OVERVIEW OF EBU ACTIVITIES

Philip LavenDirector, Technical Department

European Broadcasting Union

ITU BR Information Meeting on RRC-04/05

Geneva 19 September 2003

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

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

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

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

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

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”

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

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

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”!