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| 2017.0011 [RADIO] |
| Date Range of Records: |
1972-2010 |
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The Greer Archive has been made available due to its historical and research importance. Statements which form part of the collection are not made on behalf of the University and do not represent the University’s views. It contains material that some researchers might find confronting. This includes: explicit language and images that reflect either the attitudes of the era in which the material was originally published or the views of the creators of the material but may not be considered appropriate today; names, images and voices of deceased Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people in published and unpublished printed material, audio recordings and photographs; graphic descriptions of medical conditions and treatment.
The Germaine Greer Radio Series comprises 3 units of material relating to Greer’s involvement in radio between 1972 and 2010. As well as materials documenting Greer’s radio appearances, the series also contains evidence of proposed programs, cancelled programs and rejected invitations. The series contains a total of 232 files consisting of handwritten, typed and printed correspondence, contacts, schedules, scripts and various research materials. When first acquired by UMA the series was housed in brown folders and arranged in date order from most recent to earliest. Each item has since been rehoused in an acid free folder and the original arrangement has been reversed to run chronologically from earliest to most recent. Original titles have been retained and inscribed on the new folders.
The earliest record in the series is from 1972 and consists of correspondence relating to Greer’s participation in an episode of British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) radio program ‘Now Read On’. The most recent record is from 2010 and consists of correspondence with BBC Radio Scotland and relates to an interview with Greer in celebration of the 40-year anniversary of the publication of Greer’s book ‘The Female Eunuch’.
Radio Programs produced by the BBC overwhelmingly dominate the series and there are several programs that Greer appears on regularly. Within the scope of the collection there are 31 files relating to Greer’s participation on BBC radio panel discussion ‘Any Questions’, with Greer’s first appearance occurring in 1975 and final appearance in 2010. Another program Greer had repeated involvement with was BBC news program ‘Start the Week’ with Greer appearing on the program 21 times within the scope of this series. Greer also appeared on BBC’s “Woman’s Hour’ 15 times and celebrity game show ‘Quote… Unquote” 10 times.
While the broadcasting company was most often the BBC, the programs represented in the series are extremely diverse, ranging from celebrity game shows to current affairs news programs and radio documentaries. Included are an assortment of radio programs focusing on broad topics such as music, theatre, literature, fine art and gardening. Greer is often called upon to attend and review art exhibitions, film screenings and theatre performances, and as such several files contain relevant event programs, tickets and details of hotel accommodation and transportation in and out of London.
Greer’s passion for music is evident throughout the series with several appearances by Greer on music based radio programs such as: Desert Island Discs (1988), Full Score (1994-95), Spirit of the Age (1995), Private Passion (1995), Rock Wives (98), Friday Night is Music Night (1996), Proms (1997), A Sound Read (1998), and In Tune (1999). Gardens and gardening are also a reoccurring theme with appearances on: Gardeners Question Time (1987), Parkes and Gardens (1998), and Excess Baggage (2000) in which Greer was accompanied by her sister Jane to review the Botanical Gardens in Wales.
In addition to radio programs that made it to broadcast, the series also provides a behind the scenes look at why some programs were never meant to be: either cancelled, incomplete or rejected. One program that was never broadcast publicly was a 1997 five-part series titled ‘What is Culture’. Written by Greer, the series looks at society’s use of the word “culture” and its various interpretations. Sitting alongside a hand annotated script is correspondence with producer John Bickley. According to these documents the five-part series was turned down by both the BBC World Service and BBC Radio 3, the reason being that the script was too complex with too many unexplained references. The unedited recordings are held in the Germaine Greer Audio Series [2014.0040] and consist of Greer reading from the scripts, re-recording takes and having discussions with the audio engineer. While these recordings were never publicly broadcast, examined alongside the correspondence and script they provide a valuable insight into the production of a radio series.
Other links with the Audio Series [2014.0040] are evident, with many of the files containing notes to radio producer’s requesting copies “for the archive”. Radio files with corresponding recordings in the Audio Series are Desert Island Discs (1988), In the Psychiatrists Chair (1989), Profile: Elizabeth Jennings (1992), Grand Tour (Venice 1994), Fourth Column (1995), Spirit of the Age (1995), Friday Night is Music Night (1996), What is Culture (1997), and Anthem (1998). These records within the Radio Series provide contextual information for the audio recordings and help to illustrate the processes involved when producing a radio program, from first correspondence with Greer to the recording and editing of the audio, and finally to the delivery of the recording on cassette. |
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| 3 units (0.51m) |
| Collection Category: |
Culture and the Arts, individuals |
| Access Conditions: |
Access: Restricted |
| Finding Aids: |
Yes Listed
ONLINE |
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