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Spotlight on WBTV newsfilm

Students with picket signs

Working on a video project about the Charlotte region in the 1960s or 70s? The WBTV newsfilm collection may have the footage you need.

The collection consists of thousands of b-roll clips –  the building blocks of news programs: images of newsworthy events, issues, people, and organizations captured on 16mm motion picture film. Some of the clips have sound while others are silent. The majority of the footage was shot in the WBTV viewing market (Charlotte and the surrounding area) while a smaller amount was shot in other locations. Not included in the collection are any complete news stories, programs, or broadcasts.

The film reels cannot be viewed in their original format, but digital copies may be requested on a fee-for-service basis. To inquire about whether the collection contains footage documenting a particular topic, issue, event, person, or organization between 1959-1980, please Contact Us

Use of the film by a commercial business must be approved by WBTV.

Image: Screenshot from WBTV b-roll footage of an NAACP Youth protest of unfair and discriminatory busing practices, 1970.