BBC opens news archives to UK public

The BBC has opened some of its news archives for people within the UK to watch, download, edit and mix any clips and programming for non-commercial programming.

3 January 2006 23:29 GMT / By Stuart Miles

The BBC has opened some of its news archives for people within the UK to watch, download, edit and mix any clips and programming for non-commercial programming.

The bulletins cover some iconic events of the past 50 years including the fall of the Berlin Wall, crowds ejecting soldiers from Beijing's Tiananmen Square and behind-the-scenes footage of the England team prior to their World Cup victory in 1966.

The clips have been made available under the Creative Archive Licence.

Helen Boaden, director of BBC News, said: "This trial is an important step in allowing us to share with our audiences the extraordinary news archive which the BBC has recorded over the years. We look forward to getting their reaction".

To ensure that the material is available to as wide an audience, it will be made available in QuickTime, Windows Media, MPEG1 and MP3 formats.

The BBC said it will be releasing further material across other areas over the coming months.

The footage is now at bbc.co.uk/opennewsarchive

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