The Digital Production Partnership (DPP) is an initiative that aims to help producers and broadcasters maximise the benefits of digital production. Funded and led by BBC, ITV and Channel 4, with active participation from Five, Sky, S4C and the indie production sector, the DPP has just unveiled the UK’;s first common TV programme delivery standards for tape delivery of HD and SD TV programmes. Producers will now have just one set of guidelines that cover Technical Specifications, Picture and Sound Quality for Delivery.

Forming the contractual basis between broadcasters and producers for all new commissions, the standards also aim to provide clarity around HD deliveries for the production community. However these standards do not prescribe the suitability of particular cameras or post-production technologies, as these can vary by project and will remain subject to discussion between producer and broadcaster.

Mark Harrison, Controller of Production BBC North and BBC Lead DPP, said: “As broadcasting goes HD, and increasingly digital, life for producers is getting more complicated. And complexity almost always adds expense. Initiatives like this represent an important first step towards reducing that complexity, so that producers can focus their effort, and their money, on what goes on the screen.”

The partnership will make announcements on other guidelines over the coming months, including metadata standards for delivered programmes, HD File based delivery specification and, later this year, plans to publish a Producers Guide covering best practice acquisition & post techniques.