Metadata is defined simply as "data about the data". However, in a "broadcast" context is usually taken to mean extra information about the audio / video content. Although the term itself has only recently become common in the broadcast industry, metadata has been with us for years. Sticky labels on tape cassettes and programme notes stuffed into tape boxes are all metadata.

What has changed recently is that with the introduction of file based transfer of material, the metadata can be added electronically to the A/V content (which is also known as the "essence").

The exciting part (and, yes, it is exciting) is that lots more useful information can be added in a way that you have specifically chosen.

When using Diffuser to manage your organization's metadata dictionary, the simple addition of a web services interface allows quick, easy updates to track with the industry changes to the SMPTE site. MXFixer will allow you to examine the metadata in MXF files. When combined, the two make a powerful combination to flexibly manage standards compliance.

This question is very common as the various parts of our industry have developed similar but not identical paper and spreadsheet databases over the years. Many organizations have tried to map their pre-existing in-house schemas onto MXF's "DMS-1" descriptive metadata scheme. All run into exactly this difficulty, which can be very frustrating. There are three routes out of the problem:

1. Accept the mappings that are very close and add your own Key-Value pairs for those where you don't find an obvious match. For instance, you might decide to map DATELINE onto a keyword "Dateline" - which works so long as you don't try to merge in data from someone who used the same keyword for a different purpose.

1. Choose one of the pre-existing entries, even if it does not appear exactly right. For example, you could use: Setting Date and Time (Characterized Time Period) and or Region of Setting (Characterized Place) for DATELINE, even though these terms sound like they are more for a drama production, perhaps, than your application.

1. Define your own descriptive metadata scheme with all your own familiar fields, and don't try to reuse anything from DMS-1. In practice, defining your own descriptive metadata scheme gives the best results. Sadly, people are often scared off doing this because it feels like failure. They feel that it is their own fault that their own data doesn't match a standard schema. In fact, quite the opposite is true. Your own schema is different because your operation needs it to be specially matched to your requirements, and indeed that is one of the things that makes it valuable to you.