Network Q Records, 1992-1996; 37 linear ft. (37 boxes)
Network
Q was the first weekly program about gay, lesbian, bisexual and
transgender individuals to be shown on public television. During the
first two years of Network Q, the program was a subscription series of
video tapes, and by 1994 they were being broadcast on 10 PBS stations
across the country. By the end of their broadcast in 1996, they were
being seen in all 50 states and in 11 foreign countries.
The
program’s topics ranged from interviews with important national figures
such as Allen Ginsberg and Martin Duberman, to more underground
community based programming such as the Mr. International Leather
Contest. Some of the more important programs for the gay and lesbian
movement were the episodes devoted to the 1993 March on Washington, and
the world’s largest display of the AIDS Memorial Quilt. Each program
focused on a different city, and included profiles of openly gay
activists and artist, book, film and theater reviews and other topics
of interest to the gay and lesbian community.
The
research aspect of Network Q goes beyond queer studies and the gay
rights movement, by allowing students and researchers of film studies
programs an in depth look at the entire process of television and film
creation. For each episode, the collection consists of initial planning
documents, correspondence with city officials and episode guests,
travel itineraries, episode planners, location and production stills,
unedited original footage, the edited film and the final product.