How to Obtain Copies of Videotapes of Proceedings of Congress and Network and Cable Television Broadcasts

How to Obtain Copies of Videotapes of Proceedings of Congress and Network and Cable Television Broadcasts

95-728 C
Updated December 18, 1996
Received through the CRS Web
How to Obtain Copies of Videotapes of Proceedings of Congress
and Network and Cable Television Broadcasts
Michelle M. Springer
Information Research Specialist
Updated by Treva Turner
Senior Research Librarian
Congressional Reference Division
FOR CONGRESSIONAL USE ONLY
SUMMARY
The following information has been compiled in response to numerous requests made
by congressional offices for videotape copies of congressional proceedings and programs
from network or cable television. Most audiovisual materials that are deposited at the
Library of Congress are under copyright restrictions which prohibit loan or duplication
(even for Members of Congress).
If viewing a program is all that is required,
congressional staff may wish to contact the reference staff of the Motion Picture,
Broadcasting, and Recorded Sound (MBRS) Division at 7-8572 to see if a program is in
the Library’s collection and make an appointment to see it. Videos in the Library’s
collection can only be viewed during Motion Picture Reading Room hours (8:30 - 5:00
M-F), and appointments must be made in advance. (Note: Offices that have access to the
Library’s online catalog may search Library audiovisual holdings in MUMS using the
;file=av command.
However, not locating a program in MUMS does not mean the
Library does not have it. Again, check with reference staff of the MBRS Division at 7-
8572.)
U.S. HOUSE AND SENATE FLOOR PROCEEDINGS
House and Senate Recording Studios
House offices may order copies of any House floor proceedings (note: this means
no hearings) from the last 60 days from House Records and Registration (5-1300). Senate
floor proceedings from the last 30 days are available from the Senate Recording Studio
(4-3788). Office accounts will be charged the processing fees.
Library of Congress
The MBRS Division receives the master videotapes of the House and Senate floor
proceedings. Holdings for the House begin January 23, 1983; holdings for the Senate
Congressional Research Service · The Library of Congress

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begin May 5, 1986. There is a 4 to 10 month lag before tapes are received. Once
received, it takes 3 to 6 weeks to produce viewing copies from the master. To view the
tapes, call 7-8572 and make an appointment (note: access is by date only).
To purchase a copy, call 7-0246 or 7-5623 (Public Services Office, MBRS). The
requester must supply a marked photocopy of the pages from the Congressional Record
indicating the exact segment desired. He must also sign an agreement that the selections
will not be used for political or commercial purposes.
PRESIDENTIAL SPEECHES
For copies of presidential addresses to the nation or to Congress, check with Doug
Thurman in the National Archives’ Office of Presidential Libraries, (202) 501-5705.
NETWORK AND CABLE NEWS PROGRAMS
The Senate Recording Studio tapes major news broadcasts and weekend news
programs and keeps them for 30 days. They will make copies on request for Senate
offices (4-3788). This service is not provided by the House Recording Studio. To order
a tape from the Senate Recording Studio, House staff must make the request through a
Senate office. Office accounts are charged a nominal fee for the service.
The MBRS Division at the Library does very selective taping of WETA (PBS)
programming (e.g., public affairs specials, occasional Frontline programs).
Check with the reference staff to see if they taped a particular program. In the past, some
news agencies deposited copies of their broadcasts with the Library for copyright
purposes. Currently, there is little copyright deposit of news broadcasts with the Library.
Again, check with MBRS reference staff for Library holdings.
Other possible sources are listed below:
Program
Distributor and Telephone Numbers
ABC News
(ABC) 1-800-913-3434
CBS Sunday
(CBS) 1-800-848-3256
CBS This Morning
(CBS) 1-800-848-3256
Charlie Rose
(Journal Graphics) 1-800-825-5746
CNN
(CNN) 1-800-277-2698
(Journal Graphics) 1-800-825-5746
C-SPAN*
(C-SPAN) 1-202-626-7963
David Frost
(Journal Graphics) 1-800-825-5746
48 Hours
(CBS) 1-800-338-4847

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Fox News Service
(Freelance Video) 1-202-362-6535
Frontline
(PBS) 1-800-328-7271
(Journal Graphics) 1-800-825-5746
Good Morning America
(ABC) 1-212-456-7777
Written requests only
Lehrer News Hour
(PBS) 1-800-328-7271
NBC News
(NBC) 1-212-664-6213
Written requests only
Nightline
(ABC) 1-800-ABC-9420
Nova
(PBS) 1-800-328-7271
Primetime Live
(ABC) 1-800-913-3434
60 Minutes
(CBS) 1-800-848-3256
20/20
(ABC) 1-800-913-3434
Turning Point
(ABC) 1-800-913-3434
*
Public Affairs Video Archives at Purdue University records archives, and indexes
all C-SPAN programs. Programs aired since 1987 can be obtained from: Public Affairs
Video Archives, Purdue University, 1000 Liberal Arts & Education Bldg., West Lafayette,
IN 47907-1000.
Phone 1-800-CSPAN98
1-800-277-2698
FAX: 1-317-423-4495
Another source for news programs is the Vanderbilt Television News Archive at
Vanderbilt University, which began recording news programs in 1968. It makes tapes of
"hard" news shows available usually within 24 hours of airing. These are available on
loan only for a fee, and the typical loan period is 45 days. Additional information can
be obtained through their e-mail site at tvnews@tvnews.vanderbilt.edu or by writing or
calling:
Television News Archive
Vanderbilt University
110 21st Avenue South, Suite 704
Nashville, Tennessee 37203
Phone: 615-322-2927
Fax:
615-343-8250
Internet: http://tvnews.vanderbilt.edu/brochure.html

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Addresses:
ABC News
P.O. Box 2284
South Burlington, VT 05407
C-SPAN Viewer Services
400 North Capitol Street, NW
Suite 650
Washington, DC 20001
CBS Video
P.O. Box 2284
South Burlington, VT 05407
Freelance Video
4000 Albemarle Street, NW
Suite 406
Washington, DC 20016
Good Morning America
147 Columbus Avenue
New York, NY 10023
Journal Graphics
1535 Grant Street
Denver, CO 80203
NBC News Video Archive
Room 902
30 Rockefeller Plaza
New York, NY 10112
PBS Video
1320 Braddock Place
Alexandria, VA 22314-1698