I recently visited The Paley Center for  Media in New York City. Previously known as The Museum of Broadcasting, the center opened in 1976 and is named for William Paley, former head of CBS. The Paley Center leads the way in preserving television history and hosts key industry events like PaleyFest. While diving feet first into the digital The Paley Archive, I mulled a question. What was stored here that was otherwise out of reach to view?  

I testing with searches of super rare series and events. The iconic 1973 broadcast  of Billie Jean King versus Bobby Riggs in the historic “Battle of the  Sexes” was available. Back in 2015, I produced a podcast episode about this epic event without the benefit of being able to view it in its entirety.

So in my recent episode about my visit to The Paley Center, I share candid reactions to legendary sportscaster Howard  Cosell’s commentary alongside tennis legends Rosie Casals and Gene Scott.    

With the benefit of a decade of studying women, feminism and television, I came away with renewed insights. Age, training, and mental resilience were crucial to King’s performance, which is now more widely available to view. A trip to the Paley Center for Media highlights the work of preserving history for future generations. Lastly, it’s important to discuss how cultural artifacts like sports broadcasts shape societal conversations on gender and equality.