Title: Harry Ray Bannister Papers
Inclusive Dates: 1936-1967

Creator:

• Bannister, Harry Ray, 1894-1967

Call Number: U.S. Mss 86AF; Tape 432A; Disc 71A

Quantity: 5.6 c.f. (14 archives boxes), 8 tape recordings, and 13 disc recordings

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:

Papers of an NBC executive who served as vice-president for station relations, 1952-1961. Although his twenty-year tenure as station manager at WWJ/WWJ-TV, Detroit, Michigan, is given only light coverage, there are notable files on his years with the network. Included are correspondence, clippings, reports, speeches and writings, recordings, and biographical information. Among the prominent correspondents are Martin Agronsky, Leonard Bernstein, Martin Codel, Dwight D. Eisenhower, Gerald R. Ford, J. Edgar Hoover, Lyndon B. Johnson, Allan Nevins, George W. Romney, and Robert A. Taft. There are also routine correspondence and memoranda exchanged with various NBC executives such as David C. Adams, Robert Kintner, David and Robert W. Sarnoff, Sylvester L. Weaver, Jr., and Frank White on matters concerned with affiliate policy and relations, programming, and the development of television broadcasting. Speeches and writings include correspondence, reviews, publicity, and background information about his autobiography; free lance articles; and drafts and typed copies of speeches presented to several professional organizations and to two congressional committees.

Language: English

URL to cite for this finding aid: http://digital.library.wisc.edu/1711.dl/wiarchives.uw-whs-us0086af

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Harry Ray Bannister is notable for his work as a manager of WWJ radio and television, Detroit,Michigan, and as Vice President for Station Relations for the National Broadcasting Company. His career ranged from the early 1930's through the 1950's and involved him in many important events and developments in the broadcasting history of that period. At NBC, Bannister played a significant role as an intermediary between NBC and its station affiliates at a time when radio was being rapidly eclipsed by television.

Bannister was born in New York City on April 30, 1894. He spent nearly two years in France in World War I and after discharge from the Army in 1919 began travelling sales work. For almost ten years Bannister sold paints, pop corn machines, automotive parts, and drugs and pharmaceuticals in various parts of the country. In the early 1930's he briefly served as an advertising sales representative with the Detroit radio stations WMBC and WJR before joining the Detroit News station WWJ. He became general sales manager in 1934 and a general station manager in 1940. During his time at WWJ, Bannister established a reputation for concern with quality in programming and advertising; he consistently sought establishment of broadcasting standards. He realized early the potential of television broadcasting and favored its employment for educational purposes. Active in industry affairs throughout his career, Bannister helped to write the first NAB Television Code, 1951, and testified before various congressional committees investigating the broadcasting industry. Bannister's activities among NBC affiliates led to his appointment as Vice President for Station Relations in 1952. His understanding of affiliate concerns proved useful to this position, and he became known for championing live programming and discouraging reliance on ratings. In 1961 Bannister became a part-time consultant for NBC.

Bannister published many articles in newspapers and broadcasting periodicals and spoke before a variety of organizations and groups. He died on April 27, 1967. Bannister's anecdotal autobiography, The Education of a Broadcaster, was published in 1965.

The papers cover the period 1936-1967 and best document Bannister's position as NBC Vice President for Station Relations. Though there are some noteworthy speeches and articles which predate his tenure with NBC, there is little coverage of his more than twenty years at WWJ. The papers consist of correspondence, memos, newsclippings, reports, drafts, photographs, tape and disc recordings, and related material. They are divided into seven groups: correspondence, writings, speeches and other remarks, NBC subject file, articles and newsclippings about Bannister, miscellany, and tape and disc recordings.

The CORRESPONDENCE is mostly from the 1950's and 1960's and is generally routine and personal in nature. Significant are letters from Robert A. Taft regarding the Marshall Plan, and from Lyndon B. Johnson regarding the Berlin Wall. Concerning NBC there is a noteworthy 1952 memo by Bannister to NBC President Sylvester Weaver setting forth Bannister's views on network-affiliate policy. Separate files of correspondence relate to Bannister's response to a complaint (originally directed to Niles Trammell) about singing commercials, 1949, and to his 1952 appointment as Vice President for Station Relations. A folder of letters and memos, 1952 and 1959-1962, concerning Leonard Bernstein, NBC programming, and network-station relations, are closed until September 1979. Throughout the correspondence several prominent individuals are represented; they include:

Agronsky, Martin	1958, August 8
Codel, Martin	1965, May 17
Eisenhower, Dwight	1952, August 20
Ford, Gerald	1965, September 2
Hoover, J. Edgar	1962, December 5
Johnson, Lyndon B.	1960, May 4 (copy)
Nevins, Allen	1955, May 16
Romney, George	1962, December 18 (copy)
Taft, Robert A.	1947, November 28

WRITINGS consist primarily of material relating to Bannister's autobiography. This includes correspondence, reviews and publicity, and background material. There is also a small number of articles by Bannister, 1948-1962, including “Static and Snow,” a satirical column he wrote for Broadcasting magazine under the pseudonym Awfrey Quincy, 1950. There are also humorous letters and poems, with related correspondence and miscellany. The series referred to as the Palmer House Letters were published in several newspapers and magazines. Chapter drafts of a book on the Prohibition era, which Bannister was working on at his death, make up the balance of this group.

The SPEECHES AND OTHER REMARKS provide a valuable source of information on Bannister's views and activities. Located here are drafts and typed copies of speeches delivered before a variety of groups, including two congressional committees, 1946-1967. There is correspondence and publicity material throughout. The NBC SUBJECT FILE is arranged in one alphabetical sequence primarily for Bannister's years as Vice President for Station Relations and as part-time consultant. There is, however, some material which dates from 1950. Extensively documented is Bannister's involvement in the full range of activities concerning affiliate relations, including negotiations for rate changes, promotion of new program concepts, program clearances, and the planning of affiliate conventions and other meetings. Particularly significant here is Bannister's role in relating network policy to affiliates which took on major importance as television reduced the audience of radio affiliates. Noteworthy in this regard are the files on NBC's “Basic Economic Study,” affiliate conventions and meetings, and NBC executives. On new programming ideas, the folders on Stardust and Weekday are significant. The files for Today clearly evidence NBC President Sylvester Weaver's commitment to this show. Educational television is also an important file and reveals Bannister's continued personal interest. NBC involvement in the controversy over UHF-VHF television broadcasting is also significant and well-represented. There are copies of memos and correspondence between other NBC executives throughout the files; many are quite significant and document policy-making at NBC. Among the NBC executives represented are David C. Adams, William Fineschriber, Robert Kintner, David Sarnoff, Robert W. Sarnoff, Sylvester L. Weaver, Jr., and Frank K. White.

ARTICLES AND NEWSCLIPPINGS ABOUT BANNISTER are not extensive but do indicate the variety of his activities. The MISCELLANY contains many unidentified items which may have been written by Bannister: a poem, an essay, and a speech delivered by William J. Scripps. Other items include an undated script for a skit about NBC President Robert Kintner and an unidentified narrative regarding the University of Michigan's Television Hour on WWJ-TV, December 1950. Twenty-one tape and disc recordings have been sent to the Iconographic section. They include recordings of an interview of Bannister about Education of a Broadcaster, speeches and remarks, a Bannister interview of Eddie Cantor, and a recording of Bannister's obituary as it was broadcast over WWJ.

Acquisition Information

Placed on deposit by Mrs. Frances Bannistter, 1967, 1969, and 1975. Accession Number: MCHC67-110, MCHC69-054; MCHC75-012

Processing Information

Processed by R. H. Tryon, 1979.

U.S. Mss 86AF	Series: Correspondence
Box   1 Folder   1-13	General, 1941-1967
	Carbons
Box   1 Folder   14	1957
Box   2 Folder   1-9	1958-1966
Box   2 Folder   10	Re singing commercials, 1949
Box   2 Folder   11	Re NBC appointment, 1952
Box   14 Folder   1	Previously Restricted letters and memos, 1952, 1959-1962
	Series: Writings	⇧
	Articles and other items by Bannister
Box   2 Folder   12	General, 1948-1962
Box   2 Folder   13	“Static and Snow,” Broadcasting, 1950
	Humorous letters and poems
Box   2 Folder   14	Undated
Box   2 Folder   15	1938-1952
Box   2 Folder   16	Palmer House Letters, 1937-1951
	Books
	The Education of a Broadcaster, 1965
	Correspondence
	General
Box   2 Folder   17	1965, March-April
Box   3 Folder   1-3	1965, April-April, 1966
Box   3 Folder   4	Publisher, 1964-1965
Box   3 Folder   5	Re author's copies, 1964-1965
Box   3 Folder   6	Re interview by Lillian Friedman, WEVD, June 30, 1965
Box   3 Folder   7	Author's copy list
Box   3 Folder   8	Reviews and other publicity
Box   3 Folder   9	Background material
Box   3 Folder   10-13	Draft chapters for a book on Prohibition
	Series: Speeches and Other Remarks	⇧
Box   4 Folder   1-5	Correspondence and related material, 1944-1958
	Drafts and typed copies
Box   4 Folder   6	Undated
Box   4 Folder   7-10	1936-1958
Box   5 Folder   1-2	1959-1967
	Congressional Hearings
Box   5 Folder   3	White Bill, 1947
Box   5 Folder   4	Petrillo Hearing, 1948
	Series: NBC Subject File	⇧
Box   5 Folder   5	Adams, David, 1952-1956
	Affiliates
	Radio and Television
Box   5 Folder   6-7	Conventions, 1960-1963
Box   5 Folder   8	Meetings, 1953, 1958
Box   5 Folder   9	Station Trips, 1953, 1957-1960
	Radio
Box   6 Folder   1	General correspondence, 1955-1963
Box   6 Folder   2	Conventions, 1952, 1965
Box   6 Folder   3	Program Advisory Board, 1956
Box   6 Folder   4-5	Executive Committee, 1955-1960
Box   6 Folder   6	Regional Meetings, 1956
	Television
Box   6 Folder   7	General correspondence, 1955-1963
Box   6 Folder   8-10	Meetings, 1953-1965
Box   7 Folder   1-2	Executive Committee, 1955-1960
Box   7 Folder   3-4	Board of Delegates, 1958-1965
Box   7 Folder   5	American Telephone and Telegraph, 1951-1952
Box   7 Folder   6	Ampex Video Tape Recorder, 1956
Box   7 Folder   7-8	Bannister, Harry - Business correspondence, 1952-1958
Box   7 Folder   9	“Basic Economic Study,” 1952
Box   7 Folder   10	Bernstein, Leonard, 1959
Box   7 Folder   11	Beville, Hugh M., 1953-1956
Box   7 Folder   12	Cellomatic, 1959
Box   7 Folder   13-14	Clearance memos, 1956-1960
	Color Television
Box   8 Folder   1	General correspondence, 1954-1957
Box   8 Folder   2	Radio and TV Daily, 1959-1960
Box   8 Folder   3	Schedules, 1956-1960
Box   8 Folder   4	Twenty-one inch sets, 1954
Box   8 Folder   5	Columbia Broadcasting System, 1952-1953, 1958
Box   8 Folder   6	Comedy Writer Development Plan, 1955
Box   8 Folder   7	Committee for Economic Development, 1958-1960
Box   8 Folder   8	Compensation Committee Plan of Reduced Free Hours, 1952
Box   8 Folder   9	Culligan, Matthew J., 1956
Box   8 Folder   10	Damm, Walter J., 1958-1962
Box   8 Folder   11	Daylight Saving Time, 1952, 1956-1958
Box   8 Folder   12	Economic Club of Detroit, 1958
Box   8 Folder   13	Economic Data on Network Radio (report), 1952
Box   8 Folder   14-15	Educational Television, 1956-1961
Box   9 Folder   1-3	Federal Communications Commission, 1950-1960
Box   9 Folder   4	Fineschriber, William, 1953, 1955
Box   9 Folder   5	Government Committees, 1954-1956
Box   9 Folder   6	Heffernan, Joseph V., 1952-1955
Box   9 Folder   7	Herbert, John K., 1952, 1953
Box   9 Folder   8	How We Are Governed (reactions), 1957
Box   9 Folder   9	Incentive Compensation, 1959
Box   9 Folder   10	Kansas City-New Orleans Speech: Advertising Seminars, 1955
Box   9 Folder   11	Kintner, Robert, 1956-1963
Box   9 Folder   12	Lincoln Center, 1960
Box   9 Folder   13	Market Data for New Stations, 1954
Box   10 Folder   1	Milwaukee Journal1958-1959
Box   10 Folder   2-3	Miscellaneous, 1952-1965
Box   10 Folder   4	National Association of Radio and Television Broadcasters, 1951-1953
Box   10 Folder   5	National Association of Broadcasters, 1958-1965
	National Broadcasting Company
Box   10 Folder   6	News, 1957-1961, 1964
Box   10 Folder   7	Opera Company, 1956
Box   10 Folder   8	Western Radio Network, 1955
Box   10 Folder   9	National Telefilm Association Film Network, 1957
Box   10 Folder   10	Nielsen Coverage Service, 1952
Box   10 Folder   11	Option Time, 1952, 1956-1959
	Paar, Jack
Box   10 Folder   12	Party (Master of Ceremonies: Harry Bannister), 1958
Box   10 Folder   13	Miscellaneous, 1958-1961
Box   10 Folder   14	Pep Plan, 1955
Box   10 Folder   15-16	Personal, 1953-1965
	Political conventions and elections
Box   10 Folder   17	1951-1952
Box   11 Folder   1	1956-1958, 1961
Box   11 Folder   2	Proposals, 1956-1959
Box   11 Folder   3	Publishers Information Bureau Gross Billings, 1952
Box   11 Folder   4	Quiz Shows, 1958-1959
Box   11 Folder   5	Radio Agreements, 1957
Box   11 Folder   6	RCA Organization Notices, 1956
Box   11 Folder   7	Radio Executives Club, 1952
Box   11 Folder   8	Rates - Radio and TV, 1952
Box   11 Folder   9	Research, 1952, 1958, 1962
Box   11 Folder   10	Reynolds Metal, 1952
Box   11 Folder   11	Sales, 1952
Box   11 Folder   12	Sarnoff, David, 1955, 1957-1960
Box   11 Folder   13	Sarnoff, Robert, 1954-1965
Box   11 Folder   14	Sponsored Network Hours - Reports, 1952
Box   11 Folder   15	Stardust, 1959
Box   11 Folder   16	Station Acceptance of Sustaining Programs, 1952
Box   11 Folder   17	Station Assignments, 1952
Box   11 Folder   18	Station Clearances, 1957
Box   11 Folder   19	Station Compensation, 1956
Box   11 Folder   20	Station Representatives Association, 1955
Box   11 Folder   21-22	Stations, 1953-1963
Box   12 Folder   1	Stations Planning and Advisory Committee, 1950-1953
Box   12 Folder   2	Summer Schedules, 1952-1953, 1958
Box   12 Folder   3	Syracuse University, 1960
	Television
Box   12 Folder   4	Morning Programming, 1953
Box   12 Folder   5	Network Markets, 1952
Box   12 Folder   6	Network Rate Review, 1957
Box   12 Folder   7	Today, 1952, 1958
Box   12 Folder   8	Tonight, 1957
Box   12 Folder   9	Traffic Operations, 1952
Box   12 Folder   10	Trendex Ratings, 1956
	UHF
Box   12 Folder   11-12	General, 1954-1962
Box   12 Folder   13	Hearings, 1954-1955
Box   12 Folder   14	Variety, 1958
Box   12 Folder   15	Weaver, Sylvester L., 1954-1955
Box   12 Folder   16	Weekday, 1955
Box   12 Folder   17	Westinghouse, 1953-1961
Box   12 Folder   18	White, Frank, 1952-1953
Box   12 Folder   19	Year End Report - Station Relations, 1956
Box   13 Folder   1	Series: Articles and Newsclippings about Bannister, n.d., 1942-1965	⇧
Box   13 Folder   2	Series: Miscellany	⇧
	Series: Tape and Disc Recordings	⇧
Tape 432A No.   1	Speech at Canadian National Exhibition, Toronto, September 6, 1957
No.   2-3	NBC Dinner in honor of Jack Paar, Bannister introduces program. March 31, 1958
No.   4	Interview with Lillian Friedman on “World of Books,” WEVD, re The Education of a Broadcaster, June 30, 1965. Physical Description: 4 reels
No.   5	Obituary for Harry Bannister on WWJ radio and TV, April 27, 1967.
Disc 71A No.   1	Bannister's New Year's Message to WWJ listeners, December 31, 1947. Note: Side 2 is miscellaneous excerpts from WWJ programs.
No.   2	Bannister's New Year's Message, n.d.
No.   3-4	Bannister introduces NBC foreign correspondent Robert Magidorf to Detroit Economic Club Luncheon, June 7, 1948.
No.   5	Bannister interviews Eddie Cantor over WWJ, n.d.
No.   6	Interview with Lillian Friedman on “World of Books,” WEVD, re The Education of a Broadcaster, June 30, 1965.
No.   7	“Candid Medic: The Harry Bannister Case,” a private recording made by several of Bannister's friends, 1960.
No.   8	Portion of the radio program Double or Nothing, n.d.
No.   9-10	Description of General Patton speaking to his troops, apparently a radio broadcast, n.d.
No.   11-12	Speech by Fred Allen marking name change of WEAF to WNBC, ca. 1946
No.   13	Recorded letter between two unidentified individuals regarding Ty Cobb. March 23, 1952.