BMF Now Available in Version 1.2

The IRT Broadcast Metadata exchange Format (BMF) is now available in the new version 1.2 providing new functions and scopes of application. The BMF standard enables the standardized exchange of metadata in the television production domain. Interested parties may register online for free download of the new BMF class model specification.

Already BMF 1.0 considered many different use cases of television production through one single standardized data model. BMF 1.2 extends the scope considerably. BMF 1.2 now also marks TV-items for internet offerings and, therefore, can be used for both media. Additional data structures for schema and programme planning have been added, as well as extensive possibilities for describing audio track allocations. The predefined data lists were extended as well. Hence, BMF 1.2 supports further television production processes. IRT provides on request a to BMF 1.2 associated XML-scheme. Due to the current registration of all classes and attributes at SMPTE (Society of Motion Picture and Television Engineers), BMF is accepted as an official exchange format allowing now also the standard-compliant exchange of metadata via the file format MXF (Material Exchange Format). With immediate effect, all interested broadcasting organisations and companies may freely download the new BMF 1.2 class model specification from IRT’s homepage.

About BMF:
The new BMF data model supports all the television production processes like programme planning, production planning, production, exchange, broadcasting and archiving. BMF is designed as a standardized (i.e. non-proprietary) class model for metadata and clearly describes the relationships of these data. With BMF, IRT provides the basis for a standardized metadata exchange in the television production. Existing data models can easily be adopted and further on be used internally. For this reason, BMF reduces the effort of adopting and integrating proprietary data interfaces.

As the basis for the development of the data model, IRT extensively analysed the production processes, from programme idea, via planning, to broadcasting. These considerations include the feature production with scenes as well as news containing items. In addition to the editorial and production systems also the interfaces to the current archiving systems of the German public broadcasters ARD and ZDF as well as the programme exchange were considered.