Balancing broadcast demands and long-term preservation

Abstract

Broadcast archives that remain in continuous production use face a fundamental tension between immediate editorial demands and long-term preservation objectives. This paper examines how Sveriges Television has navigated this balance during its transition from analogue film and magnetic tape to a digital media asset management environment. Drawing on internal workflows, digitisation strategies and source selection practices, the paper analyses how multiple digital versions coexist within the same archival framework. The findings demonstrate that large-scale digitisation has prioritised access and production efficiency but introduced limitations when early digital transfers no longer met evolving technical standards. The paper further demonstrates that storage constraints, carrier disposal and format standardisation decisions have shaped the archive’s preservation options, particularly in the case of magnetic tape migration. At the same time, emerging workflows, including ultra-high-definition (UHD) rescanning, artificial intelligence assisted restoration and image-based search technologies, have reinforced the importance of high-quality source digitisation as a prerequisite for reuse. The paper argues that production-driven archives should adopt a quality-first preservation strategy, supported by clear version governance and selective rescanning of high-value materials. Such an approach ensures both immediate usability and long-term sustainability, demonstrating how technical and economic constraints shape accessibility of audio-visual heritage. This article is also included in The Business & Management Collection which can be accessed at http://hstalks.com/business.