Administrative Information
Provenance
The National Broadcasting Company donated the NBC Press Release books to the Library of Congress in 1991.
Accruals
No further accruals are expected.
Processing History
The NBC press release books were processed by the staff of the Recorded Sound Section.
National Broadcasting Company Press Releases: Part II, 1951-1989
The continuation of the NBC press release books, covering the years from 1951-1989 when television broadcasting dominated over the radio network, are available for viewing through the Moving Image Research Center. A description of the volumes are available through Part II of this finding aid.
Related Archival Collections at the Library of Congress
- The NBC Archives at the Library of Congress include the NBC Press Releases (the subject of this finding aid) as well as the following archival NBC collections.
- NBC History Files
- The National Broadcasting Company History files include memoranda, correspondence, speeches, reports, policy statements, and pamphlets covering the creation of the network, its growth in the field of radio, and its subsequent expansion into television broadcasting.
- Radio Log Books. Manuscript
- The Library holds log books for WEAF and WNBC (1922 - 1955), for WJZ (1923 - 1941), and for WJY (1923 - 1926.)
- Radio Master Books. Manuscript
- Program scripts, advertising copy, news copy and music master sheets (listing musical content) for programs produced at the local station are held on 2,530 reels of microfilm, from WEAF and WNBC (1922 - 84), for WJZ (1927 - 41), for WMAQ in Chicago WMAQ (May 1944 - December 1945), for KFI in Hollywood (August 1943 - December 1945), and for the International (White) Network (August 1936 - September 1948.)
- Radio Programs Sound Recordings
- Lacquer discs from the New York-based archive from the years 1927 to 1971 are being re-recorded by the Library of Congress on tape, and have been indexed by the Library in a database which is available in the Recorded Sound Research Center.
- Radio News Collection Sound Recordings
- Selected news programs recorded from 1961 to 1985 on 1300 tape reels and 340 cassettes include broadcasts from presidential news conferences and speeches, and important events, such as the first moon landing.
- Radio Programs Index File of 5 X 8 inch Cards
- Six card files maintained from 1930 to 1960 index: commercial programs; sustaining programs (without advertising); radio artists (entertainment professionals); "Negro Radio Artists” (entertainment professionals); radio personalities (guests); and the World War II – European War effort.
- Meet the Press Text Microform
- Transcriptions of programs for the years 1954 through 1984 are held on microfiche.
- Television Log Books Manuscript Microform
- The Library holds log books for May 1949 through November 1988.
- Television Master Books Manuscript Microform
- Master books for the years 1936 through 1991 are held on microfilm.
- Television Programs Kinescopes
- The collection of kinescopes recorded from 1948 to 1977 includes approximately 18,000 programs.
Digital Content
Digital versions of the press releases from this collection are available for viewing in the Recorded Sound Research Center, Library of Congress.
Preferred Citation
Researchers wishing to cite this collection should include the following information: [Volume number, eg., Vol. 3], National Broadcasting Company press releases, National Audio-Visual Conservation Center, Library of Congress