C5 and ITV mull digital solution to tape crisis

Facilities trade association UK Screen has canvassed broadcasters for advice on delivery amid what it described as “continued anxiety about the decreasing levels of HDCam SR tape stock” and “conflicting messages coming from production”.

C5 head of broadcast operations Dominic Selby told UK Screen that the broadcaster would accept programmes delivered in HD pro res HQ 422, but warned the format is not recognised by other broadcasters. C5 also said that it would accept hard-drive discs, but there may be a charge to process the files.

ITV is advising producers to contact broadcasters to discuss individual cases, but a spokesman told Broadcast: “We are actively investigating the opportunity for file-based content delivery as well as the possibility of reusing existing stock.”

BBC head of technology HD Andy Quested told UK Screen it was prioritising existing projects for HD in line with the tape stock available.

A BBC spokeswoman added: “We are in contact with Sony and are discussing the situation with other UK broadcasters. We currently have sufficient stocks of HDCam SR tapes across the BBC and are confident that through sensible management there will be no disruption to delivery of programmes. We will continue to keep the situation under review.”

Channel 4 chief technology officer for broadcast and distribution Kevin Burrows said production companies should contact individual broadcasters “as there is no single option for all situations”.

The factory in Japan where Sony manufactures HDCam SR tapes, the only format accepted by UK broadcasters for delivery of HD programmes, remains closed after being damaged in last month’s earthquake.

Sony this week said production at the Sendai plant would resume in “early summer”.