- unitid
-
{"value"=>"17794", "type"=>"local_mss"}
- unitdate
-
{"value"=>"1954-1983", "type"=>"inclusive", "normal"=>"1954/1983"}
- date_inclusive_start
-
1954
- date_inclusive_end
-
1983
- keydate
-
1954
- unittitle
-
{"value"=>"New York Times Company records. Metropolitan Desk records"}
- physdesc
-
{"format"=>"structured", "physdesc_components"=>[{"name"=>"extent", "value"=>"1.89 linear feet", "unit"=>"linear feet"}, {"name"=>"extent", "value"=>"5 boxes", "unit"=>"containers"}], "supress_display"=>true}
- repository
-
{"value"=>"<span class=\"corpname\">The New York Public Library. <span class=\"subarea\">Manuscripts and Archives Division</span></span> <div class=\"address\"><span class=\"addressline\">New York, New York</span></div>"}
- abstract
-
{"value"=>"The Metropolitan Desk records is a collection of letters, memoranda, and clippings created by <span class=\"title\">The New York Times</span> Metropolitan Desk (City Desk) from 1954 to 1980. This department was responsible for <span class=\"title\">The Times'</span> news coverage of the New York City region. The records document the daily operations of the department and include files of City Editor Frank S. Adams, Metropolitan Editor A.M. Rosenthal, and his successors Arthur Gelb, Mitchel Levitas, and Sydney Schanberg."}
- prefercite
-
{"value"=>"<p>New York Times Company records. Metropolitan Desk records, Manuscripts and Archives Division, The New York Public Library.</p>"}
- origination
-
{"value"=>"New York Times Company", "type"=>"corpname"}
- bioghist
-
{"value"=>"<p>The Metropolitan Desk, also known as the City Desk, the New York Desk, or the Metro Desk, was one of the three main desks at <span class=\"title\">The New York Times</span>, along with the National Desk and the Foreign Desk. This department was responsible for <span class=\"title\">The Times'</span> news coverage of the New York City region, which extended to the five boroughs, New Jersey, and Connecticut. The city editor controlled the New York reporting staff, the largest news department at <span class=\"title\">The Times</span>. Unlike foreign or national correspondents, New York staff members, both general reporters and beat specialists, received daily story assignments from the city editor. The earliest city editor represented in this collection is Frank S. Adams who held the title from 1952 to 1963. After Adams left <span class=\"title\">The Times</span>, the department's name was changed from City Desk to Metropolitan Desk and the department head's title became the metropolitan editor. This position was held by Abraham M. Rosenthal (1963-1967), Arthur Gelb (1967-1976), Mitchel Levitas (1976-1977), and Sydney Schanberg (1977-1980). In addition to regional political and social news, the Metropolitan desk also oversaw New York cultural coverage (art, dance, film, music, and theater) until 1962 when Managing Editor Turner Catledge created the position of cultural news editor that reported directly to him. Although this collection only documents up until 1983, the Metropolitan Desk is still one of the main <span class=\"title\">Times</span> departments today.</p>"}
- custodhist
-
{"value"=>"<p>This collection was originally re-housed and organized in 1990 by The Times archives staff. The staff discarded ten boxes (approximately 4 linear feet) worth of files.</p>"}
- scopecontent
-
{"value"=>"<p>This collection documents the daily operations of the Metropolitan Desk, which was responsible for reporting on the New York City region. The bulk of the collection consists of internal correspondence and memoranda from city editors to various staff members in which they critiqued specific stories, commented on the overall performance of the department, discussed the handling of news reporting, and disseminated editorial and style policies. Taken together, these notes reveal the Metropolitan Desk's process of gathering news. Also present are communications between the Metropolitan Desk and high ranking editors at <span class=\"title\">The Times</span>, such as Turner Catledge and E. Clifton Daniel. Notably, these contain discussions of conflicts between the National and Metropolitan Desks on ambiguous distinctions between national and regional news. Correspondence to and from the following editors is filed in their individual people files and throughout the collection: City Editor Frank S. Adams (1952-1963); Metropolitan Editors Abraham M. Rosenthal (1963-1967), Arthur Gelb (1967-1976), Mitchel Levitas (1976-1977), and Sydney Schanberg (1977-1980).</p> <p>These files do not comprehensively document the Metropolitan desk; they cover only the years 1952 to 1980, the bulk of which were created between 1961 and 1979. <span class=\"title\">The New York Times</span> archivists weeded items from the collection in 1990. Items kept largely represent letters and memoranda sent to or from senior editors with fewer communications among reporters or lower-level editorial staff members. For additional records related to the Metropolitan Desk, see the A.M. Rosenthal papers and the New York Times Company Records. A.M. Rosenthal papers.</p>"}
{"value"=>"<p class='list-head'>The New York Times Company records. Metropolitan Desk records are arranged in two series:</p>\n<ul class='arrangement series-descriptions'>\n<li><div class='series-title'><a href='/mss/17794#c668488'>Series I: People</a></div>\n<div class='series-date'>1945-1979</div>\n<div class='series-extent'>1.25 boxes</div>\n<div class='series-description'><p>This series is made up of files that contain items to, from, or concerning various individuals, primarily <span class=\"title\">New York Times</span> staff members, with some files on politicians and other newsmakers. Staff member files typically include letters and memoranda between them and Metropolitan Desk editors. They frequently consist of feedback on and assessments of their work. A few staff files also contain biographical and work history reports and photographs of the staff (portraits and shots from events and inside <span class=\"title\">The Times'</span> offices). While this series contains some correspondence with sources, politicians, and other prominent New Yorkers, most of the non-staff members' files are made up of letters discussing <span class=\"title\">The Times'</span> reporting on these individuals, though they occasionally contain notes on off-the-record events such as luncheons or one-on-one meetings.</p> <p>Files are arranged alphabetically by name. Entries without box and folder numbers cross-reference related material in other files. These files do not necessarily collect every letter, memorandum, or document related to the individual; subject files should also be consulted, particularly for additional letters and memoranda among Metropolitan Desk editors.</p></div></li><li><div class='series-title'><a href='/mss/17794#c668542'>Series II: Subjects</a></div>\n<div class='series-date'>1961-1983</div>\n<div class='series-extent'>3.75 boxes</div>\n<div class='series-description'><p>This series is made up of alphabetical subject files that are organized (and titled) by topical keywords, types of news assignments, specific news stories, or organizations. Internal correspondence and memoranda make up the bulk of these files and consist of communications between Metropolitan Desk editors and reporters. These items reveal the news gathering and editing process of the Metropolitan Desk and document daily interactions between the metropolitan editors and the rest of their staff. Topics discussed include reporter assignments and criticisms and notes on specific news stories. Of note are the Editorial Policy files that include memoranda from Assistant Managing Editor Allan M. Siegal, who was closely involved with copyediting and enforcing style standards. These memoranda explain a wide range of editorial decisions, from usage of specific terms for sensitive topics (abortion, civil rights, religious news, criminal news, and others) to headline writing and stopping the use of specific archaic terms and phrases.</p> <p>Of special interest are the files concerning the \"Dr. X Killings\" that relate to a series of murders at a hospital in Bergen County, New Jersey, in 1966. Reporter Myron Farber, who investigated the case for <span class=\"title\">The Times</span>, was jailed in 1978 for refusing to disclose confidential sources and documents to the court. The file contains correspondence regarding the development of Farber's initial investigation, records concerning his and <span class=\"title\">The Times'</span> legal fight, and letters and clippings on the public response to Faber serving jail time. The News Sources files contain additional Metropolitan Desk records regarding subpoenaed reporters.</p> <p>Files are arranged alphabetically by file title. Entries without box and folder numbers cross-reference related material in other files.</p></div></li></ul>\n", "type"=>"arrangement"}
- arrangement
-
{"value"=>"<p>The New York Times Company records. Metropolitan Desk records are organized in the following series:</p> <ul class=\"list\"> <li>Series I: People, 1945-1979</li> <li>Series II: Subjects, 1961-1983</li></ul>", "supress_display"=>true}
- acqinfo
-
{"value"=>"<p>New York Times Company, donated 2007.</p>"}
- processinfo
-
{"value"=>"<p>Compiled by Philip Heslip.</p>"}
{"value"=>"<p>The order and folder titles, which The Times archives staff imposed on the collection, have been maintained.</p>"}
- userestrict
-
{"value"=>"<p>Copyright for documents created by New York Times Company principals and staff has been transferred to The New York Public Library.</p>"}
- physloc
-
{"value"=>"MssCol 17794", "type"=>"local_call", "supress_display"=>true}
- extent_statement
-
1.89 linear feet (5 boxes)
- date_start
-
1954
- date_end
-
1983