Description of series:
These are correspondence files which originated with the Director of Talks. There was no regular filing system in the Talks Department. They had an annual series of "Correspondence" files which was correspondence with speakers and "Subjects" which was an alphabetical collection of everything else. This particular series seems to have been kept separate.
The history of the Talks Department is as follows; A federal Organiser of News, Talks and Essential Services was appointed in 1934, becoming the first federal program officer, but the Department is recognised as from the appointment of the first Federal Controller (later Director) of Talks in 1937. By 1941, the responsibilities of the Department covered: General Talks, Sporting broadcasts (to Sporting Dept. 1946), Religious broadcasts (to Religious Dept. 1945), Rural broadcasts (to Rural Dept. 1945), Women's Session (abolished 1971), Documentaries and Actualities, Short Stories, non dramatised serials, Book and Film reviews, News Commentaries & Reviews (to D. Current Affairs 1969), Listening Groups (1939-55) Discussions, Political and Election Broadcasts (to Current Affairs 1969), Science Talks (to Science Unit 1966), War Correspondence (as required 1939-53), Vietnam War (from News & Caff, Essential Services [Weather, Markets, etc.] (to Rural 1945), Stock Exchange (to News Nov 1969) Reference Library (to Administration 1948), Historical Recordings Library (to Transcriptions 1950), Publication of Booklets (to Mg. Editor Publications 1945). 
The Talks Department ceased to exist in June 1969. A Director of Current Affairs was appointed in February 1969, taking over Current Affairs functions as shown above and, in June, Talks Dept. became Spoken Word Department. It was still responsible at this stage for TV talks and such feature programs as were being produced. A Program Film Production Department had been formed in 1964 and, in 1971, a TV Features Department took over this Department, together with all remaining TV functions of the ex-Spoken Word Department, which, in 1969, had been re-named Special Projects (Radio) Department. In March 1972, this title was altered to Radio Special Projects Department. The Department of Current Affairs became the Department of Public Affairs in February 1973. In 1976, the Australian Women's
 
Administrative information
 
The following data was keyed from the paper documentation:
Form number:              CA 17
Transferring department:  , Australian Broadcasting Commission, Head
                          Office, Programme Division, Radio Special
                          Projects (Department)
Archives file number:     RWS50/4/103