Digital Restoration of The Rejected

About This Item

Produced by KQED for NET, The Rejected was the first ever U.S. televised documentary about homosexuality and aired on September 11th 1961.

This sample video demonstrates how The Packard Campus for Audio-Visual Conservation at Library of Congress (LOC) significantly improved upon the audio and picture quality of their first transfer of The Rejected, through digital restoration (see below for further details). Features before and after versions of a scene from the end credits, demonstrating how audio quality and video tracking were successfully adjusted and a split-screen view of UC Berkeley's Albert Bendich, which shows how picture quality was improved by addressing resolution and contrast levels.

LOC's Recording Laboratory states that there were several problems with the edited 2-inch quad videotape master, including serious issues with stiction and tracking. Many different tape stocks were originally used to create this program in 1961 and the quality of these was typically poor. The physical base of the tape was often slippery, which caused an unstable control track. The tape stock was also heavy, which caused tension during take up. In order to remediate these playback issues the Recording Laboratory completed a digital restoration of The Rejected in the summer of 2015, transferring the 2-inch tape several times on different quad decks and editing footage together to produce the best possible version. We'd like to thank copyright holder WNET and the LOC for collaborating with the TV Archive on this project. Opening graphic designed by Carrie Hawks.

Type of material
documentary
Duration
1:43
2-inch quad videotape
Rights for this video belong to
WNET.ORG Properties LLC
Date aired
9/11/1961
Originally aired on
KQED
Identifier
TV-9
Views
4433

Related Items