Title: Leonard Allen Papers
Inclusive Dates: 1940-1981

Creator:

• Allen, Leonard

Call Number: MCHC82-050

Quantity: 4.2 cubic feet (10 archives boxes and 1 card file box)

Repository:

Wisconsin Historical Society, Division of Library, Archives, and Museum Collections

Archival Locations:

Wisconsin Historical Society (Map)

COLLECTION MAY BE STORED OFF-SITE: see catalog entry to request materials and for additional information.

Abstract:

Papers of Leonard Allen, a television news executive for the National Broadcasting Company (NBC), who later served as a consultant to the Commission on the Operation of the Senate working on issues related to televising Senate proceedings and became managing director of the Radio-Television News Directors Association. The papers document Allen's work at NBC, including information from government sources concerning allowable coverage and NBC's cooperation with other news organizations.

Language: English

URL to cite for this finding aid: http://digital.library.wisc.edu/1711.dl/wiarchives.uw-whs-mchc82050

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At the time of Leonard Allen's death in 1981, he was managing director of the Radio Television News Directors Association based in Washington, D.C. and a retired NBC-TV news executive. His obituary says, “He joined NBC in 1942 as a radio news writer in the international division, later became night news editor, and was promoted to day news editor in the television division in 1952. In 1958, he became manager of television news reporting and subsequently served as manager of television foreign and domestic news. In 1963, he transferred to NBC's Washington bureau as director of the news operation, a position he held for 10 years. He continued to live in the Washington area after returning to New York in 1973 as director of public affairs. He was an assistant bureau chief in New York when he retired in 1976.” About the time he retired from NBC and assumed his post with RTNDA, he served as a consultant to the Commission on the Operation of the United States Senate.

In addition to a small amount of biographical information, personal correspondence, and memorabilia, files organized around events in which he played a direct role as a newsman (such as presidential trips abroad, the March on Washington, etc.) include information from government sources about itineraries and allowable coverage, notes on NBC news assignments and cooperation with other news organizations, wire service bulletins, internal memoranda, and memoranda recording off-the-record meetings with news sources. There are also NBC press releases and a newsletter for NBC affiliates, which Allen authored. Working files on the Senate Commission include notes on meetings and interviews, background information, and reports. There is one file of RTNDA correspondence and a small amount of material reflecting his affiliation with the Radio and Television Correspondents Association.

Acquisition Information

Presented by Ruth Allen. Accession Number: MCHC82-050

MCHC82-050
	Series: Personal	⇧
Box   1 Folder   1	Biographical (mostly obituaries)
Box   1 Folder   2	Correspondence, 1943-1979
Box   1 Folder   3	Radio-Television News Directors Association correspondence, 1976-1980
Box   1 Folder   4	Writings, 1940-1947
Box   1 Folder   5-6	Invitations and programs
Box   11	Memorabilia - press passes, pins and identifications
Box   2 Folder   1	Radio and Television Correspondents Association, 1968-1977 (annual dinner programs)
Box   2 Folder   2	White House Correspondents Association, 1969-1970/White House News Photographers Association, , 1967
	Series: National Broadcasting Company	⇧
Box   2 Folder   3	Job description, 1971
	Subject files
Box   2 Folder   4	Broadcasting, 1974-1976
Box   2 Folder   5	New Senators show, 1971
Box   2 Folder   6	“Senate Hearings”, general, 1966
Box   2 Folder   7	Vietnam War coverage, 1967-1973
Box   2 Folder   8	Miscellaneous background notes, 1956-1975
Box   3 Folder   1-4	NBC internal communications / production files, 1961-1968, 1975
Box   3 Folder   5	Press releases, 1953-1978 and NBC Chimes, , September-October 1955
Box   3 Folder   6	Newsletter clips [background], 1973-1975
Box   3 Folder   7-10	NBC Newsletter, 1973-1975, 1976 and 1981
	“Special Events” files
Box   4 Folder   1	National political conventions, 1952 and 1956
Box   4 Folder   2	Air Force Far East tour, 1957
Box   4 Folder   3	Foreign Ministers Conference, Geneva, 1959
Box   4 Folder   4-5	Eisenhower visit to Far East, 1960
Box   4 Folder   6	Kennedy's visit to Paris, Vienna, and London, 1961
Box   5 Folder   1-2	Jackie Kennedy's trip to India, 1962
Box   5 Folder   3	John F. Kennedy assassination, 1963
Box   5 Folder   4	Lyndon B. Johnson - general, 1964-1968
Box   6 Folder   1	Johnson signs Voting Rights bill, 1965
Box   6 Folder   2-3	Manila Summit with Lyndon B. Johnson, 1966
Box   6 Folder   4	National Foreign Policy Conference for Editors and Broadcasters, 1966
Box   6 Folder   5	March on Washington, 1967
Box   6 Folder   6	Johnson-Robb wedding, 1967
Box   7 Folder   1	Robert Kennedy funeral, 1968
Box   7 Folder   2	U.S.S. John F. Kennedy commissioning, 1968
Box   7 Folder   3	Inaugural, 1969
Box   7 Folder   4-5	Nixon visit to Europe, 1969
Box   7 Folder   6	Nixon visit to Spain, 1970
Box   8 Folder   1	Nixon visit to Spain, 1970 (continued)
Box   8 Folder   2	Nixon-Cox wedding, 1971
Box   8 Folder   3	“Nixon eviction,” 1971
Box   8 Folder   4	Nixon return from China, 1972
Box   8 Folder   5	Nixon visit to Moscow, 1972
Box   8 Folder   6	Inaugural, 1973
Box   8 Folder   7	National Governors' Conference, 1974
	Series: Commission On The Operation Of The Senate	⇧
Box   9 Folder   1	Meetings and memoranda, 1975-1976
Box   9 Folder   2	General background information, 1971-1976
	Working files, 1976
Box   9 Folder   3	TV-House floor
Box   9 Folder   4	Senate offices, including interim report, 3/24/76
Box   9 Folder   5	Media, general and interview outlines
Box   9 Folder   6	Interview notes
Box   10 Folder   1	Interview notes (continued)
Box   10 Folder   2	Report: “Make Up of the Senate Press”
Box   10 Folder   3	Recommendations
Box   10 Folder   4	Draft report
Box   10 Folder   5	Report and recommendations: “Television from the Senate Floor”
Box   10 Folder   6	Final report: “Senate Communications with the Public”