Historical Newspapers of South Carolina

Below is the OCR text representation for this newspapers page. It is also available as plain text as well as XML.

g South Carolina's Best College Newspaper m b Weo. lesday VolumeLXX No.27 Univensit { | . ^ Jgg.; -v-j?:xt5;~7~ ~ J~ 1 j [ ^^* ?8 -"""' : -: i V ?H 1 .: : \ 'V ., M W?MM '. ^?_ j^k^N SmB .. ; j gsr i i wWWwBIBI BHHHR \\ ..a- v. - ? Kl| ? u T m gHre* ~ ' 5-;; ^ ^-.::?!^-Bb J% ,1*0% | _? pi? The University of South Carolina presents :y of South Caroii 1VI /M It's ah withoi Bv Ronda Temolptnn Staff Writer Twentieth Century-Fox's $1 (to million donation ol Movietonews films to USC came as a surprise to members of the press at the formal announcement NewYork's Lincoln ('enter in March, hut USC officials had known about the donation for months. James Jackson, director of the university's news film libraries, said USC initiated its drive for acquisition of the collection several years before 20th Century-Fox decided to donate the film to a U.S. university. Lowell Thomas, the "voice of Movietone"' for two decades, and Jackson were instrumental in helping USC acquire the footage. Jackson's Educational Productions company produces the "Lowell Thomas Remembers" series, the largest user of the Movietonews films in recent years. oiuic miuresi in int' Movietonews collection began in 1974, when South Carolina and the state's educational television stations tried to buy the news film hut had financial problems. Jackson said he was working with Movietone when it "became apparent 20th Century-Fox was going to have to decide whether to donate the film or go into new pruuuuuun. JACKSON SAII) Educational Productions, Lowell Thomas and the Mo vie tone ws company considered continuing the Movietonews film series, but decided the film should be donated because of rising production costs. USC learned before any other school in the nation that the film would be donated. "They beat out all the competition before the competition knew what was happening," Jackson said. jacKson saia several otner prominent universities, including the University of Southern California and the University of California at Los Angeles, were interested in obtaining the film for their libraries. Spokesmen for both Southern Cal and UCLA said they were not aware an effort had been made to obtain the films for reference use. JACKSON SAII) 20TII ucntury-Kox based its decision to donate the Movietonews footage to a d e s e r v i n g u n i v e r s i t y because it was slowly deteriorating in the company's vaults. Since the organization will receive a "sizeable" tax break for donating the films, it can afford to transfer the film from highly inflammable na Columbia, S.C iistory U it the be nitrate stock to safety stock before presenting it to the university. .Jackson said. KVilir r\l hnr m;i inr 11 ?>-? libraries are stored in vaults across the I'nited States, but the film is slowly destroying itself because its owners cannot afford to transfer the footage to safety stock. Jackson said. Hearst. Paramount and Pa the film libraries are predominated nitrate and will not be converted, but Umver al s USC initiated its c of the co/lectic before 20th Cent donate the fifm to newsreels in the National Archives were partially converted before the company decided the process was too expensive. Jackson said he does not know it 20th Century-Fox will profit from the donation, but he said he hopes "they will realize a great tax break." JACKSON SAID I SC has received 100.000 feet of converted news film footage and expects to receive 500,000 feet of the Mntfi /?/*! wv?-? Ill W V ILIWIK ? O LUIU'l I IUI1 before the end of the year. "Ultimately, we will receive at least 60 million feet ot film, and the process will take five years or more." he said. The film is being cataloged and checked by a I'SC employee based at the VlAi'Uit nnnti'c ?n York until the process is complete and all the news film has been transferred to the university, Jackson said. Jackson said he has heard of "absolutely no regrets" from 20th Century-Fox concerning the donation. une reason me company chose USC is the proposed Carolina Arts Center, an ideal location for housing the film. But South Carolina Governor Dick Hi ley op poses the center. Jackson said 20th CenturvFox and university officials are optimistic the arts center will be built, but a spokesman for Riley said the governor remains adamant mai pians lor us con struct ion arc "premature and not proper " JACKSON SAID ISC'S enthusiasm about the possibility of receiving the film and the university's advantage of being "by far the first to learn about the probability of a donation" enabled the university to present an excellent presentation. The package highlighted the Carolina Arts Center, saying it stood Oct. 23, 1 9BO Dne ssson >redom it I he ot r? ;i!11 > an*! >tr?'ssed that l SC could "provide a tailor-made iocation toi''the Movw'onew > Ki:* . Library 1 -ipokesman tor Hi!e> >a < new limitations on state incone make it improper to sper . $(>() million on ore buiK'mg. .Jark Mulh, vu'c pr?-suir!M and perioral in.maert <r Movletonrws. saul hi- <!ui :u?: contribute to the decision '<> donate the film t?? I SC and 1rive for acquisition in several years ury-Fo y decided to a U.S. university. - James Jackson would not comment on the 20th Centur\-Fox board ot directors' decision. Muth said the board was impressed b\ "I'SC's keen interest in the films and planning to build a special building." He refused to comment on obstacles to construction ot the arts center, but said he thinks t! will eventually be builf t\m:\tii:th < kmi i<\ fcv?v ? ? v.-? lllll UVIUH'U ll> I II SI newsreels to draw theater goers in 1919. proclaiming its coverage "the mightiest <?t all." In 1924 Fox News had I.imio cameramen recording news around the world and was allied with the L'nited Press Fox headquarters was in New York, but operations a A f acre: ivruviviunv, page D I,,,' \ " ' ' Today: A chance of showers in ? the morning. . Clearing in C the afternoon.4 High in the 70s. Thursday; Fair and I mild days, but coot% at night.i High in th /r