Events
CAFe Speaker Series: “The Future of Memory: Navigating Standards in Audiovisual Preservation”
Event Start Date: Wednesday, March 5, 2025 - 4:00 pm
Event End Date: Wednesday, March 5, 2025 - 5:00 pm
Location: Virtual
UMD students, faculty, staff, alumni, and friends—join us for the CAFe Speaker Series. (Registration Required)
Abstract:
The development and adoption of audiovisual preservation standards is as much a social process as a technical one. In this talk, Jimi Jones will explore key insights from The Future of Memory: A History of Lossless Format Standards in the Moving Image Archive, co-authored with Dr. Marek Jancovic, Assistant Professor of Media Studies at the Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, which traces the rise of JPEG 2000, FFV1, MXF, and Matroska as emergent standards in digital archiving. Drawing on interviews with archivists, developers, and industry professionals, Jones will illuminate how preservation standards evolve—not merely through technological advancement but through negotiation, contestation, and collaboration among diverse stakeholders.
The talk will examine the shifting power dynamics in digital preservation, from the historical dominance of the film and broadcast industries to the increasing influence of archivists, open-source communities, and non-traditional players such as hackers and film pirates. By unpacking the complexities of standardization, Jones will offer a timely perspective on the challenges and opportunities facing audiovisual archives today. Attendees will gain a deeper understanding of the social forces shaping digital preservation and the future of access to audiovisual heritage.
Bio:
Jimi Jones, Ph.D., is a scholar and researcher specializing in audiovisual preservation, digital archiving, and media technologies. He is the co-author of The Future of Memory: A History of Lossless Format Standards in the Moving Image Archive, which examines the evolution of video preservation standards and the social dynamics shaping their adoption. Jones’s work explores the intersection of technology, policy, and archival practice, with a focus on open-source solutions and collaborative approaches to digital stewardship. He has worked closely with archivists, developers, and preservationists to document the shifting landscape of audiovisual heritage in the digital age. Jimi is currently working on research for his next book, which will be about horror hosts and their place in American television history.
Speaker(s): Jimi Jones, Ph.D., scholar and researcher specializing in audiovisual preservation, digital archiving, and media technologies