 | The Cavalier daily Wednesday, February 28, 1968 |  |
From Slithy Toves To Fanny Brice
University Recording Center Produces Variety Of Programs
By Tom Adams
Cavalier Daily Staff Writer
Most students at the University have never
heard of the Radio Television Center in
New Cabell Hall. From their crowded
studios come over 18,000 radio programs
a year as well as a variety of television
programs.
Recently The Slithy Toves were recorded
for a show on the Intercollegiate Broadcasting
System. Almost in contrast to The Toves
is a weekly fifteen minute show that is popular
in Charlottesville, "Music and Memories,"
that surveys popular performers and
melodies of the 1920's and 1930's.
Such stars as Ruty Etting, Helen Morgan,
Fanny Brice, Gene Austin, and Ted Lewis
"live again" via rare recordings.
Many of the old recordings on "Music
and Memories" come from the personal
collection of the Radio-Television Center's
director, Rod Collins.
Mr. Collins is a member of the Coon
Sander's Nighthawks Club, a group that is
interested in music from 20's and early 30's.
He gets records for "Music and Memories"
from fellow members.
Mr. Collins pointed out that the Nighthawks
were the first band to broadcast on a
regular basis.
When New Cabell was built in 1950 the
center began its radio taping under the
Department of Speech. WTJU broadcast
from the center then. Since they moved to
Emmet House, no broadcasting has been
done from the first floor of Cabell Hall.
The microphone that hangs from the
ceiling in Old Cabell Hall is linked with
the center, as are microphones in the Main
Ballroom, South Meeting Room and the
Visitor's Lounge of Newcomb Hall.
Most of the tapes produced at the center —Photos by Bush
radio station in the Commonwealth of Virginia.
The Alumni Fund allows many other
tapes to be sent free outside the state so that
tapes from the center are played, according
to Mr. Collins, "from coast to coast."
Besides this, their tapes are played
throughout the world on the Armed Forces
Network.
Many of the tapes recorded at the studios
of the Radio-Television Center are released
to the Intercollegiate Broadcasting System,
a network of 310 college and educational
stations. Mr. Collins is on the Board of
Directors of the IBS as well as manager of
their tapes services.
The IBS aims at enriching the field of
college and educational radio, which means
a regular program service, supplying stations
with audience-attracting public service
programs.
The network records television and radio
programs that the major commercial networks
will not bother with, but it also has
programs that the commercial networks are
afraid to show.
For example, the IBS offers a six-week
radio series on "The V.D. Epidemic."
Concerts and speeches at the University
are recorded by the center.
There is a great deal of routine work
also, such as language tape duplication.
Current shows offered by the University's
Radio-Television Center include: "According
to Mr. Jefferson," a 15 minute special
series that surveys Thomas Jefferson's views
on a variety of topics, gathered from his
writings; "Collector's Corner," a 25 minute
weekly show that is broadcast on the Armed
Forces Radio and Television Network, that
features rare European and American recordings;
and "The University Hour," a general-interest,
half-hour broadcast highlighting
important cultural events here at the
University.
The Radio-Television Center is in a period
of transition now as it is installing new
operating equipment including better television
cameras and producing tapes.
A series planned for release this year features
blues and jazz music in "A Moment
With the Slithy Toves," which will be a fifteen
minute broadcast.
The three large, windowless, and soundproof
rooms of the center are packed with
tape recordings, television cameras, tape
recorders and other gear that make the
center seem very small.
They hope to be able to move to larger
studios when some of the new building is
completed on the Grounds.
Much of the work at the center is done
with the aid of interested students without
whose help the center could not possibly
turn out the large volume of recorded material
that it does.
Funds to operate the center are provided
by the state. This allows it to send out any
tapes it produces to radio and television
stations in the state free of charge, but it
does not provide for this type of public service
to stations outside of the state except
when such organizations as the Educational
Publisher's Institute subsidize them.
Color television, larger sets that can accommodate
more than just a panel-type
discussion, and outdoor filming are a long
way off for the University center.
| The Cavalier daily Wednesday, February 28, 1968 | |