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Papers of
Paul K. Taff
Processed by: Domenic Morea
October 1993
2.5 lin. ft.
Biography | Scope and Content | Provenance | Series Descriptions
Paul Kenneth Taff was born January 21, 1920 in Belleville, Illinois. He received a bachelor's degree from Millikin University in 1941 and a Master's degree in radio-television from Northwestern University in 1948.
Taff began his broadcasting career in 1945 as the assistant program director for radio station KFUO, St. Louis. From 1948 to 1951, he served as program director for radio station WBEZ, Chicago. Leaving WBEZ in 1951, Taff became a district manager for Encyclopedia Britannica Films in Wilmette, Illinois. For one year, 1953-1954, Taff served as the assistant manager of television station WTVP in Decatur, Illinois. He joined television station WMVS in Milwaukee as its manager in 1954. In 1960, Taff moved to National Educational Television (NET).
At NET Taff worked as the assistant program director, director of program operations, and director of children's programming. As an executive producer for children's programming, he was responsible for the creation and production of highly acclaimed programs including Misterogers Neighborhood. In addition, Taff was one of the members of the planning group for Sesame Street and has served on the National Board of Advisors to the Children's Television Workshop (CTW), producer of Sesame Street.
Upon leaving NET, in 1970, Taff joined Connecticut Educational Telecommunications, in Hartford, where he served as the president and general manager until 1985. After 1985, he remained with Connecticut Public Broadcasting as a consultant and has been the executive director of the Connecticut Broadcasters Association since 1986.
Paul Taff, through the years, has been associated with a number of public broadcasting organizations. He has served as chairman of the International Board of Advisors of the Munich based "Prix Jeuenesse," an international organization established to encourage better children's television programming. Taff has also been a member of the National Association of Educational Broadcasters (NAEB) and one of the children's program directors of the Educational Broadcasting Union (EBU). His board and committee memberships have included: the National Public Radio (NPR) Committee on Long Range Planning and Legislation Resource Group; the National Public Radio (NPR) advisory committee for services to the print handicapped; the Public Broadcasting Service (PBS) board of managers; the Eastern Educational Television Network (EEN) board; the Eastern Public Radio Network (EPRN) board; the Media and Communications Task Force to plan for the White House conference on families, 1970, co-chairman and one of the three national trustees of the Public Radio Transponder (Westar IV).
Taff has received many awards throughout his career including: the National Educational Award for Excellence in 1970, the 1976 Alumni Merit Award from Millikin University, the 1977 Abe Lincoln Award-Certificate of Excellence from the Television Commission of the Southern Baptist Convention, and a honorary Doctor of Humane Letters from the University of New Haven in 1983.
The Papers of Paul K. Taff cover the years 1959 to 1984. The bulk of the materials date from 1963 to 1984. Types of documents include: articles, artwork, clippings, correspondence, directories, notes, press-releases, publications, reports and speeches. The collection contains many reports by National Educational Television (NET) on public broadcasting, especially children's programming. Most of the NET material dates from when Taff was at NET. Other material in the collection focuses on public broadcasting in general as well as children's television and public broadcasting legislation.
The collection consists of two series:
The Papers of Paul K. Taff were donated to the National Public Broadcasting Archives, University of Maryland Libraries by Paul K. Taff in August of 1992, April of 1993 and July of 1993.
Series 1: Subject Files, 1959-1984 (0.5 lin. ft.)
This series contains a variety of reports, documents, publications,
collected by Paul K. Taff. Most of the items in the series concern public
broadcasting, public television and television programming, especially
for children.
- Subseries 1: National Educational Television (NET), 1963-1984
This subseries is comprised of articles, artwork, reports and correspondence and press releases dating from Taff's time at NET. Topics such as the history of educational television and children's programming at NET are discussed. This subseries contains some press releases and correspondence concerning the television shows Mister Rogers Neighborhood and What's New. A progress report of the Children's Television Workshop is also contained in this subseries. It is arranged alphabetically by folder title.
- Subseries 2: Legislative Materials, 1974-1975
This subseries includes Taff's testimony to Congress in 1974 on the subject of how Congress can better communicate to the American people via mass media. Information on a court case brought against the Federal Communications Commission in 1975, by Accuracy in Media Inc., regarding objectivity in broadcasting, is also contained within this subseries. It is arranged chronologically.
- Subseries 3: Children's Television Programming (general), 1959-1978
This subseries contains a report on the Children's Television Workshop and other information on children's television programming. It is arranged alphabetically by folder title.
- Subseries 4: Public Broadcasting Clippings/Articles/Reports and Publications,
1963-1984
This subseries is a collection of miscellaneous materials concerning public broadcasting. Other materials include: a transcript of a discussion with Edward R. Murrow on the responsibilities of television, some National Association of Educational Broadcasters speeches and a report discussing instructional television. This subseries was arranged alphabetically by folder title.
This series contains memorabilia from National Educational Television (NET) including some NET banners and artwork from the television show What's New.
