RCA Corporation, Marketing Research Department records
Creation: 1958-1995 Creation: Majority of material found within 1970sAbstract
Radio Corporation of America (RCA) was a leading manufacturer and vendor of radios, phonographs, televisions, and a wide array of consumer and military electronics products. It was incorporated in Delaware on October 17, 1919, and changed its name to RCA Corporation on May 9, 1969. This small collection consists of materials produced by RCA's Marketing Research Department, including an inventory of equipment at television stations nationwide. There are images, primarily from the National Association of Broadcasters (NAB), showing products, booths, and people. The collection also consists of product literature obtained at NAB events. Most of the materials date to the 1970s.
Dates
- Creation: 1958-1995
- Creation: Majority of material found within 1970s
Creator
- RCA Corporation (Organization)
Extent
1.25 Linear Feet
Historical Note
Radio Corporation of America (RCA) was a leading manufacturer and vendor of radios, phonographs, televisions, and a wide array of consumer and military electronics products. It was incorporated in Delaware on October 17, 1919, and changed its name to RCA Corporation on May 9, 1969. Through subsidiaries, it operated the country’s first radiotelegraph, radiotelephone, and radio facsimile systems, as well as its pioneer radio and television networks. The company is associated with David Sarnoff (1891-1971), who began working for a predecessor company as an office assistant in 1906, became vice president in 1922, president in 1930, and served as chairman from 1947 to 1970. Sarnoff was one of the first to grasp the full potential of radio and television and imparted to the company its reputation for research and innovation.
Scope and Contents
This small collection consists of materials produced by RCA's Marketing Research Department. It is arranged into three series: Television station inventory surveys, Market research reports, and RCA product literature.
The Television station inventory surveys series consists of an inventory of equipment at television stations nationwide. Lytle Hoover (1932-) collected the data as an employee of RCA in the Marketing Research Department. The department sent out a questionnaire to television stations requesting a list of their inventory, and a surprisingly high number responded, even those without RCA equipment. The data was entered into an RCA mainframe computer and printed out.
The Market research reports series consists of two market research reports. One is titled "Supplement to How the Video Tape Recording Business Looks," from 1958. A second is titled "ENG/EFP Field Survey," from 1979.
The conference product literature series has been arranged into three subseries: RCA product literature; Competitors' product literature; and Vendors' products, events, and booths.
The RCA product literature subseries contains information booklets and technical specifications about specific RCA products. These include tape recorders, cameras, film multiplexers, and transmitters. There are also some images of the Camden plant.
The Competitors' product literature subseries consists of brochures, booklets, and flyers about related products from numerous competitors that had booths at National Association of Broadcasters (NAB) shows.
The Vendors' products, events, and booths subseries consists of slides primarily from NAB shows. Many slides include descriptive information written on the slide itself.
Access Restrictions
No restrictions on access; this collection is open for research.
Language of Materials
English
Additional Description
Provenance
Gift of Lytle Hoover, 2024.
Subjects
Finding Aid & Administrative Information
- Title:
- RCA Corporation, Marketing Research Department records
- Author:
- Laurie Sather
- Date:
- 2024
- Description rules:
- Describing Archives: A Content Standard
- Language of description:
- English
- Script of description:
- Latin
Repository Details
Repository Details
Part of the Audiovisual Collections Repository
