The BBC has released the first TV clips from its archive onto the internet for people to “rip, mix and share”.

Almost 100 clips, from shows such as Walking With Beasts and Tomorrow’s World, are for the UK public to use for free in their own creative works.

The BBC hopes to foster innovation by letting anyone re-use its material for personal and educational purposes under the Creative Archive Licence.

BBC Radio 1 launched the scheme with a competition to produce a music video.

The clips, mostly a few minutes long, range from animals to landscapes and art.

The licence says they must not be used in commercial or campaigning ways and must not be used to defame other people.

‘Tuned in’

The scheme has been in the pipeline since former BBC director general Greg Dyke first mooted it in 2003.

The British Film Institute, Channel 4, Open University and Teachers’ TV are also set to make more material available.

Paul Gerhardt, director of the Creative Archive Licence Group, said the scheme was aimed at “a young, media aware audience”.

They were “naturally tuned into the idea of content being available when they want it, and who will welcome the right to shape it to meet their needs”, he said.

Radio 1 and 1Xtra listeners are being invited to edit the clips and set them to three minutes of music.

Radio 1 controller Andy Parfitt said: “My experience of the creativity of our audience leaves me in no doubt that together we’ll make some great material.”

BBC Article
Creative Archive Licence Group