BBC Restricting Access to Written Archive

The BBC Written Archive is an essential research resource for all types of writers and content creators.

The BBC Written Archive contains documents relating to radio and tv shows and the operation of the BBC in its over 100 year history. They have now decided to close access to the archive to all but media professionals and researchers, meaning creators and writers like myself will no longer be able to use their resources.

If you think they should change their mind, please contact them.

email: Heritage@bbc.co.uk

or write to: BBC Written Archives Centre,
Peppard Road,
Caversham Park,
Reading,
RG4 8TZ

BBC Written Archives Centre – Access and Facilities

A vital research resource that many of us have used, the BBC Written Archives, is proposing to seriously restrict access to materials.

Over a year ago the BBC Written Archives Centre, posted a notice on their website that while they conducted an audit, that only “material that have previously been opened for external research” would be available. This was entirely reasonable, to avoid problems auditing items in the Archive. However, this has become their new policy – except for professionals: (writers, press, other media, etc.

The notice on their website states:

From March 2025 we’re unable to answer any personal interest enquiries, supply copies of documents, or undertake any research on behalf of external users.

For external users who meet our access criteria below, we can only offer access to materials that have previously been opened for external research.

This means we are unable to review files for release on demand in response to enquiries.

Going forward we will release archive content in a more structured way.

The “access criteria” only includes:

  • Writers who have been commissioned to write a book or article.
  • Those undertaking research for a commercial project.
  • Academics in higher education undertaking accredited research.

There are thousands of independent “non-professional” (but very professional in content and delivery) bloggers, video makers (like me) and other writers that have brought the history of the BBC in it’s many iterations to the public, that will no longer have any access to the BBC Archive.

You could contact the BBC WAC to comment on this at: Heritage@bbc.co.uk

Leigh

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