BBC World News in 14:9

I don't understand why BBC World News is shown in 14:9, virtually evertthing else is in 4:3 except stuff coming out of the newsroom.

and when did BBC World News go 14:9?

Because the camera's are widescreen, and more reports are coming through in widescreen now. Also the whole of the BBC News dept uses widescreen, so a bit silly to break ranks. You could say the same about News 24 or the National News. Studio is widescreen, but very few reports are.

I think BBC WORLD went widescreen in 1997, along with the launch of BBC NEWS 24, IIRC. I'm probably wrong and I'm sure someone will correct me.

Yes we know that the cameras are in wide, but to world viewers, they don't know this, they would be thinking eh why the black bars!

BBC World News (different to BBC World) went widescreen in 1998 when they moved into the old N24 studio.

Since 1995, any new studios, or studios being refurbished, had to be capable of broadcasting in widescreen. Since 1999 all programmes (again, different to presentation) generated from a TVC studio have had to be in widescreen

That's why World News is 14:9. It's actually 16:9, but the usual compromise is used & the picture converted between the studio & presentation.


(Edited by Techy Peep at 9:44 pm on Oct. 14, 2001)

That's interesting, it's just a shame that world viewers cannot actually the widescreen picture.

Two more questions is BBC World broadcast in widescreen on Digital and when are the rest of BBC Worldwide channels planning to go widescreen?

BBC WORLD is only available in 14:9 across the board I think, no matter where you view it.

I had the French satellite system (TPS Digital )here on test for a friend for a while and it was only in 14:9.

Is World on digital? Presume it is as you ask. I don't know is the simple answer!

For your other question, I've not heard anything, so doubt it will happen in the forseeable future.

The problem with widescreen is the same as stereo briadcasts which we've mentioned in the past - there's just way too many formats which different countries use to make it truelly viable. Not only have you got NTSC, PAL & SECAM, but many different means for broadcasters to inform boxes that the signal is a widescreen one. The bandwidth required to transmit all the different permitations is restrictive

Guys - you've got to get the distinction right... BBC World is different to BBC World News...

BBC World broadcasts 4:3
BBC World News is 14:9 on a 4:3 platform

Sorry, I'll try to get it right next time!

Techy Peep, BBC World is available in digital on a lot of digital packages, mostly encrypted, but there is one FTA!

Oooo
Best not tell us which one, coz you're a naughty boy for watching it in the UK!!