ISAN-International Standard Audiovisual Number

ISAN (International Standard Audiovisual Number), or ISO:15706-1 & 15706-2 (the ISAN standard), is a voluntary numbering system and metadata schema enabling the identification of any kind of audiovisual works, such as films, shorts, documentaries, television programs, sports events, advertising, etc. as well as their related versions.

Developed under the auspices of the International Standards Organization (ISO), by major players of the audiovisual industry such as producers, authors and rights holders societies, ISAN is now recommended or required as the audiovisual content identifier of choice for studios, broadcasters and Internet media service providers who need to encode, track and distribute video in a variety of formats. ISAN provides a unique, internationally recognized and permanent reference number for each audiovisual content registered.

Among the several benefits, ISAN numbers are being used in production and distribution systems, facilitating the interoperability and information exchange, contributing to improve rights management. ISAN is key in the content tracking and monitoring, as it has been integrated in several media solutions related to watermarking and fingerprinting technologies. ISAN has been made mandatory as a Content Identifier by the AACS, the encryption technology used in Blu-ray discs for the copy management and for all online transactions.

Founded by AGICOA , CISAC and FIAPF , ISAN-IA (the ISAN International Agency) is a not-for-profit Swiss association based in Geneva, mandated by ISO for implementing, running and managing the ISAN standard, the ISAN system and central database.