NHK accelerates 4K productions to gain expertise for 8K

Japan’s public service broadcaster NHK hopes that increasing the number of 4K programs it makes will help in implementing 8K production for when test broadcasts start in 2016.

NHK say they are accelerating the production of programs in full 4K across a range of genres, including nature programs, science, drama and sports.

“NHK is now actively producing 4K programs to gather production expertise in 4K which will be applicable to 8K,” a corporation spokesperson says. 

NHK has been carrying out research and development of 8K (Super Hi-Vision), which has 16 times more pixels than Hi-Vision, as well as 22.2 multichannel sound. They intend starting test broadcasts in 2016, when Brazil hosts the Olympic Games, and to start full broadcasts in 2020, the year of the Tokyo Olympic Games.

“With the 2020 Olympic and Paralympic Games coming up in Tokyo, NHK expects there will be a rise of interest towards Tokyo and Japan,” the spokesperson says. “NHK hopes to take this as an opportunity to offer its various programs to the international market, including 4K content.”

NHK are sharing their experience in 4K filming and post-production at this year’s MIPTV conference in Cannes, France, screening segments from programs including ‘Human Life: Our Amazing Cells’ and ‘The Great Barrier Reef’.