Why the BBC is important..
So I was chatting with a new chap at the BBC, where I'm working currently and we got onto the subject of metadata, the BBC, it's archive and why it is important. Upon reflection, I said the following to him:
"In 100 years when people want to know what media, particularly television was like in the latter 20th century was like, it is my hope that, if we all do our jobs well and get this metadata thing right, the place they will be able to go, quite probably the ONLY place they could go, to get a real - accurate as history will allow - perspective of what it was like will be the BBC. The rest of the worlds content will have been sold, resold and have eventually deteriorated under the un-watchful eye of its most neglectful owner and we will be left with the BBC's archive, protected by history, tradition and the British television license fee."
"We," I said to him "work at the 21st century's Alexandria Library...
Sounds a bit pompous, but the more I think about it, I actually think its true. The reason I've become so strangely passionate about the BBC is because it is important; more important than your usual Yank really considers...
Though we really should do something about that homepage..... oh wait, We are! (shhhhhh)
Comments
I've been looking at metatdata as it applies to humanities research of late from a standpoint of the containers we are crafting that facilitate access to the content or otherwise allow us to engage it in interactive ways.