ACT Heritage Library Manuscript Collection

HMSS 0004 Keith Richards Papers

Scope and Contents Note 

Keith Richards worked as Senior Radio Producer, Audio Arts, for the ABC in Canberra (2CN) from 1970 to 1978. During that time he was involved with programmes such as “Spotlight” (local), “Scope” (a national programme operating from Sydney), “Cinema in Canberra”, “Fact and Opinion”, “Capital Time” and “Contact”.

After leaving Canberra, Richards continued radio work in Brisbane, then Adelaide, before retiring to Gatton, Queensland, in 1993.

This group of files was presented to the ACT Library Service in about 1978, when Richards moved to Brisbane. They deal predominantly with “Spotlight”, which reviewed the arts in Canberra in its numerous manifestations including fine arts, dance, drama, film, literature and music. As well as correspondence and memoranda, there are scripts and engagement forms for this programme.

A separate group of papers compiled by Richards was acquired by the National Library of Australia in 1990. Located at NLA MS 8118, they comprise unpublished manuscripts of radio plays by various authors which are referred to in Richards’ publication Writing radio drama. When writing this book, Richards was conscious of the difficulty of public access to radio drama scripts. He decided to lodge copies of sample scripts in state and university libraries, as well as the National Library. 

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