Advanced Television

FITT Taskforce publishes third status updated

November 26, 2013

The Future of Innovation in Television Technology (FITT) Taskforce, supported by the Digital TV Group (DTG), the industry association for digital TV in the UK, has published its third status update.

“The third status update of the FITT Taskforce, takes another step towards recommendations on how the convergence industry can draw from the natural well of inventiveness in the UK to innovate in television technology in its widest sense,” said Dr David Docherty, Chairman of the Taskforce.

Bringing together consumer specialists, senior content executives, technology leaders, mobile and network providers as well as leading academics, the Taskforce captures both the technical and the consumer perspective.

The report marks another milestone towards the final recommendations, due to be published at the DTG Summit in May 2014. The final Taskforce report’s findings will provide a horizon-scan and make recommendations to inform future strategies for government, industry and higher education.

Highlights in this update include:

– Consumer Trends: Whilst TVs have become ever more sophisticated, their role has remained the same, namely to entertain. Improving this experience will be key to the mainstream adoption of any new TV technologies, either by enhancing the viewing experience or increasing consumer choice.

– Evolution of Devices and Applications: Creating a space where entrepreneurs and SMEs can meet industry experts, such as an Application and Innovation Centre, and replicating the MediaCityUK University Technical College (UTC) nationwide are just two of a number of practical recommendations this group made on how industry can stimulate innovation.

– Computing for the Creative Industries: A UK Creative Cloud would provide a new way of working, giving the UK Film & television industry a significant competitive advantage over other world players and would solve many of the infrastructure and financial issues faced today.

– Data Management: The formation of a body of industry leaders with the requisite knowledge to nurture the next generation of analysts would support the data analysis industry and ensure we have the skills demanded by the future expansion of Big Data.

– Future Networks and Infrastructure: Potential innovative solutions to exploiting limited spectrum include developing existing technologies to work together, deploying new technologies and possible sharing of infrastructure.

Launched in September 2012 by Minister for Culture, Communications and Creative Industries, Ed Vaizey MP, the Taskforce’s aim is to determine how the UK’s track record of innovation in television technology can be leveraged to deliver sustainable economic growth.

Categories: Articles, Broadcast, DTT/DSO