Our position on rights
We do not assume old recordings, logos, flyers or photographs are free to use because they are old or circulating online. Every published asset carries a rights record. A YouTube upload or circulated MP3 is evidence of a recording's survival — not automatic permission to republish. Ownership of a physical tape does not automatically grant rights in the music, performances, broadcast, artwork or private information it contains.
Asset types and rights
Physical tapeOwnership does not automatically grant rights in music, performances, broadcast, artwork or private information.
Radio recordingMay contain compositions, sound recordings, DJ selection, presenter speech, MC performances and personal data. Rights are assessed separately for each layer.
Flyer or logoAge does not make it copyright-free. We identify designer/commissioner and obtain a publication basis.
PhotographWe record photographer, depicted people, context, source and permissions. Privacy as well as copyright.
Oral historyWe use a signed contribution agreement specifying licence, edits, excerpts, platforms, credit and withdrawal/embargo arrangements.
How to make a request
Use the contribution form, selecting 'Correct an entry' or 'Archive material'. Tell us:
- —Which material you are concerned about (include the page URL or record title)
- —How you identify yourself as the rights holder, creator or authorised representative
- —What you are requesting (credit, correction, restriction, removal or other)
- —Any evidence that supports your claim
- —Your contact details (not published publicly)
What happens after a request
1We acknowledge receipt within 5 working days.
2We review the request against our records and the original asset documentation.
3We may request additional information or evidence.
4We make a decision and communicate it in writing.
5If removal or restriction is agreed, we action it promptly and log the outcome.
We are not a court and cannot adjudicate formal legal disputes. This process is for good-faith requests only.
Preservation workflow
—We retain the original carrier and photograph labels, cases and handwritten notes.
—We create a high-quality preservation master and a separate access copy.
—We record provenance: who recorded it, when, where, on what device and how ownership transferred.
—We describe known and uncertain participants separately.
—We do not apply noise reduction destructively to the only master.
—We record music, performance and underlying-work rights separately.
—We publish excerpts only after a documented rights decision and provide a takedown route.