While 300 hours of video are uploaded to YouTube every minute, as most of us know, a lot of that is a lot of junk.
Today however, the Associated Press and British Movietone uploaded over 1 million minutes of digitised film, described as the “the largest upload of historical news content on YouTube to date.”
Across both British Movietone and AP Archive there are now over 500,000 video stories from 1895 to the present day, acting as an important historical resource for schools but also the wider global public. From the iconic to the bizarre, AP's director of international archive Alwyn Lindsey said the new footage "creates an incredible visual journey of the people and events that have shaped our history."
Stephen Nuttall, the director of YouTube in Europe, the Middle East and Africa, said: "Making this content available on YouTube is a wonderful initiative from AP and British Movietone that will breathe new life into their footage and no doubt delight our global community. It's an historical treasure trove that will give YouTube users around the world a moving window into the past."
Here are a selection of just some of the new footage available to view on YouTube:
Benito Mussolini calls for world peace - in English
You may have seen archive footage of the Italian fascist leader delivering one of his famous rallying cries, but what about Mussolini calling for world peace just a few years before joining Adolf Hitler's war - in English, to reach out beyond Italy. "How can anyone think that I should look without horror upon the eventuality of war."
Interviews with liberated POWs at Stalag 357
A rare look at an interview with British POWs at Stalag 357 in Poland. One prisoner, joyful at being released, says to another, "Good show, I’ve never felt so happy in all my life, have you?
"I’m ready to burst any minute," is the reply.
Digitally restored footage of JFK's assassination
One of the most harrowing moments in 20th century American history and the first of three notable political assassinations that rocked the US in the 1960s. The AP has digitally restored amateur footage from the assassination of President Kennedy to provide yet more insight over 50 years later.
England v West Germany, 1966, in colour
Most English football fans have seen this footage time and time again, but how about in full, glorious colour? Relive Sir Geoff Hurst's hat-trick once more - it's still a long way until the next England football victory.
Video courtesy of British Movietone and AP Archive
