IS ARCHIVE TELEVISION DONE FOR?! | How Can We Save It?

Ever since television first debuted in the UK during the 1930s, there's been an endless slew of programmes that have been made, but not all have survived... ARCHIVE TELEVISION today, those programmes that still exist somewhere, face a precarious future. Will they ever see a new way for people to revisit them? Or are they doomed to gather dust and deteriorate forever?
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[@DoctorVision]

The whole debate around archive TV has always fascinated me, so much I did a couple of written pieces on it at university; one focused on the much-covered Doctor Who archive story but also on BritBox's decision to omit the likes of Till Death us Do Part and Love Thy Neighbour from its streaming catalogue, which then spawned a whole website project on the debate around offensive British comedy. Anyway, with regard to the unreleased archive, I've always thought children's television has gotten an unfair crack at the whip. For years, people have campaigned, myself included, for the likes of ChuckleVision and Bodger and Badger to be released, but with CV they have struggled to put out three series only on DVD which is not even scratching the surface of episodes available in the archive. Which is why KZbin has become such a saviour for programmes like it. I've heard countless stories of children who grew up watching the show who now have children of their own and want to show them episodes and thanks to YT and the efforts of fans who have recorded the show from CBBC over the years - myself included - there is a complete archive of every episode available there to watch. The quality isn't brilliant in most cases but there's not a lot you can do because a great deal of the episodes haven't been repeated since 2005 when VHS recording was still prevalent. Yes, it's technically copyright infringement, but when the show isn't available anywhere else to watch, where's the harm in uploading them? The show is still very popular and if the BBC put it on iPlayer I think it would do very well as there's several generations of audiences there that would appreciate the nostalgia. Considering their impressive growing catalogue (from One Foot in the Grave to Fawlty Towers and The Royle Family - most of the classic sitcoms are there permanently to watch), I'm surprised it hasn't been included yet. Another example, personally-speaking is 999. A factual show about real-life rescues that many 90s kids remember from their often scarring experiences watching it. My dad recorded a load of episodes in the 1990s and I uploaded them here a few years' back and they've done extremely well. So there is a real appetite for these old shows, the BBC (and other networks) just really need to make better use of their streaming platforms to include as much as possible. If not now, then when? There won't be a better opportunity to do it than now.

[@deepred6502]

During the wiping period, a lot of ITV & BBC TV shows were exported to far-flung places around the world, including but not limited to NZ. After the shows finished their run, it was often cheaper just to keep the films & tapes in the destination country, instead of shipping them back to the UK. This had the accidental side-effect of preserving otherwise lost episodes of popular shows.

[@owenmcghee1666]

I often wondered why a lot of archive ended up "down under" now you say it, that explains it. Thanks 👍

[@apmcd47]

The problem with the BBC and ITV in the 1970s is that they constantly repeated the wrong programmes. Programmes like Doctor Who and The Goodies seemed to be on a "broadcast once, repeat never" list while others were endlessly repeated.

[@Embracing01]

I hate the BBC, can't stand them, but you have to admit they did some great stuff back in the 70s, 80s and 90. Now it's all woke BS. I noticed that Only Fools and Horses has never been shown on BBC1 since 2005. I know it's constantly repeated in UKGold. I uploaded a recording from about 1984 on BBC1 where they trailed a drama called the Fourth Army (I think). Looking at the BBC Genome site, this drama has never been repeated on that channel. Popular shows starring well known actors like Nic Lyndhurst, like the Piglet Files and the Two of Us, again never been repeated in years (probably UKGold but not on BBC or ITV). One or two dramas starring John Thaw and George Cole in the mid-late, I think one was called A Distinguished Gentlemen, never been repeated.

[@goodiesguy]

Yet here in NZ and Aussie The Goodies were on constantly, and are fondly remembered.

[@apmcd47]

@@goodiesguy Nice to know. When the BBC finally released the Goodies on DVD they didn't release every episode 😭

[@_The_Archive_]

I would hate to lose a fellow archive

[@picoultimate7707]

As a UK resident, I can relate to the current heatwave. I had to be out in it, too. ;w; Yeah, archived television remains big to this day and its sad to have it go. Hopefully there can be a new way for people to revisit these archived programmes.

[@Mokeywashere]

yeah same here.

[@frankshailes3205]

Network didn't go into liquidation due to any decline in DVD sales (Tim Beddows was on record as saying nearly all the releases were profitable.) British Comedy Shop tweeted: "What happened? We can't divulge all we know, but it is not directly related to declining sales of physical media."

[@Embracing01]

Network seem to have done a poor job of the Heartbeat episodes they released. I noticed in series 2 a few scenes where cut for some apparent reason, these short scenes can be seen in the ITV/ITV3 and Britbox versions. Also the songs they replaced like Beatles songs (due to rights issues, though they had also changed some Hendrix songs and/or swapped em around) that the audio levels haven't been adjusted correctly where it's hard to hear what a character is saying.

[@gunark]

Must have got one of Network’s last releases then, a (sort of) reissue of the Public Eye box set and Undermind which are great and nobody else will touch. They did excellent Blu Ray releases of the entire Professionals and The Prisoner too. I hope they come back in some form and I’d be happy to subscribe to a release schedule even, though streaming would be better. Otherwise it’s hoping someone has them on KZbin or Daily Motion and they stay up for a bit. So far it’s been pretty good but it could all be gone the next day.

[@TheSaintsray]

There's also hundreds and thousands of wiped shows.... which is almost my specialist subject.... :)

[@EmployeeAMillion]

As a Gen Zer, I feel incredibly privileged that 99.9% of what I’d want to watch is out there. And it’s thanks to companies like this who specialise in making sure vintage programming is still safe and accessible. I’d be willing to see more streaming services pop up that are based around old shows the big guys wouldn’t buy. They may never get tens of millions of subscribers, but it’d be perfect if they’re there for historians, teachers and anyone interested in TV from the past.

[@johnking5174]

Adam there is one channel whose closure was a big loss to archive shows, Forces TV - who used to air so many gems from the BBC and ITV which have rarely been repeated. We need a new channel to be launched to be the proper home of these classic gems, and a proper streaming service for them. It would make money, as people would love to have them as a sort of time travel machine.

[@AdamMartyn]

It seemed quite short lived Forces TV, but yes I heard they ran a great selection of archive classics!

[@OfficialTomMason]

That’s TV do a good job in replacing forces tv

[@johnking5174]

@@OfficialTomMason Shame it is only confined to a limited number of hours at night, and unlike Forces TV doesn't air any during the morning or afternoons.

[@OfficialTomMason]

@@johnking5174 It used to show take the high road at 10am

[@ntvalt4361]

​@@OfficialTomMasonI have written to RTE and actually got to speak with some people there, and suggested that RTE should set up a UK variant of their channel - that suggestion was given last year, so we see what will ever come of that.

[@ryanmcgivern1164]

I like to think that there is a future for archive TV in the UK. KZbin was a great place to start searching for obscure archive TV and in done cases tends to be forgotten about in terms of copyright strikes. I was speaking to a neighbour of mine about this and he has worked on a number of old children’s shows from the 70s and 80s, he’s actually glad that people upload episodes on there as it has brought on a new audience. The main issue is that the copyright holders (which mostly have nothing to do with people who actually worked on the shows) of the episodes themselves are very stingy about releasing older shows, usually involving money. There is a market out there but the companies need to be less restrictive in giving people access to the shows.

[@cysjunkextra]

I think the BBC has more restrictions as well because they're a public service. They would have to put everything on iPlayer for free.

[@Embracing01]

There are lots of old shows that rarely, or never, get repeated on any freeview or Sky/Cable channel. Could be that maybe they weren't very successful in the ratings and flopped so they never bothered to show them again because noone would watch them. Lots of gameshows (some well known and some very obscure) that never get repeated. There was an Antiques programme shown on BBC1 in the 90s with Jilly Goolden called the Great Antiques Hunt, it has never been repeated, yet they constantly keep showing Antiques Road Trip over and over,. I did hear someone suggest that maybe the reason in that particular case it's never repeated is because the contestants never signed agreements.

[@cysjunkextra]

@@Embracing01 Don't get me started with children's. Can't even watch Hacker Time on an official BBC platform

[@Embracing01]

@@cysjunkextra What is Hacker Time? never heard of it

[@cysjunkextra]

​@@Embracing01 It was a show on CBBC featuring the presenter Hacker T. Dog interviewing other BBC "celebrities": Sue Barker, Jedward, Dick and Dom and Ed Petrie to name a few. Wikipedia has an article on the show.

[@seancuthbert4587]

Unfortunately, Another aspect is that archive TV is dying. As rules and regulations tighten of what is acceptable to stream or broadcast, More and more material is being seen with no commercial value and is either junked, wiped or not backed up at all. Even Network succumb to the rules, with more and more edits being made to their more recent DVD's. The few shows that still are allowed to be broadcast now have trigger warnings pop up at the beginning of the show as well as heavy editing. Fortunately there are people who spend many passionate hours trying to obtain and backup these shows before they are wiped forever. Some even risking their jobs to do so.

[@MrSmith1984]

Do you have any evidence that the BBC & ITV are still wiping shows to this day. Because if they actually are, you would be advised to contact the BFI to encourage them to obtain the prints themselves.

[@hayleydouglas]

I would love to see the BBC put up older series of Strictly Come Dancing onto the BBC iPlayer - I'd love to be able to watch them again from the start

[@charlii_tvMMVI]

Yeah, it's pre-2007 content we're looking for. Or has the entire 2004-6 been sold to a different production company like Historic Films LLC?

[@centrevezgaming4862]

At least we still got TvArk for nostalgia and that has been going since 97 when it first started you should do an retrospective on it.

[@robertwilloughby8050]

Aren't Adam and Mr Ark frenemies? I could be wrong, but they've had spats in the past, so I wouldn't expect a totally smooth sailing relationship if Adam is relying on Mr Ark for his archive. I know they are good buddies now, but in my experience, once a frenemy, always a frenemy.....🙂

[@GingerTheBreadSheep]

I wrote my dissertation a few years ago, it was on the perception of nurisng within popular culture. It was so frustrating reading about cultural icons from the 70s / 80s (such as Angels) only to find that availability to watch was extremely limited. I was able to get a few on DVD but otherwise I was stuck. I would love if archive media was more open and available!

[@thefrecklepuny]

I think Bob Monkhouse was one of the first people to own a video recording machine. Hence, he was able to record his shows for posterity.

[@AdamMartyn]

And thank goodness he did!

[@1701Wren]

Some of his early shows have been shown on Talking Pictures TV

[@adamhenley8295]

“They’re not laughing now” 😉

[@HaybaleMelon]

The only way im able to watch come outside is on youtube, it would be really cool if more archive stuff was on streaming services or on TV, as theres a few old CBBC programmes i want to watch

[@KeithMyers2022]

Sometimes it really seems like they have no plan regardless of what country your in to maintain existing content

[@1701Wren]

What about Talking Pictures TV & its Encore service for archive TV?

[@stevedickson5853]

I'll always thank network dvd for the likes of Ghosts of Motley Hall and King of the castle on dvd and other rarities I've accumulated over the years.

[@TheSaintsray]

ALSO, thanks for the shout out to Transdiffusion, who I occasionally write for. Should be one other article coming out next month about the 101 Most Wanted Lost Programmes of the VCR Age....

[@AdamMartyn]

Oooo can't wait for that one! I'll definitely be giving that a good read!

[@TheSaintsray]

@@AdamMartyn the Cherry Picker was meant to be a lost film (Lulu is in that) but there are bootleg copies floating about (including one I acquired which I emailed them the file of....). Although, despite a good cast, it is.... ca-ca, unfortunately. ////Birds in the Bush (""lost"" UK/Australia sitcom, BBC1 1972) is better than than - and it was taken off the air after 7 episodes out of 13. Assuredly, there's tons of stuff out there....

[@steeviebops]

Regarding KZbin, if it wasn’t for TVSProductions82 uploading the TVS era of Catchphrase, it would be very likely lost forever. If I recall, Kaleidoscope have listed almost the entire TVS archive as missing due to the various rights issues over the years.

[@RebeccaPhythian]

Great video! It's crazy to think so much programming could potentially just be lost, I'd like to think there is a way of keeping it, even if it's not on demand. Also, lovely shirt 😊❤️

[@nicholassheffo5723]

Excellent video and excellent channel! In the case of older filmed TV, 35mm or 16mm, when people see older TV restored and scanned in 2K or 4K for Blu-ray, they are always shocked at how good it looks. THE AVENGERS, KOLCHAK: THE NIGHT STALKER: STAR TREK, THE PRISONER and so many more, plus various TV movies and mini-series. The more people see how good they can look and sound, the more they want to see. All these archives and owners should understand that clearly and have that kind of impact, they'd realize the money that could be made. Network UK was a great home video company and they did priceless restoration and preservation work. All companies should be as ambitious. Also, besides film and videotape, don't forget how much TV was on kinescopes. Thank you!

[@rogerdarthwell5393]

Very good question, and I love this video Adam!

[@OfficialTomMason]

There is a fantastic channel called That’s tv that shows archived shows from the BBC and itv that have not aired in decades

[@wokingjames]

Good video, I've watched 2 things on KZbin recently made by ITV, that have are unavailable these days, Forever Green and Chimera. Both on KZbin though, enjoyed them.

[@calvinjacksthe2nd469]

At least the BFI does reissues

[@AdamMartyn]

A shining light for archive material!

[@TheSaintsray]

Cucumber Castle. The good news with this one is that the BFI have a copy of it on 16mm colour film, top quality. Whether the BFI can get around legal obstacles and release it is entirely another matter.

[@AdamMartyn]

Thats fantastic that they hold a good quality print! Fingers crossed one day it gets that proper release!

[@MrSmith1984]

What are the rights issues involved?

[@TheSaintsray]

@@MrSmith1984 well, it was made by RSO, rather than the BBC, so the copyright is there. Except RSO don't exist any more....

[@MrSmith1984]

@@TheSaintsray I do wonder if contracting RSO directly would help sort out the rights issues with Cucumber Castle?

[@TheSaintsray]

@@MrSmith1984 well that's just it. They don't exist. I've no idea if the copyright has gone to Universal (Music) or is elsewhere. You might be better emailing the BFI and see if they'll put on a showing.

[@owenmcghee1666]

I am loving this episode. Fascinating AGAIN. 👍

[@richardbutler4488]

Well not as much home recording of tv anymore so the future probably isn’t the best regarding classic tv and adverts catch up, in a few years time. Long gone are the vhs days!

[@nathanpollard1223]

It's much easier & cheaper now, since many (I think) TVs allow you to record broadcasts with a USB stick.

[@DankerTVTimeCapsule]

There are tonnes of archived media that needs to be republished somewhere. Tonnes of gameshow locked behind a vault that need to be broadcasted somewhere. Challenge have abandoned archived in favour of itv recent repeats. Heck even BBC media has disappeared from the channel. Just want to slightly correct you on the situation of Tubi. When it first launched it was briefly available in the UK. then the EU blocked it. Since then it hasn't been returned. With my archived strategy not one show has been requested removed. It been copyright detected however the companies are happy to keep them on youtube. After all I'm doing it profit free. Britbox is essentially on legacy mode until ITV decides to discontinue since they are only adding 2-3 properties per month now vs the 10-20 itvx is getting. In the case of restoration, I'm in the process of AI enhancing and it takes a heck load of time just to do a series. a 40 min vid is taking half a day to complete.

[@nathanpollard1223]

There are quite a number of KZbin channels that have TV episodes of this kind. Do you know if there's any website/webpage/whatever that lists many of these? Especially if it was also to include other channels & websites, such as Dailymotion. It'd seem like a pity if some people missed out on some shows just because of how dispersed these archived videos are.

[@agentcairney1802]

We got our first look at channel 4s new idents

[@tiarneethorpe8848]

I love your paisley shirt ❤

[@josephadam291]

Adam if you traveling to Singapore do me massive favour to find missing Dr who episodes

[@jjcoolaus]

Tubi is also available in Australia There are ways to watch Tubi from the uk but requires effort

[@danegel]

That's where Britbox messed up, charging a subscription for old programming. Yeah they had new original content but unlike all the other paid-for streaming services, that made up a fraction of BB's content and wasn't its appeal.

[@stephenrobinson8244]

Could land a helicopter on your hair do 😂. Keep up the good content dude 👊

[@josephadam291]

Is Shame About Network I ask Them About the sooty Show and The International Detective on DVD sadly got suspended Hopefully bfi might track them down

[@castle6742]

I will never pay for streaming services will always find way geting there's things for free 😆😛.I enjoy your videos by the way 🙂

[@mattsvids181]

will the ident gallery be safe?

[@loftlegacy]

I had the Britbox trial but refused to sign up as the TV licence fee sticks in my throat. The BBC are missing a trick by not beefing up their IPlayer archive like ITVX did. This would soften the blow of the licence fee. I was a massive home taper in the 80’s and 90’s and are slowly digitally archiving it (for my own enjoyment). There is no other way of me seeing this (mainly old sports documentaries). I’m even having the patience to clean mouldy tapes (physical media doesn’t last forever!)

[@Semisonic56]

KZbin is by far the best archive we have around. It’s such a tragedy that nobody in the BBC, ITV, or Channel 4. So many great shows lost to the tides of time.

[@Rob-uv8bu]

Thank you for putting me right. So when football on BBC logos on shirts. Benson and hedges snooker. Darts . List is endless. But at end of day tv is changing. No one watch live tv anymore. If BBC say 90 percent watch them . Go behind a paywall. Let them stand on own feet.

[@tvfan3390]

When the channel 4 rebrand starts when hollyoaks starts. You do ident review for new idents?

[@DJDeryn]

snazzy shirt adam

[@AdamMartyn]

Why thank you Deryn!

[@Sophiebryson510]

Oh no

[@mseven1361]

The problem with streaming is it's still not profitable and it is questionable if it ever will. Much of the reason why they have archive programmes is to boost the amount of hours of content they can boast about. They do need to spend a lot of money before it gets enough users to make it profitable either for advertisers or subscribers to pay. In many online services like email or websites it's usually the subscribers who pay for premium services that cover the cost of the free services. Currently it would be better value for TV companies to have their FAST channels broadcast on traditional platforms however FAST channels are what brings give people ideas what to watch when there are thousands of hours and you don't know what to choose.

[@johnking5174]

Archive television will always be needed - the streaming services rely on archive, and people will get bored of the usual churned out archive shows. I am very unhappy with the GOLD comedy channel run by UKTV. They have perfect access to the BBC archives, as BBC Studios own UKTV however GOLD relies on the same old repeats of Only Fools which seems to always clog up the GOLD schedules every weekend.

[@AdamMartyn]

Only Fools is a classic, but as they say, variety is the spice of life!

[@johnking5174]

@@AdamMartyn Exactly - if you look at next weekend on the GOLD channel, Only Fools airs back to back episodes on Saturday from 11.40am until 9.00pm, now Adam what if you weren't a fan, or you got bored of seeing it, then GOLD channel, which is a pay channel isn't for you. Sunday is just as bad, back to back Only Fools from 9.00am until 7.45pm. And this has been done every weekend for the last few years. GOLD have given up on weekends on their channel.

[@ntvalt4361]

@@johnking5174 Hopefully ITV3 will have 2 type channels to show classic dramas on ITV Gold 1 and ITV Gold 2 as out of the ITV family of channels in the Autumn.

[@johnking5174]

@@ntvalt4361 Problem is ITV have put a lot of their classic comedies and dramas in BritBox which is subscription of course. The free content with ads on ITVX is largely content which ITV 3 and 4 air now with a few additions.

[@ntvalt4361]

@@johnking5174 A logo change for all the main ITV channels is coming in September.

[@renbymon]

Honestly I would pay whatever just so I can have instant streaming access for every single TV show from UK history. I had high hopes for Britbox, but it didn't have everything; it was always missing something. Unfortunately we did have this on the cards from the BBC in the form of BBC store, but again didn't have everything and then it all got rolled into iPlayer.

[@shutterspeedfilmandmedia]

Britbox started out good, but in my opinion its fallen by the wayside now ITV are throwing everything behind ITVx.

[@liftlash98]

Anyone remember robot wars? Stupid question, we all remember it and it was awesome (Bring it back!) Anyway, despite it being a huge success, I only ever remember seeing series 3, 5, 6, extreme 1 and 2 and half of series 4 rebroadcasted on dave, challenge and bravo. Series 1, 2, the rest of series 4 and 7, I had never seen in their entirety up until relatively recently. As for home media of the first run of the series, it is pitiful. We got: An hour long vhs showing highlights of the first 3 out of 6 heats in series 1 An incredibly rare vhs showing 20 minutes of highlights from series 3 Some rare and spotty dvds of a few full episodes from series 7 including probably the weakest heat in the show's history, heat B The first world championship which is a full episode but was exclusively released on vhs and looking back, wasn't a particularly memorable or exciting episode And perhaps best well known, the ultimate warrior collection, 4 hour - hour and a half long highlight reels of 3 iconic robots and the house robots which were good but it was too little too late. That is rubbish for fans of the show. Luckily thanks to youtube, users NJGW and bbcrobotwarsuk combined have uploaded every single episode in the show's history and yes they are probably on the wrong side of copyright but it's the only way to watch the full show nowadays and in my opinion, should be preserved for all time. As for the new series, 2016-2018, they came to their senses and released all 3 series and each special episode across 2 dvds which I got as soon as they were available.

[@kgs9243]

I am considering cancelling all subscription services so that I can save money (apart from NOW). What do you think? Can you help with saving it. I don't want anything I like being a thug of the past, which is happening right now

[@nathanpollard1223]

Your comment's hard to understand.

[@josephryan362]

No we need to archive old TV shows like new who so people can watch old TV shows and we need blue Peter to survive in the TV achieves and also along of other TV shows need to survive

[@ntvalt4361]

ITV3 will be the new home of a vast archive of RTÈ programmes from Monday.

[@philipmurphy2]

I think archive lives online I hope, Unfortunately you can't really expect them to show that stuff on there TV channels.

[@stephenrobinson8244]

There so much stuff on youtube, i got the ghostwatch program on playlist. Hopefully if a company coyld put something on youtube with licence could do well as it wont cost them server prices etc

[@DaveRicher705]

Whom ever in your life who told you that hair style was remotely ok is secretly conspiring against you and does not have your success in mind.

[@AdamMartyn]

😂😂😂

[@Ascension721]

i dont like it either but wow that was extreme

[@jamiesworld1690]

Absolutely arvhive tv is dead thatsxwhy we have KZbin to look for

[@MrSmith1984]

The simple solution is to bump up the Licence Fee to £730 a year (£2 a day) and require that the BBC put all their surviving programming on iPlayer. Of course the usual suspects would be screaming from the rooftops over how much they hate such a proposal.

[@Finleyxbox]

Don’t like the facecam

[@MikeyRussell88]

It's a good job I managed to purchase the full 1-15 seasons of heartbeat on dvd before network went into liquidation. hard copy sales still has a place with streaming as in my use case I rip the discs and put them onto my personal Plex nas. This way I can enjoy it ad-free and I've made my contribution at time of purchase of the discs. I still find the dvds are better quality than the itvx hub when it comes to archive content.