Catalogue description Central Office of Information: Public Information Films

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Details of INF 32
Reference: INF 32
Title: Central Office of Information: Public Information Films
Description:

This series contains a selection of public information films produced by the Central Office of Information (COI) as part of national campaings designed to inform the public on issues which affect their daily lives, such as health, safety, welfare, education and rights. Other subjects featured in the films are: animal cruelty, protecting the environment, crime prevention and how to vote in an election or fill in a census form. Many of the films were aimed at children and were shown during breaks in children's television programmes. They have provided information and influenced behaviour and social attitudes since the end of the Second World War.

Digitised copies of these films were made available through an online exhibition on The National Archives website in 2006 to mark the 60th anniversary of the creation of the Central Office of Information.

Date: 1945-2005
Related material:

For miscellaneous public record films, see CD 1
Held by: British Film Institute (BFI) National Archive
The National Archives, Kew
Legal status: Public Record(s)
Language: English
Creator:

Central Office of Information, 1946-
Physical description: 83 film(s)
Access conditions: Open
Custodial history: The films were transferred to the British Film Institute who hold selected public record films on behalf of The National Archives.
Selection and destruction information: The public information films which covered subjects of particular interest or films which were in themselves innovative were selected for permanent preservation.
Administrative / biographical background:

The Central Office of Information was created in 1946 and worked with government departments to create public information films to highlight issues which affected the British public.

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