Broadcaster’s Dilemma with Archive Asset Management Torn Between Long Term and Production Requirements

Abstract

With the periodical change of production formats, dissemination platforms and content distribution, broadcasters do face a dilemma, when deciding on an archive format. Very often the actual production format which is supported by current playout systems is found as the answer, and the discussions change every 5 years. As the reality shows that any delivery from the archive is somehow transcoded or rewrapped, a new approach is to rely on one normalised lossless format, which is performant enough to support all business processes around production workflows. Kept in a dedicated Archive Asset management (AAM), legacy essence can be managed inside a central OAIS repository for decades to come. This paper outlines the historical dimension of such a move by listing successful examples from the broadcast industry and archives and giving insights on the ongoing evolution of technology.