More than €1.3m allocated to five projects under latest round of Archiving Scheme 2

The Broadcasting Authority of Ireland (BAI) has today (21.01.19) announced details of the latest funding awards under Archiving Scheme 2, a BAI Broadcasting Funding Scheme initiative. Archiving Scheme 2 is a support scheme funded through the television licence fee, to encourage and promote the development of an archiving culture in the Irish broadcasting sector, contributing to the safeguarding of Irish heritage.

In common with the previous rounds under the Scheme, the latest round focused on the safeguarding of programme material threatened by fragile physical condition or soon to be obsolete formats. Eleven applications were received in total, from which five projects were awarded funding of €1.34 million. These are:
• IFI in partnership with Margo Harkin, Anne Crilly and Trish McAdam: Preservation and digitisation of work, dating from the 1980s to the 2000s, of these influential Irish female film makers. Includes documentary, speech and film material.
• National Folklore Collection UCD with partners RTÉ, Fiontar and Scoil na Gaeilge DCU: Digitisation of audio recordings made by the Irish Folklore Commission (1935 – 1970) and Raidió Éireann (1947 – 1955), amounting to 700 hours of speech, song and music.
• TG4 with partners RTÉ and NUIG: Preservation and indexing of approximately 650 hours of TG4’s Irish language news and current affairs programmes.
• Guinness Archive with partners IFI and BFI: Creation of a publicly accessible comprehensive digital archive of Guinness broadcast advertising from 1955 to 1995.
• RTÉ with partners Fiontar and Scoil na Gaeilge DCU: Safeguarding a collection of approximately 1,400 hours of cláracha Gaeilge / Irish language programme recordings dating from the 1960s to 1990s.

Commenting on the announcement, Chief Executive of the BAI, Michael O’Keeffe said: “We are delighted to announce funding support for these five successful projects under this round of Archiving Scheme 2. These applications clearly articulated both a cultural value and a need for safeguarding, and were well aligned to the objectives of the Scheme. In particular, the access commitments and collaborative approaches adopted, evidenced by the number of partners involved in the projects, was welcomed.

“The Scheme makes a hugely important contribution to the preservation of Ireland’s broadcasting tradition and the ongoing growth of a record of Irish culture, heritage and experience.”

The BAI will now commence contract negotiations with all successful applicants. More information on Archiving Scheme 2 is available here.

ENDS

Media queries: contact Sebastian Enke / Joanne Ahern, DHR Communications, Tel: 01-4200580 / 087-3234946 / 087-9881837.

All other queries: contact the BAI at 01-6441200 or info@bai.ie

Notes for Editors:
• Under the terms of the Broadcasting Act 2009, the BAI is assigned responsibility for the formulation, management and administration of a scheme to fund the development of an integrated approach to the archiving of programme material produced in the State. The Archiving Scheme was established under section 154(1)(e) of the Act. Archiving Scheme 2 is financed through a percentage of the annual Broadcasting Fund, which is provided for under Section 157 of the Act. It is envisaged that the proportion allocated to archiving will not exceed 20% of the total available from the Broadcasting Fund in any one year.