Overview
The Television and Radio Index for Learning and Teaching (TRILT) is a searchable database of UK television and radio broadcasts.
You can use TRILT to find programme listings, explore archive content, and identify material available through the Off-Air Service.
Quick answer
Use TRILT to:
- Search past and upcoming broadcasts
- Find archive material for teaching or research
- Check whether a programme is available for the Off-Air Service
- Look for alternative broadcasts if you can’t find a programme on BoB
What is TRILT?
TRILT is both a discovery tool and a research database for broadcast media.
It includes:
- Listings for UK television and radio broadcasts (past and upcoming)
- Detailed programme information, including descriptions, keywords and broadcast data
- Links to related resources and further information
- Indicators showing whether a programme is:
- Available on BoB
- Available to request via the Off-Air Service
TRILT also indexes over 800,000 hours of archived content recorded since 1998, making it a valuable resource for teaching, learning and research.
When should I use TRILT?
TRILT is useful if you:
- Are researching broadcast content or media history
- Can’t find a programme on BoB
- Want to request archive content
How do I search in TRILT?
Basic search
- Enter a keyword, title or topic in the search bar
- Click search
- Select a result to view more details
You can refine results using:
- Filters and dropdown menus
- Sorting options (e.g. by date or relevance)
If you need more detailed filters or want to refine your results further, you can use Advanced Search.
👉 See Advanced search in TRILT for more detailed guidance.
Understanding your results
Each result shows:
- Programme title and summary
- Broadcast details (channel, date and time)
From a programme page, you can:
- Check availability on BoB
- Submit an Off-Air request (if eligible)
What if a programme isn’t available to watch?
If a programme isn’t available on BoB, you may still be able to request it.
In some cases, you can request the programme via our Off-Air Service, and we will upload it to BoB.
👉 See Off-Air Requests: how to access archive contents for how this works.
Things to keep in mind
- TRILT is a database, not a streaming service
- Not all programmes are (immediately) available to watch
- Availability depends on licensing and archive access