[19 February 2015]
Hundreds of millions of hours of valuable content at risk from vanishing formats
Memnon Archiving Services, the trusted partner for digital preservation, enrichment and accessibility of audiovisual and cultural archives, is exhibiting at CABSAT 2015 (Dubai World Trade Centre, 10 – 12 March) to help broadcasters, national institutions, content owners and archivists understand the real threats to their valuable material, particularly as audio and video recording formats become obsolete and their players no longer supported.
According to UNESCO, 200 million hours of audiovisual programmes are in immediate danger. As well as the loss of revenues this implies, it also represents a large part of recent cultural history. Memnon is already working on one of the largest archive digitisation and restoration projects in the Middle East, and has extensive experience elsewhere in the world.
“When we talk of archives, it is all too easy to think of the distant past,” said Michel Merten, Founder and CEO of Memnon. “But think of the formats that blossomed and then disappeared recently, like U-Matic, Beta tapes, 1” and 2” video, or DAT audio and Mini Disk. Film stock is a medium that is also at major risk, specifically when stored in improper conditions. There is a wealth of material stored in these formats, and if we do not move them rapidly to digital form then we run the risk of losing these assets forever.”
Memnon offers a range of services to digitise, restore, preserve and provide access to recordings from virtually any audiovisual or film format. It can provide the digitisation service at its headquarters in Belgium, its US facility in Indiana and its shared facility with Media Guru in Noida, India, or provide support for on-premises processing anywhere in the world. The company also provides secure long-term storage and indexing of audiovisual archives, providing access either to the public or to a selected target audience.
“We first exhibited at CABSAT in 2014,” Merten added. “We found it an excellent place to have serious discussions about the challenges of preserving and protecting content – indeed it was at CABSAT that we started negotiations on our major Middle Eastern project.
“Many broadcasters and content owners know the fear factor of their catalogue disappearing, but do not know what to do. Come and talk to Memnon at CABSAT, and discover the practical approach we offer.”
Memnon is exhibiting at CABSAT in hall 3, stand D2-20, Dubai World Trade Centre, 10 – 12 March 2015.
