The UK's state TV broadcaster, the BBC has equiped some of its journalists with mobile phones that enable them to create short video reports and send them back via GPRS. The software powering the service was specially developed by the Philips Software business group. Simply using their mobile phones, which are equipped with Philips' multimedia camcorder software, BBC journalists can conveniently and rapidly record video clips, up to 15 minutes in duration, and transmit them instantly to the studio for public television broadcast.
Both Philips and the BBC acknowledge the enormous potential of newsgathering using a standard mobile phone. Journalists in the field covering breaking stories can now send video reports back using just their mobile phone even from difficult or remote locations. Added to this are the considerable savings in equipment and time. The BBC has carried out a number of news broadcasts using video captured and sent with the new mobile technology, including a bulletin from a tugboat maneuvering in harbour.
The enabling software developed by Philips for the BBC is part of the company's multimedia platform for next-generation mobile phones. The phones used by the BBC are standard smart-phones and employ the GPRS technology, to transmit video clips to the Television Centre studios in London. Although the phones will not replace conventional TV video and sound methods of filming and transmission, results of on-the-spot, instant newsgathering are so successful that the BBC is providing this tool for a significant number of its national and regional news reporters.
The main objective of Philips Software, an autonomous business group within Royal Philips Electronics, is to develop and market multimedia solutions based on broad experience in manufacturing a wide range of consumer electronics products. Targeting the mobile/portable market, the new business group is forming partnership agreements with silicon vendors, OS software houses and network providers. Philips Software operates as an independent software vendor, providing reliable, validated and optimized solutions that will reduce time-to-market and commercial risk.
Commenting on Philips' role in the BBC project, Cees Geel, Marketing and Sales Director of Philips Software, said: "We are delighted that the BBC has selected our software for instant newsgathering and that it is such a success. The BBC is well known for continually striving for the highest possible picture and sound quality, and this in combination with the long recording time confirms our leading position in this area. We are confident that experience gained from this application will rapidly lead to further innovative developments."
Rachel Attwell, Deputy Head of television news at the BBC, added: "Using this software on a mobile phone is a breakthrough addition to the way we cover news. It is very probable that it will become standard practice for our reporters, and even the general public, to send instant reports of breaking news, as it occurs, before a satellite truck can be there."
Justin Dyche, Project Manager and News Director for the BBC, comments: "This tool provides us with a great back-up device. It will be at its most valuable when an unexpected story breaks, conventional video crews may be hours away and for the first time we can generate video from a mobile phone in high enough quality to broadcast on our news programmes and add real value to our output."
Posted to the site on 21st January 2004
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