Albert H. Arkus papers, 1952-1998

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Summary

Creators:
Arkus, Albert H.
Abstract:
The collection relates mainly to technical and personnel aspects of Radio Free Europe and Radio Liberty broadcast operations, in particular at the New York Programming Center. It is comprised of correspondence, memoranda, newswires, reports, manuals, printed matter, photographs, slides, blueprints, sound recordings, and memorabilia.
Extent:
10 manuscript boxes, 4 oversize boxes, digital media (5.8 Linear Feet)
Language:
English
Preferred citation:

[Identification of item], Albert H. Arkus papers, [Box no., Folder no. or title], Hoover Institution Library & Archives.

Background

Scope and content:

The collection relates mainly to technical and personnel aspects of Radio Free Europe and Radio Liberty broadcast operations, in particular at the New York Programming Center. It is comprised of correspondence, memoranda, newswires, reports, manuals, printed matter, photographs, slides, blueprints, sound recordings, and memorabilia.

One strength of this collection lies in the documentation in the Radio Free Europe and Radio Liberty file of Pope John Paul II's visit to New York in 1979. Newswires provide the context for the event while the correspondence describe the steps and preparations the studio undertook for the Pope's arrival, including detailed agendas, maps of the arrival route, diagrams of designated press areas, and some photographs.

Most of the articles, clippings, and other printed matter in the collection relate to federal funding of RFE/RL, the technical complications of international broadcasting, and developments in sound and telecommunications technologies. The correspondence and memoranda in the Radio Free Europe and Radio Liberty file echo these same topics, but with more focus on the broadcast transmissions and other technical and personnel operations at the New York Programming Center from the late 1970s until its closure in 1994.

The audiocassette tapes in the Sound recordings series are comprised of recordings of news programs, speaking events, and studio audio tests.

Biographical / historical:
Date Event
March 3, 1929
Born, Henry Albert Arkus
1950
Joined Radio Free Europe as a studio recording technician
Graduated from Queens College with a degree in speech and physics
1975-1994
Worked as production manager and, later, broadcasting operations director of the RFE/RL New York Programming Center
March 5, 2001
Died, Great Neck, New York
Acquisition information:
Acquired by the Hoover Institution Library Archives in 2011.
Arrangement:

The collection is arranged in 6 series: Radio Free Europe and Radio Liberty file, Photographs and Slides, Printed matter, Sound recordings, Computer disks, and Memorabilia

Physical location:
Hoover Institution Library & Archives
Rules or conventions:
Describing Archives: A Content Standard

Access and use

Restrictions:

Box 14 may not be used without permission of the Archivist. The remainder of the collection is open for research; materials must be requested in advance via our reservation system. If there are audiovisual or digital media material in the collection, they must be reformatted before providing access.

Terms of access:

For copyright status, please contact the Hoover Institution Library & Archives.

Preferred citation:

[Identification of item], Albert H. Arkus papers, [Box no., Folder no. or title], Hoover Institution Library & Archives.

Location of this collection:
Hoover Institution Library & Archives, Stanford University
Stanford, CA 94305-6003, US
Contact:
(650) 723-3563
hooverarchives@stanford.edu
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