Australia: National Archives to Spend $3 Million on Saving at-Risk Audio and Video Recordings

Note: As of October 27, 2020: $2 Million/AUD = $2.137/USD

From The Canberra Times:

The National Archives will save more than 30,000 at-risk recordings with a $3 million spend aiming to digitise its ageing audio and video tapes.

Critical records of Australian culture and history could be lost forever as the magnetic tape deteriorates beyond repair and equipment to play it back disappears, the archives has warned.

Director-general David Fricker on Tuesday announced the agency would spend the money – which is from its own internal funds – despite its budget pressures.

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The archives has 270,000 audiovisual records on magnetic tape and has already digitised about 80,000 of the most critical items.

It’s identified about 160,000 more critical, at-risk recordings in need of copying, and estimates its five-year program would need $3 million in funding each year.

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Filed under: Archives and Special Collections, Funding, News, Video Recordings