Descriptive Summary

Arrangement

Access Points

Series I: Office of Radio and Television General Files

Subseries A: Subject Files

Scope and Content:

This sub-series consists of 2.9 linear feet of records of the Office of Radio and Television from 1953 to 1980. The materials are arranged chronologically within each file. The files are arranged alphabetically, though only files "E" through "Science" are represented. They are housed in 7 Hollinger boxes. The major portion of the records are memos, scripts, prospectus cue sheets, handwritten notes, program outlines, news clippings, and press releases. They show the program management of specific shows, including research, public relations, arrangement with hosts and guests, and recording schedules. The collection does include some information about administrative functions of the office of Radio and Television, primarily its connection to the University Press Office. NYU publications have been removed from the collection and filed separately. Photographs of NYU personnel and have been separated for transfer activities to the New York University Photo Collection. Photographs have been placed in folders or buffered by acid free paper and retained in the collection. Un-annotated press releases have been separated for transferal to the archive's press release file. Press releases with notes have been retained and filed chronologically within the collection. Duplicates in excess of three copies have been removed. These records illustrate how the office of Radio and Television worked in the realms of both education and public relations. In addition, as many of the programs dealt with current events, the series provides more general historical information. Box l, Files 2-5 consists of information on Get Involved!, a program sponsored by The Women's City Club of New York. The program ran from 1969 to 1970 and was designed to bring important issues of the day to the public; topics included urban decay, women's rights and racial tension. Box 2, Files 7-8 contain the papers of The Lively Arts, a 1964 program which centered on cultural events of the times. Box 5, Files 4-9 and Box 6, Files 2-4 documents the radio station's lecture series, in which speeches made on the NYU campus were edited and broadcast. The files include speeches made by Isaac Asimov, A. M. Rosenthal (Managing Editor of The New York Times) and Gerald G. Glasser (NYU Professor of Business Statistics.) Box 7, File 3 contains information about the speech made by former President Lyndon Johnson at the 1971 Arthur K. Salomon lecture and Box 7 File 5 contains the speech made by former Secretary of State Henry Kissenger at the 1977 Arthur K. Salomon Lecture. Box 3, Files 2-10 holds the documents on Masterbuilders of America, a program running from 1963-1964 that focused on the history of engineering in the United States. The show evidences the University's interest in television as an educational medium. The show was a joint effort with NBC, whose contract did not allow for the show to be rebroadcast and who destroyed the tapes; as such, these files provide some of the only access to the shows. Most of the administrative information is found in the files entitled "Reports." Box 7, File 1 contains Ralph Rourke's "Administrative and Professional Position Description." "Road Show" (Box 7, File 3) illustrates Rourke's efforts to publicize NYU faculty members. Box 7, File 1 has a document entitled "In Support of W-NYU Radio." The importance and duties of the press office is outlined in a memorandum called "NYU without a Press Office," (Box 7, File 1) issued by Eileen Hughes, the Press Office Manager. Box 5, File 3 contains a script of "The Dream the Grew", a radio broadcast on the history of NYU written by Victor B. Frenkel in 1963. Box 1, File 7 contains a speech which gives an anecdotal history of the NYU Office of Radio and Television.

Subseries B: Subject Files

Scope and Content:

This sub-series (1.5 linear feet) consists of the correspondence files of Ralph Rourke, Associate Manager for Broadcasting between 1968 and 1982. Arranged chronologically, it encompasses the period between 1968 and 1982. Ralph Rourke's correspondence files include, beyond correspondence, evidence describing programs, programming, public relations activities, lectures, ceremonies, and other related topics. Within these files there is little evidence of policy making or administrative functions. The focus is rather on the public face of the University and the processes involved in creating new vistas as well as maintaining and enriching current projects and responsibilities. There is little evidence as well of technical data reflecting the execution of Rourke's responsibilities. Aside from an occasional script or period report, the 11 files reveal rather the earlier less technical processes centering around engagement: inquiries, solicitations, commentary, and recommendations. Many press releases and New York University publications have been removed and filed in the archive's section specific to the University's own publications. Those in duplicate or annotated have remained in Rourke's files. Several photographs relevant to their files of origin have remained in place. The following topics may prove useful to the researcher. These do not describe entire file contents but rather documents within files.

Subseries C: Subject Files

Scope and Content:

This sub-series consists of 35 linear feet of records of the Office of Radio and Television from 1956-1980. The materials are arranged chronologically within each file. The files are arranged alphabetically and housed in 15 Hollinger boxes. The bulk of the collection consists of correspondence, memos, scripts, prospectus, cue sheets, handwritten notes, program outlines, news clippings and press releases. These records reflect program management activities rather than administrative functions or policy decisions. They are primarily concerned with: program research, public relations, arranging hosts and guests, and recording productions. NYU publications have been removed from the collection and filed separately. Other printed materials not integral to the subject or significantly annotated have been removed. Photo prints, negatives and contact sheets have been separated for transferal to the New York University Archive Photo Collection, LD 10 and LD 14. In boxes 1-6, press releases have been retained. In boxes 7-10, unannotated press releases have been separated and placed in the archive's press release file. Those with notations have been retained in the collection. In boxes 11-16, press releases have been retained and filed chronologically with the rest of the materials. When more than three duplicate copies of a record existed, three were retained and the rest were removed from the file. Cue sheets printed on acidic yellow paper have been buffered with acid free files or acid free bond to prevent further acid migration. This series illustrates both the educational and public relations functions of radio and television at New York University. Many educational programs and talk shows emphasized an urban theme in keeping with the University's concern for building a positive public image of itself as an exciting, urban campus. The increasing importance of the Office of Radio and Television as a public relations vehicle is evident in the records of "Wisdom Bank", a clearing house for promoting media appearances by NYU faculty and administrators (Box 15, Files 5-9) and of "College Career Clinic" (Box 5, Files 2-4). (See Appendix B for Public relations functions) The researcher should be aware that an unprocessed collection of radio and television records is housed in the NYU Archive. A survey of these Records Revealed that they contain further information on programs from 195a-1985. They also contain copies of minutes from meetings of the All University Committee on Television and University Development (Box 1 of 4, File 1), which help illustrate the evolution of educational broadcasts at NYU. (Appendix A) Although the collection does not document "Sunrise Semester", several files contain materials pertaining to the program. Box 5, File 15 contains a course catalogue and the outline of a “sunrise Semester" broadcast. Box 1, File 9 contains a "Sunrise Semester" syllabus. Box 15, File 1 contains what may be a "Sunrise Semester" script. These files are marked with an asterisk on the container list. Box 5, File 9 contains information on the relationship between Vice President for Public Affairs, Betty Cott, and the Office of Radio and Television. Ralph Rourke wrote memos to Vice President Cott listing current Office of Radio and Television Productions and faculty appearances on radio and television programs. Box 1a, File 11 and Box 14, File 1 document the management of "University Broadcast Lab", a series of programs developed and produced by NYU students. Students wrote, directed, and performed original works and adaptations of well-known plays. The records of "University Broadcast Lab" include production meeting notes (Box 1a, File 11), which show organizational methods and the students' relations with faculty advisors and administration. Box 14, File. 8 contains minutes of a 1970 meeting of the Graduate School of Public Administration Alumni Association Executive Committee.