Broadcast JPEG2000 Alliance Announced

Today at IBC2009 Fast Forward Video (FFV) announced the launch of the JPEG2000 Alliance, "a consortium of broadcast industry leaders dedicated to ensuring that JPEG2000 continues to develop into a leading compression standard." According to the press release:

In addition to developing their own JPEG2000 technologies and products, these companies will collaborate to ensure widespread acceptance, deployment, and support of the compression standard for the benefit of the media and video industries. Activities will be centered on educating and creating awareness about the benefits of JPEG2000, promoting interoperability between standards and system devices, and promoting the development of tools by members and industry peers.

In addition to FFV, charter members of the JPEG2000 Alliance include 360 Systems, Analog Devices, Barco, Digital Rapids, Doremi Labs, the Fraunhofer Institute, Front Porch Digital, intoPIX, Media Links, Media Matters and Miranda Technologies. I'm taking the time to post this (and I'm hoping you are taking the time to read it) to give a sense of how JPEG2000 is being used outside the cultural heritage community.

I'm not sure what "IBC" stands for (their website doesn't expand the acronym), but according to their "about" page they are "the leading international forum for the electronic media industry." Based on the nature of the six partners behind the IBC (International Association of Broadcasting Manufacturers, Institution of Engineering and Technology, IEEE Broadcast Technology Society, Royal Television Society, Society of Cable Telecommunication Engineers, and Society of Motion Picture and Television Engineers), it seems to be geared towards broadcast media. There is a conference going now in Amsterdam where they expect to have over 49,000 attendees and 1,300 exhibitors.