Records of the National Telecommunications and Information Administration [NTIA]
(Record Group 417)
1922-78
Table of Contents
- 417.1 ADMINISTRATIVE HISTORY
- 417.2 GENERAL RECORDS
1972-78
- 417.3 RECORDS OF THE INTERDEPARTMENT RADIO ADVISORY COMMITTEE
(IRAC)
1922-52
91 lin. ft.
- 417.4 VIDEO RECORDINGS (GENERAL)
1976
4 items
Established: In the Department of Commerce pursuant to Reorganization Plan No. 1 of 1977 and implementing EO 12046, March 27, 1978, effective retroactive to March 26, 1978.
Predecessor Agencies:
In the Executive Office of the President (EOP):
- Telecommunications Advisor to the President (1951-53)
- Assistant Director for Telecommunications, Office of Defense Mobilization
(ODM, 1953-58)
- Deputy Assistant Director for Telecommunications, Assistant Director for
Resources and Production, Office of Defense and Civilian Mobilization (ODCM,
1958)
- Deputy Assistant Director for Telecommunications, Assistant Director for
Resources and Production, Office of Civil and Defense Mobilization (OCDM,
1958-61)
- Director of Telecommunications, OCDM (1961)
- Director, Telecommunications Office, Office of Emergency Planning (1961-62)
- Assistant Director/Director of Telecommunications Management, Office of
Emergency Planning (1962-68)
- Assistant Director/Director of Telecommunications Management, Office of
Emergency Preparedness (1968-70)
- Office of Telecommunications Policy (OTP, 1970-78)
In the Department of Commerce:
- Office of Telecommunications, Office of the Assistant Secretary for Science
and Technology (1967-70)
- Office of Telecommunications (1970-78)
Security-Classified Records: This record group may include material that is security-classified.
Related Records:
Records of the Federal Communications Commission, RG 173.
Records of the Board of War Communications, RG 259.
Records of the Federal Emergency Management Agency, RG 311.
History: Position of Telecommunications Advisor to the President established in EOP by EO 10297, October 9, 1951, to assist President in formulating telecommunications policy and to coordinate emergency planning in area of telecommunications. Abolished, with functions to Office of Defense Mobilization, EOP, by EO 10460, June 16, 1953, where they were vested in newly established position of Assistant Director for Telecommunications. ODM consolidated with the Federal Civil Defense Administration (SEE RG 397) to form Office of Defense and Civilian Mobilization, EOP, by Reorganization Plan No. 1 of 1958, effective July 1, 1958. ODCM redesignated Office of Civil and Defense Mobilization by an act of August 26, 1958 (72 Stat. 861). Civil defense functions of OCDM transferred to the Department of Defense, effective August 1, 1961, by EO 10952, July 20, 1961, with OCDM subsequently redesignated Office of Emergency Planning, EOP, by an act of September 22, 1961 (75 Stat. 630), and further redesignated Office of Emergency Preparedness, EOP, by an act of October 21, 1968 (82 Stat. 1194).
Position of Assistant Director for Telecommunications, ODM, continued by ODCM and OCDM as Deputy Assistant Director for Telecommunications under Assistant Director for Resources and Production, 1958-60, and as Director of Telecommunications, 1961. Continued under Office of Emergency Planning and Office of Emergency Preparedness as Director, Telecommunications Office, 1961-62, and Director of Telecommunications Management, with rank of Assistant Director, 1962-70. Functions transferred to Office of Telecommunications Policy, established in the EOP by EO 11556, September 4, 1970, pursuant to Reorganization Plan No. 1 of 1970, effective April 20, 1970, to provide overall supervision of national communications matters, including development of legislation, frequency allocations for federal agencies, and mobilization planning in the area of telecommunications.
Office of Telecommunications established as a support unit to the Office of the Assistant Secretary for Science and Technology, Department of Commerce, December 3, 1967. By Department Organization Order 30-5A, September 20, 1970, the Office of Telecommunications was reconstituted to provide analysis, engineering, and technical service support to the Office of Telecommunications Policy. It also served as the Secretariat for the Interdepartment Radio Advisory Committee.
OTP and Office of Telecommunications abolished by Reorganization Plan No. 1 of 1977 and implementing EO 12046, March 27, 1978, effective retroactive to March 26, 1978, with functions assigned to newly established NTIA (SEE 417.1).
Textual Records: Records of the Interagency Audiovisual Study Group, consisting of office files of Chairman Charles Joyce, Jr., 1972-74; studies of audiovisual activities within selected federal agencies, 1972-73; and reports and related working papers, 1972-74. Budgetary program records of the Office of the Director, Office of Telecommunications, 1976-78. 1
417.3 RECORDS OF THE INTERDEPARTMENT RADIO ADVISORY COMMITTEE
(IRAC)
1922-74
History: Established as an independent agency, 1922, to provide advice to the President and other Executive branch agencies in areas relating to frequency allocation and electromagnetic spectrum management. Assigns radio frequencies to U.S. Government radio stations and implements international telecommunications treaties. Attached by EO 8546, September 24, 1940, to the Defense Communications Board (renamed Board of War Communications by EO 9183, June 15, 1942). Resumed independent status upon termination of the board by E0 9831, February 24, 1947.
IRAC responsibility to advise the President has been delegated since 1962 to Director of Telecommunications Management (Office of Emergency Planning and Office of Emergency Preparedness), to Office of Telecommunications Policy, and to NTIA, by EO 10995, February 16, 1962; E0 11556, September 4, 1970; and EO 12046, March 27, 1978.
Textual Records: Minutes of IRAC and its subcommittees, 1922-49, and reports of its Technical Subcommittee, 1945-52. Reports, drafts of Executive orders, and supplements relating to assignments of radio frequencies, 1923-49. Reports, correspondence, and other records relating to the IRAC's policies, operations, and history, 1922-49. General subject file, 1938-50, 1962-63.2 Frequency allocation files of the Frequency Registration and Notification Branch, 1944-52. Correspondence of the Hydrology Committee, 1946-74.3 Records of the Technical Subcommittee including project files, 1964-67; and documents, 1968-71.4 Records of the Frequency Assignment Subcommittee including administrative dockets, 1969-70; and frequency applications, 1970-71.5
Finding Aids: Records of IRAC in Albert W. Winthrop, comp., Preliminary Inventory of the Records of the Federal Communications Commission, PI 93 (1956).
417.4 VIDEO RECORDINGS (GENERAL)
1976
4 items
Proceedings of the World Administrative Radio Conference, Torremolinos, Spain, 1976.
1 Derived from NN96-0410, 3/22/96, 1 ft, series 1
2 Derived from NN97-0285, 3/12/97, 3 ft, series 2 (classified)
3 Derived from NN97-0285, 3/12/97, 2 ft total, series 1 & 3 (classified)
4 Derived from NN96-0410, 3/22/96, 1 ft, series 2; NN97-0285, 3/12/97, 1 ft, series 4 (classified)
5 Derived from NN96-0410, 3/22/96, 1 ft, series 3-4
Bibliographic note: Web version based on Guide to Federal Records in the National Archives of the United States. Compiled by Robert B. Matchette et al. Washington, DC: National Archives and Records Administration, 1995.
3 volumes, 2428 pages.
This Web version is updated from time to time to include records processed since 1995.
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