We use Optical Character Recognition (OCR) during our scanning and processing workflow to make the content of each page searchable. You can view the automatically generated text below as well as copy and paste individual pieces of text to quote in your own work.
Text recognition is never 100% accurate. Many parts of the scanned page may not be reflected in the OCR text output, including: images, page layout, certain fonts or handwriting.
What's happening in U. S. Government that affects sponsors, agencies, stations
WASHINGTON WEEK
27 JUNE 1959 Lar Daly told the Senate Commerce communications subcommittee that a
cwriiht i»m candidate wearing a "native costume" consisting of an Uncle Sam suit and a
sponsor sign around the neck "perennial candidate" was obviously as much news as
publications inc. Democratic ami Republican candidates.
The fact, he added, that Chicago hroadcasting stations didn't agree with him proved their untrustworthiness.
Thus the jittle man who will go down in communications history with his name attached to a precedent-shaking FCC decision, aimed at another distinction: He could prove the greatest influence toward passage of a "Lar Daly" l>HI to correct that FCC decision.
Frank Stanton, Robert Sarnoff and John Daly testified, in that order. But nothing had quite the impact of the man who admitted he received only two write-in votes for the Chicago mayoralty after the FCC permission gave him his equal time.
The Lar Daly appearance showed the legislators the sort of "candidate" who would he getting free air rides under the FCC ruling. Stanton, Sarnoff and Daly could only deal in intangibles such as the probable cutting back on broadcast political coverage.
Rep. Oren Harris (D.. Ark.), chairman of the House Commerce Committee, finally set hearings on Sec. 313 bills, and at the same time revealed that he opposes the FCC's Lar Daly decision.
This appeared to drive the final nail in the legislative coffin being built for that ruling, since as Harris goes — so goes his committee.
The hearings will be held 29 and 30 June and 1 Julv. but in view of the Harris announcement, the accused has apparently already been hung.
Chances for a wholesale revision of Sec. 31.1 were never good: The reason was clearly outlined in a letter from Democratic chairman Paul Butler to Sen. John Pastore (D., R.I.), chairman of the Senate Commerce subcommittee.
In brief, Butler said he feared that if broadcasterwere turned loose to use their own judgment, bias might be shown in some cases.
Sen. Vance Hartke (D.. Ind.) continues to press for his measure which would do more than merely reverse the FCC's Lar Dalv decision. Some broadcasting industry figures back him up. But he was much aggrieved that the network chiefs were willing to settle for less than he wanted to give.
The network people have finally decided in at least one matter to take the advice of their own Washington experts. That is, push for what you can get. Don't ask too much, get vour partisans to fighting for too much, and wind up with nothing.
The Harris House Commerce Legislative Oversight subcommittee continued >v it li its panel discussions about means of insulating regulatory agencies from improper pressures, and for speeding their work.
Eventually, Harris will follow the mild lines of a bill be has ahead) introduced which was, in turn. remarkabK like a bill be introduced last year, to take care of influence.
SPONSOR • 27 JUNE 1959
61