Page 27 - ITU Kaleidoscope 2016

ICTs for a Sustainable World

increasingly compelled to record, then input this data and
commissioning decisions could be influenced by what it shows.
By going through a certification process currently known as
“Albert+”, productions can achieve a star rating (in a concept
similar to those used for domestic appliances). As a result those
productions that perform well or show they are effective in
reducing their carbon footprint against clearly defined criteria are
acknowledged by the BAFTA Albert Consortium (a pan-industry
body of broadcasters and “Indies”) and are awarded the “Albert+”
status, which they can then add to the end of programme credits.
In an industry that is inherently competitive and where motivation
frequently comes from the recognition of peers and awards from
august institutions we are hopeful that this could be quite effective
in changing behaviors and developing lower carbon working
practices. However it’s recognized that this improvement does not
just happen when the Albert analysis is produced; it requires
leadership from senior members in the programme team or
production company, occasional support from specialist
sustainability advisers required to choose and deploy the right
techniques and training for a range of team members to ensure
Figure 3: Emissions in CO 2 e [t] per hour of content, for each they understand the importance of sustainability and the impact of
their behavior. This approach seems to be working as amongst the
production unit, by TV programme genre. range of programmes now displaying Albert+ status as
sustainability improvers are two of the UK’s most popular soap
operas. Although we are yet to see if this has a significant impact
in the footprint of broadcasting as a whole, it should still be seen
as a serious expression of intent and as an example to the creative
industries and their audiences.

4. SUSTAINABLE BROADCASTING.

Two hugely significant elements (as shown in figure 1) of the
overall footprint of broadcasting are the distribution and
consumption of programmes. In fact most studies on the
broadcasting industry thus far have focused on this area.

4.1 Distribution

Broadcasters currently use a range of mechanisms to get their
programmes to their audiences. The base of the BBC’s TV
distribution is a network of Digital Terrestrial Transmitters (DTT),
Figure 4: Emissions in CO 2 e [t] by production method per which is part of the FreeView platform in the UK. Then there is
hour of content for 3 main production types. Digital Satellite Transmission (DST) called FreeSat in the UK.
Add to this distribution over the Internet by live streaming and
Video On Demand (VOD) TV services, which include the BBC
carbon calculator. It is made up from the main production iPlayer. Such services are often referred to as Over The Top
activities including studio time, travel and location working, the (OTT) TV and make calculating the carbon footprint difficult as
production office, materials for sets etc. they are additional to and circumvent the more established
If the main components of location working are summed we find platforms. Audiences can also record programmes off air with
that 60% of the typical footprint is due to working away from PVRs (Personal Video Recorders) to watch later or download files
base. Surely the latest versions of technology, like CGI (Computer to their mobile devices to watch in the near future using the
Generated Images), would provide a more efficient method of iPlayer app. This wealth of options is in fact part of the problem,
achieving the same outcome by virtually creating locations? This because not only do we have a wide range of platforms and
is true in some cases but when the editorial impact is considered combinations of usage to consider but each platform ends up with
using such artifice may be deemed as misrepresentation or the capability to carry virtually all the same services resulting a
untruthful by audiences, with an associated impact on credibility. substantial duplication of functionality and thus energy.
Furthermore these components are likely to vary depending on the
type or genre of the programme being made. We can extract data 4.3 Terrestrial & Satellite Transmission
to illustrate this as shown in figure 3.
However programme makers themselves are most interested in
seeing how the different programme making process compare and In a traditional terrestrial broadcasting system a single or network
this is shown in figure 4. of transmitters use the RF spectrum to serve a large audience. The
The ultimate objective of obtaining and reporting on this data is topology is often built around a few powerful widely spaced hill
primarily to create a frame work in which productions can top transmitters, complemented by smaller, local, infill
understand and reduce their GHG emissions. Production teams are transmitters, in order to provide even coverage for the service area

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