Title: Wisconsin Citizens' Committee for Educational Television Records
Inclusive Dates: 1952-1967

Creator:

• Wisconsin Citizens' Committee for Educational Television

Call Number: Mss 209

Quantity: 2.0 c.f. (5 archives boxes)

Repository:

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

Archival Locations:

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

Wisconsin Historical Society (Map)

Abstract:

Records of an organization (1952-1967) which promoted educational television in Wisconsin. Included are proceedings, minutes, correspondence, and financial reports pertaining to the group's internal organization; pamphlets, news releases, and clippings concerning activities in support of WHA-TV, WMVS, and an unsuccessful state referendum on a proposed educational television network; and subject files on a license dispute with WSAU-TV, a commercial station; and educational broadcasting in general.

Language: English

URL to cite for this finding aid: http://digital.library.wisc.edu/1711.dl/wiarchives.uw-whs-mss00209

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In April, 1952, the Federal Communications Commission ended a two-year freeze on allocations of television channels. Of the frequencies that were allocated at that time, fifty-one were assigned to Wisconsin. Twelve of these were reserved for educational broadcasting for a period of one year.

In response to this deadline, representatives of thirty-one agricultural, labor, civic, and service organizations met in May 1952 in Madison under the chairmanship of Milo Swanton, Executive Secretary of the Wisconsin Council of Agricultural Cooperatives, to discuss the creation of educational television in Wisconsin. At this meeting, the WCCETV was formed with Swanton as its first president.

From 1952 to 1954 the organization directed its growing efforts towards promoting the establishment of a twelve-channel, state-supported educational television network in Wisconsin. However, a November 1954 referendum calling for the creation of such a system was rejected by a wide margin.

From that time until the organization was dissolved in 1967, its activities were generally limited, except for one period, to the promotion of the two educational stations that were established in Wisconsin, channels 21 in Madison and 10 in Milwaukee. Beginning in 1959, WCCETV became active in attempting to secure the use of channel 9 in Wausau for use as an educational frequency, but this activity ended in 1963 when the FCC ruled in favor of the holders of the license for commercial use of that frequency.

Materials in this collection fall into three broad categories: records documenting the internal organization and operations of the committee, those relating to its promotional efforts, and subject files.

Records relating to internal organization include general correspondence, the file of a paid secretary, proceedings of organizational meetings and subsequent annual meetings as well as the handwritten minutes of executive committee meetings. Annual financial reports and income tax records which include annual tax reports and materials relating to the committee's tax-free status document the organization's fiscal activities. Membership application of individual and organizational members and the biographical sketches of the officers complete the organizational records.

Promotional records are of several types and are arranged by format. Mailing lists, circular letters, pamphlets and news releases, and a speakers bureau were direct forms of promotion. Newspaper clippings and the endorsements and publications of other organizations constitute a second group of records describing promotional activities.

Finally, there are subject files relating to specific activities. These include files on legislation in Wisconsin; the Magnussen Bill; papers concerning the license of Channel 3, Madison; and papers concerning Channel 9, Wausau. Pamphlets on educational television in general produced by other organizations are included in the last subject folder.

This collection documents three principal subjects: the proposed state educational television network; the channel 9 license dispute; and the promotion of educational television generally. They are principally the product of Elizabeth Risser's activities as secretary during the entire existence of the WCCETV. Risser and Swanton appear to be the producers of most of the reports and promotional literature and the recipients of the correspondence found in this collection.

Use Restrictions

WCCE-TV has relinquished all literary rights to these records.

Acquisition Information

Presented by Elizabeth (Mrs. Frederic) Risser, Madison, and Lawrence Jones, Fond du Lac, Wisconsin, August 16, 1971 and February 18, 1972. Accession Number: MCHC71-119, M72-33

Processing Information

Processed by MF (FGH intern), July 1972.

	Series: Organization and Operations File
Box   1 Folder   1	Secretary's File, 1954, February-May
	General Correspondence
Box   1 Folder   2	1952-1953
Box   1 Folder   3	1954
Box   1 Folder   4	1955-1962
Box   1 Folder   5	1963-1967
Box   1 Folder   6	Financial Reports, 1954-1966
Box   1 Folder   7	Income Tax Records, 1962-1966
Box   1 Folder   8	Articles of Incorporation and Bylaws, 1953-1966
	Proceedings of Annual Meetings
Box   2 Folder   1	1952, 1955-1960
Box   2 Folder   2	1962-1967
Box   2 Folder   3	Minutes of Executive Committee Meetings, 1952-1956
Box   2 Folder   4	Biographical Sketches of Officers and Secretary, 1963, undated
Box   2 Folder   5	Membership Applications, 1952-1967
	Series: Promotional Records	⇧
	Circular Letters
Box   2 Folder   6	1952-1953
Box   2 Folder   7	1954-1967
Box   2 Folder   8	Speakers Bureau, 1952-1954, undated
	Mailing Lists
Box   3 Folder   1	1952-1953
Box   3 Folder   2	1954
Box   3 Folder   3	1955-1967
Box   3 Folder   4	Pamphlets and Press Releases, 1953-1963
	Other Organizations Supporting Educational TV
Box   3 Folder   5	Endorsements and Proclamations
Box   3 Folder   6	Reports
Box   3 Folder   7	Pamphlets, Circulars, News Releases
	Newspaper Clippings
Box   3 Folder   8	1952-1953
Box   4 Folder   1	1952-1953
Box   4 Folder   2	1954
Box   4 Folder   3	1954
Box   4 Folder   4	1954-1957
	Series: Subject Files	⇧
Box   4 Folder   5	Wisconsin Legislation on Educational TV, 1953, 1959, undated
Box   4 Folder   6	Conference on Educational TV, Milwaukee, 1962
Box   4 Folder   7	Channel 3, Madison, 1956, 1961-1962
	Channel 9, Wausau
Box   4 Folder   8	1959-1962
Box   4 Folder   9	1963-1964
Box   4 Folder   10	Magnussen Bill, 1967
Box   5	General Educational TV Pamphlets