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OVERVIEW OF EBU ACTIVITIES

OVERVIEW OF EBU ACTIVITIES. Philip Laven Director, Technical Department European Broadcasting Union ITU BR Information Meeting on RRC-04/05 Geneva 19 September 2003. THE EBU.

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OVERVIEW OF EBU ACTIVITIES

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  1. OVERVIEW OF EBU ACTIVITIES Philip Laven Director, Technical Department European Broadcasting Union ITU BR Information Meeting on RRC-04/05 Geneva 19 September 2003

  2. THE EBU • The EBU represents the interests of broadcasters in 53 “European” countries – corresponding to the ITU-defined “European Broadcasting Area” • The EBU played a major role in the 1961 Stockholm Conference – and has been closely involved in all subsequent planning activities • RRC-04/05 is clearly the most important technical challenge facing the EBU in the near future • It is crucial for the EBU and its Members that RRC-04/05 should define a framework which will permit the evolution of broadcasting

  3. SUCCESS IN 1961 . . . • Few of the participants in the 1961 Stockholm Conference could have imagined that the outcome of their work would be valid more than 40 years later • That success story is even more surprising when you consider that the Stockholm Conference was held at the height of the Cold War – and that the European Broadcasting Area includes the East and the West of Europe • In addition to the political difficulties, many real technical problems, such as the mixture of 7 MHz and 8 MHz channels, had to be resolved

  4. GREATER CHALLENGES • The challenges facing RRC-04/05 are probably even greater than those in 1961: • the diversity of broadcasters’ requirements in the digital era (for radio and TV) • the varying timetables for the transition from analogue to digital broadcasting (even in adjacent countries) • the accelerating pace of technological change • the extension of scope beyond the European Broadcasting Area

  5. DIGITAL REQUIREMENTS . . . • In 1961, the task was “simply” to develop a frequency plan for analogue FM and TV services • All services were planned on the basis of reception at 10 metres above ground level • Although much analogue TV reception still depends on roof-top antennas, few FM receivers use antennas at 10 metres above ground level • Some digital TV services and ALL DAB services will be designed for reception on mobile and portable devices

  6. ANALOGUE TO DIGITAL • An “all-digital” plan would be easier to develop than a plan which permits a mixture of analogue and digital services • In practice, the transition from analogue to digital broadcasting will occur at different speeds in different countries – with no certainty about the length of the transition period • To accommodate the varying timetables, it will be necessary to develop mechanisms that will allow co-existence of digital and analogue broadcasting

  7. WHAT IS DIGITAL TV FOR? • In some countries, digital TV is being used to extend the number of available TV services • In countries with high penetration of cable or satellite TV, digital terrestrial TV is attractive because, uniquely, it can provide reception on mobile, portable or set-top antennas • In some countries outside Europe (e.g. Japan, USA, Australia), HDTV is the driving force behind digital TV – when will HDTV happen in Europe? • The revised plan must try to be “future proof”

  8. THE FUTURE OF BROADCASTING • The Stockholm Plan is still in force more than 40 years after it was agreed • Will the revised Plan also last 40 years? • How will broadcasting change over 40 years? • How will the revised Plan accommodate foreseeable developments, such as HDTV or mobile/portable TV? • What about “unforeseen” developments? • Even if the Plan needs major revision after, say, 20 years, it will still define the framework for broadcasting for many more years

  9. EBU INVOLVEMENT • The EBU places great emphasis on the value of technical preparations for RRC-04/05 • technical studies • development of planning software • helping EBU Members to understand their options and to define their requirements • Many of the expert speakers at this meeting are major contributors to EBU technical studies

  10. CONCLUSIONS • The EBU Technical Department is deeply involved in the preparations for RRC-04/05 • Although National Administrations will be signatories to the new plan, most EBU Members are making active preparations for RRC-04/05 • As the outcome of RRC-04/05 will determine the future of broadcasting, senior managers in EBU Members are taking a real interest in this subject • The general view is that this subject is “too important to be left to the engineers”!

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