Training Commission Workshop in Lusaka, 7-14th April 2003

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Lusaka Workshop Report

by Dr Branko Bubenik, Chair of the FIAT/IFTA Training Commission

From 7th till 14th April 2003, the FIAT/IFTA Training Commission has held a workshop for audiovisual archivists of Zambia and Malawi.

Participants were :

• National Archives of Zambia : Mr Chrispin Hamoya, Director of the National Archives of Zambia, and four archivists
• Zambian National Broadcasting Company (ZNBC) : Mr. Imanga Imakando, Head of TV Archives
• National Archives of Malawi : Mr Paul Lihoma, Director of the National Archives of Malawi, and one archivist

The workshop was organised and managed by Dr Branko Bubenik, Chair of the FIAT/IFTA Training Commission, and Mr. Chrispin Hamoya, Director of the National Archives of Zambia.

The first day, we looked over a small collection of audiovisual documents in the National Archives of Zambia, which holds films, microfilms, video tapes and VHS cassettes.

The demonstration of discovering vinegar syndrome by smelling the contents of boxes has especially impressed the audiovisual archivists.

The preservation conditions of the audiovisual collection are very bad : the vault is inadequate, not air-conditioned ; films and microfilms are infected by vinegar sindrome ; lots of films are without boxes and labels ; there are no lists of documents, etc.

The second day, we visited the Radio and Television Archive of ZNBC, managed by Mr. Imanga Imakando.

We were welcome by the General Manager and the Director of the Programme Department of ZNBC, who showed their interest in collaborating with FIAT/IFTA, and in the promotion of RTV archive work.

Then we went around the Radio and TV archive.Our collegues in ZNBC work in extremely bad conditions :

• 16 mm film (around 5.000 to 10.000 boxes) : no inventory evidence, no catalogue ; films are often stored without boxes and labels. Most of it is infected by vinegar syndrome. ZNBC lacks a correct telecine equipment. There is one editing table for review of film material. We found it in faulty condition, one film rewinder - which as I have estimated - could be repaired at low costs.
• Video tapes (around 500 to 1.000 two inches tapes) : no inventory evidence ; the tapes are piled up on the floor. There is not one correct magnetoscope in ZNBC.
• Actual production formats are U-matic and Betacam SP. These cassettes are labelled, but not catalogued. For lack of money, the biggest part of the transmitted tapes are not archived.

Shaken with such bad conditions, I asked the head of TV archive to prepare a report with accurate information, so that the Executive Council can decide how to organise help.

The third day of the workshop was held in the National Archives of Zambia. There, we were together searching for ways how to save endangered audiovisual materials in conditions of lack of money.

My recommendation that many useful things could be done without money was most welcome. I suggested that they should immediately start selecting and making the inventory of the audiovisual documents stored in vaults.

As a first step, the materials should be sorted into three stocks :

• ZNBC production
• Foreign production
• Materials without data

Then, audiovisual documents should be sorted by genre (drama, sport, news,etc.)

Then, they should make lists by genres and put on the signatures on audiovisual documents

The lists with registered audiovisual documents should be sent to the Training Commission, so that we can try to find someone to save valuable documents. One possible solution is that SABC (South African Broadcasting Corporation) in Johannesburg which is on higher technological level, becomes a regional rescuer of endangered materials. Surely, it's neccesary to find sponsors who will support this.

After consultations, it has been suggested that further regional seminars of audiovisual archivists should be held in Johannesburg, which would considerably lower the costs of air flights.

The Director of the National Archives of Zambia will consider all these proposals, together with the Director of the National Archives of the South African Republic and collegues from SABC.

Branko Bubenik
23rd April 2003