This is huge for Who fans.

[fatsam@mstdn.social]

This is huge for Who fans. The first and third episodes of The Dalek Master Plan have been found.

Two ‘lost’ Doctor Who episodes found in donated tape collection

Recovered episodes are from third season of hit sci-fi series

The Independent (www.the-independent.com)

[raymaccarthy@mastodon.ie]

@fatsam
None lost. It was deliberate deletion to save £80 to £200 per episode. They still destroyed material in late 1970s that cost £10,000+ per tape to produce to reuse an £85 tape.
Destroyed 16mm film to save small money in storage.
I remember BBC staff complaining to management. But the BBC has been largely controlled by bean counters for nearly 60 years.
The people that made the decisions ought to have been prosecuted for cultural vandalism. C.f. Surviving Gerry Anderson series.

[fatsam@mstdn.social]

@raymaccarthy Yes, I think most of us know how it came about. But it was insanely short-sighted, if I'm being generous.

[dante@social.cologne]

@fatsam "The serial was written primarily by Daleks []"
My New head canon

[raymaccarthy@mastodon.ie]

@fatsam
Yet the Media always calls them lost.

You are generous. Those of use working in the BBC in the mid to late 1970s thought it was criminal. Ordinary people paying the licence fee paid for the destroyed productions.