Robert M. Reed Papers
Abstract
Robert M. Reed gained initial broadcasting experience as a production manager at WETV, Atlanta, Georgia from 1958 to 1960. Then, he worked at WHA-TV, at the University of Wisconsin from 1960 to 1962. Other public broadcasting positions included serving on the National Association of Educational Broadcasters' TV Planning and TV Advisory Committees from 1962 to 1964, working at KUED (Salt Lake City) as its manager in 1978, and belonging to the Pacific Mountain Network's board of governors (1976-1979) and PBS's board of directors (1978-1979). Reed was also the executive director of PBS Video from 1969-1976. The collection documents Reed's involvement on the TV Planning and TV Advisory Committees of the National Association of Educational Broadcasters, his work at the Public Broadcasting Service as a director, and his interest in the use of new media in college teaching.
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This collection is open for research use.
Robert M. Reed Papers, Special Collections, University of Maryland Libraries.
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Historical Note
Robert Monroe Reed, son of Carl A. and Hazel A. (Dockendorf) Reed, was born on February 18, 1932 in Sheldon, Iowa. He served in the U.S. Navy from 1949 to 1952 in Korea. Two years later, he married Maxine Kathryn Gordon with whom he had three children named Robert G., Richard K. and Deri L. He then earned his BA from the University of Iowa in 1956 and his MA from the University of Michigan in 1958.
Reed's public broadcasting career began as a production manager at WETV, Atlanta, Georgia from 1958 to 1960. Then, he served as a program manager at WHA-TV, Madison, Wisconsin from 1960 to 1962. While in Wisconsin, he started his involvement in the national arena of public broadcasting, serving as a member on the National Association of Educational Broadcasters' TV Planning and TV Advisory Committees from 1962 to 1964.
In 1962, Reed founded KHET-TV Honolulu, Hawaii and was its general manager until 1969. During the summer of 1962, he taught a course on using television as a teaching aid at the University of Hawaii. In 1964, having left the University of Wisconsin, Reed received a permanent appointment at the University of Hawaii, where he was an associate professor and an associate director of the Communications Center. He also served as chairman of the Honolulu Council of Churches in 1965. He then went to Washington, DC where he was executive director of PBS Video from 1969 to 1976. Next, he served as the general manager of KUED-TV Salt Lake City, Utah, from 1976 to 1978.
Reed's professional memberships document his involvement in educational and public broadcasting. He also belonged to the Association of Educational Communications and Technology and was part of the Rocky Mountain Corporation of Public Broadcasting, serving as its director for 1977 to 1979. Reed served as a director, and as a member of the board of governors of the Pacific Mountain Network from 1976 to 1979, and served as one of the Public Broadcasting Service directors from 1978 to 1979.
From 1978 to 1988, Reed served as executive vice president of the National Video Clearinghouse, Inc. and has been the president of Reed-Gordon Publishing, Inc. from 1988 to the present. He has been a consultant for the Toronto Board of Education, the U.S. Department of Health, Education and Welfare, and the National Science Foundation. He wrote the books American Telecommunications Market (1982), and co-authored with his wife Maxine, Career Opportunities in TV and Video (1982, 1986, 1990) and published the annuals The Video Source Book (1978-1989) and Video Tape/Disc Guides (1978-1988). In 1989, Reed began working on a book which will trace the history and development of each public broadcasting station.
Scope and Contents of the Collection
The Robert M. Reed Papers cover the years 1954 to 1991, with the bulk of the materials from 1971 to 1978. The collection documents Reed's involvement on the TV Planning and TV Advisory Committees of the National Association of Educational Broadcasters, his work at the Public Broadcasting Service as a director, and his interest in the use of new media in college teaching. Types of documents include articles, legislative documents, lyrics, reports, speeches, and a video tape reel.
Custodial History and Acquisition Information
The Robert M. Reed Papers was donated to the University of Maryland at College Park Libraries by Robert M. and Max Reed in September of 1991 and April of 1993.
Processing Information
Processed by Karen E. King, February 1996
EAD markup created using EAD database in Microsoft Access. Markup completed by Chris Stoner, February 2006.
Arrangement of Collection
Organized as two series.
Detailed Description of the Collection
Series 1: National Association of Educational Broadcasters, 1954-1978 (3 folders)
This series focuses on educational television stations in 1954 as well as the status of the National Association of Educational Broadcasters in 1978. The materials are arranged in chronological order.
| Description | Series | Box / Reel | Folder / Frame | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Television Operations Committee, comp. "Survey of Educational Television Stations", undated | series 1 | box 1 | folder 1 | |
| Basic Reference Library, undated | series 1 | box 1 | folder 2 | |
| Members Meeting - Remarks of the President, undated | series 1 | box 1 | folder 3 | |
Series 2: Instructional Broadcasting/Public Broadcasting, 1968-1991 (0.50 linear feet)
This series looks at issues of long-range planning and financing of public broadcasting as well as the use of media in college teaching. Also included are lyrics written by Robert and Max Reed which they performed at public broadcasting conferences and meetings. The materials are arranged by first instructional broadcasting materials and then public broadcasting materials in chronological order.
| Description | Series | Box / Reel | Folder / Frame | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Thornton, James W. and James W. Brown. New Media and College Teaching, 1968 | series 2 | box 1 | folder 4 | |
| Reed, Robert M. and Max. "Public Broadcasting Lyrics", cover letter, 1971-1982, 1991 | series 2 | box 1 | folder 5 | |
| CPB Report Vol. VIII, No. 24 [ten year retrospective on public broadcasting], November 7, 1977 | series 2 | box 1 | folder 6 | |
| PBS. Long-Range Planning for Public Television Volume Two: Reports & Appendices -- Errata, Table of Contents, Sections 1-4, June 1978 | series 2 | box 1 | folder 7 | |
| PBS. Long-Range Planning for Public Television Volume Two: Reports & Appendices -- Sections 5-8, June 1978 | series 2 | box 1 | folder 8 | |
| PBS. Long-Range Planning for Public Television Volume Two: Reports & Appendices -- Sections 9-11, June 1978 | series 2 | box 1 | folder 9 | |
| PBS. Long-Range Planning for Public Television Volume Two: Reports & Appendices -- Sections 12-15, June 1978 | series 2 | box 1 | folder 10 | |
| PBS. Long-Range Planning for Public Television Volume Two: Reports & Appendices -- Sections 16-20, June 1978 | series 2 | box 1 | folder 11 | |
| "Window on the Future" Public Telecommunications Review Vol. 6, No. 4, July/August 1978 | series 2 | box 1 | folder 12 | |
| U.S House. 95th Congress, 2nd Session. Public Telecommunications Financing Act of 1978 Report 95-1774, October 12, 1978 | series 2 | box 1 | folder 13 | |
| [Videotape]: "Male Person's Chorus" KOAP-TV-10, Oregon Educational and Public Broadcasting Service, May 23, 1978 | series 2 | box 2 | folder 1 | |
Related Material
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Selected Search Terms
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Subjects
- Educational broadcasting -- United States.
- National Association of Educational Broadcasters.
- Reed, Robert M. -- Archives.