3. Purpose of the radio sound archive

The purpose of a sound archive serving radio broadcasting is to build up and maintain the collection as a permanent source of material for use in programmes. It should also seek to preserve a collection of complete programmes representing the entire output of the service. All types of material should be taken into account. Although the first concern should be transmitted material, it is important that untransmitted material should also be considered; material that has been recorded for programme purposes but not used may be potentially valuable for the archive. Similarly, material may be recorded by sources outside the broadcasting organisation and offered directly to the archive.

The categories of material to be considered are as follows:

events (political, economic, social, sporting etc.);

voices and reminiscences of prominent contemporaries in all fields;

social history and folklore (home conditions, work, leisure, education, customs, traditions etc.);

miscellaneous material for documentary, reminiscent and general interest programmes;

linguistic material (language, dialect and accent);

drama and entertainment programmes;

music (works unlikely to be issued on commercial records, authentic folk and national music, outstanding performances and occasions;

natural history (wildlife) recordings, effects and authentic sounds.

These broad categories should provide the production areas with essential source material for a wide range of programmes as well as giving scope for repeat programming. Additionally it should provide a valuable research resource for historical and retrospective programming. Finally, as the archive grows, it should reflect the history and development of broadcasting techniques and of the broadcasting organisation itself.