NAB reports (Jan-Dec 1948)

WASHINGTON 6, D. C Vol. 16, No. 1, January 5, 1948 SSOCIATION 1948: A Year of Great Expectations A Statement by Justin Miller, NAB President 1948 is a year of great expectations for radio broadcasting. The fiction of scarcity, which has noxious miasma over the industry, has been largely dissipated, and we have now entered of stations which can operate successfully will depend upon the normal hung like a an era when the number Wayne Coy Takes Oath As New FCC Chairman And Sterling Succeeds Jett on Commission Wayne "Coy, director of the Washington Post radio stations WINX and WINX-FM, member of the FM Executive Committee and former NAB director, was sworn in Monday as the new chairman of the FCC, succeeding Charles R. Denny, with a recess appoint¬ ment by President Truman, pending Senate con¬ firmation. Born in Shelby county, Indiana, on November 23, 1903, Mr. Coy attended local public schools and Frank¬ lin College, being graduated in 1926. He received an honorary LL.D. from the college in 1946. He began a newspaper career at 16, as a reporter on the Franklin, Ind., Star, and after completion of his college years served as that paper’s city editor until 1930, when he became editor and publisher of the Delphi, Ind., Citizen. Appointed secretary to Governor Paul McNutt in 1933, he directed the governor’s Commission on Un¬ employment Relief, and organized and directed the state’s first Welfare Department. He was made In¬ diana State Administrator and Regional Administra¬ tor for the WPA in 1935. Two years later, he went to the Philippine Islands as administrative assistant to Commissioner McNutt. When Mr. McNutt was named Administrator of the Federal Security Agency in 1939, Mr. Coy became his assistant. In 1941, he was made a special assistant to the President, and White House liaison officer with the Office of Emergency Management. In 1942 he assumed the assistant directorship of the budget, in addition to his other work. He left government service in 1944, to become assistant to the publisher of the Washing¬ ton Post. It was in later 1944, when the Post acquired WINX, that Mr. Coy took over direction of the station’s operations. In 1946 and 1947, he headed the industry ( Continued on page 2) laws of good management and of supply and demand. Continuing improvement of programs, and wide participation of broadcasters in public affairs, has brought increased recognition and prestige. Many of the rougher spots of public relations have been elimi¬ nated. There is still much to be done in this respect. During 1947 we held our own in the field of legis¬ lation, standing firmly upon the guarantees of the First Amendment. Our capacity for team-work and united action — reconciling the widespread diversities of interest — has been substantially strengthened. But much more remains to be done in this field; for ex¬ ample: clear legislative language to insure that no governmental agency can ever lay abridging hands on the basic constitutional freedom of communication; automatic license renewals except when an FCC con¬ test is filed; judicial determinations of such contests with full right of appeal, as in other cases between the citizen and his government. We are grateful for recurring evidences of good will and cooperation upon the part of the press, pub¬ lishers, motion picture producers and other media of communication. This recognition of common perils, and common objectives in the interest of the American (Continued on next page) 0^ the 9*pude The national awards luncheon for “Voice of Democracy” contest winners will be held Jan. 28. (p. 3) The Industry Music Committee has named its legal and public opinion counsels, (p. 4) Names of industry representatives for the Wage and Hour hearing have been announced, (p. 5) The Council on Radio Journalism has named of¬ ficers and approved internship plans, (p. 3) JANUARY 5, 1948-1