VITAMEDIAS

Commission Staff Working Document profiles role of wide-screen and high definition in global digital TV roll-out: Promised in the Commissions' recent Switchover Communication, this Commission Staff Working Paper argues that the wide-screen (16:9) format can help accelerate the transition to digital television. Broadcasters can use wide-screen to differentiate the quality of digital television from analogue TV, with its traditional "old movie" screen format using the 4:3 ratio. The document also notes that the time is ripe for a revival of high definition television (HDTV) in Europe.