Mixed Media and Press, 1946-2014

This series is comprised of audiovisual items and their corresponding materials. Mixed Media and Press is divided into four subseries by content type and format: Motion Pictures, Audio Recordings, Press Kits, and Machine-Readable Artifacts.

The Motion Pictures subseries contains the majority of audiovisual media in this collection and is organized by physical format: film reels, VHS tapes, and U-matic tapes. Most film reels in this subseries have been previously digitized and include television PSAs, “The Smokey Bear Show” television segments, and related Smokey Bear television content. The VHS and U-matic tapes in this subseries include Smokey Bear television spots, interview footage, sports program and celebrity collaborations, training videos, and Smokey Bear Ad Council PSAs.

The Audio Recordings subseries contains sound tape reels (1/4-inch open reels) and cassette tapes in addition to 7-inch, 10-inch, 12-inch, and 16-inch phonograph records. Audio materials largely include songs, PSA segments, and celebrity content.

The Press Kits subseries comprises complete press kits that were mailed out to various media entities (television stations, radio broadcasters, magazines, and newspapers) for the promotion of Smokey's campaigns. Kits include as many of the original components as possible, such as: original packaging, letters to broadcasters, campaign fact sheets, promotional prints, and related assets. Television media formats include 16mm film reels, VHS, U-matic, and BetacamSP. Media formats included in the radio press kits originally included phonograph records and later progressed to 1/4-inch open reels, sound cassettes, CDs, and data discs (data CDs).

Note: The 7-inch phonograph records were originally part of the radio press kits but have been separated and placed with the rest of the phonograph records in the Audio Recordings subseries (see Box 58).

The Machine-Readable Artifacts subseries includes computer disks that are not part of complete press kits. These disks contain training videos, computer graphic files (clip art, image files, photographs, etc.), files of campaign posters and artwork, Forest Service educational materials, additional Smokey PSAs, and Smokey-related sound and video recordings. Formats include a magnetic disk (Zip disk) as well as optical disk formats: DVD, DVD-R, DVD+R, DVD-ROM, CD, CD-R, and CD-ROM.