File 6 - Observer promotion

1 VHS, 1 mp4 file (148.2 MB),1 Beta 625 line and 1 mov file (3.26 GB)

a) Observer promotional film aimed at potential advertisers. Discusses the Observer product.

Presented by Clive James. With background music.

Includes commentary from the following staff: Katharine Whitehorn; Hugh McIllvanney; Donald Trelford; Adam Raphael; Anthony Howard; Simon Hoggart; Tony McGrath and Melvyn Marckus.

Topics covered include: what makes the Observer different; the history of the newspaper; readership; the editorial independence of the paper; George Orwell; 'Save our Countryside', an environmental campaign; secrecy; cartoonist Mark Boxer; the business section; the Observer colour magazine; prizes for photography; female employees; regional advertising; pop-up adverts, scratch and sniff adverts; special offers sponsorship; the Observer character; the photography of Jane Bown and Eamonn McCabe; environment correspondent Geoffrey Lean; Sue Baker's motor writing; the review section; television critic Julian Barnes; and circulation.

Contains footage of: James buying the paper from a newspaper stand; James in the Observer offices at St Andrews Hill; an editorial conference chaired by Trelford; an early Observer poster; photographs by McGrath from Ethiopia; picture editors at work.

Duration: 12 minutes 10 seconds.

b) Duplicate of version (a) on a spearate .mov file and with poorer sound quality and a duration of: 12 minutes 20 seconds.

Creator: The Observer Limited, 1917-1993

Creator: Tele-cine Ltd

Creator: Griffin

Access via GNM Digital Repository.