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Bill Rosendahl-Adelphia Communications Corporation Collection of Public Affairs Television Programs

Collection 104

Collection Description

COLLECTION TITLE AND NUMBER: Bill Rosendahl-Adelphia Communications Corporation Collection of Public Affairs Television Programs. Collection 104
ACCESSION NUMBER: 2010.20; Gift of Bill Rosendahl
COLLECTION SIZE: 380 linear feet
DATES: 1987-2006

LANGUAGES: English
CREATOR: Century Communications Corporation and Adelphia Communications Corporation
PROCESSING HISTORY: Processed by Taz Morgan

Bill Rosendahl, present Los Angeles City councilmember, hosted various public affairs programs from 1987 to 2003 on cable access channels run by the now defunct Century Communications Corporation and the now defunct Adelphia Communications Corporation. Rosendahl was also a top executive for regional operations within both companies. This collection consists of program tapes from these companies that Bill Rosendahl granted to Loyola Marymount University.

The Adelphia Communications Corporation Collection of Public Affairs Television Programs comprises videotapes and DVDs of cable access programs broadcast by Century and Adelphia between 1987 and 2006. Rosendahl worked for Century from 1987 to 1999. When Adelphia Communications Corporation acquired Century in 1999, Rosendahl joined Adelphia. He hosted and produced programs at Adelphia until 2003. The material in the collection spans Rosendahl’s time at both companies. It also includes programs that Adelphia produced after Rosendahl left the company in 2003 through its dissolution in 2006.

About 3450 programs are found in the collection on various formats including U-Matic, BetacamSP, Digital Betacam, DVCPRO, VHS, and DVD. Besides highlighting Rosendahl's role in public affairs television for Century and Adelphia, the collection also offers an illustrative view of the broad range of programming on the cable access channels from these two companies.

The collection contains extensive coverage of local, regional, and state politics and issues within Los Angeles, Southern California, and California, respectively. National and world affairs are also addressed in many programs. The collection holds episodic television shows such as "Week in Review," "Local Talk," "Beyond the Beltway," "The God Squad," "Mideast Perspective," "AIDS Update," and "Personal Best." Most of these shows are formatted around discussions amongst expert panelists with a host/moderator. The collection also contains over a thousand special programs reporting on public events, campaign races, procedural meetings, and public affairs issues. The collection covers a wide range of public policy topics and issues, including tax reform, healthcare, education, housing, and crime.

Many programs in the collection were hosted by Rosendahl. Other hosts of programs in the collection include Dan Blackburn, Bob Jimenez, Lila Garrett, Patt Morrison, Bob Stern, Tom Elias, and Terry Anzur. Because the department lacks machines to play the program tapes it was difficult to identify the names of all hosts and guests.

The Department of Archives and Special Collections, William H. Hannon Library, Loyola Marymount University does not have a complete record of guests and program moderators. From existing documentation on tape and DVD labels, some relevant names have been discerned. Videotapes have not been viewed by staff to verify contents.

For information on making an appointment to see the Adelphia collection television programs, please call the department at 310-338-5710; or e-mail the department: Special.Collections@lmu.edu.

Collection is open to research under the terms of use of the Department of Archives and Special Collections, Loyola Marymount University. Duplication of program tapes for research use is required in accordance with departmental policy regarding the formats of the videotapes of this collection: 

"Certain media formats may need specialized third party vendor services. If the department does not own a researcher access copy, the cost of reproduction, to be paid fully by patron, will include
1) any necessary preservation efforts upon the original,
2) a master file to be retained by Archives and Special Collections,
3) a researcher viewing copy to be retained by Archives and Special Collections, and,
4) the patron copy.
Pricing and project time-frame will be quoted upon individual request."

The length of time for duplication of tapes will depend on vendor services and the payment for these services by the party requesting the duplication of a videotape.

For all rules governing the use of our materials, consult the access policy of the Department of Archives and Special Collections, William H. Hannon Library, Loyola Marymount University, 1 LMU Drive, Los Angeles, CA 90045.

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