Broadcasting Telecasting (Oct-Dec 1963)

THE MEDIA TV code board still unsure of its path SESSION WITH COLLINS LEAVES MEMBERS 'CONFUSED, DISAPPOINTED' There was no meeting of the minds in Washington last week on the future directions and policies of the television code of the National Association of Broadcasters. NAB President LeRoy Collins was expected to clarify policies as he appeared before a Monday (Sept. 30) meeting of the TV code board, but the nine members left town "confused" and "disappointed." In a 30-minute prepared talk, Governor Collins stressed that the code should be a "dynamic" instrument to serve as the "champion of the public interest" — with benefits for and to the industry playing a secondary role. The NAB president was not specific in his thinking of the direction the codes should take in the years to come and, according to code board members, shed no further light on the subject during 90 minutes of questions by the code board. This led to much criticism of the governor's position by a majority of those present — most of whom felt the NAB president should have given the code board concrete proposals. "I was utterly confused on the governor's position," one said. "We don't know what the president's policy is," he said. "You have seen his statement. Do you?" Another member expressed "keen disappointment" that the governor did not come in with a program for the board to consider. He and others noted the "complete lack of liaison" between the governor and the board as well as the NAB president and the code authority staff. The board agreed that there must be improved and continuing liaison with the NAB president and plans to invite Governor Collins to sit in on all future meetings of the TV code board. Governor Collins maintained that it was not incumbent upon him to be more specific at this time. "My area of concern is not with specifics," he said two days after the meeting. The code board meeting was not the time or place for details, he said, in stressing that it would be up to the new code director to work out the specifics of future code activities. "I would have been impinging upon his domain had I made concrete suggestions," Governor Collins maintained. "My discussion [with the board] was limited to broad-gauge thinking." Robert D. Swezey has resigned as code authority director effective Oct. 15, although he has agreed to remain on a part-time basis until a new man is selected. Violators Beware ■ In other business, the TV code board ordered the staff to move "immediately for definitive action" against 17 TV code subscriber stations who have been "repeated violators" of the commercial time standard provisions of the code during prime viewing hours. A "substantial number" of other stations were placed under "close scrutiny" by the code authority. A code official said the first 17 stations will either have to comply with the code, resign, or have their membership revoked. Monitoring has disclosed that these stations either regularly program more than 17.2% commercial time during prime hours or violate code rules on multiple spots, or both. Their violations come under the June amendment to the time standards limiting commercial time during three daily prime hours to 17.2%. In addition, the code provides that a station break shall consist of not more than two spots (commercial or public service), plus identification, with the break not to exceed 70 seconds during prime time. The second group of stations also is being checked for commercial violations, although there has been no indication that the infractions have been "repeated." Some have not as yet re Swezey praised by board Robert D. Swezey, retiring director of the National Association of Broadcasters radio and TV codes, received the "gratitude and appreciation" of the TV Code Board in a formal resolution adopted at the board's meeting last week. Mr. Swezey was praised for the "energetic and constructive directions he has given to the office which he has held." Signed to a $40,000-a-year contract for two years in 1961, Mr. Swezey announced his plans not to seek renewal several weeks ago (Broadcasting, Aug. 19). He has agreed to remain in the job until a new director is selected. The original contract expires Oct. 15, after which date his salary will be cut in half since he does not expect to devote full time to the job. plied to inquiries by the code authority. In other instances, additional monitoring will be undertaken. Both Mr. Swezey and William D. Pabst, TV code chairman from ktvu (tv) Oakland-San Francisco, stressed that very little trouble is expected in securing compliance from most of the stations, particularly those in the latter group. Mr. Swezey pointed out that the NAB's monitoring program is much improved, with all subscribers checked at least twice a year. Mr. Pabst said that the staff has been instructed to make a detailed study of the experiences of subscribers in the application of the controversial time standard, with particular emphasis on the effect of the June change. Areas of difficulties in station interpretations will be pinpointed, he said. The chairman said that he contemplated the appointment of a code board subcommittee to make recommendations on the time standards and all approaches to TV advertising prior to the January code meeting. Together Or Not ■ In his presentation to the code board, Governor Collins said that "we should know at least if our broad-gauge thinking is together, and if it is not, strive in good faith to close the gaps. ... I deeply hope that we can be assured of a unity of purpose within your board as we face the future. ... I trust you will agree that to get a superior code job done, your assignment calls for objectivity and courageous effort, recognizing that on rare occasions such may be in conflict with the viewpoints . . ." of broadcasters. If the industry had now the kind of codes it is capable of making, "no FCC chairman would dare speak as [E. William] Henry did in New York last week," Governor Collins said (Broadcasting, Sept. 30). "The call to action is not merely the rumble of distant thunder portending greater government intervention. It is the roar of clear, present duty calling us all to better effort." The NAB president noted that very highly respected broadcasters have characterized the codes as something to be "feared and resisted. The most widely read and most generously supported of our trade journals continually demeans the code and, I expect, receives warm praise and few complaints for doing so," he said. Desired Course ■ In his prepared statement, Governor Collins said that BROADCASTING, October 7, 1963