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RTÉ Television Libraries and Archives operates a dedicated preservation and conservation facility holding digital copies of valuable material, and overseeing the restoration and transfer of media from vulnerable or obsolete formats.
Since RTÉ Television began in 1961, the way programmes are made and the formats on which they are recorded have changed dramatically. In addition to shooting productions on film, early studio programmes were recorded on large open-reel video tape. Over the years different formats of film and video tape have been used by the broadcasting industry. In addition to maintaining these older formats, RTÉ Television Libraries and Archives maintain the equipment to play them which ensures the images are accessible for future use. This is part of a major archive project undertaken by RTÉ to preserve and make accessible Irish television output. RTÉ Television Libraries and Archives has an ongoing policy of transferring material held on vulnerable or outdated formats to digital-betacam videotape.
In 2000 a cataloguing project was established to standardise and update records associated with programmes held by RTÉ Television Libraries and Archives. Archive staff view programmes and prepare detailed shot lists for entry on our database.
Viewers of RTÉ Television see material from the archives used in a wide range of programmes. RTÉ Factual documentary series including 'Reeling in the Years', 'Léargas', 'Hidden History' and 'Arts Lives ' all make use of footage held by the archives.
The 'Take 2' strand on RTÉ TWO re-broadcast programmes from the station's back catalogue that have under gone restoration.
Published material from RTÉ Television Libraries and Archives such as the re-mastered drama production 'Strumpet City' can be purchased from Our Products.
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