Digital Technology
The world is rapidly speeding towards the biggest change in media since it started — approaching 90% of US prime-time television is acquired in HD (over 100 channels by end 2007) and this is set to increase to 100% by 2008.
Japan is now an exclusively HD country; Korea, China and South America are following suit with advanced HD plans. In Europe, several HD channels in Scandinavia, Germany and pan-Europe with Sky HD, Discovery HD (Europe) and BBC HD in the UK many more planned.
HD Broadcast is now global. All programming output will be demanded to be in an acceptable HD format—any programmes produced today in Super 16 or Digi Beta will have a very short lifespan before they become obsolete with the BBC already disallowing any super 16 acquired material for future broadcast.
The new 3rd generation HD formats allow inexpensive high quality HD acquisition with easy post-production - you can't really afford not to shoot HD any more!
