Joseph Giardina NBC collection, 1937-1953
Part of collection: Records of other RCA divisions (2464-80)
Dates
- Creation: 1937-1953
Biographical Note
Joseph Giardina is the CTO/CEO of a radio frequency services company, DSI RF Systems, Inc., in Somerset, New Jersey. While working atop the Empire State Building in the 1980s he found a variety of abandoned RCA and NBC documents. Giardina donated some of these documents to the David Sarnoff Library.
The Empire State Building has had a transmitting antenna atop its structure since its construction was completed in 1931. The National Broadcasting Company (NBC) began experimental transmissions from the antenna in December of 1931 and by 1939 the first regular television broadcasts were introduced. Engineers from both RCA and NBC were involved in the research, testing, design, and construction of the Empire State Building broadcasting tower. In 1950 RCA Chairman David Sarnoff and New York City Mayor William O’Dwyer drove the first rivets into the base of the Empire State Building’s broadcast tower which allowed for the installation of multiple TV/FM antennas. Presently, Empire State Building Broadcasting offers technical facilities to the New York, New Jersey, and Connecticut designated market area for radio, television, and point-to-point broadcasting.
Scope and Content
The Joseph Giardina NBC collection is composed of correspondence, invoices, tests, schematics, and notes related to the broadcasting tower on top of the Empire State Building. The collection also contains correspondence and patents related to Armstrong v. Radio Corporation of America and National Broadcasting Company.
Arrangement
Folders are arranged alphabetically by subject.
Extent
From the Collection: 7 Linear Feet
Language of Materials
From the Collection: English
Additional Description
Access Restrictions
This collection contains material from the Manuscripts and Archives Department (M&A) and the Audiovisual Collections and Digital Initiatives Department (AVD). Box prefixes indicate which department holds an individual file or item.
Records subject to 25-year time seal.
Arrangement
Folders are arranged alphabetically by subject.
Provenance
Donated to the David Sarnoff Library by Joseph Giardina.
Processing Notes
Processed by Ashley Giordano, 2016.
Related Names
Subject
- Giardina, Joseph (Person)
- National Broadcasting Company (Organization)
Creator
- From the Collection: RCA Corporation (Organization)
Repository Details
Repository Details
Part of the Manuscripts and Archives Repository
