ISO IEC 23000-15-2016 PDF

Full title and description

ISO/IEC 23000-15:2016 — Information technology — Multimedia application format (MPEG‑A) — Part 15: Multimedia preservation application format. This international standard defines the representation of multimedia preservation description information (MPDI) used to describe, package and exchange metadata and related information for long‑term preservation and interchange of multimedia assets among archives and stakeholders.

Abstract

ISO/IEC 23000-15:2016 specifies a standard representation for the Multimedia Preservation Description Information (MPDI) created and used during the preservation of multimedia assets. Its purpose is to facilitate exchange of multimedia content and preservation metadata between archives, broadcasters, publishers, service providers and other stakeholders, and to support subsequent preservation actions and reuse.

General information

• Status: Published.
• Publication date: July 2016 (Edition 1).
• Publisher: ISO / IEC (joint committee ISO/IEC JTC 1/SC 29).
• ICS / categories: 35.040.40 — Coding of audio, video, multimedia and hypermedia information.
• Edition / version: Edition 1 (2016); Amendment 1 (Implementation guidelines for MP‑AF) published 2017.
• Number of pages: 69 (standard text, ISO published record).

Scope

The standard defines the MPDI model and its serialization for use in multimedia preservation workflows. It covers the representation of descriptive, administrative and preservation metadata necessary to document provenance, technical characteristics, lifecycle events and relationships of multimedia objects so they can be exchanged between preservation systems and reused over time. The format is intended to enable interoperability between archives and other stakeholders and to support subsequent preservation and access operations.

Key topics and requirements

• Definition of the Multimedia Preservation Description Information (MPDI) data model and required semantic elements.
• Serialization/representation rules to package MPDI for exchange between repositories and stakeholders.
• Identification and description of preservation‑relevant technical metadata, provenance, rights and lifecycle events.
• Guidance for interoperability with archive workflows and for mapping to existing preservation metadata practices.
• Conformance and implementation considerations; Amendment 1 (2017) supplies implementation guidelines for MP‑AF.

Typical use and users

Primary users are digital preservation specialists, archives and memory institutions, broadcasters, publishers, service providers, system integrators and software vendors that build or operate preservation systems or need to exchange multimedia assets with preservation metadata. The standard is used to document, package and transfer multimedia holdings in preservation workflows and migration/interchange scenarios.

Related standards

ISO/IEC 23000-15 is part of the ISO/IEC 23000 series (MPEG‑A — Multimedia application format). It complements other preservation and metadata frameworks commonly used by archives, including the OAIS reference model (ISO 14721) and preservation metadata specifications such as PREMIS; implementers often map MPDI elements to these models for repository workflows and long‑term preservation interoperability.

Keywords

MPDI, multimedia preservation, MPEG‑A, MP‑AF, preservation metadata, archival exchange format, interoperability, provenance, ISO/IEC 23000.

FAQ

Q: What is this standard?

A: ISO/IEC 23000-15:2016 is the MPEG‑A part that defines the Multimedia Preservation Application Format (MP‑AF) representation — specifically the Multimedia Preservation Description Information (MPDI) used to describe and exchange preservation metadata for multimedia assets.

Q: What does it cover?

A: It covers the MPDI data model, required metadata elements for preservation (descriptive, technical, administrative and provenance information), and rules for packaging/representing that information to enable exchange between archives and other stakeholders. Implementation guidance is provided in Amendment 1 (2017).

Q: Who typically uses it?

A: Archivists, digital preservation engineers, broadcasters, publishers, service providers, and software developers/integrators who need a standardized way to describe, package and exchange multimedia holdings and their preservation metadata.

Q: Is it current or superseded?

A: The document was published in July 2016 (Edition 1) with an amendment in 2017. ISO standards are subject to periodic review; as of March 2, 2026 the ISO catalogue shows the 2016 edition as published with the 2017 amendment (no later edition published). Users should check the ISO catalogue or national standards bodies for any updates or new editions after that date.

Q: Is it part of a series?

A: Yes — it is Part 15 of ISO/IEC 23000 (MPEG‑A) Multimedia Application Format series. The series contains multiple parts that define different multimedia application formats and related technologies under the MPEG‑A umbrella.

Q: What are the key keywords?

A: MPDI, multimedia preservation, MPEG‑A, MP‑AF, preservation metadata, archival exchange, provenance, interoperability.