Northwestern University Reviewing Stand Audiotapes

The Northwestern University Archives' collection of audiotape recordings from the Reviewing Stand radio program dates from 1959 to 1985 and fills 54 records center cartons. The primary purpose of the Reviewing Stand was to broadcast thoughtful, stimulating discussions relating to politics, public policy, world affairs, and issues of national and local significance. The program attempted to provide information and analysis for the better understanding of problems and issues.

The show aired on a weekly basis -- with several exceptions -- over Chicago station WGN and the Mutual Broadcasting System, and each week's broadcast featured a different discussion topic. Those topics ranged from civil rights to political economy, elections, economic conditions and forecasts, labor relations, and more. Each show had a format similar to that of a panel discussion. There was a moderator, as many as four guests with knowledge pertinent to the topic at hand, and sometimes Northwestern undergraduate or graduate students who discussed or debated the issue of the week.

The audiotapes are arranged in chronological order with only a few exceptions. The great bulk of the recordings are identified with a sequential program number, reflecting chronology, with the exception of the first 100 tapes (dating from March 8, 1959 through September 12, 1962). Many of the tapes in the collection are duplicated and therefore noted multiple times in the itemized listing appended to this finding aid. Sometimes Reviewing Stand programs were re-aired at later dates. These re-runs are often, but not always, listed with a number and then a letter (i.e. 714a).

Audiotapes are identified as well by program title. The names of program guests are less frequently listed. Most often, the date listed for each audiotape is that on which the program was broadcast. For many of the audiotapes, the recording date is also listed or listed as an alternative. For a sizeable number of tapes, no specific date is known.

A detailed inventory of the audiotapes is appended to this finding aid.