Editor's letter

This issue should have been devoted to the near future of TV archives, it is not. Various problems caused a shortage of articles on the subject but I am still keen on receiving relevant material for future issues; the future of archives is likely to be an increasingly topical subject. From having been a place where nothing much happened, we are rapidly moving towards a situation where commercial interests and technological improvements will bring archives to the attention they deserve.

One of the problems we constantly face in archives is image. We may have a mountain of material of such wide variety in our vaults that we could keep absolutely anyone happy for years, but if you mention archives to a man or woman in the street they will probably only think of dusty shelves and turn down any offer to use the archive. How do you get across to people that every day they watch and enjoy TV programmes that are considered archival material? How do you get across that archival does not mean dusty and boring? Does it really matter what people think? Yes, it does. The attitude of the general public is often reflected in the way archives are treated by management and the government. To improve the image of archives is to improve standards in archives. We do have something people want, they just have not realised it yet.

The attitude is changing, but it is not due to the archives themselves; a tougher, more competitive climate for TV companies has forced them to cut costs and find cheaper ways of supplying the viewer with quality material. In their archives they find material with proven track records at a fraction of the price of a new production. Together with technological developments that will make it easier to get hold of and use archive material, this means we can look forward to a bright future.

Gùsta Johansson
Administrative Secretary