University of Minnesota Radio and Television Broadcasting records

The collection is arranged into 5 series:

Radio Station WLB/KUOM

Materials include the administrative records produced by station staff, station history, individual staff correspondence, policy and regulatory documentation, and reports and operational data. The materials also document WLB/KUOM’s relationship to the Corporation for Public Broadcasting (CPB), National Public Radio (NPR), and considered collaboration with Minnesota Public Radio (MPR). Station programming is documented in the Programs sub-series that includes scripts, schedules, manuals, and advertising materials for individual program series. Individual programs as well as long-running series such as The Minnesota School of the Air are arranged as sub-groups within the sub-series.

Also documented in the Programs sub-series is audio that corresponds with individual programs. A large portion has been digitized, and is available to listen to online, though please note that digitized and undigitized audio are intermingled.

Department of Radio and Television/University Media Resources

This series contains administrative records of the department, documents the production of a closed-circuit television system at the University, and the production of television programming for local commercial stations.

Radio Station WMMR

In 1947, WMMR, a student-run station, began broadcasting from Coffman Memorial Union to campus dormitories. WMMR merged with KUOM in 1993 to form Radio K.

Affiliations

The sub-series Zeta Phi Eta and Alpha Epsilon Rho, both fraternal organizations in the communications field, documents chapter activities at the University. The administrative papers of the University of Minnesota Radio and Television Guild, a student group that provided the on-air talent in various programs includes original scripts written, produced, directed, and performed by Guild members. Papers and curriculum materials produced in conduction with various Radio Writing Courses offered by the University and given by members of KUOM staff are also contained within this series. The Audio Visual Library Service was responsible for disceminating recorded KUOM broadcasts.

Another major sub-series includes the Key Center of War Information. The collection contains official correspondence of center directors Curtis Avery and Bess Stein, with University administration, faculty, staff, potential guest speakers, and listeners to the Key Center's radio programs; Speaker's Bureau reports; publications, bulletins, and scripts produced by the Center; war-time records and files of University Radio Station WLB; War Department information booklets, Office of War Information, and the National Association of Broadcasters; radio spot announcements from outside agencies to be read on the air pertaining to rationing, salvaging of wartime goods, and military recruitment.

Photographs & Scrapbooks

Series contains portraits of staff of WLB/KUOM and the Department of Radio and Television, in addition to photographs of station facilities in Eddy Hall and the Rarig Center. Two large scrapbooks document the program series Minnesota Today and Yesterday (1948).