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Archival description
Records of Berkeley Studios
CA ON00340 F515-13-3 · Subseries · 1955-2007, predominantly 1973-1995
Part of United Church of Canada Communications Unit fonds

Berkeley Studios opened in 1956 at the site of the former Berkeley Street United Church in Toronto, and was housed there for 40 years. The building provided a dedicated facility for photographs, film and film strips, recordings and radio and TV production that aided all Church Departments in promoting the work of the United Church.

Berkeley Studios was initially formed under the Audio-Visual and Radio and Television Units of the Board of Information and Stewardship, at its inception in 1956 (authorized by the Sixteenth General Council). In 1968, Berkeley Studios became a part of the newly created Division of Communication, an amalgamation of the Board of Publication, and most operations of the Board of Information.

In the 1970s, a re-organization within the Division of Communication occurred. In 1973, Berkeley Studios became a part of the Department of Media Services, which was established as a result of the union of the Audio-Visual Resources and Broadcasting and the Communication Education units; its goal was to educate Church members in the use of communications media.

In the 1980s reorganization of the Division of Communication continued. In 1983, the Department of Media Resources/Services was established by adding the Education for Mission function. Thus, Berkeley Studios, AVEL, the Audio Visual Consultant and the mission interpretation and education programme became components of this new Department. In 1984, the Department of Media Services and Education for Mission were amalgamated to form the Department of Media Resources. Participating in inter-church and interfaith associations, its biggest challenge by 1988 was Vision TV, the interfaith religious television network in Canada.

With restructuring and the office move to 3250 Bloor Street West in 1995. Berkeley Studio which housed both the broadcast and educational/resource video teams moved as part of the Division of Communication's overall move to the new premises. In the wake of the 2001 restructuring when the divisional structure was eliminated, Berkeley became part of the Resource Production and Distribution (RPD) Unit. In 2007, Berkeley Studio was closed and its broadcasting relationship with Vision TV ended. A small video edit suite was maintained by a producer and renamed the Multimedia Unit as part of RPD. That exists today within the Communications Unit.

Subseries consists of records of the Berkeley Studio Manager, and later of the Studio Administrator. Subseries includes files regarding production data, correspondence relating to personnel, and programmes produced at Berkeley Studio, and records of committees.

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