Broadcast Commercial Audio Requirements

chromeboy007

chromeboy007

Well-known member
Hello,

I'm finishing a low budget commercial that will be aired early next year. The broadcaster has strict requirements about a lot of things. The area that I'm weakest at is audio. They want 8 audio channels:

Ch.1 – Left
Ch.2 – Right
Ch.3 – Center
Ch.4 – LFE
Ch.5 – Left Surround
Ch.6 – Right Surround
Ch.7 – Descriptive Video Left
Ch.8 – Descriptive Video Right

I found out that on Premiere Pro CC, if you Modify > Audio Channels and set your Channel Format to 5.1, it will give you 6 channels:

Ch.1 - Left
Ch.2 - Right
Ch.3 - Left Surround
Ch.4 - Right Surround
Ch.5 - Center
Ch.6 - LFE

This is the closest I can get to what they want. Is there a way I can customize this a bit more to reflect the exact requirements the broadcaster is asking for?

Thanks
 
If I might, who is the broadcaster and do you have a link to their specs page?

99.9% of the broadcast commercials I produce end up as stereo audio.
 
David W. Jones said:
If I might, who is the broadcaster and do you have a link to their specs page?

99.9% of the broadcast commercials I produce end up as stereo audio.
Click to expand...

Most of the TV stations I can access via antenna are sending me 5.1 -- but if I listen closely, I find that most of it is actually stereo in a 5.1 wrapper. Most of the local news shows are mono in a 5.1 wrapper. But the network produced dramas tend to actually be 5.1 with all channels used. I'm just sayin' that just because they demand all the channels be present doesn't mean they have to contain anything.
 
So really they don't give a damn? (within reason)

My audio is just the client talking in front of the camera. We don't even have music.

This is a useful tutorial and after fiddling with it a bit I'm sort of getting it. Now I just need to know what "Descriptive Video L/R" is.

EDIT: forgot the tutorial

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Dg-4PJ1mhfI
 
Last edited:
"99.9% of the broadcast commercials I produce end up as stereo audio"
Same here in NYC for me and many colleagues.. Maybe us yokels just don't know anything.
 
David W. Jones said:
If I might, who is the broadcaster and do you have a link to their specs page?

99.9% of the broadcast commercials I produce end up as stereo audio.
Click to expand...

It's in Canada. No I don't think they have a spec page online. If you are interested PM me your email and I can send them to you.

Or is there anyway I can upload them here?
 
If it's CBC, They accept stereo content. Just upload your MXF OP1a in XDCAM HD422 @ 50Mbps with audio Left on track 1 and right on track 2.
 
David W. Jones said:
If it's CBC, They accept stereo content. Just upload your MXF OP1a in XDCAM HD422 @ 50Mbps with audio Left on track 1 and right on track 2.
Click to expand...

Bell, CP24. When you think about it the requirement should be less than CBC but heck their document is intimidating.

But since you sound like you know your stuff, can you I ask something else? Close captioning - I have it done using Premiere's closed captioning function, and laid on the timeline. So when I export my MXP in XDCAM 422 digitally, the TV station will see it when they import it into their NLE? I feel like I have no way of making sure the closed captions has been done right. You know what I mean?
 
I would guess that spec is a generic 5.1 with descriptive audio format for high end mainstream programme doco's and drama.

As others have said stereo should be fine for a commercial delivery.
 
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