[FSFE PR][EN] Tagesschau.de awarded for the use of Open Standards

[Free Software Foundation Europe]

= Tagesschau.de awarded for the use of Open Standards =

[Read online: http://fsfe.org/news/2011/news-20110330-01.en.html ]

Berlin, 30. March 2011 - Today the ARD internet platform Tagesschau.de
will receive an award for the use of Open Standards at the "Document
Freedom Day". The prize is awarded by the Free Software Foundation
Europe (FSFE) and the Foundation for a Free Information Infrastructure
e.V. (FFII) for offering the broadcasted shows also in the free video
format "Ogg Theora" <http://theora.org/>.

In Berlin FSFE and FFII will hand over a certificate and a cake with the
"rOgg On!" label on to Sven Bruns, technical manager at tagesschau.de.
In Hamburg, Sabine Klein, vice editorial director of tagesschau.de will
accept a DFD cake on behalf of the editorial team.

"In times of non-free video formats still dominating the internet,
tagesschau.de is an example for other broadcasting corporations how to
provide unrestricted access to their media.", says Matthias Kirschner,
Germany-Coordinator of FSFE.
    
In contrast to proprietary video formats Ogg Theora is a free video
format that every software producer is allowed to support without
licensing requirements.  Therefore software users are not dependent on a
single software vender but can apply Ogg Theora on various devices.
    
Stephan Uhlmann, member of the FFII board: "It's convenient to support
the currently dominating format instead of using Open Standards. But
this domination brings along patents whose exclusive control disables
alternative software solutions and later innovations. In contrast to
this users of Open Standards have free choice of their software. But no
matter whether Apple, Microsoft or GNU/Linux: the videos of
tagesschau.de will always be playable."

Ogg Theora is supported by all media players in common GNU/Linux
distributions. One can also play Ogg-files on Microsoft Windows or
Apple's Mac OS X by using the VLC player. Furthermore, many modern
webbrowsers directly support the format.
    
On tagesschau.de, all regular videos are available as Ogg Theora.  At
tagesschau24 <http://www.tagesschau.de/tagesschau24/>, videos are
directly embedded via the new webstandard HTML5. In other parts of the
website, it still needs to be manually set to "download the file" and
then the format "Medium (Ogg)" has to be clicked.

"We hope that all other multimedia contents – especially the media
library and live streams – will soon be available in a free format.
Moreover we would be glad about Ogg Theora or WebM videos
<http://www.webmproject.org/> in higher quality levels", indicates
Matthias Kirschner.

Press pictures of the award ceremony will be available March 30. at 2pm.
on <http://wiki.fsfe.org/DFD-2011-Berlin-Hamburg-Bilder>.


== Press contacts ==

  Matthias Kirschner <mk at fsfe.org>, Free Software Foundation Europe
  Linienstraße 141, 10115 Berlin
  Phone: +49-30-275 95 290
  Mobile:  +49-1577-178 000 3
  
  Stephan Uhlmann <uhlmann at ffii.org>, FFII Office Berlin
  Malmöer Str. 6, 10439 Berlin
  Phone: +49-170-4225008


== About Document Freedom Day ==

  The Document Freedom Day (DFD) is a global action day for free
  document formats and Open Standards. It takes place every year on last
  Wednesday in March since 2008. In recent years over 200 teams of
  volunteers in over 60 countries have shared the benefits of Open
  document formats and Open Standards. This years city sponsorship for
  Berlin is done by tarent AG and for Hamburg inmedias.it GmbH.

  http://www.documentfreedom.org/


== About the Free Software Foundation Europe ==

  The Free Software Foundation Europe (FSFE) is a non-profit
  non-governmental organisation active in many European countries and
  involved in many global activities. Access to software determines
  participation in a digital society.  To secure equal participation in
  the information age, as well as freedom of competition, the Free
  Software Foundation Europe (FSFE) pursues and is dedicated to the
  furthering of Free Software, defined by the freedoms to use, study,
  modify and copy. Founded in 2001, creating awareness for these issues,
  securing Free Software politically and legally, and giving people
  Freedom by supporting development of Free Software are central issues
  of the FSFE.

  http://fsfe.org/

== About FFII ==

  The FFII is a not-for-profit association registered in twenty European
  countries, dedicated to the development of information goods for the
  public benefit, based on copyright, free competition, open standards.
  More than 1000 members, 3,500 companies and 100,000 supporters have
  entrusted the FFII to act as their voice in public policy questions
  concerning exclusion rights ("intellectual property") in data
  processing.

  http://www.ffii.org/