Urban Media Archaeology 2010

Before I begin to create my map using the URT tool, I need to develop a method for my record types. These record types will help determine how the layers of my argument will come together to tell a story. I am also hoping that these record types will be easily usable by other researchers when they begin entering research into the URT tool.  The goal of my map is to show four types of locations: (1) radio stations, (2) the antennae of the station, (3) the location on the dial (I will explain this soon), and (4) imagined spaces of broadcasts from these stations (through audio samples).  So, I am planning on having four record types – (1) Radio Station, (2) Antennas, (3) dial point, and (3) Broadcast Episode. I am hoping the relationship of these record types will make the viewer of the map be able to “see” different intersecting relationships when searching by, or pulling onto the map, any of the variable data.

How did I get to these four types? After collecting all my data, I soon began to realize there were some variables happening with my data sets. I began by creating a record type for “Radio Station”. Each radio station has a lifespan, a begin date and an end date, but within that timeframe there are periods where the station sees growth and change. These are things (growth) I hope to show on my map within certain time periods, so it is important to isolate these. For example, a station may have moved offices, it may also have moved it’s antennae, or it may have moved it’s point on the dial. I had two options with my record types, to create one record type – called “Radio Stations” and break it up into its bits and pieces. So, for example, I could have multiple records for one radio station that would look like this:

AM Station: WEAF, Owner: RCA/ NBC’s Red Network, Start Date: 1925, End Date: 1927, Studio Location/Office: 195 Broadway, Waldorff-Astoria Hotel, NY, NY AM Dial: 610kc, Watts: 5000, Antennae Site: Western Electric R&D Department 463 West St. New York, NY

So, far, everything bold is a variable. During the station history of WEAF (which eventually becomes NBC’s local NYC station, runs through a series of ownership changes, studio/office changes, dial changes, and wattage changes, all things I hope to represent on the map. This presents a bit of a “record type” problem.

After working out my problem with our T.A. Rory, I was able to work out a solution. Each of these represent a record type. Everything below it is a data set. Each record will call on other data sets and be able to associate that set with another record type. So, for example, the site of the antennae will always relate to the call letters of the station.  Each record within the record type will have a text description and some associated media. Also, the Antennae Site will include a data point for address, the most important data type (and most interesting – including height), that I forgot to include in the flow chart!

A layout of my record types