The Bill Rosendahl-Adelphia Communications Corporation Collection of Public Affairs Television Programs consists of videotapes and DVDs, which document the public affairs television programming of Century Communications Corporation and Adelphia Communications Corporation in the Los Angeles metropolitan area between 1987 and 2006.

Century Communications Corporation, a major provider of cable television services, was founded by Leonard Tow in 1973. Century Communication's first acquisition was four lagging cable TV markets in California, which were owned by Cablecom General. During the late 1980s, the company acquired new markets and improved its existing operations. Its cable subscribership ballooned to 721 million in 1988 as company revenues soared past $160 million. Bill Rosendahl, Regional Vice President of Adelphia, television program producer, and donor of this collection, was born in 1945 and raised in Englewood, New Jersey. Rosendahl became active in politics as a student in the 1960s involved in the civil rights movement. As a graduate student, Rosendahl took a leave of absence from his studies to work for the 1968 presidential campaign of Robert F. Kennedy. In 1979, President Jimmy Carter brought Rosendahl into his administration to be chief of operations in the trade and development program. When Carter was defeated by Ronald Reagan in 1980, Rosendahl relocated to Los Angeles and entered broadcasting. Before signing on with Century Cable, Rosendahl worked for Westinghouse Broadcasting Company.

380 linear feet

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