Dallas Smythe served as a professor and/or guest lecturer at several universities from 1948 to 1988, including the University of Illinois; the University of Saskatchewan at Regina; the University of California, San Diego; Simon Fraser University; Temple University; Ohio State University; and the University of Hawaii. Smythe also participated in teach-ins on the topics of the Vietnam War, Reaganomics, and other subjects. He was also involved in research and lecturing at the Centre for International Research on Communications and Information Technology (CIRCIT) in Sydney, Australia.

Series consists of records arising from Smythe's teaching activities at various locations. Series includes course outlines, lecture notes, reference material, class readings, and other materials. The majority of the records in this series relate to courses on the political economy of communications, and other topics in the field of communications.

Dallas Smythe began his involvement in the field of agricultural economics in 1934, when he worked as an extension specialist in agriculture for the College of Agriculture at the University of California, Berkeley. In this position, he studied economic outlooks for various California farm products. In 1937, he was hired as an associate economist by the U.S. Central Statistical Board, where he oversaw the collection of statistics for the U.S. Department of Agriculture. This involved the review of information collection policies and procedures, and the planning of the Census of Agriculture. Smythe left the Central Statistical Board in 1938.

Series consists of records written or co-authored by Smythe in his positions as extension specialist in agriculture for the University of California, Berkeley, and as an economist for the U.S. Central Statistical Board. Series includes research and reports regarding various farm crops in California, and reports and chart books from the federal Census of Agriculture.

Smythe served as Chief Economist for the U.S. Federal Communications Commission from 1943 to 1948. In this position, he conducted an economic analysis of the telegraph industry, investigated the issues surrounding the proposed merger of Western Union and Postal Telegraph, carried out studies in farm telephone service, and held public hearings on the post war reallocation of the radio spectrum.

Series consists of records arising from Smythe's employment at the U.S. Federal Communications Commission. Series includes publications, correspondence, and other materials.

Series consists of Smythe's personal records arising from his various activities, such as his employment as a faculty member at several universities; his studies at the University of California, Berkeley; his involvement with the United States military; his private business venture in the television industry; his ongoing research into various areas of personal interest; his travels to China and Europe; and his work on his autobiography. Series also contains personal records of Smythe's wife, Jennie, and of his father, J.W. Smyth. Series includes correspondence, contracts, annual reports, legal records, reports, notes, drafts, research papers, diaries, newsletters, published articles, and a curriculum vitae.

Series consists of Smythe's correspondence with family members and colleagues. Series includes incoming letters and copies of outgoing letters.

Dallas Smythe was hired by the U.S. Department of Labor (Wage and Hour Division) in 1938. His role in this newly-created department was to help enforce laws regarding minimum wage rates and maximum hours of allowed work. He investigated cases in which the implementation of these laws was being avoided through various means. His investigations included occupational studies of the working conditions of newspaper boys, railway porters, life-insurance salesmen, telegraph messengers, cigar factory workers, railway maintenance workers, textile workers, lumber camp workers, and others.

Series consists of records arising from investigations conducted by the U.S. Department of Labor (Wage and Hour Division). Series includes correspondence, studies, reports, reference material, written testimony, photographs, and other materials.

Series consists of records relating to publications and presentations produced by Smythe in his role as a student at the University of California, Berkeley; a professor at the University of Illinois, the University of Saskatchewan at Regina, Simon Fraser University, and other universities; and as a peace activist. Series includes publications, presentations, and correspondence.

Publications arising from Smythe's employment as an agricultural economist (at the University of California, Berkeley and at the U.S. Central Statistical Bureau), and as chief economist with the Federal Communications Commission are located in series F-16-3 (Agricultural economics) and F-16-5 (U.S. Federal Communications Commission).

During his work as a professor at various universities, Smythe engaged in research in a variety of areas in the field of communications. Smythe also organized and participated in a number of conferences on communications and other topics.

Series consists of records arising from Smythe's research activities and conference participation. Series includes correspondence, research articles, notes, and other materials.

Subseries consists of travel diaries written by Dallas and Jennie Smythe during their travels to China, England and Hungary.

Subseries consists of records arising from Smythe's compilation of his autobiography. Included is Smythe's curriculum vitae, correspondence with colleague Thomas Guback and others, drafts of two chapters of the autobiography, and newspaper clippings and articles regarding Smythe.

Subseries consists of correspondence arising from the creation and publication of Dallas Smythe's various publications and presentations. Series includes correspondence regarding Smythe's research in television content studies, pay TV, telecommunications regulations, telecommunications training for individuals in developing countries, the political economy of communications, and other related topics. Subseries also includes correspondence regarding the publication of Smythe's book, Dependency Road.

Correspondence relating to Smythe's New York television content studies includes some photographs produced during those studies.

Subseries consists of correspondence arranged by name of correspondent. Subseries includes incoming letters and copies of outgoing letters.

Subseries consists of office records maintained by Smythe during his employment at the U.S. Federal Communications Commission. Series includes correspondence, exhibits presented to the Commission, written testimony, and some records received from the Board of War Communications.

Subseries consists of publications written or co-authored by Smythe in his position as chief economist at the U.S. Federal Communications Commission. Publications include reports, surveys, trend forecasts, studies, and statistics on the topics of radio and telegraph communications, television, and other communications industries.

Subseries consists of records arising from Smythe's participation in various conferences. Subseries includes correspondence, notes, articles, agendas, conference proceedings, planning materials (such as address lists and schedules), and other materials. The majority of the files relate to conferences organized by the International Association of Mass Communications Research (IAMCR).

Subseries consists of miscellaneous records of various members of the Smythe family. Records of Dallas Smythe include a 1915 diary, military records, and records arising from a private business venture to establish a television station in the Champaign-Urbana area in Illinois. Subseries also includes employment and pension records of Smythe's father, J.W. Smyth, and issues of Alternatives, a newsletter edited by Dallas Smythe's wife Jennie.

Subseries consists of Smythe's personal records arising from his employment as a faculty member at the University of Illinois; the Regina campus of the University of Saskatchewan; the University of California, San Diego; Simon Fraser University; and Temple University. Subseries includes correspondence, contracts, reports, legal records, and other materials. Materials relate to sabbatical leaves, Smythe's lawsuit against Simon Fraser University regarding research leave, and allegations of un-American activities delaying Smythe's appointment at the University of Illinois.

Subseries consists of records arising from Smythe's activities as a student at the University of California, Berkeley. Subseries includes class notes, term papers, and research notes.

Subseries consists of records arising from Smythe's personal interests and activities. Subseries includes lectures by Smythe and his colleague Tran Van Dinh (on audiocassette); interviews with Smythe (on video cassette); correspondence and reports regarding Smythe's FBI file and the Dies Committee on Subversive Activities (the House Committee on Un-American Activities); drafts and correspondence arising from proposed radio and movie projects developed by Smythe; correspondence regarding a festschrift of his work; and records relating to his anti-war activities.

Subseries consists of correspondence arranged chronologically. Subseries includes incoming letters and copies of outgoing letters.

Subseries consists of records produced and compiled by Smythe in preparation for his various publications. Subseries includes lecture notes, drafts, correspondence, reference material, and other records. Included are research materials for Smythe's articles on China, his book Dependency Road, and his unfinished book on a theory of communications.

Subseries consists of records arising from publications and presentations produced by Dallas Smythe. Series includes his Ph.D. dissertation, journal articles, studies, speeches, prepared testimony, and other materials. Materials relate to television content analysis, satellite broadcasting and other communications technology, the effects of mass media on society, the peace movement, and other topics researched and studied by Smythe.

Subseries consists of records compiled by Smythe to support his research interests. Subseries includes lecture notes, addresses, photocopied monographs, notes, reports, and other materials. Records are organized into subject based files, including topics such as postal service, fax technology, the radio and television industries, newspapers and printing, media regulation, the peace movement, and other subjects.