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All content on this site is licensed under the Creative Archive licence.
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FAQs
All about the Creative Archive…
What is the Creative Archive Licence Group?Where are the clips to download?
How can I get hold of different BBC clips not yet released under the terms of the Creative Archive Licence?
How much will it cost to use the archive content?
What format will the archive be available in?
Will it include audio?
I heard that archive content will be made available using P2P technology. Isn't that illegal?
Will the Creative Archive Licence Group use DRM?
What is the Interactive Media Player (iMP) the BBC is developing? How is it different from what’s on offer under the Creative Archive Licence?
How do I request a certain type of programming be made available?
How do I join the Creative Archive Licence Group?
FAQs specifically about the Creative Archive Licence
What is the Creative Archive Licence Group?
The BBC, the bfi, Channel 4 and the Open University set up the Creative Archive Licence Group to make their archive content available for download under the terms of the Creative Archive Licence - a single, shared user licence scheme for the downloading of moving images, audio and stills. If you wish to share, watch, listen and re-use this content as a fuel for your own creative endeavours you must comply with the terms and conditions as set out in the Creative Archive Licence. For example, you must agree that you will only use the material for non-commercial purposes.
Where are the clips to download?
The BBC, the bfi, Channel 4 and the Open University (and new members of the group) intend to make their archive content available for download under the terms of the Creative Archive Licence.
Nearly 100 programme extracts and clips have been released from the BBC's archives in conjunction with Radio 1 - you can download them now from the Superstar VJ's site. We will be adding new clips/programmes and launching a major VJ based competition over the next few months to inspire you to get creative with them so keep coming back for the latest updates.
The bfi has already released clips available for download now under the terms of the Creative Archive Licence from their website.
The BBC gets a lot of requests from the public for copies from its archive. If you have taken part in a programme then you are entitled to a viewing copy but you will have to pay transfer costs. Contact BBC Information, Contributor Access Service, PO BOX 1922, Glasgow G2 3WT, Tel: 08703 338 998. Unfortunately we do not have the resources to help individuals wishing simply to get hold of a favourite programme, instead try BBC Shops who stock a wide range of the archive on VHS and DVD.
If you are from a school or university and want material to include in a lecture or for research you can contact BBC Studies on 0207 010 2751. Businesses who want material for training should contact BBC Learning on 02084331641 or email corporate.sales@bbc.co.uk. Individual students not covered by either of these options can contact the National Film and Television Archive 02072551444 or email: information.unit@bfi.org.uk.
Non-UK-based broadcast media companies with a commercial interest in a programme should contact BBC Worldwide's Motion Gallery for complete programmes (Tel: 02084332861). UK-based companies wanting programme extracts should contact Research Central (Tel: 0208 2257193 or email: research-central@bbc.co.uk).
How much will it cost to use the archive content?
If you are using the archive for your own not-for-profit personal and/or not-for-profit educational use, and you are not using the material to endorse your work, then you will not have to pay to use the Creative Archive. There’s more about the terms on which you can use the Creative Archive here.
What format is the archive material available in?
We've chosen three formats - Quicktime, Windows Media and MPEG1 format - to release our archive material in. Our research indicates that these formats will hit the widest spread of users throughout the UK across the widest spread of operating systems and editing applications. We aren’t using Real because although it’s fine for streaming media, it’s not a format suitable for downloading and editing.
We hope that we can build some consensus in deciding how to proceed with future formats, and that’s why we’re inviting your feedback on these and other important issues for the Creative Archive Licence Group.
Tell us whether our formats are right for you.
We aren’t using Real because although it’s fine for streaming media, it’s not a format suitable for downloading and editing.
Will it include audio?
Yes, and we’d like you to you to tell us what kind of audio you want to see in the Creative Archive,so please send us your views.
I heard that archive content will be made available using P2P technology. Isn't that illegal?
Peer to Peer (P2P) distribution technologies are certainly one of the technologies that will make it possible for large files to be sustainably distributed online and therefore of great interest to the Creative Archive. The good news is that the technology is not illegal. When used for the distribution of legally licensed material, it provides an efficient and cost effective means of sharing and distributing content on the internet.
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Will the Creative Archive Licence Group use DRM?
The archive content released here under the Creative Archive Licence will use limited DRM (Digital Rights Management), but not at the cost of user creativity. For instance, to help us identify our source material, during our pilot we will be trialling a patented Video Watermarking technology where a virtual barcode will be embedded into the video clips. This invisible stamp can be read through video editing and format changes so that any video sequence can be traced back to its source. This will not interfere with legitimate users, but it will assist the BBC in the event that any use is made of the material in breach of the licence terms.
The BBC is using a technology called GEO-IP filtering to ensure that archive content sourced directly from these BBC sites will only be available to UK citizens.
What is the Interactive Media Player (iMP) the BBC is developing? How is it different from what’s on offer under the Creative Archive Licence?
iMP is an application the BBC is developing to offer UK viewers the chance to catch up on BBC TV and radio programmes they may have missed for up to seven days after they have been broadcast, using the internet to legally download programmes to their home computers. Seven days after the programme broadcast date the programme file expires (using digital rights management software) and users will no longer be able to watch it. Digital Rights Management (DRM) also prevents users emailing the files to other computer users or sharing it.
A pilot will run from September to December 2005 offering some 5,000 triallists from all over the UK access to around 500 hours of TV and radio programmes. The trial will be used to assess the demand of particular types of programmes and determine whether iMP has an impact on the commercial market. This will assist the BBC Governors in evaluating its public value.
iMP is a different offering from the material that will be available for download under the terms of the Creative Archive Licence because iMP is basically a ‘catch-up’ and viewing application. BBC archive footage offered under the terms of the Creative Archive Licence will not expire after a set date and will be freely available for users to use in personal projects, classroom presentations and their own non-commercial artistic creations. In the long term the aim is that some of those creations can be uploaded back on to the website from where the content was obtained, to be shared with others across the internet. The Creative Archive Licence offers a revolutionary approach to the rights issues that often affect the use of archive material.
How do I request a certain type of programming be made available?
Send us feedback and tell us what you’d like to see in the Creative Archive, your views are esssential to help us make this project a true public service. We will read all emails we receive and although we are not able to respond every one, we will be carefully recording and reacting to your views. We will also be including a selection of your feedback in our regular newsletters so by subscribing you can keep up to date with the debate.
How do I join the Creative Archive Licence Group?
Membership is available to major national collections, broadcasters, and commercial organisations who wish to share content with the public on the same terms. Members must be committed to the process of improving the service to the user and will meet monthly.
If your organization is interested in joining the Creative Archive Licence Group please complete this feedback form here.