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Papers of
Richard J. Meyer

Processed by: Irmina Ulysse and Edmund F. Wehrle
June 1994
6.5 lin. ft.

Biography | Scope and Content | Provenance | Series Descriptions

BIOGRAPHY

Richard Jonah Meyer was born in Brooklyn, New York on February 15, 1933 to Max and Evelyn Meyer. While in college, Meyer became involved with the university radio station. After his graduation in 1954, Meyer entered Stanford's Master's program in Radio, TV and Drama. During this time, he worked as a production assistant intern at KQED in San Francisco and for his grandfather's business. In 1956, Meyer was drafted into the U.S. Army. After two years service, he returned to Stanford to complete his M.A.

In 1960, Meyer took a job producing educational television programs for a commercial station in Wichita, Kansas. In 1964, Meyer moved to New York City to pursue a Ph.D. in communications at New York University under Charles Siepmann, a founder of the British Broadcasting Company. Meyer completed his doctoral work in 1967, his doctoral dissertation entitled "The Development of Educational Television Councils in New York State."

In 1965, a unique opportunity opened for Meyer. The New York City Board of Education (NYCBE) had recently announced that it was severing its ties to New York Channel 13 (WNDT) and starting its own educational channel. The NYCBE took all available funds with it, leaving WNDT practically bankrupt. Meyer received an offer from WNDT to organize the remaining suburban school subscribers into a viable school television service. Meyer took the job, organizing the suburban schools into a loose affiliation, and obtaining state aid from Albany. Meyer did a variety of jobs while at WNDT, working as manager of utilization, then as director of the school televisions service, and later as a producer. In 1970, following a merger with National Educational Television (NET), Meyer became vice president of the education division of the newly consolidated station WNET.

In 1972, Meyer was offered a job as manager of one of the oldest public television stations in the U.S., KCTS (channel 9) in Seattle. At KCTS, Meyer found a station whose facilities were designed for radio rather than television, whose outdated equipment and budget had not changed in seventeen years. Meyer quickly secured a grant from the Department of Health, Education, and Welfare for equipment. He recruited Hope Green, from WGBH in Boston, as a fund raising consultant, and began raising money through membership drives. Within three years, KCTS had a budget of more than a million dollars.

Meyer's philosophy of public television insisted that it serve the broadest community and that "resources which belong to the people should be serving the people." In Seattle, Meyer sought to make KCTS's advisory board more representative of the community by adding new members. Meyer also reassigned instructional program staff to public affairs projects and started telephone hookups with the viewing audience.

Meyer accepted a position as general manager of KERA-TV/FM in Dallas in 1982, the position he currently holds. Besides his work at KERA, Meyer is an adjunct Professor at the University of North Texas where he teaches courses in film and broadcasting and The University of Texas at Dallas where he teaches courses in film and broadcasting.

Meyer has contributed chapters to many books and produced articles for several major journals. Between 1979 through 1984, he served on the Public Broadcasting Service Board of Directors. He has also served as a television and education consultant for many organizations and several foreign countries.

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SCOPE AND CONTENT

The Papers of Richard J. Meyer cover the years 1951 to 1981, with the bulk of materials dating from 1965 to 1975. The papers include publications and reports, Meyer's own writings, materials relating to Meyer's work on several committees and conventions, and some limited correspondence. The collection documents Meyer's work in public television management in New York and Seattle, plus his general interest in public and educational television.

The collection consists of four series:

PROVENANCE

The Papers of Richard J. Meyer were donated to the National Public Broadcasting Archives, University of Maryland Libraries by Richard J. Meyer in November of 1992.

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SERIES DESCRIPTIONS

Series 1: Writings of Richard J. Meyer, 1967-1969 (0.25 lin. ft.)

This series contains the writings of Richard J. Meyer, from 1967 to 1969. Included is Meyer's Ph.D. dissertation for the School of Education of New York University entitled "The Development of Educational Television Councils in New York State," and a 1968 article on educational television and a pamphlet, "The Evolution of Educational Television in New York State."

Series 2: Publications and Reports, 1951-1981 (4.5 lin. ft.)

This series features publications and reports gathered by Meyer, relating to his involvement with public and educational television. In particular, materials reflect Meyer's work at WNDT and WNET in New York City, and station KCTS in Seattle, as well as his interest in various national and international organizations and endeavors relating to educational television. Types of documents include reports, pamphlets, articles, booklets, manuscripts, correspondence, and grant applications.

Series 3: Conferences and Committees, 1958-1974 (0.25 lin. ft.)

This series contains material relating to Meyer's work on Conferences and Committees, from 1958 to 1974. Included are programs, agendas, conference reports, and notes. Organizations represented include the Instructional Television Fixed Service Committee for Central New York, National Friends of Public Broadcasting, and the Corporation for Public Broadcasting Task Force.

Series 4: Audio-Visual Materials, 1963-1970 (1.5 lin. ft.)

This series contains fifteen 7" audio tapes and two 9 1/2" films, dating from 1963 to 1970, relating to Meyer's work in NYC. The audio tapes include Meyer's 1970 comments to the curriculum utilization convocation, the proceeding of the 1967 National Association of Educational Broadcasters Convention, and comments from Meyer's Ph.D. advisor Charles A. Siepmann.

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