From 1924 until 1997, WNYC Radio was owned and operated by the City of New York as the Municipal Broadcasting Station for “Instruction, Enlightenment, and Entertainment.” WNYC turns 100 this year, and its history is intimately tied with not just City government, but the NYC Municipal Archives. From the very first broadcast on July 8, 1924, photographed by Eugene de Salignac, to recent collaborative grants to digitize historic broadcasts housed in the Municipal Archives, this exhibit will use archival photographs, ephemera, and audio clips to celebrate WNYC’s history and importance to the City of New York. John Glenn and John F. Kennedy, Martin Luther King Jr. and Malcolm X, Josephine Baker and Bob Dylan, astronauts and politicians, artists, musicians, and poets all made appearances on WNYC. The founder of the Municipal Archives, librarian Rebecca Rankin, even had her own radio program on WNYC.
Organizations
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NYC Department of Records & Information Services
Established in 1977, the Department of Records and Information Services (DORIS) preserves and provides public access to historical and contemporary records and information about New York City government. They operate the Municipal Archives, the Municipal Library, and the Records Center.
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New York Public Radio
Grover Whalen, Commissioner of the Dept. of Plant and Structures, launched WNYC Radio in 1924. Through their original programming and recordings made at City Hall events and press conferences, WNYC Radio reporters, engineers, and producers captured a wide range of important cultural and political personalities. Over time, WNYC Radio grew into both AM and FM stations, as well as a television station that enhanced the civic life of New Yorkers until WNYC TV was sold to a commercial buyer in 1996. WNYC AM and FM continue today as the core of New York Public Radio, a non-profit organization that also includes WQXR, WQXW, New Jersey Public Radio, Gothamist and The Jerome L. Greene Performance Center.
100 Years of WNYC
Featuring: Various Artists
Curated by: Michael Lorenzini Andy Lanset
Locations
ON VIEW AT: Container 31
View Location Details Download a detailed map of this location Brooklyn Bridge Park – Emily Warren Roebling Plaza1 Water St
Brooklyn, NY 11201
This location is part of Brooklyn Bridge Park
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