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Press Release · Thursday, November 7, 1996

Press Release
November 7, 1996
National Archives and Records Administration Releases Additional Watergate Tape Recorded Conversations

  • WHAT: The National Archives and Records Administration (NARA) plans to open approximately 201 hours of White House tape recordings from the Nixon Presidency, known as the "abuse of governmental power" conversations. Included are approximately 1900 segments from 931 conversations. These tape segments are reproduced on 309 cassettes. Because the White House taping system was not installed by audio specialists, conversations may be difficult to hear and understand. NARA cannot provide interpretative assistance to researchers.

  • There are no transcripts of these tape recordings. At the opening, however, corresponding portions of a detailed 27,000-page tape log and a 200-page conversation list will be available to help researchers locate conversations of particular interest. For each tape segment, the tape log includes the date, time and location, names of participants and an outline of the content of the conversation. Each tape segment is preceded and ended by a voice-over announcement of the conversation. Material that is deleted due to restrictions, such as for personal privacy and national security, is indicated on the tape by a 10-second tone.

  • WHEN: These tapes will be available at 9 A.M. on Monday, November 18, l996.

  • WHERE: The National Archives at College Park, MD, located at 8601 Adelphi Road.

    IMPORTANT INFORMATION: To accommodate the anticipated demand, 20 listening stations, each equipped with one tape player and four headsets, will be available on the day of the opening. NARA will make every attempt to assign these on an equitable basis. Each news organization may use only one listening station at a time and may be asked to share the listening station with other researchers or news organizations. All researchers must have a current National Archives and Records Administration researcher's card. Clean research room rules will apply. No recording or transmission devices, of any kind, will be allowed in the research room. Laptop computers and stenographs will be allowed. In accordance with NARA regulations, these tape segments may not be reproduced. The National Archives and Records Administration will revoke privileges for anybody who attempts to record these materials. In addition, all members of the organization with which he or she is affiliated will lose privileges for all future openings as well.

    DIRECTIONS:

    BY CAR the new facility is approximately 40 minutes from downtown Washington, DC. Take North Capitol Street north, turn right onto Michigan Avenue (Michigan Avenue becomes Queens Chapel Road in Maryland), continue to East West Highway, turn left on Adelphi Road and follow it to the National Archives entrance on the right. Parking is available.

    BY SHUTTLE from the National Archives in Washington, DC board the bus on 7th Street between Pennsylvania and Constitution Avenues. The shuttle leaves on the hour from 8 AM to 5 PM, returning to the downtown building on the hour. Researchers may use the shuttle on a space available basis with National Archives staff receiving priority.

    For additional PRESS information, please contact the National Archives Public Affairs staff at (202) 501-5525 or by e-mail at public.affairs@nara.gov. Visit the National Archives Home Page on the World Wide Web at http://www.archives.gov/.

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