BBC digs deeper into its archives

By Matt Whipp

Posted on 25 May 2006 at 12:31

The BBC has opened up yet more of its archive material this week.

For teachers, the BBC has launched the Open Schools Archive.

Content here is divided into six categories, covering geography, history, nature, politics, places and audio resources.

As well as an educational resource for the subjects covered, they will also prove useful to the budding video editor. The clips are available under the BBC's Creative Archive licence, so they can be downloaded, edited and modified.

In addition, the corporation has also made regional archive footage publicly available. News clips from Devon, Cornwall, Lincolnshire and Humberside are free to download, edit and share under the same licence. The clips cover events ranging from interviews with Harold Wilson and the Beatles to more recent dramas such as the devastation that hit Boscastle.

Paul Gerhardt, Project Director of the Creative Archive Licence Group, said: 'We're really excited to be rolling out the next phase of the Creative Archive pilot. As we make these new archives available, we are offering content not only for use in the communities in Devon and Cornwall, Humberside and Lincolnshire, but also to the UK public as a whole. Beside the familiar programme titles, the BBC's archives have much that is relevant and useful for local history lovers.'