST BROADCASTERS IN RECENT YEARS. THE LAST MEDIA DOMAIN STILL RELYING MAINLY ON SPECIALIZED HARDWARE AND INTERFACES IS LIVE PRODUCTION. FÉLIX POULIN EXPLAINS HOW THE EBU IS HELPING TO LEAD AN EFFORT TO CHANGE THIS.

ive production is very demanding, whether it is for live news casts, remote coverage of sport events Lor multi-camera recording to be edited afterwards. These use cases require tight synchronization of the sources, sustained real-time processing, and the transport of large amounts of data with high availability. Up to recently this was only possible to achieve using high-end specialized infrastructure. With the continuous growth of IT performance and capacity making 10 Gigabit Ethernet networking affordable (and up to 40GbE and even 100GbE in a few years), the idea of replacing these professional interfaces (e.g. HD-SDI, AES, etc.) with standard packet-based networks like Ethernet and IP is under serious discussion across the industry. distributed, remote, automated and loss of the signal visibility provided by GOOD REASONS collaborative. The widespread business today’s systems that makes it quick and There are many reasons why our industry reorganization taking place in our relatively easy to troubleshoot and fix in is interested in this evolution. Perhaps industry – see the EBU's IMPS strategic the case of failure. predictably, in a survey of EBU Members programme, for example – calls for To succeed with this technology change we conducted in January 2013, the innovative adaptation; will this technology and maximize the potential benefits, these most anticipated benefits were related to evolution provide that opportunity? concerns need to be addressed. Likewise, potential cost reductions thanks to the as we’ve learned during the transition to replacement of speciality infrastructure BROADCASTER CONCERNS file-based production, questions around with ubiquitous commodity equipment. As with all technology changes, there are work practices and workflow adaptation Other benefits identified in the survey challenges to be addressed and trade-offs need to be addressed along with the were increased flexibility and efficiency. to be identified. These trade-offs need to technology change. This is why we require Reasons given included the possibility be well compensated by the benefits in an industry-wide effort to align the efforts to aggregate multiple links (SDI) into a order to make the change acceptable for of the players involved. network link and the unified connectivity the users. that is independent of the format being According to our survey, the top A TASK FORCE IS BORN carried. There is no SD or HD Ethernet; concern preventing broadcasters from The EBU, the Society of Motion Picture there’s just a pipe that you can fill with moving forward is the absence of proof and Television Engineers (SMPTE) and whatever content until it is full! Therefore, that the required reliability and quality of the Video Services Forum (VSF) have such infrastructure is scalable to support service can be achieved. formed a Joint Task Force on Networked higher resolutions, frame rates and Among the other issues mentioned Media (JT-NM). The mission of JT-NM is dynamic range in the future. Also, the by many respondents were the lack to define a strategy to develop a packet- storage, memory and processing resources of expertize on “media over IT” and based network infrastructure for the can be allocated on demand more easily. the lack of open standards to ensure professional media industry. To achieve And this added flexibility is a key interoperability. Users are also very this it will bring together manufacturers, enabler for new workflows that are more concerned by operational aspects like the broadcasters, standards bodies and trade associations in an open, participatory environment. JOIN JT-NM The EBU sees a window of opportunity The new Task Force is seeking active participation from the professional media to ensure the user requirements of our industry, including broadcasters and manufacturers. If you would like to participate Members are taken into account in the please contact Bob Ruhl ([email protected]) providing your name, e-mail development of new technology solutions address, work affiliation and explaining briefly your interest in JT-NM. and standards. The EBU Technical A face-to-face briefing will be held in Geneva on Thursday 27 June, just after the Committee endorsed the creation of the EBU Network Technology Seminar http://tech.ebu.ch/nts2013 Task Force and intends to take an active role in its work.

tech-i | tech.ebu.ch | june 2013 11 guidance & best practice Recommending Radio THE EBU PUBLISHED A LANDMARK RECOMMENDATION ON DIGITAL RADIO EARLIER THIS YEAR. RADIO NACIONAL DE ESPAÑA'S JAVIER SÁNCHEZ PÉREZ, CHAIR OF THE EBU DIGITAL RADIO PLATFORMS GROUP, INTRODUCES R 138 AND EXPLAINS ITS IMPORTANCE.

a Recommendation based on a simple idea: achieving consensus among EBU Members, for the first time since the advent of digital radio, outlining in a short position paper the main aspects for digital radio deployment.

MISSION: CONSENSUS The document would take into account that radio, understood as a mass medium of the 21st century, must evolve while keeping its identity. Also, it had to be a strategic document for immediate application, valid for any radio broadcaster and any radio service, and applicable to all radio broadcasting bands. JAVIER SÁNCHEZ PÉREZ In the end consensus was achieved and IS THE CHAIRMAN OF R 138 was approved. It is a one page THE EBU’S STRATEGIC document (http://tech.ebu.ch/docs/r/r138. PROGRAMME ON DIGITAL pdf) and it’s worth reading! Its six key RADIO PLATFORMS. JOIN US points are: You can participate the discussions on • there should be adequate national n our world today, where the internet the future of radio and help to build planning, in order to provide digital is everywhere and everything has on R 138 by joining the EBU Strategic solutions for all radio services; become digital, interactive and visual, Programme on Digital Radio Platforms. • there should be immediate deployment Iit is almost a miracle that analogue Visit: http://tech.ebu.ch/drp using DAB+; radio goes on having the vast importance • where DAB coverage isn’t possible the that it still has. Nevertheless, although Digital Radio Mondiale (DRM) system we have had digital radio broadcasting LACK OF DEVICES should be used; since the mid-1990s, the fact is that its One of the visible consequences of this • enhanced features such as text, adoption by European audiences has been lack of harmonization is that the big images and programme guides should limited. electronic device manufacturers, necessary accompany digitization; The lack of a common European actors for an effective adoption of digital • hybrid services should be deployed analogue switch-off date for radio radio by the audience, have not focused with digital broadcasting systems, for with an associated digital dividend is their efforts on developing attractive example using the RadioDNS system; likely to have been a factor holding products designed to take advantage • added momentum could be given to back deployment, but it’s important to of the full potential of digital radio. In deployment if it were possible to agree remark that there is no political plan at a the context of the global economy, this on harmonization around a future European level for the transition to digital industry’s minimum size market is Europe analogue switch-off date for radio in radio. In fact, it seems it is not a priority and products are launched only where Europe. for the European Commission and, economies of scale will lead to reasonable Certainly, there is a lot of work ahead therefore, there is no common European prices for consumers. It’s logical that, in of us and we need the help of everybody: strategy for a single market for digital the absence of a minimum harmonization if all the players involved (regulators, radio or even a mention in the European among European countries (taking a broadcast equipment industry, consumer Digital Agenda. The main reason given mid-to-long term view and with a realistic electronics industry, mobile device is that the subsidiarity principle (defined regulatory framework), the industry won’t industry, retailers, automotive industry, in Article 5 of the Treaty on European commercialize the devices that would broadcasters, network operators, etc.) do Union) applies to digital radio and, create a critical mass leading to effective not work together with clear common consequently, the EU does not take action. market take-up. objectives, establishing an agenda, making Evidently, this fact does not encourage Against this background, the EBU's commitments and complying with a its deployment nor its adoption by the Digital Radio Platforms group (SP- proposed schedule, the transition to audience, because each country decides DRP) was initiated in November 2011 digital radio in Europe will be a long and for itself how to introduce digital radio, and quickly realized that missing from uncertain process. In this sense, R 138 taking decisions at different times. The the many tons of papers about digital can be understood as a proposal from result is a non-harmonized European radio was a document concerning EBU Members in order to prevent this. digital radio market with a high level of deployment on a Europe-wide basis. Download R 138: fragmentation. So the group decided to try to develop http://tech.ebu.ch/docs/r/r138.pdf

12 tech-i | tech.ebu.ch | june 2013 in focus The future of the AM bands MOST OF US CONSIDER AM BROADCASTING A THING OF THE PAST. AT THIS YEAR’S DIGITAL RADIO SUMMIT, NIELS DREIJER AND JENS CHRISTIAN SEEBERG (TERACOM) WONDERED IF WE MAY HAVE OVERLOOKED SOMETHING.

modern 100 kW AM band transmitter NUMBER OF TRANSMITTERS REQUIRED FOR AM, FM AND DAB BANDS TO COVER A 300 KM can fit in the same 1 2m space as a 10 kW RANGE WITH AT LEAST ONE AUDIO CHANNEL DAB unit, and its technology is every bit A as advanced. The real question is if the AM band transmitter will be relevant in an all-digital world.

COST/COVERAGE Contrary to the FM, DAB and TV bands, signals in the AM bands are not limited by the 60-75 km to the horizon from a transmission tower. AM band signals will follow the earth’s curvature or jump to the sky and back, or both. By covering a contiguous distance of 300-600 km rather than 75 km, a single AM band transmitter has 4-8 times the range but distributes to an area 16-64 times larger. The relative merits of the different bands in terms of transmitter sites are shown on the diagram, assuming that only one audio channel needs to be transmitted and that useful ranges are AM 300 km, FM 75 km and DAB levels in the “sidebands” and give the same useful 38 km. range with less carrier power. Obviously DAB can carry 10-16 audio channels Considering the 60-70 percent efficiency of legacy (or more) as compared to one, but all else being transmitters and a 4-5 dB sideband power increase, equal we may conclude that the relative cost per this translates into a 3-5 times saving in electricity km2 of the first audio channel with AM band costs and transmitter size. Electricity savings, transmission is 2-6 percent at maximum range. unmanned operation and the lower price of a small AM band transmitter operating in analogue mode DIGITAL BACKUP can combine into a payback time of less than two If emergency power for a major radio and TV years. transmitter site fails during a blackout, all terrestrial With this transmitter migrating to a robust DRM coverage may be lost over a large area unless an digital mode in the future, further power savings are AM band transmitter within range can fill the gap. possible. Alternatively, useful range can be increased Cable fires are not that uncommon, and neither is by utilizing the full digital power of the frequency flooding of infrastructure. Such events can result in a permit. prolonged loss of all locally transmitted services. Transmitter synchronism is vital for digital single MERGING SITES frequency networks such as DAB and when lost, Although modern AM band transmitters may be large interference zones with no reception are power efficient, can cover large areas at low cost and created. have become very compact, their long wavelengths When and if the robust FM transmitter networks still mean large antenna systems. However, they are closed, the lowest-cost replacement for do not require special transmitter sites if you are emergency and backup transmissions would be an creative and can accept some compromise. JENS CHRISTIAN SEEBERG WITH A MODERN 50/100 AM band solution that can be received by a large Early in the Cold War, the RIAS covered the entire kW SERIES AM BAND proportion of car and portable radios. GDR from West Berlin with a simple wire antenna TRANSMTTER CO-SITED WITH from only 31 m high antenna masts. Or why not DAB AND DIGITAL TV. POWER EFFICIENCY move that wire to an existing FM, DAB or digital If the AM bands are only used for occasional TV tower? It will have to slope upwards from the network backup with no regular programming, they ground, but it works and costs next to nothing. are unlikely to be found on future receivers. So to Taken one step further, one may “shunt feed” the make AM transmitters a credible backup, they must existing tower with the sloping wire and use the remain on air. grounded tower as the antenna. Reduced or time-slot transmission can yield Economic pressures dictate lower distribution immediate cost savings, but so can modern costs. But by automatically concluding that this technology. The operating efficiency of a modern means giving up AM band transmitters and their AM band transmitter often exceeds 90 percent. digital potential, we may indeed overlook something. For analogue operation, modern signal processing Presentations from the EBU Digital Radio Summit allows AM band transmitters to output high power 2013 can be viewed at http://tech.ebu.ch/drs2013.

tech-i | tech.ebu.ch | june 2013 13 case study

A New Paradigm for Content Preparation AS THE MULTI-PLATFORM MEDIA UNIVERSE BECOMES A REALITY, CBC/RADIO-CANADA HAS BEEN DEVELOPING NEW WORKFLOWS TO DELIVER CONTENT QUICKLY AND EFFICIENTLY. MAXIME CARON AND JONATHAN DUPRAS DESCRIBE THEIR PROPOSED APPROACH.

n the last few years, the digital processing and data entry to deliver to substantially simplifying regular linear entertainment industry has been alternative platforms become much more television presentation. evolving more rapidly than ever, efficient and part of the core business To keep an edge against new Ichanging the way people consume processes. technologies that will emerge in the audio and video content. Digital display The added value process is where future, it would be important to allow devices are now present everywhere in raw material can be prepared and flexibility on the format choice of our lives: computers, television sets, transformed into an engaging show: this intermediate asset, thus allowing mobile devices, tablets and digital specifically, video and audio editing, standards to grow as technology evolves signage, all part of our digital culture. creation of descriptive video and closed and to be codec agnostic. It would be a Content consumption is shifting from a captions. Obviously, modifying content mistake to create this library with a single schedule based model to an on-demand manually requires artistic talent and time, format in mind, as the life of the system model. In order to remain relevant which in turn would increase the cost to would be limited once a better quality in this changing landscape, television produce content. would be required. broadcasters have to evolve from a The idea behind our new workflow is television producer to a media company. to split the content distribution process TRANSFORM SERVICE Thus, a new generation of broadcasters into two independent steps: The transform (or transcoding) service is no longer limited by linear television • The versioning process is where is where content is adapted to ensure all schedules, which in turn opens the programmes are modified to meet the parameters are technically compatible possibility of maximizing the usability business requirements of the targeted with the targeted platform. Transforming and reach of our content. platform. These processes include: content to a format optimized for each The challenge we now face is how graphics, branding, segmenting and of the targeted platforms is the key we adapt our production methods to concatenation steps that can be easily to maximizing the overall quality of deliver content to those new emerging automated and do not necessarily need experience offered to our viewers. platforms quickly and efficiently. While a human touch. Business planning now With H.264 encoding for adaptive the success of a television programme has the flexibility to decide how to streaming, up to two hundred parameters used to be measured in millions of prepare the content in relation to the can be customized. To reach this level viewers, the present fragmented market expected revenue from each platform. of flexibility, relying on a complex reality requires that smaller product • The transform service is where content “network” of watch folders and filters distribution models now make up a part is adapted to be technically compatible can be quite time-consuming. In addition, of new revenue streams. As broadcasters, with the targeted platform. This step during our previous experience with we must have the means to prepare (commonly known as transcoding) OTT services, we discovered using a and distribute content targeting these ensures all parameters are compatible single transcoding platform to meet all platforms and integrate them with our with the targeted platform. our distribution partners’ requirements is conventional distribution models in order Using a media service oriented extremely difficult to achieve because of to leverage the existing infrastructure architecture (SOA), the various digital the slight variations of the parameters of investment. distribution services have been divided the different encoders. into core components: By using transform services driven AN INTERMEDIATE ASSET by an orchestration system, it will be The main goal behind this new VERSIONING SERVICE possible to route requests to the right production workflow concept is that The versioning service is where content transcoder taking account of technical we are no longer producing television is prepared in relation to the targeted requirements and overall system load, content but producing media content. platforms’ business requirements. and thus maximizing the system load. Television thus becomes one of the many The following functionality must be This approach will also simplify platform distribution platforms where content provided by the service to meet the optimization for specific codecs and the can be leveraged. Therefore, the final current requirements of the company: aggregation of newly targeted platforms. output produced by the production crew concatenating video files (mainly for ad is stored as an intermediate asset in a insertion), segmenting, adding platform PUBLICATION SERVICE content library, from which automated specific branding and graphics. CBC/Radio-Canada is both a content versioning and publishing services use Traditionally, in the broadcast world, producer and distributor, offering its the content based on business demands all versioning has been done at the own distribution channels (e.g. Tou.tv) and requirements. By resorting to baseband level, using linear systems, and but also offering its content to external automated versioning and publishing limiting its output to real-time. A non- partners like cable catch up services or services driven by a business layer (traffic real-time file-based system would solve OTT content providers. We have more and programming systems), manual multiple scalability problems while also than 26 different distribution points

14 tech-i | tech.ebu.ch | june 2013 IN CBC/RADIO-CANADA’S PROPOSED NEW MODEL THE CONTENT DISTRIBUTION PROCESS IS SPLIT INTO TWO INDEPENDENT STEPS, A VERSIONING PROCESS AND A TRANSFORM SERVICE.

when counting both internal and external know when a show is available (or not) SOA implemented in a non-linear partners. Therefore, we need to ensure on a platform owned by CBC/Radio- environment is the possibility of changing that both content and its descriptive Canada, it can be an act of faith with a the method used to size hardware needs. metadata are published at the right time third party. The ideal publication service Instead of having to ensure that there are as per the negotiated agreements, and would offer a retroaction loop allowing enough resources to meet peak demand, also removed at the end of the same us to create a content dashboard, where it would be possible to operate with the contractual agreement. users can see what piece of content is aim of meeting average demand by using There are no industry standards to available where, at all times. time segments where demand is lower to exchange files and metadata today. prepare content. Some of our partners require XML files A QUANTUM LEAP Processes required to create content while others prefer an RSS data feed. As broadcasters’ infrastructure evolves, for multiplatform distribution are pretty Moreover, the metadata required changes we are seeing a transition from dedicated similar to those of traditional television from partner to partner, thus demanding hardware to software-based systems presentation. While the latter is nearly intensive manual labour to initially set up using generic IT tools. The current always done in a linear environment, interfaces between our production facility initiative undertaken by CBC/Radio- once broadcasters begin to have true and and the different distribution points. Canada is looking to leverage this trend tested multiplatform non-linear content One of the challenges the corporation along with media SOA based systems to preparation systems, what is to stop them currently faces with regard to reduce the footprint used by the technical transitioning their broadcast operation multiplatform distribution is content infrastructure and reduce power cost. in the same way and leaving only a single awareness. While it’s relatively easy to Another added benefit from a media final video baseband playout server?

tech-i | tech.ebu.ch | june 2013 15 case study

Towards a new integration architecture

BELGIUM’S VRT HAS BUILT A NEW MEDIA INTEGRATION PLATFORM BASED ON WORK DONE IN THE EBU’S METADATA MODELS GROUP. AN OVERVIEW IS PROVIDED BY PROJECT LEADER WOUTER VANDERHAEGHE, SENIOR RESEARCHER MIKE MATTON AND COMMUNICATIONS OFFICER EVELIEN VAN MALDEREN.

t the end of 2011 it became composite structure Integration Architectures clear that the media integration platform at VRT had evolved Business Processes Ainto a poorly adaptable system. Systems were coupled too tightly and Business Business changes to existing integrations were Process A Process B difficult. Over the years the system had developed into one that, although it performed well in transferring media from A to B, was poor in supporting business Integration Platform processes. This assessment led to the start of a new Integration Business Processes media integration programme at VRT in May 2012. The Media Integration Group Planning Production Playout Archive (MIG) was set up to link media systems together, in line with service oriented principles and patterns. Its goal is to support VRT’s media business processes. Adapter A Adapter B Generic Services The EBU Class Conceptual Data Model was chosen as the basis of our media integration data model. However a data model is not the final objective of a media System A System B integration process; rather it is one of the key factors that affect the success of an FIGURE 1 implementation. (media asset management) system. This vital. For this reason, the EBU’s Metadata GENERAL ARCHITECTURE integration, supporting an archiving Models project (http://tech.ebu.ch/pmag) VRT’s media integration architecture process, is less critical than the previous devised the Class Conceptual Data Model is based on identified media business one. (CCDM). It consists of a minimal and processes. Integrations implement Due to the complex and the flexible set of classes usable for archives, these processes, enabled by a common cumbersome nature of the VRT P-META media integrations, broadcast production, infrastructure, generic services (e.g. implementation in the old integration etc. The available classes are divided transfer layer) and adapters to systems in system, VRT searched for a new metadata into four domains: asset management; a particular media domain. The general and class model. This new model had commissioning, planning and logistics; architecture is shown in Figure 1. to meet various requirements. It had production; and distribution, as illustrated Subtitling is a good example to to be as complete as possible in order in Figure 2. illustrate what occurs in a business to model media workflows; it should The CCDM offers implementers a lot process integration at VRT. The following not be overly complex; and it had to be of freedom. It is, for instance, possible happens when a subtitle file is integrated adaptable and expandable to the needs of to adapt names of classes and to alter into the subtitling workflow system: VRT. Further, the model should follow as their relationships. CCDM serves only • When a subtitle file is available, an many industry standards as possible and as a guideline for designing a semantic event is generated on the messaging make use of existing knowledge on media data model. For more information and middleware. workflows gathered by VRT and the EBU an in-depth description of CCDM, refer • The integration system that supports in general. Finally, once implemented, the to EBU Tech 3351 (http://tech.ebu.ch/ subtitle playout on TV subscribes to this model should be easily understandable publications). event. The file is then sent to the correct by all relevant stakeholders. This latter destinations. Playout is a highly critical requirement simplifies discussion and VRT’S IMPLEMENTATION process, and this integration must be communication about integrations at VRT The current integrations at VRT extremely reliable. and with external partners. implement three of the four domains. The • The event is also collected by the commissioning, planning and logistics, integration that supports the archiving CHOOSING CCDM production, and distribution domains process. The subtitle file is, when Many tasks in a broadcast workflow need of CCDM currently have a partial possible, coupled via a REST service a data model. For smooth operation of implementation in the VRT CCDM. A to its media item in the archive MAM the tasks, the design of this data model is diagram of the current implementation is

16 tech-i | tech.ebu.ch | june 2013 class CCDM Domain Asset Management Legend Planning Implemented shown in Figure 3. IPR Asset Production Implemented The decision was made to implement Distribution Implemented only what is needed at the given Not Implemented implementation time. The idea is that our CCDM implementation evolves and Commissioning, Planning & Logistics grows over time, according to the needs, Distribution and is not more complex than necessary at the given time. Production Editorial In the commissioning, planning and Order Object Sales logistics domain the big question was how Order editorial objects relate to other editorial objects. In CCDM, an editorial object can be 'part of' or 'source of' other editorial objects. We had to decide on the semantic Production Publication meaning of these relationships between Event editorial objects in our situation and what the properties of these relationships are. Manufacturing Media Furthermore, we decided to implement Object Resource a number of group concepts of editorial objects (e.g. a series). In the production domain the media FIGURE 2 resource is defined as a container. All the details of the production are defined at the supported with the new media integration a data model for media integration. essence, format and locator concepts. system include: Historically, the meaning of metadata In the distribution domain we defined • Subtitling workflow, from the planning differs in the several systems that have publication events, channels and services. system and MAM system to the been brought to use over time and, This was done in order to map the playout; moreover, the meaning of metadata in one distribution needs onto different delivery • Support of the production and archiving system can evolve as well. methods (TV, radio, internet). processes from the VRT archive system VRT chose CCDM as the metadata In general, the biggest issue to tackle to the radio production systems, for model for its new media integration was the way to relate editorial objects, audio and video; system, to be used as a standard and to media resources and publication events • Implementation of the processes to be the common language for system to to one another. At VRT an object archive media from a video tape ingest system communication now and in future. may originate from a lot of different system; A future goal is to use it as a model in places. For example, it is possible that • Support for compliancy recording; the archive MAM. In terms of internal a publication event is defined before an • Publication of media, subtitle and communication at VRT, the CCDM essence is defined (e.g. subtitles). The metadata to the VRT media web model also defines a fixed meaning and a model and the relationship between the platform. framework for VRT engineers as well as main objects in the model have to be able It is never easy to define and implement users at VRT. to support this.

class CCDM Domain Simple REST SERVICES

«extra,editorial» Legend We technically implemented the model Collection Editorial in a relational database and decided to hasMemberGroup Production Distribution «extra,editorial» «extra» 0..* make the data available via REST services. Serie Extra «editorial» 0..* Changes to the system or external events Group «extra,editorial» 0..* «extra» Concept are implemented as events and messages, includes EditorialObjectExternalId 0..* «production» Locator 0..* «extra,production» with RabbitMQ as the messaging system, +hasMember +isExternalIdOf LocatorStorage «extra,editorial» 1..* in order to decouple the different systems JournaalDag 0..* +hasExternalId 1 +isMemberOf «editorial» +hasPart in the integrations, and to provide routing EditorialObject +isManifestationOf +describes «production» «production» of messages to different destinations. 0..* 0..1 MediaResource 0..* 0..* +isDescribedBy Essence It also allows prioritization of events 0..* 0..1 0..* 0..1 0..1 0..* that are more critical than others. In +isPartOf 0..* +hasSource our example of subtitle integration, the +hasFormat integration with subtitle playout is more +publishes 0..* 1 critical than the integration with the +isDescribedBy «production» «distribution» «distribution» Format 0..* archive MAM and can thus be treated PublicationChannel +hasPublicationEvent PublicationEvent accordingly. 1 0..* Some examples of processes that are FIGURE 3

tech-i | tech.ebu.ch | june 2013 17 in focus

Planet of the Apps

A SURVEY OF 556 MEDIA APPS FROM 71 EBU MEMBER ORGANIZATIONS IN 43 COUNTRIES WAS THE BASIS OF A BROAD STUDY CONDUCTED BY EURORADIO IN RECENT MONTHS. THE EBU’S HEAD OF RADIO CHRISTIAN VOGG PROVIDES AN OVERVIEW OF THE MAIN RESULTS OF THE STUDY, WHICH WAS SUPPLEMENTED BY ADDITIONAL QUESTIONNAIRES.

It’s commonly known that our media world is becoming more and more FIGURE 2: RADIO DOMINATES THE PSM APP LANDSCAPE AND MOST fragmented; at the same time the means ARE RELATED TO A SINGLE CHANNEL OR PROGRAMME and ways of media distribution and consumption converge. Television becomes hybrid, radio goes visual, and both meet on the internet. Newspapers and print magazines produce videos and audio, ordinary citizens become amateur journalists. The struggle for visibility and recognition gets tougher every year, and branding is an important issue. These developments are the background music to the rapid rise of mobile phones that offer far more than the simple telephone function. Since Apple launched its iPhone in 2007 it has been all about apps. With the arrival of the iPad in 2010, tablet computers have become an important part of the mix. The first media apps from Public Service Media (PSM) appeared in 2008. An app is a self-contained world, be it an office application, a game, a travel complicated than radio. traffic. Others use Comscore. The guide or a radio station. Apps are able Some questions in the survey problem is to compare off-air listening to promote a certain brand. And as our concentrated on workflow issues and on figures to live stream via the app and study shows, there are dozens of different the connection between desktop, mobile to podcast downloads. There is still ways to construct a media app. Therefore and app content. As of today slightly the need for a comparable "currency" we analyzed not only the technical more than half of our respondents don’t on audience. This will be a task for the platforms but also the content and the have a dedicated mobile version of their future to develop coherent measuring strategies behind the apps. In short, we website. Having an app appears to have tools across all platforms. wanted to know the success factors for been the priority for most; and of those Of course interactivity is an an app – and, of course, the factors that that do not have a dedicated mobile important feature of apps. 46% of the can lead to failure. website, only 39% plan to create one organizations answering the survey said soon. Others are still deciding whether they use their app as an interactive tool. AUDIO DOMINATES to launch a mobile or responsive website; The most popular is posting to social The most popular feature in apps from citing cost as an issue for responsive networks (67%) such as Facebook and PSM are audio live streams, mostly design. Twitter, followed by commenting on the provided as MP3 (128 kbps), offered organization's or programme's website by 90% of the organizations surveyed. MEASUREMENT CHALLENGES (50%). And 42% even allow their Video live streams are only provided by One of the biggest challenges is users to post text messages directly to 38%. The standard codec used for live getting high quality user data. 94% the studio or directly to the presenter video is H.264/MPEG-4. So live audio of organizations answering the survey of the show. Compared to this, push streaming seems much easier to realize, have a tool to monitor website traffic notifications are not used widely; only a more cost-efficient and easier to manage and 81% have one to monitor their third use them for breaking news, and than video live streaming. Also from app traffic. Half of them use Google some others for sport results, crime alerts a rights perspective videos are more Analytics to monitor website and app and song titles.

FIGURE 1: PUBLIC SERVICE MEDIA APPS BY TECHNOLOGY PLATFORM

18 tech-i | tech.ebu.ch | june 2013 in the spotlight

Pere Vila Fumas

When asked whether their app had met their expectations the answers were not overwhelmingly positive: rated on a scale IN EACH ISSUE OF TECH-i WE of 1 to 10 the average score was 6.0. It’s ASK A MEMBER OF THE EBU clear that many responders are not fully TECHNICAL COMMITTEE TO satisfied with their apps – or perhaps STEP INTO THE SPOTLIGHT. THIS had higher expectations. Almost four fifths of organizations plan to add new TIME IT’S THE TURN OF PERE functionalities to their app(s). VILA FUMAS, DIRECTOR OF The key functionalities to be included PLANNING AND TECHNOLOGICAL reflect the most favoured features: EPG INNOVATION AT SPAIN’S RTVE. and podcasts, followed by weather info and links to internal websites. Some want to increase the number of their What are your current Committee? apps. Others, for example in France responsibilities at rtve? Being a member of the TC helps me to and Switzerland, intend to launch a The scope of my responsibilities for the keep a wide perspective and look towards national radio-player app together with RTVE group includes coordinating, the technical issues that will affect our commercial competitors. In general the planning and directing technology-related industry in future. It’s an extremely app landscape across European PSM is activities. This work is particularly relevant interesting forum in which to discuss issues very diverse and illustrates the tough today as we face challenges relating to related to our technology needs and our struggle for visibility in the ocean of radio spectrum and digital dividends, plans in the medium to long term. In fact, media and services. If the new trend - cross-platform content distribution, digital in my opinion it’s the most interesting such national radio-players - will prevail, we production, and integration of radio, TV forum in our industry in Europe. Also, will know only in a few years. and online. importantly, this TC combines theory A key element is reconciling integration with everyday practice: its members are all KEY FINDINGS at group level with required levels of professionals with high levels of experience autonomy in radio, TV and online and interesting views and ideas. I’m happy • iOS is most popular, followed by content. It’s about maintaining good to contribute and participate. Android. Windows, Blackberry and levels of coordination, commitment Nokia are far behind (Figure 1). and motivation, while implementing What, for you, are the most • 8 apps per Member on average, pragmatic policies around the sharing of important challenges facing EBU reflecting branding per channel or infrastructure and services. Members today? even per programme (Figure 2). Along with this I am directly responsible We have several, but if I had to highlight for the management of our Television some in order of importance, my list • 265 pure radio apps; 107 pure TV Engineering group, where the priorities would be: connected TV distribution and apps; 184 mixed and other (e.g. include the digitization of production, access to content on new platforms; new games, etc.) tapeless workflows, evolution to uses of radio spectrum and the possibilities • most popular features are live HD, aspects of HbbTV rollout, and of sharing with other services; continuous radio streams, playlists, news and implementation of the digital dividend. improvement in production, particularly podcasts. with regard to tri-media integration; What do you consider as your and how we can apply new technologies • most Members prioritized app finest achievement so far in your relating to HD, UHD, HEVC, etc. development over mobile or career? In some of these fields, especially responsive websites. I’m proud of the many interesting spectrum, the EBU is challenged by the fact • audience measurement is difficult, professional experiences I’ve had so that the uses and needs differ from country with no comparable “currency” far. I would emphasize my work in the to country and by organization. The • success is based on brand, user- digitization of production and tapeless positions and actions need to be defined friendly stable functions and use of workflows, the design and implementation accordingly. a popular technical platform of transport systems and signal contribution for RTVE group, the launch Tell us about some of your • national radio-player apps of HbbTV, and – most recently – the first interests away from the combining PSM and commercial experiences in 4k. And I hope to have workplace. radio may become a new trend more such experiences in future! With my family I like to share in the social • 65% developed their apps per and cultural life of Madrid, but also, in platform; 21% relied on HTML5. Why did you step forward as a contrast, to relax in an ancient fisherman’s candidate for the EBU Technical house on the Mediterranean coast.

tech-i | tech.ebu.ch | june 2013 19 EBU Network Technology Seminar 2013 25-26 June 2013 / Geneva In collaboration with SMPTE The Media & IT Rendezvous An essential event for broadcast engineers dealing with specialized and IT infrastructure as well as for IT network and storage specialists that deal with broadcast media content.

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