Aiming to Promote the Usage and Utilization of Broadcast Archives [Part I] 　The Latest Developments at the Institut National de l'Audiovisuel (INA), France

Abstract

In search of insights that can help promote of the usage and utilization of broadcast archives in Japan, this two-part series reports the latest developments at the Institut National de l'Audiovisuel (INA) of France—one of the largest broadcasting and audiovisual archives in the world—as well as its legal system. The first part presents how INA has been actively developing its functions and services in recent years, including AI-supported use of archives for research purposes, online distribution of content, and social contributions. A large number of audiovisual archives are collected and preserved by the institute, where experts manage metadata. Under the system of the legal deposit of audiovisual media, almost all collections are available for viewing for research, which are now actively used for quantitative analyses utilizing an AI tool developed by INA. The institute also vigorously produces audiovisual content and disseminating it on social media. In 2022, INA produced a new type of political program utilizing archives related to the candidates of presidential election and received a lot of buzz. The institute’s flexible responses to customers’ demands in video sales have been contributing to the enhancement of its brand image. Furthermore, horizontal collaborations among diverse departments across the organization are also active, which create synergies in achieving the mission of the institute. Amid the ongoing debates on the nature of public service broadcasters, including the removal of the license fee system, the institute strives to restoring trust in media by helping solve problems in the field of education, local communities, and overseas countries by leveraging its expertise in archiving.