How do you deliver a program edited in HD to a television station? On a hard-drive? Blu-ray disc?

thanks

Ask the TV station. They'll be happy to give you their delivery specs.

Has anybody delivered a program via the internet - as in uploading a compressed version and then having the station download it?

I primarily deliver footage and products via FTP with hard disk coming in second. As always delivery depends upon the file size and delivery specs required by the client.

"with hard disk coming in second"

You're speaking of HD programming? and do you mean a video file on a data blu-ray?

Bob, Whatever delivery is most efficient. FTP, thumb drive, SDHC card, hard drive, etc. are what I use for SD or HD delivery. You are just sending a file that the client will transfer into their system so ask the client what works best for them. A :30 sec commercial may only be 20-40 MB but an hour show could be 100's of GB's depending upon network requirements.

I have a company insurance policy through Auto-Owners Insurance - and they reimbursed me for equipment lost when our vehicle was stolen.

It depends on your client. They may require you the best way for you to send the file.

Things may have changed in the last 4 years, but it was always a mailed or delivered HDD. (more data caps now than before actually even on home DSL) Usually in DVCPROHD or other format that was specified by the network or station. Also most (all?) networks want to know what format it was shot in. 80% DVCPROHD on HPX500 or HPX300 and no more than 20% shot on HDV or HVX200 for instance might be a typical recomendation. Offfffff course there are million exceptions to this.. Discovery channel refuses HDV content, but most of their reality shows on fishing etc are shot on Sony HDV camcorders (changed to newer formats by now) since you don't want to risk a good $20,000-$40,000 camera on a crab boat in the rain at night, but some throw away $3,000 Sony HDV's? Nooo problemo. But yes, every network and station is different and it's wise to contact the ones you are planning on pitching to and shoot, edit and give within their specifications. One screw up ANYWHERE in the workflow will be apparent and get you blacklisted with that channel for a while. You may not really be blacklisted, but heavily scrutinized is a better word. A friend who took my advice for a network shot everything on DVCPROHD, then for some unknown reason converted to HDV, edited, then converted back to DVCPROHD to HDD for delivery. Needless to say it didn't go over well. That would have been fine for public access, but not network.

Just food for thought...

BBC HD broadcast masters would normally be delivered on HDCAM SR tapes.

You can look up the current BBC delivery requirements on their web pages guides for independent commissions, all publicly viewable.

BBC - Commissioning TV - Transmission essentials (http://www.bbc.co.uk/commissioning/tv/production/delivery/transmission-essentials.shtml)

Now moving to digital file delivery...
http://www.digitalproductionpartnership.co.uk/what-we-do/technical-standards/delivery-standards/