International Workshop on HDTV
Steering Committee

GUIDELINES FOR STEERING COMMITTEE ACTIVITY

(Draft 93/10/27)

1. Motivations

High-definition Television (HDTV) is the target for the next step in television. The timing for its practical implementation and diffusion will be largely dependent on the concurrent evolution of several technical fields and will widely influence different scientific, technology and business sectors.

Aware of that a number of professionals, whose names appear at the end of this document, active in a wide range of technical fields, having recognised that:

• there is a continuing need for a technical, international, interdisciplinary forum to foster introduction of HDTV and related services and applications;
• this goal is best achieved through synergy of the broadest possible basis of technical communities;
• signal processing is a key tool for implementation and use of HDTV,

have decided to set up the Steering Committee (SC) of the International Workshop on HDTV.

2. Steering Committee

2.1 Purpose

The purpose of the SC is the organisation of periodic meetings of technical people called "International Workshop on HDTV 'xx" (xx representing the last two digits of the corresponding year). The Workshops will be held with a yearly cycle in each of the three global regions defined as follows:

• Americas
• Europe/Africa/Near and Middle East
• Far East/Australia.

The SC as a body does not intend to have a voice in standardisation issues and opinions expressed by Steering Committee Members (SCM) in the Workshop context will be considered as personal opinions unless stated otherwise.

2.2 Composition

The present SC is made of people representing the three global regions and technical communities on an equal footing. This rule has to be observed whenever changes to the SC composition are made.

Technical Communities identified to date are:

• Broadcasters (terrestrial, CATV, satellite)
• Computer manufacturers
• Electronic Components Manufacturers
• Electronic Products Manufacturers
• Graphic Arts
• Motion Pictures
• Photo-optical Products Manufacturers
• Research Centres
• Telecommunication Operators
• Telecommunication Products Manufacturers
• Universities
• A full representation of all technical communities is desirable.

2.3 SC Chairman

It is estimated that, for the time being, the SC will meet only during Workshops. L. Chiariglione will act as Chairman of the Steering Committee. In the event that the Chairman is unable to perform his duties, a replacement shall be elected from among the SCMs by letter ballot, under the direction of the Chair of the Programme Committee (PC).

2.4 SC members

Members of the Steering Committee are to be persons active in the research, development and application of HDTV or in related fields. They shall be selected from among the communities of interest noted in 2.2 (above) and with a view to a balance of reional interests.

2.5 Tasks of SCMs

Tasks of the SCM are:

• To decide on updates of "SC Guidelines"
• To decide the management of the Workshops (e.g. chairmanship, program committee composition, additional events, etc.)
• To decide time and place of Workshops
• To decide on sponsorship of Professional Societies
• To decide R&D areas to appear in "Calls for Papers"
• To arrange meetings when necessary
• To disseminate information on Workshop activity in their countries and technical areas
• To liaise with Professional Societies and Conferences on related topics
• To decide on SC Membership
• To nominate the Chairman and the Members of the Programme Committee

3. Scope of activity

The following technical fields are currently of interest to the Workshop:

Interoperability means: the ease of sharing information across delivery media, industries, equipment.

4. Programme Committee

The technical organisation of Workshops is taken care of by a Programme Committee composed of seven members. The SCMs of each of the three regions nominate two PC members and the SC appoints the Chairman from a region that is different from the one hosting the Workshop. The region of origin of the PC Chairman rotates through the three regions at every Workshop. SCMs should be in a majority on the PC.

5. National Committee

Because the Workshop rotates in the three regions, each hosting country will establish a National Committee in charge of organising the HDTV event to be held in that country.

6. Ad-hoc Committees

Ad-hoc Committees addressing special areas of interest to the Workshop may be set up. As of 92/11/19 an ad-hoc committee on Test HDTV Sequences is active under the Chairmanship of Dr. Tetsurou Fujii (NTT).