This conference is free and open to those in the academic/archival/curatorial/preservation community who would like to attend.  Contact Kevin Palermo at kevinpalermo@gwmail.gwu.edu to register.

If you would like to be added to our mailing list, contact: michele.hilmes@gmail.com.

Radio Preservation Task Force Conference

Saving America’s Radio Heritage: Radio Preservation, Access, and Education

 February 25, 26, 27, 2016

THURSDAY 25 February – Optional field trips

Option 1)  Tour the Library of Congress Packard Campus for Audio-Visual Conservation, located in Culpeper, VA, a an hour+ bus ride from central DC.  See http://www.loc.gov/avconservation/packard/ for information.  A bus will leave the Capitol Hill Hotel at 10 AM, returning to DC at approximately 4:00 PM.  Lunch will be provided.  Limited to 50 people.

FRIDAY 26 February 2016

8:30 – registration opens, Madison Building (LOC), Capitol Hill

9:00-10:30 – Opening keynote

Welcome – Christopher H. Sterling, Chair, National Recording Preservation Board and Director, Radio Preservation Task Force

Opening remarks:  Jane McAuliffe, Director, National and International Outreach, Library of Congress

Introduction – Michele Hilmes, University of Wisconsin-Madison

Keynote – Paddy Scannell, University of Michigan  

“‘No Sound is Dissonant which tells of Life’: History and the Audio(visual) Archive”

 

MORNING SESSIONS 10:45-12:15

 1) Panel: Radio and National Heritage

Aniko Bodroghkozy, University of Virginia, chair

Jane Gilvin and Ayda Pourasad, NPR – “How We Created the NPR Historic Archives”

Chuck Howell, University of Maryland – “Vox Pop Goes to War – Radio’s “Voice of the People” During World War II”

Michael Keith, Boston College – “Researching Native American radio”

Respondent: Dan Streible, New York University/Orphan Film Symposium

 

2) Panel: Beyond Borders: US Radio in Transnational Contexts

David Goodman, University of Melbourne, chair

Jenny Doctor, Syracuse University, “Cultural Radio in Britain and America in the Post-War Era”

David Jenemann, University of Vermont, “From Father Coughlin to Benny Goodman:The Frankfurt School as Radio Archivists”

Anne MacLennan, University of Toronto, “Crossing the Border: The Case of CBS, NBC, and Mutual Stations Outside the US”

Respondent: Alex Russo, Catholic University of America

 

3) Panel: Public Radio’s Local Heritage

Mark Williams, Dartmouth College, chair

Karen Cariani, AAPB, “Digging into the American Archive of Public Broadcasting”

Michael Huntsberger, Linfield College, “Radio on the Frontier: Re-examining the Local Heritage of Public Radio in the Pacific Northwest.”

Will Chase and Julie Rogers, NPR – “Speaking with Many Voices: Rediscovering National Public Radio’s Early Broadcasts”

Respondent: Alan Stavitsky, University of Nevada

 

4)  Panel: Race and Radio: Researching the Other

Darrell Newton, Salisbury University, chair

Sonja Williams, Howard University – “African-American Radio in Chicago”

Darrell Newton – “The BBC’s West Indian Programs”

Suzanne E. Smith, George Mason University, – “The ‘Happy Am I’ Preacher:Preserving the Audio History of Radio Evangelist Elder Lightfoot Solomon Michaux”

Alejandra Bronfman, University of British Columbia – “The case of the Scattered Jamaican Archive”

Respondent: Walter Forsberg, Media Archivist, Smithsonian Museum of African American History

 

12:15-1:30 – lunch

AFTERNOON SESSIONS 1:30-3:00

 5) Radio Pedagogy Workshop

Eric Rothenbuhler, Webster University, chair

Amanda Keeler, Marquette University, organizer

Neil Verma, Northwestern University

Cynthia Meyers, College of Mount St. Vincent

Kathy Battles, Oakland University

Jennifer Stoever, Binghamton University

Respondent: 

Daniel Marcus, Goucher College

Thomas Doherty, Brandeis University

 

6) Panel: Broadcasting Gender in Intimate Settings

Mary Beth Haralovich, University of Arizona, chair

Jennifer Wang, independent scholar, “The We Say What We Think Club (1937-1957)”

Jason Loviglio, University of Maryland/Baltimore County, “Judy and Jane (1932-35)”

Catherine Martin, Boston University, “Candy Matson (NBC, 1949-1951)”

Respondent: Brent Malin, University of Pittsburgh

 

7) Panel: Radio Communities

Susan Smulyan, Brown University, chair

Christopher Terry, University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, “Diversity Demonstrated: The Gay Perspectives Radio Program”

Elizabeth Hansen, independent scholar, “Searching for the Signal: Locating Student Radio’s Lost History”

Joseph Gallucci, Pacifica Radio Archives, “Out on the Air: A History of LGBT Voices on Pacifica Radio”

Respondent:

Will Floyd, Prometheus Project

 

8) Panel: Radio in the Public Service

Bill Siemering, Developing Radio Partners, chair

Joy Hayes, University of Iowa, “Sounding out the Good Neighbor Policy: Brave New  World Broadcasts and the Political Aesthetics of the New Deal”

David Goodman, University of Melbourne, “Hearing “Immigrants All”

Alex Kupfer, New York University, “Extension Programming On the Network Air: NBC’s The Land-Grant College Radio Hour”

Respondent – Jack Mitchell, University of Wisconsin-Madison

 

3:15-4:45 – Keynote Address

Introduction: Christopher H. Sterling

Sam Brylawski, University of California – Santa Barbara

“Unchain Broadcasting Before It’s Lost Forever: Collaboration for Preservation”

4:45-5:00 — Brief wrap up and plans for tomorrow – Chris/Josh/Michele

 

SATURDAY, 27 February 2016

Buses leave Capitol Hill Hotel at 8:00 AM

8:30 – Registration, Hornbake Library, University of Maryland, College Park

 

9-10:45 – Plenary: Radio Preservation: The State of the Nation

Sam Brylawski, chair

Alan Gevinson, LOC/American Archive of Public Broadcasting

Brian DeShazor, Pacifica Radio Archives

Andy Lanset, WNYC/WQXR/New York Public Radio

Laura Soto-Barra, NPR Research, Archives, and Data Strategy

 

MORNING SESSIONS 11:00 – 12:30

 9) Workshop: Archiving from Below: Local/Community Archives

Janet Wasko, University of Oregon, chair

Shawn VanCour, New York University, organizer

Mike Socolow, University of Maine

Jenny Doctor, Syracuse University

Melissa Meade, Colby/Sawyer College

Edward Brouder, independent archivist

Discussants:

David Walker, Smithsonian Folklife

Henry Sapoznik, UW-Madison

 

10) Introducing RPTF Caucuses

Josh Shepperd, Catholic University, Chair

Kathleen Battles, Oakland University – LGBT Radio

Mary Beth Haralovich, University of Arizona – Gender and Feminist Radio

Laura Schnitker, University of Maryland and Jennifer Waits, Radio Survivor – College, Community, and Educational Radio

Sonja Williams, Howard University – African American and Civil Rights Radio

Jon Nathan Anderson, CUNY-Brooklyn – Labor Radio

Michael Stamm, Michigan State – Radio Journalism

Inés Casillas, UC-Santa Barbara – Spanish Language and Bilingual Radio

David Jenemann, University of Vermont – Sports Radio

 

11) Workshop: Surprising Archives/Archival Surprises

Kathy Fuller-Seeley, University of Texas at Austin, chair

Jennifer Wang, independent scholar

Bill Kirkpatrick, Denison University

Michael Henry, University of Maryland archives

David Weinstein, National Endowment for the Humanities

Christine Ehrick, University of Louisville

Discussants:  

Wendy Shay, Archives Center, National Museum of American History, Smithsonian Institution

Tony Macaluso, Studs Terkel Archive

 

12) Committee on Metadata and Digital Archiving

Cynthia Meyers, Mount St. Vincent, chair

Featured speakers:

Jeremy Morris and Andrew Bottomley, University of Wisconsin-Madison, “Saving New Sounds: What Archiving Podcasts Can Tell Us about Digital Radio History, Content, and Form”

Casey Davis and Rachel Curtis, “The American Archive of Public Broadcasting”

Andy Lanset, John Passmore, Mary Kidd, “New York Public Radio/WNYC”

Ken Freedman, WFMU — “The Future of Digital Radio Archives”

Discussants:

Eric Hoyt, University of Wisconsin-Madison

Jack Brighton, PBCore

Megan McShea, Smithsonian American Archives of Art

Stephanie Sapienza, Maryland Institute for Technology in the Humanities

William Vanden Dries, Indiana University

David Walker, Smithsonian Folklife

Mark Williams, Dartmouth College

David Giovanonni, Association for Recorded Sound Collections

David Pierce, Media History Digital Library

 

13) Committee on Education and Outreach

Alison Perlman, UC-Irvine, Chair

Ross Melnick, UC-Santa Barbara

Kit Hughes, Miami University of Ohio

Thomas Doherty, Brandeis Univeresity

Mary Ann Watson, Eastern Michigan University

Nora Patterson, University of Wisconsin-Madison

Michael Brown, University of Wyoming

Christopher Cwynar, University of Wisconsin-Madison

Lisa Rabin, George Mason University

Lauren Bratslavsky, Illinois State University

Nicole Hemmer – Miller Center for Public Affairs and U.S. News and World Report

 

14) Workshop: Contemporary Material Practices in Archives

Lynn Spigel, Northwestern University, chair

Neil Verma, Northwestern University, organizer

Patrick Feaster, Indiana University

Erika Dowell, Lilly Library, Indiana University

Allison Schein, Studs Terkel Radio Archive

Laura LaPlaca, Northwestern University

Derek Vaillant, University of Michigan

Discussants: 

Carlene Stephens, National Museum of American History

Karma Foley, Smithsonian Network

 

12:30-1:30 – lunch

AFTERNOON SESSIONS   1:30-3:00

15) Workshop: The National Endowment for the Humanities and Funding for Radio Archive Projects

David Weinstein, Division of Public Programs, NEH

Joshua Sternfeld, Division of Preservation and Access, NEH

Jesse Johnson, Division of Preservation and Access, NEH

 

16) Caucus on Gender, Feminist, and LGBT Radio

Mary Beth Haralovich, University of Arizona and Kathy Battles, Oakland University,  co-chairs

Allison McCracken, DePaul University

Susan Brinson, Auburn University

Phylis Johnson, Southern Illinois University

Jennifer Wang, Independent scholar

 

 17) Caucus on Spanish Language and Bilingual Radio

Inés Casillas, UCSB, chair

Sonia Robles, Brenau University

Monica de la Torre, Washington University

Christine Ehrick, University of Louisville

Kathy Franz, Smithsonian Museum of American History

Jose Luis Ortiz Garza, Universidad Panamericana, Mexico City

Bill Crawford and Gene Fowler, Border Radio Research Institute

 

18) Radio Archivists Committee

Patrick Feaster, Indiana University, chair

Invited Participants:

David Hunter, University of Texas

Alan Burdette, Indiana University

Mary Huelsbeck, University of Wisconsin-Madison

John Vallier, University of Washington

Jonathan Hiam, New York Public Library

David Seubert, UC-Santa Barbara and ARSC

Jeanette Berard, Thousand Oaks Library

Ruta Abolins, University of Georgia

Laurie Sather, Hagley Museum and Library

Jerry McBride, Stanford University

Curtis Fletcher, USC

 

19) Caucus on College, Community and Educational Radio

Jennifer Waits, Radio Survivor, and Laura Schnitker, University of Maryland Special Collections, co-chairs

Featured speakers:

Tim Brooks, independent scholar — “College Radio in the US”

Brian Fauteux, University of Alberta — “Foreground Formats and Alberta Music”

Feliks Banel, University of Washington — “Radio History in the Northwest”

Discussants:

Tim Anderson, Old Dominion University

John Nathan Anderson, CUNY-Brooklyn

Mike Lupica – WPRB-Princeton

Nick Rubin – WTJU and College Radio History

Glenda Balas – University of Texas-Dallas

Elena Razlogova – Concordia University

David Suisman – University of Delaware and The Hagley Center

Kyle Barnett – Bellarmine University

Brian Gregory – Pace University

Alex Russo – Catholic University

Abigail Shneyder – Wesleyan University

Leith Johnson – Wesleyan University

 

20) Caucus on Radio Journalism

Lawrence Lichty, chair

Josh Davis – University of Baltimore (Media and the Movement)

Seth Kotch – University of North Carolina (Media and the Movement)

Tom Mascaro – Bowling Green State

Victor Pickard – University of Pennsylvania

Michael Stamm – Michigan State (Caucus chair going forward)

Matt Ehrlich – University of Illinois

Ira Wagman – Carleton University

Bill Siemering – National Public Radio

3:15-5:00 – Closing Plenary: The Job to be Done

Chris Sterling, NRPB and RPTF, chair

Gene DeAnna, Library of Congress

Elizabeth Peterson, American Folklife Center

Gene Policinski, Newseum

Robert Horton, National Museum of American History

Jeff Place, Smithsonian Center for Folklife and Cultural Heritage

 

5:00-7:00 PM            CLOSING RECEPTION    

                                       Hornbake Library, University of Maryland

6:00-7:00 PM            Open Hours Tour of UMD Libraries’ Digital Conversion & Media                                                     Reformatting Center – Meet in Hornbake lobby near the elevator

INVITED PARTICIPANTS

Steve Leggett – Library of Congress

Cary O’Dell – Library of Congress

Mike Mashon, Library of Congress

Matt Barton – Library of Congress

Dorinda Hartmann – Library of Congress

Gregory Lukow – Library of Congress

Susan Manus – Library of Congress

Sheryl Cannady – Library of Congress

Gayle Osterberg – Library of Congress

Tom Pease – Library of Congress

Kate Murray – Library of Congress

Michael Ashenfelder – Library of Congress

Gerald Seligman, National Recording Preservation Foundation

Daniel Mack, University of Maryland

Harry Rice – Berea College

Sally Kane – National Federation of Community Broadcasters

Josh Garrett-Davis – Princeton University

Noah Arceneaux – San Diego State University

Dana Gerber-Margie – The Audio Signal

Tracey Laird – Agnes Scott College

Phil Scepanski – Vassar College

Bruce Lenthall – University of Pennsylvania

Frank Absher – St. Louis Radio Society

Len O’Kelly – Grand Valley State University

Paul McLane – Radio World

Thomas Witherspoon – SWL/Short Wave Radio

Michael Austin – Howard University

Jonathan Auerbach – University of Maryland

Emily Goodman – Northwestern University

Lamont Yeakey –  Cal State – Los Angeles

Oliver Gaycken – University of Maryland

Dan Marcus – Goucher College

Brian Real – University of Maryland

Martin Johnson – Catholic University of America

 

 

 

Guide to terminology

 Keynotes and Plenary sessions are events that assemble the entire conference to hear a talk or discussion, and to participate in general discussion. No competing sessions are scheduled against them.

 Panels feature 3-4 research presentations, 15 to 20 minutes in length (depending on the number of presenters on the panel) sometimes followed by remarks from a respondent, followed by general discussion.

 Workshops are discussion-oriented sessions that feature 5-6 speakers on an overarching topic, who make 5-10 minutes presentations, followed by a general discussion.

Caucuses are working meetings of task force members to strategize next year’s activities and get more people involved in them.  Caucuses are organized by collecting areas:  journalism, sports, LGBT, etc.

Committees represent the standing RPTF committees responsible for specific tasks, like Metadata/digital cataloging, and Education and Outreach.

We invite all conference participants to take part in all types of sessions.

 

RADIO PRESERVATION TASK FORCE:
A PROJECT OF THE NATIONAL RECORDING PRESERVATION BOARD OF THE LIBRARY OF CONGRESS

RPTF Director/Convenor: Christopher H. Sterling, George Washington University

National Research Director:  Josh Shepperd, The Catholic University of America

Conference Program Director:  Michele Hilmes, University of Wisconsin-Madison