BBC Monitoring – on trial

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Thanks to a request from staff in the School of Social and Political Science the Library currently has trial access to the new resource BBC Monitoring: Summary of World Broadcasts, 1939-2001 from Readex. Created in partnership with the BBC and digitised from the physical archives this fascinating resource captures more than 60 years of turbulent 20th century global history, as it unfolded.

Access BBC Monitoring via the E-resources trials page.
Access is available on and off-campus.

Trial access ends 12 June 2023.

Founded in 1939 at the start of WWII, the purpose of BBC Monitoring was to listen to radio broadcasts and gather open-source intelligence to help Britain and its allies understand global dynamics and assess emerging global threats and capabilities. Over the next 60 years, the scope of its monitoring grew quickly. Trained specialists transcribed broadcasts of speeches, current affairs, political discussions, and social and cultural events worldwide. Transcripts, in turn, were translated into English, then read by experts who carefully selected critical content for publication. Lastly, selections were summarized and curated into daily reports that comprise the Summary of World Broadcasts. These original daily reports often included commentary and evaluation by subject-matter experts, as well as synopses and specialist briefings.

Readex’s BBC Monitoring is split into 4 collections:

  • Series 1: 1939-1958
  • Series 2: 1959-1973
  • Series 3: 1974-1988
  • Series 4: 1989-2001

The Library has access to all 4 collections during the trial period but please note that digitisation of the physical archives is still ongoing so the collections are not yet complete.

You can access BBC Monitoring: Summary of World Broadcasts, 1939-2001 via  E-resources trials.
Access is available on and off-campus.
Trial access ends 12 June 2023.
Feedback welcome.

Please note, trial access to a resource is an opportunity for our staff and students to try a resource out and give feedback on its quality and usefulness. However, if we trial a resource this is not an indication that we plan to or will be able to purchase or subscribe to the resource in the near future.

Caroline Stirling – Academic Support Librarian for School of Social and Political Science