Post by Ian Menkins on Sept 9, 2013 20:18:15 GMT 10
It is very interesting that the BBC has never actually confirmed or denied that the Diana series has been lost, so we can assume that they must still have the original master recording in their archives. For one thing, if the series has been lost I wonder why the BBC have not included it on their list of "lost episodes" that they have published on Wikipedia?
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Category:Lost_BBC_episodes
There has been some speculation on this forum that parts of the series may have been damaged. I have heard one story that although the 55 mm parts of the film survived, the video taped parts were badly damaged. However the film master should have all been converted to 55 mm format before release to TV networks, so the statement that the master was made up of bits and pieces of video footage mixed with standard 55mm film is ludicrous and nonsensical.
Moreover the BBC began to archive material after about 1978, so I am confident that the Diana series must be in their archives, (unless damaged or stolen).
I find it very interesting that emails I have sent to the BBC about other TV shows have always been answered promptly, but questions relating to the Diana series have NEVER been answered. The "conspiracy of silence" surrounding this series is frustrating to say the least.
I firmly believe that the film is still in the archives of BBC. The real reason why it has not been released may be more to do with copyright issues, lack of interest in funding, or the high risks of marketing an old series in a depressed economy. Poor quality may also be an issue and an expensive restoration process may have to be undertaken to make the films "acceptable" for the digital age.
However it is very hard to believe that the series would be of such poor quality today, as this means it must have deteriorated very badly. One of the things I loved about the series in the early 1980s was how crisp and clear it was on my TV set compared to other TV shows at the time.
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Category:Lost_BBC_episodes
There has been some speculation on this forum that parts of the series may have been damaged. I have heard one story that although the 55 mm parts of the film survived, the video taped parts were badly damaged. However the film master should have all been converted to 55 mm format before release to TV networks, so the statement that the master was made up of bits and pieces of video footage mixed with standard 55mm film is ludicrous and nonsensical.
Moreover the BBC began to archive material after about 1978, so I am confident that the Diana series must be in their archives, (unless damaged or stolen).
I find it very interesting that emails I have sent to the BBC about other TV shows have always been answered promptly, but questions relating to the Diana series have NEVER been answered. The "conspiracy of silence" surrounding this series is frustrating to say the least.
I firmly believe that the film is still in the archives of BBC. The real reason why it has not been released may be more to do with copyright issues, lack of interest in funding, or the high risks of marketing an old series in a depressed economy. Poor quality may also be an issue and an expensive restoration process may have to be undertaken to make the films "acceptable" for the digital age.
However it is very hard to believe that the series would be of such poor quality today, as this means it must have deteriorated very badly. One of the things I loved about the series in the early 1980s was how crisp and clear it was on my TV set compared to other TV shows at the time.
