(25 February 2013, Alexandria, VA) Alexander Street Press brings new immediacy and authenticity to the study of World War II and early 20th century footage with its newest collection, World Newsreels Online, 1929‒1966.
Dazzlingly diverse in its perspective, the collection brings to life the experiences of international movie-goers from Tokyo to Amsterdam and New York City to Paris, enabling students and scholars to study original newsreels firsthand from the World War II era and beyond. 
Leading up to and during the war, newsreels had an unparalleled political and social impact. In war times, the newsreel was an important propaganda tool, but also an important forum for covering topics of health, scientific and industrial progress, religion, sports, fashion, politics, and more. Today, newsreels provide a clear archive of how governments shared news, manipulated facts, and influenced their populace.
The collection launches with 500 hours of authentic content from unique sources, and will grow to include 8,000 meticulously transcribed and indexed reels. It contains nine unique newsreel series, including:
- France Actualités—A 1942‒1944 coproduction of the Vichy regime and the Germans.
- France Libre Actualités—1944–1945 segments from an offshoot of the French Resistance.
- The March of Time™—The full run of the American series that aired from 1929 to 1966.
- Nippon News—Original 1940‒1948 footage from Japan’s only WWII newsreel.
- Polgygoon–Profliti—1939–1945 Dutch film clips illustrating how propaganda was presented to occupied countries.
- United Newsreel—A 1942–1946 American weekly newsreel produced by the US Office of War Information.
“The vibrancy of the newsreels in this collection makes studying World War II a powerfully visceral experience,” said Fiona Carr, Editor at Alexander Street Press. “To be able to see how audiences in Tokyo learned of worldwide events 75 years ago brings astounding new levels of meaning to this era in history.”
World Newsreels Online, 1929‒1966 is available to academic, public, and school libraries worldwide. No special setup or software is required—all you need is a Web browser. Prices are scaled to institutional size and budget. To request a free trial or price quote, please email [email protected].
