3. Arts and Entertainment

The majority of sound records held by National Archives relate to arts and entertainment. The major creating agency of this material is the Australian Broadcasting Commission (ABC), from 1983 the Australian Broadcasting Corporation. The Head Office of the ABC is in Sydney, so a large quantity of ABC records is held in the Sydney Office of the National Archives. Much material created by State offices of the ABC is also held by the Sydney Office of the National Archives.

This section lists series created by:

• the ABC,
• the Copyright Office,
• the Film Division,
• the Collector of Customs, Melbourne,
• the Commonwealth War Graves Commission,
• the Special Broadcasting Service (SBS),
• the National Archives of Australia, and
• the Committee of Review of the Special Broadcasting Service.

Australian Broadcasting Commission

The Australian Broadcasting Commission (ABC), Head Office (CA 251) was established under the Australian Broadcasting Commission Act 1932.

The Commission’s task was ‘to provide and broadcast from national broadcasting stations, adequate and comprehensive programmes’ and ‘to take in the interests of the community all such measures as… were conductive to the full development of suitable broadcasting programmes’.[34] The Commission was instructed and empowered to publish, on equal terms to other publishers, detailed information about its programs, to collect news, to encourage local talent and to seek to establish musical groups for the purpose of high quality broadcasts.[35] The Commission was a government-controlled body, closely modelled on the British Broadcasting Commission (BBC), responsible for broadcasting music, current affairs, religious, educational and other programs.

Following an independent review of the Commission in 1979–81, the Australian Broadcasting Commission was abolished and replaced by the Australian Broadcasting Corporation (CA 3589) on 1 July 1983.

Under the Australian Broadcasting Corporation Act 1983, the Corporation’s functions include the provision of innovative and comprehensive broadcasting and television services of a high standard involving programs that contribute to a sense of national identity; educate, inform and entertain; and reflect the cultural diversity of the Australian community. It is also responsible for the encouragement and promotion of the musical, dramatic and other performing arts in Australia, and the transmission of broadcasting and television programs to other nations.

State branches of the Australian Broadcasting Commission were established in 1932. The Queensland Branch was responsible for regional offices in Rockhampton and Townsville as well as in Brisbane. The South Australian Branch was operationally responsible for the Northern Territory and the Broken Hill services until 1982 when the ABC Northern Territory Branch was established. A sound library was created in Adelaide in 1976, which combined the gramophone record library, the transcription library and the sound effects library.

The ABC Document Archives is responsible for all paper records (and some audiovisual records) created by ABC federal and State offices. The Document Archives is the point of liaison between the ABC and the National Archives of Australia for the sentencing and transferral of records. Although primarily a program resource for the ABC, the Document Archives also provides a reference service for public researchers.

The ABC Radio Archives controls all audio (and some paper) records created by ABC Radio. While primarily a program resource for ABC Radio program-makers, the Radio Archives also provides a reference service for public researchers. The Radio Archives is also the point of liaison between ABC Radio and the National Archives of Australia, mainly for records sentencing and transfer.

The ABC Television Archives acts as a program resource for ABC Television. The Television Archives controls all audiovisual and some paper records produced by ABC Television. The Archives also selects programs for permanent retention according to the ABC Disposal Authority, and is the point of liaison between ABC Television and the National Archives.

Record series created by the ABC are listed under the following sections:

• General;
• Entertainment;
• Interviews, Talks and Current Affairs;
• Literature;
• Music; and
• Sport.

Some series are listed in several categories. Series listed in these sections, particularly those under ‘Interviews, Talks and Current Affairs’, often contain individual items on specific subjects.

Some ABC series listed below include items relating to other subject categories used in this guide such Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander People; Biography and Personal Papers; Commemorative and Historical Events; Health and Welfare; and Science.

Continue ABC…

Copyright Office

The Commonwealth assumed responsibility for copyright matters in 1904. From 1907 copyright was administered by the Registrar of Copyright and the Copyright Office within the Patents Branch, which was also responsible for patents, trade marks and designs. From 1912 the Copyright Office operated as a separate entity, until 1930 when it became part of the Patent, Trade Marks, Designs and Copyright Office.

After the proclamation of the Copyright Act 1968, registration of copyright was no longer provided under Commonwealth law and the Copyright Office was abolished. The associated functions of patents, trade marks and designs were then administered by the Patent, Trade Marks and Design Office. In 1992 this agency’s name was changed to the Australian Industrial Property Organisation (AIPO). Although AIPO did not have any copyright function, agencies previously responsible for the copyright function share its Commonwealth agency number (CA 555) because of the historical association between copyright, patents, trade marks and designs. In 1998, AIPO changed its name to IP Australia.