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Don West Broadcasting & Cable collection

 Collection 0103-MMC

Broadcasting & Cable is a trade magazine, founded in 1931, focusing on radio and television broadcasting and cable systems. This collection was primarily accumulated by former Broadcasting & Cable editor Don West and now consists of over 30,000 files – mostly photographs – relating to the magazine's subjects. Some folders contain accompanying press releases and newspaper clippings as well.

Dates

  • 1931-2002
  • Majority of material found within 1950-2000

Use and Access to Collection

This collection is open for research.

Duplication and Copyright Information

Photocopies of original materials may be provided for a fee and at the discretion of the curator. Please see our Duplication of Materials policy for more information. Queries regarding publication rights and copyright status of materials within this collection should be directed to the appropriate curator.

Extent

225.50 Linear Feet

Scope and Content of Collection

The collection contains over 30,000 subject files created by Broadcasting & Cable, which cover individuals invoved in all aspects of radio and television broadcasting. Subject files include photographs of network heads, station owners, advertising salesmen, producers, and directors as well as on-air talent, actors, actresses, musicians. The files document a wide variety of content relating to broadcasting, including commercials, companies, equipment, networks, news, organizations, shows, sports, and stations.

Processing Information

When the collection arrived at the Library of American Broadcasting in the summer of 2002, it was already organized in a roughly alphabetical arrangement. However, no list its contents existed and the collection still needed a great deal of organization to make it fully accessible to researchers. Recognizing the significance of this collection, Douglas Gomery, Professor of journalism in the Philip Merrill School of Journalism at the University of Maryland and Resident Scholar at the LAB, proposed recruiting his students to organize the collection and create a list of its contents. During the Spring Semesters of 2003, 2004, and 2005, Professor Gomery and his students, under the supervision of Michael Henry, reboxed and refoldered the collection and created the lengthy inventory listed above.

Title
Don West Broadcasting & Cable collection
Status
Abstract
Author
Processed by Michael Henry.
Date
2012-08
Description rules
Describing Archives: A Content Standard
Language of description
English
Script of description
Code for undetermined script
Language of description note
Finding aid written in English.

Revision Statements

  • 2018-02-07: Finding aid reviewed and minor updates made by Caitlin Rizzo.
  • 2021-08-13: Jim Baxter re-wrote the collection abstract.

Library Details

Part of the Special Collections and University Archives

Contact:
University of Maryland Libraries
Hornbake Library
4130 Campus Drive
College Park Maryland 20742
301-405-9212