From Repository to Resource: Activating Performing Arts Videos in Broadcast Archives for Education and Research in Japan

Abstract

Broadcast archives, particularly those of NHK, hold a vast collection of high-quality recordings of stage performances. As a national collection embodying the history of Japanese performing arts, these are invaluable cultural assets for education and research. However, their use is severely limited by complex rights management issues. This paper proposes a solution by drawing inspiration from the British Educational Recording Agency (ERA)'s collective licensing system. We present a plan to establish an intermediary organization with expertise in both law and the performing arts. It argues that by centralizing rights management between broadcasters and educational institutions, such an organization could facilitate access to stage performance videos.