MIPTV to Feature 4K Ultra-HD TV Spotlight

March 13, 2014 World Screen Top Stories
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PARIS: A number of producers and broadcasters are set to participate in the 4K spotlight program at MIPTV 2014.

The MIPTV 4K Ultra-HD program, created in partnership with Sony Corporation and sponsored by SES Astra, will run across the four days of MIPTV and represents the world’s first showcase of 4K content covering all entertainment genres. The broadcasting and global production community at MIPTV will be able to see real 4K footage and experimental transmissions covering live action, factual, natural history, music, sports and drama all showcased in a dedicated 4K Theatre located in the main exhibition hall. The conference will kick off on April 7 with a keynote speech by Niclas Ericson, the director the TV division for FIFA.

“Sales of 4K TV sets are progressing at a rate nobody anticipated. Adoption of 4K by producers is now beginning. The MIPTV 4K program offers a unique opportunity to understand the entire process of 4K adoption and see stunning examples of the latest 4K content,” said Chris Forrester, executive producer of the 4K conferences at MIPTV. “This year’s World Cup soccer is but a start. 2016’s Olympics in Rio, and the UEFA soccer championship are expected to be the catalysts for mainstream 4K adoption by consumers. But you cannot launch a channel on the back of single events, no matter how compelling they are. The industry needs factual content, drama, music and all the other genres fulfilled in 4K.”

Mike Gunton, the BBC’s creative director at its Natural History Unit, speaking at last year’s MIPTV, said: “Any high-end project will be shot in 4K from now on. There are lots of interesting commercial elements to this too as we’re starting to do theatrical and giant-screen presentations. Plus, if you’ve shot in 4K, you’re future-proofing.”