A Tale of Two Archives. National Ideal vs. Local Reality

The period of 1976 – 1990 stretches from the height of the network era of television in the US through deregulation and the proliferation of cable in the 1980s, resulting in the “multichannel” era of the 1990s. Throughout these changes, US television viewers mostly watched nationally-distributed content – whether on a local affiliate of the three big broadcast networks (ABC, NBC, CBS) or one of the new cable channels (HBO, MTV, ESPN). But throughout this time, “local television” was also being made by local stations for local viewers. In fact, this was a rich period for local production, much of it inspired by federal regulations requiring stations operate in the public interest. Because local television productions specifically addressed local audiences – often freed from commercial expectations – they are a rich resource for rethinking television and reconstructing cultural history. While this cultural value has not always led to adequate preservation, a number of archival approaches have emerged to preserve and encourage greater attention to, and appreciation for, local television in the US.