The Digital Production Partnership (DPP) has formed a strategic partnership with the North American Broadcasters Association (NABA) in a bid to promote common standards for the international exchange of content.

The NABA’s members include Disney-ABC Television, Fox Entertainment Group, Time Warner and NBC Universal Grupo.  

The two organisations have set up a technical working group which will hold its first workshop at NAB next week.

The group will look at how the DPP’s AS-11 standard can form the basis for a common delivery standard for North America.

“The DPP is committed to making the international exchange of content quicker, cheaper and easier – that’s what digital media should be all about,” said DPP managing director Mark Harrison.

“The DPP has always had huge respect for NABA, and their commitment to international standards is every bit as great as ours. By working together I believe we can both realise our ambitions.”

Steering group

The two organisations have established a steering group. Its members include:

  • Executive vice president and general manager Fox Networks Engineering and Operations Richard Friedel
  • Executive director media and enterprise technology services CBC/Radio-Canada John Lee
  • Chair Joint Task Force on File Formats and Media Interoperability Clyde Smith
  • ITV controller online, pay and interactive technology Paul Clark
  • BBC principal technologist and DPP lead on international standards Andy Quested
  • NABA director general Michael McEwen
  • DPP managing director Mark Harrison

The NABA is one of the leaders of the Joint Task Force on File Formats and Media Interoperability (JTFFFMI)

The JTFFFMI is also sponsored by The American Association of Advertising Agencies (AAAA), The Advanced Media Workflow Association (AMWA), the Association of National Advertisers (ANA), the European Broadcasting Union (EBU), the IABM and the Society of Motion Picture and Television Engineers (SMPTE).

NABA’s director general Michael McEwen added: “Our partnership with DPP is a tangible step forward to developing common standards and transparency in file formats and improving the efficiency of our operations.

“The DPP work and process has been highly successful in the UK and as we tackle these issues through the Joint Task Force a strategic partnership with the DPP brings us closer to the solutions we all want in a timely manner.”

The DPP has led the UK broadcast industry’s efforts to shift to the file-based delivery of programmes. At the end of last month it laid out plans for becoming a fee-paying organisation.

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