4:3 International Studios still in use

Seems incredible that the BBC's facilities at the UN in particular are still 4:3, however it's not unique several of the US presentation areas also seem to not be equipped for 16:9 operation.

The UN video is increasingly being cropped to a 14:9 before that is framed at 16:9 for transmission.

Does anyone, in the know, have any background as to why the UN facilities are still 'prehistoric' in broadcasting terms?

I think a UK site was similarly presented recently too.

Possibly because (usually) the only 16:9 material in the US is HD and the things you speak of are not produced etc in HD?

Probably comes down to the cost of replacing the equipment compared to the use it gets.

I seem to remember someone saying on here that many of the News 24 regional insert points are still 4:3 but ARC'd?

Most News Channel DTL 'daleks' still exist from 1997 and are 4:3 ARCd to 16:9 on the news channel. BBC Brum has recently got rid of their original N24 DTL Dalek, I think. Moved to a CSO system.

Whenever CNN US and CNN International simulcast with one anchor from each presenting, the CNN International bits from London or Hong Kong are always in 4:3 - which would imply that those studios aren't widescreen either.

Yes, a fair few regions still have 4:3 yukky cams (the Daleks used really quite poor cameras and very dodgy lighting arrangements which didn't help the picture). Southampton, Bristol, Norwich and Manchester certainly still have 4:3 contribution points, although Manchester have at least built a CSO studio, but evidently still use their original camera. I think Leeds moved theirs from Woodhouse Lane (why?!).

There was a project a few years ago to improve the quality of contribution cameras across the BBC, but it ran into funding problems when they realised that virtually all needed major investment!