What does ‘born digital’ mean?
Programs that are created entirely with digital systems for shooting, editing, and distribution are considered ‘born digital.’ In contrast to material in the archives, which may be on film or in a variety of analog formats, born digital materials can be archived without additional processing at the time of broadcast. In addition, born digital outtakes and other materials can be saved in the same systems. But unlike the long-established procedures for preserving analog videotapes, there are no standards yet established for preserving ‘born digital’ program files. Consequently, by archival standards, digital video files are considered very high ‘at risk’ collections.
