In October 2025, FIAT/IFTA’s Value, Use and Copyright Commission (VUC) hosted a compelling 90-minute online roundtable titled Money’s Too Tight: Commercial Value of Archives. The session brought together leading audiovisual archive professionals from around the world to explore how broadcast and audiovisual archives can demonstrate and strengthen their commercial value while balancing their heritage and cultural roles.

The conversation centered on practical frameworks and strategies to help archives build robust methodologies, gather meaningful data, and present compelling business cases that demonstrate financial returns. Contributors shared insights on how to measure impact, link archival activities to broader organisational goals, and reinforce the role of archives within an increasingly competitive digital media landscape.

To continue the conversation, the VUC has launched a survey on this topic. Participation is open to both FIAT/IFTA members and non-members, including professionals working in broadcasters, archives, cultural institutions, production companies, and independent collections.