TNAG-2769-FCO40-3986-Hong-Kong-and-the-media-interviews--press-briefings-and-the--1994 — Page 183

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There is obvious and real opportunity for Hong Kong to win and remain dominant in the propaganda war which seems inevitable issues such as democratisation and the new airport are ventilated in the world's media. Hong Kong must urgently modernise its interface between the Government Information Services and the media. This cannot be achieved overnight but impressive progress and an emergent system could be achieved in 1994 if a start is made soon. The British Library is experienced in the field and is closely associated with many of the companies whose products combined could supply the latest technical answer. The BL Consultancy Services therefore submits this paper in the hope that a appropriate consultancy contract (s) can be negotiated.

3. Technological Background

The concept of transferring negatives and photographic prints, colour or monochrome, to optical discs is well established though still, occasionally, news worthy. A recent application widely reported in the technical press was the Hulton Picture Library's use of the system to extend its sales of important photographs. Wisely, perhaps, the quality of image on the CD Rom that they are marketting is below the level essential for use in quality books so that, in this case, the system operates only in selection mode since those seriously interested in quality must go to Hulton and pay for access to the original negative and, of course, for all necessary rights. For other purposes, where a lower resolution image suffices, the high purchase cost of the disc is deemed to cover payment of all rights.

The natural combination is therefore one of a high resolution image of each photograph being held on a long life archival WORM (write once read many times) optical disc and selections, perhaps on subject basis, of interesting photographs being published at lower resolution, on CD Rom. Copying the original photographs and negatives on to WORMS is the major cost element in the whole proposal since it is inevitably labour intensive. Whilst it may seem logical to achieve this transfer by scanning the time advantage that a camera possesses over a scanner is decisive. There are at least three companies producing apparently suitable cameras and the British Library not only has in depth experience of all but is, on a daily basis, using camera videography for similar copying and transfer work.

The optical discs used for the archival storage of the high resolution images should be selected for their stability and longevity. Discs investigated by

by the British Library and suitable in this application could be expected to have, in such use in Hong Kong, a life in excess of 500 years. They have high durability and extreme tolerance of temperature and humidity fluctuation essential if expensive environmental conditioning is to be avoided. They can be held on racks or shelving like ordinary negatives or in jukeboxes so that selection and delivery is automated and high speed. Their format is entirely compatible with feeding CD Rom publication or for use with an interim/or editing medium such as DAT.