As archives, broadcasters, and heritage institutions continue to digitise and expand their collections, the need for stronger governance, policy development, and institutional risk management frameworks has become increasingly urgent. These critical issues will take centre stage during the upcoming webinar, Identifying, Safeguarding & Managing Risks To Sound & Audio-Visual Archives & Collections, on Tuesday, 09 June 2026.
The webinar will specifically examine the topic: “Managing Risks Across the Collection Lifecycle: Policy Development, Institutional Risk Management Frameworks, and Governance.”
Across the global broadcasting and archival landscape, institutions are facing mounting pressure to protect valuable sound and audio-visual assets against a growing range of threats. From physical deterioration and climate-related risks to cyberattacks, technological obsolescence, rights management challenges, and operational vulnerabilities, preserving collections today requires far more than technical expertise alone.
Industry experts argue that many organisations still approach preservation risks in fragmented or reactive ways, often without comprehensive governance structures or clearly defined institutional policies. As collections increasingly migrate into digital environments, the absence of coordinated risk management strategies can expose institutions to significant long-term losses — including the irreversible disappearance of culturally and historically important content.
The upcoming webinar will explore how institutions can adopt a lifecycle-based approach to risk management, ensuring that preservation considerations are embedded at every stage of collection handling, from acquisition and storage through to digitisation, migration, access, and long-term sustainability.
A key area of focus will be the role of governance in strengthening institutional resilience. Experts participating in the session are expected to discuss how leadership structures, accountability mechanisms, and organisation-wide preservation policies can help institutions move beyond isolated technical interventions toward more sustainable and strategic preservation frameworks.
The conversation will also examine how risk management is becoming an increasingly important component of institutional planning and operational continuity. As archives and broadcasters continue to manage growing volumes of content across both analogue and digital formats, organisations are being encouraged to align preservation priorities with broader business, legal, and regulatory responsibilities.
According to Mr Benjamin Pius, CEO of Broadcast Media Africa, effective governance and policy development are now essential pillars of modern archive management.
“Managing preservation risks today is no longer simply an archival concern — it is an institutional responsibility,” noted the organisers. “Without clear governance frameworks and long-term policy planning, organisations risk losing not only valuable content, but also important cultural memory, historical records, and public trust.”
The webinar is expected to bring together archivists, broadcasters, preservation specialists, collection managers, policymakers, and technology professionals from across Africa and beyond to share perspectives, practical experiences, and emerging best practices.
As the media and heritage sectors continue to evolve in an increasingly digital and risk-sensitive environment, the session aims to provide timely insight into how institutions can strengthen their preparedness, improve governance structures, and safeguard audio-visual collections for future generations.
To find out more about the webinar, visit the website HERE.
