Broadcast Wave Format

Broadcast Wave Format
Filename extension
  • .bwf
  • .wav
Internet media typeaudio/x-wav
Developed byEuropean Broadcast Union (EBU)
Initial release1997 (1997)
Latest release
Version 2
May 2011; 13 years ago (2011-05)
Type of formataudio file format, container format
Extended fromWAV
Extended toRF64
Standard
WebsiteBroadcast Wave Format (BWF) user guide

Broadcast Wave Format (BWF) is an extension of the popular Microsoft WAV audio format and is the recording format of most file-based non-linear digital recorders used for motion picture, radio and television production. It was first specified by the European Broadcasting Union in 1997, and updated in 2001 and 2003. It has been accepted as the ITU recommendation ITU-R BS.1352-3, Annex 1.

The purpose of this file format is the addition of metadata to facilitate the seamless exchange of sound data between different computer platforms and applications. It specifies the format of metadata, allowing audio processing elements to identify themselves, document their activities, and supports timecode to enable synchronization with other recordings. This metadata is stored as extension chunks in a standard digital audio WAV file.

BWF is the recommended format for digitizing sound files by the International Association of Sound and Audiovisual Archives.[1]

Files conforming to the Broadcast Wave specification have names ending with the filename extension .WAV.

  1. ^ IASA Technical Committee, Guidelines on the Production and Preservation of Digital Audio Objects (2009). Bradley, Kevin (ed.). Guidelines on the Production and Preservation of Digital Audio Objects (2nd ed.). Auckland Park, South Africa: International Association of Sound and Audio Visual Archives. ISBN 9789197619226.