REUTERS BROADCAST VIDEO 16:9 FAQS FOR PRODUCTION USERS

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1 REUTERS BROADCAST VIDEO 16:9 FAQS FOR PRODUCTION USERS Document Version 1 0 Date of issue: 15 th October 2009

2 Introduction As part of Reuters ongoing commitment to improve its services, we are pleased to announce that from Tuesday February 2nd 2010 all video will be delivered in the 16:9 Aspect Ratio. In response to customer requests and to pave the way for further improvements in the future; this change recognises the increasing adoption of the widescreen format throughout the world. Nevertheless, every effort has been made to consider the needs of 4:3 broadcasters and to minimise the disruption that this change may cause. The following FAQs are designed to address some common questions or issues which we expect production users may face as a result of Reuters the switch. If you cannot find the information you are looking for, please contact your Reuters support representative or visit reuters.com/tvupgrade for more information. Q. When will the change happen? A. On February 2 nd However, there will be tests in December and January. Q. How confident are Reuters in this date? A. We have strong confidence in this date. However, in the event of a major global news story we will consider postponing the switch to another day in the same week. In the event of the switch being delayed due to such a major news event, we will issue advisories to all clients notifying of the delay and confirming the new date and time. Q. Will both WNE and Reuters Live switch to 16:9? A. Yes. Both WNE and Reuters Live will switch to 16:9 on February 2 nd Q. How will Reuters shoot in 16:9? A. The main action will continue to be captured within the 4:3 safe area of the frame, as illustrated below. This is to help 4:3 broadcasters who may edge crop the 16:9 video. Q. How will Reuters handle 4:3 material? When Reuters receives video from third parties in the 4:3 Aspect Ratio, we will ARC to 16:9 by fit-to-height as illustrated below.

3 Q. Where can I find sample 16:9 files? A. Sample 16:9 video files can be found on reuters.com/tvupgrade. In addition, some further files will be delivered into a test channel on WNE in mid-december and mid-january to enable you to test your end-to-end workflows without disrupting your existing production. The 16x9 test service will appear within WNE in mid-december and mid-january: Q. Will Reuters 16:9 also be in HD (High Definition)? A. No. Reuters will deliver 16:9 in SD (Standard Definition). Although the feasibility of delivering HD video is being assessed; there is no timetable as yet. Q. Will the quality be affected if I work in 4:3? A. The quality may be slightly affected if you ARC the content back to 4:3 when it has been produced natively in 16:9. Reuters will shoot all 16:9 content in protective mode, which will make it possible for customers to ARC back to 4:3 by cropping the edges of the picture without losing material parts. However, any removal of the edges by ARCing will, by definition, reduce the resolution and therefore the quality of the images. Q. We work in 4:3 and are not file-based, how will this change affect us? A. If you are using the WNE Playout feature to capture or tape the output in 4:3, your PC should already be set up in the right mode to ensure you do not have an interruption in service. To check this log into the Administration page within WNE and check that the ARC to 4:3 setting is set to enabled. If you need to adjust the Playout settings you must restart the Player afterwards to ensure the changes take effect. Note: Modifying the Playout ARC setting requires the Player to be re-started. To do this, follow the sequence: Start>Programs>World News Express> Stop Player and then Start>Programs>World News Express> Start Player If you are capturing video from Reuters Live you will need to ensure that the settings on the WNS decoder (TT1220, TT1260 or Alteia Plus) are set to output content in 4:3.

4 Q. We have a file based workflow and still work in 4:3, how will this affect us? A. You will need to ARC the video once it has been ingested into your file based workflow. Q. We work in 16:9 but we are not file-based. We playout videos for capture or taping. Do we need to do anything? A. Yes. You will need to decide when to switch the configuration of the Stradis Card to enable Playout in 16:9 mode. The default is 4:3 mode. Because there will be a mixture of 4:3 content and 16:9 content on the WNE PC for some time after the switch, you may prefer to wait until all content is available in the same format before you change to 16:9 Playout. Q. Can Reuters guarantee that no 4:3 files will be delivered after the switch? A. No. It is highly unlikely that 4:3 files will be delivered accidentally to broadcasters following the switch as we are introducing processes into the distribution systems to prevent this. However, there may be some instances where content is picked up in 4:3 and is inadvertently included in a file alongside 16:9 content. In these instances we will resend the file with the correct ARCing. Naturally, every effort will be made to avoid such occurrences. Q. How do I change to 16:9 Playout on the WNE PC. You will need to be logged into the WNE PC as an administrator. Go to the Administration Page and select the Playout sub-tab. Adjust the ARC Playout to 4:3 setting to disabled. Because there will be a mixture of 4:3 content and 16:9 content on the WNE PC for some time after the switch, you may prefer to wait until all content is available in the same format before you change to 16:9 Playout. Note: Modifying the Playout ARC setting requires the Player to be re-started. To do this, follow the sequence: Start>Programs>World News Express> Stop Player and then Start>Programs>World News Express> Start Player Q. What do I need to do before the Reuters Live tests? A. 4:3 broadcasters: ensure that your receiver is set to ARC in 4:3. A. 16:9 broadcasters: ensure that your receiver will display native 16:9 video in 16:9.

5 Q. What do I need to do before the WNE tests? A. It depends on your workflow and whether you are planning to use native 16:9 content or ARC back to 4:3. If you would like advice please contact your Account Manager to arrange for a specialist to call you. All broadcasters: ensure that your WNE PC is upgraded to software version :9 broadcasters: if you use the Playout function for extracting videos, ensure that you adjust and then reset the ARC setting within the WNE PC. Q. Where will the test files be delivered in the WNE PC? A. Into a specific test channel. Q. What should we do if we have a problem during the tests? After the Reuters Live tests we will run a slate providing contact details in case you have experienced any issues. If you have issues with the WNE test material, please contact your local support desk as listed on the WNE Contacts page or speak to your Account Manager Thomson Reuters. All rights reserved. Republication or redistribution of Thomson Reuters content, including by framing or similar means, is prohibited without the prior written consent of Thomson Reuters. 'Thomson Reuters' and the Thomson Reuters logo are registered trademarks and trademarks of Thomson Reuters and its affiliated companies. For more information Send us a sales enquiry at reuters.com/salesenquiry Read more about our products at reuters.com/productinfo Find out how to contact your local office reuters.com/contacts