If you’re interested in finding out more about newsreels, News on Screen is the place to start. It’s an almost fully comprehensive database of every British newsreel produced along with a raft of contextual information about production, personnel and the newsreel companies. It also offers a list of articles and books about newsreels. The database is run by the British Universities Film and Video Council, an organization that promotes the production and use of audiovisual content in higher education. You can find out more about their fantastic resources and projects here.

British Pathé was one of the first companies to use Heritage Lottery Funding to digitize their collection and make it available online. There are now two ways to access this content: through the British Pathé website, or through their You Tube channel.

British Movietone News has also digitized its collections and these two can be accessed via their website or You Tube channel.

Content from the other main newsreel providers: Gaumont, Universal and Paramount, can be accessed through ITN Source, but be warned, the website is tricky to navigate and you’ll need to be specific in terms of dates when searching for material.

Northern Ireland Screen’s Digital Film Archive contains a considerable amount of local newsreel stories and some of these have recently been made available online.

The Irish Film Archive in Dublin also holds newsreel content and of particular interest in their collection is indigenous material from The Youghal Gazette, Irish Events, and Amharc Éireann.

The Imperial War Museum and the Irish Military Archives also hold specialised war/military related newsreel material.