Carmela Asero (EBU Technology & Innovation)
A delegation of EBU Members undertook a study visit to Japan at the end of May within the framework of the Media Technology Futures Group, an alliance of R&D&I (research, development and innovation) labs at Member organizations. The trip was an opportunity to see first- hand the activities of Japanese partners in areas such as generative AI, virtual production, and IP and cloud-based systems. Discussions with R&D&I specialists ensured a fruitful exchange of views on the future of media, sustainability, resilience and other key challenges for public broadcasters and media players.
The delegation, with representatives from Deutsche Welle, VRT and Yle, as well as the EBU Technology & Innovation Department, returned to Europe with a rich list of ideas for potential collaboration.
CANON, SONY, NHK
On the first day, the trip took in visits to the headquarters of Canon in Tokyo, as well as the company’s Kawasaki facility, and to the Sony Computer Science Laboratories. The second and third days were focused on the Japanese broadcaster NHK, including both its Science & Technology Research Laboratories (STRL) and its headquarters; the group also visited the office of the EU Delegation.
One of the EBU delegates, Jens Röhr, Innovation Manager for the production department at DW described the trip as “a truly remarkable journey into the future of media.”
“The strides made in immersive technology and artificial intelligence have given me a wealth of insights and fresh ideas. This has fuelled my drive to explore new frontiers and emphasized the critical importance of collaboration in achieving our common goals as public service broadcasters.”
Highlights of the visit to Canon included AI-driven multi-camera orchestration, where different roles can be assigned to remote PTZ cameras that work based on the movement of the main camera. However, there was general agreement that the use of AI in such production contexts should not seek to increase productivity in a way that replaces creators, but always to support creators and creativity.
Canon’s work towards implementing the C2PA standard for content provenance information was also presented and discussed in depth with the EBU delegates.
In Kawasaki, the EBU group visited the company’s largest volumetric studio, with over 150 cameras. The level of image quality and fluidity was particularly impressive, as well as the live streaming capability from the studio, with only a three- second delay. As one EBU delegate commented, “the future might not only be LED walls.”
STRL Open House
The visit coincided with the annual NHK STRL Open House in Setagaya, where the theme was Expanding and evolving broadcasting media to deliver increased value. The EBU delegation had an opportunity to learn about NHK’s work on areas of common interest, such as automated metadata generation, computer-generated sign language, and content provenance capture.
At the NHK broadcast centre the group was welcomed by some of the company’s top leaders and technology experts. Of particular relevance was NHK’s new building project and its anticipated IP- (ST 2110) and cloud-based workflows. NHK has recently also created a Media Innovation Center (MIC) with about 80 staff (journalists, engineers, and a strong link to NHK STRL).
Finally, the group was warmly welcomed to the EU Delegation office in Tokyo, where there is an interest in fostering further collaboration between EBU Members and Japanese partners in the areas covered be the latest EU-Japan Joint Statement, such as cloud, 5G/6G and AI.
The three-day visit was marked by the exquisite hospitality of our Japanese hosts and underlined the continued importance and value of in-person meetings.
This article was first published in the September 2024 issue of tech-i magazine.