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Belgian Public Broadcaster Begins Massive Archive Project with 'Archangel'

Snell & Wilcox technology central to restoration initiative

20 August 2003, BRUSSELS -- VRT (Vlaamse Radio-en Televisieomroep), the public broadcaster for the Flemish community in Belgium, is now in the process of transferring more than 50 years of film archive to video via 'Archangel' restoration technology from Snell & Wilcox.

VRT is the public broadcaster for nearly six million Flemish Belgians. As a public broadcaster, the objective of VRT is to provide a diversity of programmes, which arouse and satisfy the interest of its viewers and listeners.

VRT retains more than 50 years of film archive in it vaults, including priceless footage from Belgium’s colonial past as well as news footage from Belgium and surrounding countries. Unfortunately, most of this material exhibits all of the artifacts you would expect from old film – noise, dirt, scratches – coupled with unsteadiness caused by the limitations of the camera tolerances of the time.

Archangel was developed by Snell & Wilcox to address a growing problem among broadcasters and video libraries who find themselves with valuable assets which are literally degrading.

Many archive materials are now seen as very poor quality, even unusable. Programme producers need clips that don’t look out of place next to a modern digital image. Archangel solves those problems in a way that would have been far too expensive and time-consuming in the past.

VRT’s is the first application in a film-only restoration environment. The film archive is being transferred to digital Betacam tape after being restored via Archangel.

According to VRT Manager Patrick Van Der Borgh, "Our core strategy is to reach a wide general audience whilst simultaneously catering for target groups too small to be of interest to commercial television. High quality is a priority in all of our programmes. Not only in terms of creativity and originality, but picture quality and preservation. It is essential to make sure that nothing is lost or changed. Archangel allows us to make a very precise restoration so the picture ends up being clearer and cleaner, but it is still the same image.

"The restored material will help us continue to meet our mandate to provide a high-quality selection of programmes in culture, information education and entertainment. It will be used to contribute to the further development of the identity and diversity of Flemish culture."

VRT has two TV-channels : TV1 (general public) and a second channel consisting of two separate programme parts : Ketnet (the youth channel, up to 8 pm) and Canvas (also general public, after 8 pm).

VRT Contact: Diane Waumans, Head of Press Relations; Room 9 L 71; B-1043; Brussels
Belgium; Tel: +32 2-741 35 56 Fax : +32 2-735 37 04; e-mail: tvpersdienst@vrt.be

Snell & Wilcox contact: David Cunningham, Press Relations Manager, Snell & Wilcox, Southleigh Park, Southleigh Park House, Havant, Hampshire, UK PO9 2PE, UK
Tel: +44 23 9248 9144
Email: david.cunningham@snellwilcox.com