“The time is right for HD, an important pillar in the changing digital world,” said ZDF director Markus Schächter in Berlin during a symposium of the German TV Platform. He confirmed both ZDF and ARD will launch regular HD transmissions during and after the 2010 Winter Olympics in Vancouver, Canada.
An initial phase will start in the summer of 2009 during the August gymnastics world tournament in Berlin, which ZDF as the host broadcaster will offer as a worldwide HD feed.
Schächter rebuked criticism that the public broadcaster had been too slow to adopt HD. “The actual market developments have confirmed our reluctance [to enter the market earlier]”. He said the broadcaster is now better equipped to start HD transmissions with a more extensive library of programming in native HD.
