Register of the Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty Multiple Language Service records
Finding aid prepared by Tanya Yule
Hoover Institution Library and Archives
© 2008, 2016, 2019, 2022
434 Galvez Mall
Stanford University
Stanford, CA 94305-6003
hoover-library-archives@stanford.edu
Title: Multiple Language Service records
Date (inclusive): 1953-2006
Collection Number: 2000C120
Contributing Institution: Hoover Institution Library and Archives
Language of Material: In Armenian, Azerbaijani, Belarusian, Bulgarian, Czech, Estonian, English, Georgian, Hungarian, Kazakh, Kyrgyz, Latvian, Lithuanian,
Persian, Serbian, Croatian, Polish, Romanian, Russian, Uzbek, Ukrainian, Slovak, Tatar, Bashkir, Tajik, Turkmen, Pashto, Crimean
Tatar; Crimean Turkish, Pushto; Pashto
Physical Description:
133 manuscript boxes, 196 audio boxes
(227.0 Linear Feet)
Abstract: American radio broadcasting organization operating Radio Free Europe and Radio Liberty. The Multiple Languge Services records
include event file listings, program logs, tape library, and sound recordings for multiple languages.
Creator:
RFE/RL.
Physical Location: Hoover Institution Library & Archives
Access
The collection is open for research; materials must be requested in advance via our reservation system. If there are audiovisual
or digital media material in the collection, they must be reformatted before providing access.
Use
RFE/RL welcomes the re-use, republication, and redistribution for research and educational purposes of audio, video, text,
and graphic content produced by RFE/RL, Inc., its legal predecessor organizations, and its constituent language Services.
Users of RFE/RL content from this website must include in their work the information: "Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty content,
including but not limited to recordings of broadcasts, program scripts, graphic and video content and web-based content, is
protected by U.S. and international copyright laws. Used with the permission of RFE/RL, Inc., 1201 Connecticut Ave NW, Washington,
DC 20036, USA. ""www.rferl.org".
Users of RFE/RL content cannot alter the meaning, name or integrity of the content. The sale of RFE/RL content is strictly
prohibited. Some of the RFE/RL content on this website may contain content created by outside parties ("Third-Party Content").
Before using any RFE/RL products containing Third-Party Content, you must first obtain permission from the owner of the rights
to the Third-Party Content. Unlimited reproduction for institutional or other use of RFE/RL content found on this website
is not permitted without the express written permission of RFE/RL.
Learn more about the Terms of Use for RFE/RL content on the RFE/RL website. Inquiries about copyright permission involving
materials in RFE/RL archival collections should be emailed to: Martins Zvaners, RFE/RL Deputy Director of Communications.
Acquisition Information
Acquired by the Hoover Institution Library & Archives in 2000.
Preferred Citation
[Identification of item], Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty Multiple Language Service records, [Box no., Folder no. or title],
Hoover Institution Library & Archives.
Processing Information
In 2019 Archivist Tanya Yule processed the paper records for the Multiple Language Service records, updating from the former
Multiple Language Services Sound Recordings.
Scope and Content of Collection
Includes event file listings, program logs, tape library, and sound recordings for multiple languages. The sound recordings
series contains contents from a variety of language services: Armenian, Azerbaijani, Belarusian, Bulgarian, Czech, Estonian,
Georgian, Kazakh, Kyrgyz, Latvian, Lithuanian, North Caucasus, Persian (Radio Azadi, Radio Farda), Polish, Radio Free Afghanistan
(Radio Azadi), Radio Free Iraq, Radio Marshaal, Romanian, Russian, Slovak, South Slavic (Balkan), Tajik, Tatar-Bashkir, Turkmen,
Ukrainian and Uzbek. Programming includes broadcast recordings, music and other recordings. No digital use copies are available
for immediate access.
From August 24, 1995 through October 31, 2006, Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty committed its broadcast recordings to multi-channel
logging media. Recordings of programs broadcast August 24, 1995 through August 26, 1999 are saved on VHS tapes encoded using
Racal Wordsafe machines while recordings broadcast September 25, 1999 through October 31, 2006 are on DDS tapes encoded using
an RCS Tracker system. Both systems recorded multiple concurrent tracks of audio, capturing on one tape the content of several
different transmitters. The Racal Wordsafe system captured twelve concurrent tracks, each 25 hours in duration, meaning each
tape has the potential to hold 300 hours of content. Tape is not the only storage mechanism for audio recorded using the RCS
Tracker system – it created audio files independent of tape, to be saved in whatever manner the user preferred – however tape
(DDS in this case) was the method chosen by RFE/RL. Each tape contains upward of eight concurrent tracks; multiple decks operated
simultaneously affording the capture of all operating transmitters. The reader should note that, for inventory purposes, tapes
from this period are counted as single physical items despite containing multiple recordings from different language services.
Consequently, the sound recordings from this era constitute 6,809 physical items rather than the 55,800 audio recordings the
media.
Subjects and Indexing Terms
Radio broadcasting -- Europe, Eastern
Radio broadcasting -- Soviet Union
Audiotapes
Radio Free Europe
Radio Liberty
Event File Lisitings
1992-1995
box 9817, folder 1-5
Czech and Slovak
1993-1995
Program Logs
1995-2002
Scope and Contents
Each log contains multiple language services that were broadcasted for the pertaining date. The original order of the binders
has been left.
box 9925
2001 December-2002 January
box 9940, folder 1
Miscellaneous
1993 May
Scope and Contents
Contains multiple language services within one binder.
Standby Programs
1964-1995
Polish
1979-1982, undated
Romanian
1964-1995, undated
Sound recordings
1956-2006, undated
Physical Description: 783, 1/4-inch sound tape reels 697 VHS sound videocassettes 330 CD-R sound discs 4,976 DDS electronic sound tape reels
Access
Original audiovisual materials are not available until they have been reformatted. If interested in
accessing these materials, please contact us for more information.
