Dennis Hart Monitor collection

This collection consists of copies of newspaper clippings, correspondence, memoranda, publicity announcements, transcripts, and photographs collected by broadcast journalism scholar Dennis Hart between 1955 and 1975. The collection also includes vinyl record and VHS tapes produced by Monitor as well as compilation CDs created by Dennis Hart. Produced by NBC Radio Network, Monitor was a weekend program that aired live from 1955 to 1975. Originally, the program was on the air for 40 hours from 8am Saturday morning to midnight on Sunday. Monitor was soon shortened to 32 hours every weekend (excluding overnight programming) and remained at that length through 1961. The marathon length of the program was a sharp departure from the usual 15- and 30-minute network radio programming. With a "magazine-of-the-air" format, Monitor offered a variety of short segments including news, sports, interviews, and music. Comedy segments incorporated what remained of NBC's long-running programs (such as Fibber McGee and Molly) as well as newer comedians (such as Mike Nichols and Elaine May).