A Brief and Timely History of PIFs

Many of the first PIFs starred the "Daddy" of PIFs, amateur actor/film - maker Richard Massingham, who turned pro and set up a company called Public Relationship Films in 1938 when he realized nobody out there was making short educational films for the public. During World War II, he was commissioned by the Government's Ministry of Information (or Ministry of Lies, as George Orwell calls it in 1984; ever ahead of his time) and other government departments to make short propaganda films to be shown in cinemas. If you didn't know how to use a handkerchief, cross the road, save fuel or how much money to take on holiday, Massingham was your man.

In 1946, the Ministry of Information was replaced with the Central Office of Information (COI) and we began to see the golden years of the PIF, complete with static crackle in the background and the immortal words "That was a public information film" after each one, forever cementing the PIF into the heart of British TV. Meanwhile, Massingham began to make longer training films and in 1949 produced the wonderful "What a Life", an antidote to Britain's post - war misery. Over the years the focus of PIFs changed: they weren't there to politely remonstrate with you any more, now they were going to make you wet your pants in terror! So, as well as more child - focused campaigns (Charley Says, Tufty) and the gentle comedy of PIFs such as Rowan Atkinson's blood donor drive, we also had the terrifying "Spirit of Dark and Lonely Water", "Protect and Survive" and the world's first AIDS awareness campaign, "Don't Die of Ignorance". And don't forget the catchy slogans like "SPLINK", "Think Bike", "Watch Out, There's a Thief About" and "Clunk Click Every Trip", or the memorable characters including Reginald Molehusband, Fanta the Elephant and the Green Cross Code Man. Classic PIFs still hold a dated, "retro" appeal decades after they were first broadcast, and they are a cherished part of television history. In September/October 2006, the British Film Institute (http://www.bfi.org.uk) held a series of screenings to commemorate 60 years of the COI's work, and the BBC organized a nationwide survey of favourite PIFs, with cartoon cat Charley being voted the winner.

After all that, I think it's a crying shame that the PIFs being made now have been relegated to short "fillers", most of them instantly forgettable and more concerned with political correctness than getting the message across, and usually shown only on regional channels or in the wee hours of the morning when they can't sell advertising space. Never mind.

Some of Richard Massingham's PIFs are available to view on the National Archives website, complete with transcript and background information:

• Coughs and Sneezes Spread Diseases - http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/films/1945to1951/filmpage_cas.htm
• Don't Spread Germs aka Jet Propelled Germs - http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/films/1945to1951/filmpage_dsg.htm
• Watch Your Meters - http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/films/1945to1951/filmpage_ragml.htm
• Pedestrian Crossing - http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/films/1945to1951/filmpage_pc.htm
• What a Life - http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/films/1945to1951/filmpage_wal.htm
• Five Pounds in Notes - http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/films/1945to1951/filmpage_fpin.htm