Sponsor (Oct-Dec 1962)

WASHINGTON WEEK 5 NOVEMBER 1962 / *wrW n What's happening in U.S. Govemmtnt that affects sponsors, agencies, stations The Cuban crisis and the NAB Fall Conference reached Washington together, which would have been pure meaningless coincidence were it not for the fact that broadcasting was able to demonstrate many things in the crisis. White House press secretary Pierre Salinger and FCC chairman Newton Minow in offthe-cuff luncheon remarks glowed with praise for the radio stations which dropped everything else to broadcast in Spanish and Portuguese to Latin America. The administration and the FCC didn't fail to be impressed with the dramatic demonstration of services broadcasters can render in national emergencies. Nor was this all. Salinger conceded that the government was willing to offer some payment for the services rendered by the radio stations, but none was asked. In fact, nothing at all was asked. Minow said nine Salinger phone calls took less than 15 minutes, indicating that the station operators jumped to respond to the call. This doesn't mean that the FCC leopard will change its spots overnight, or that governmental figures will not tend to forget the fright of the moment and the gratitude for unquestioning assumption of public service responsibilities. Taken together with equally frank admiration here for coverage of the fast-moving events by the networks and some individual stations, it will surely mean that the FCC will be on the same length when broadcasters talk about the necessity for their services and their willingness to render them at times of national danger and crisis. The Cuban crisis also coincided with the long-awaited filing of applications for "super-power," 750 kw, by three clear channel radio stations: FCC thinking could also be affected in this connection. The clears have often argued, but sometimes it seemed nobody was listening, that they are received in Latin America and are capable of telling the American story where it needs to be heard. U.S. Information Agency conceded that the private stations did a better job of breaking through jamming than did the Voice of America. Justice Department opposition led the Philadelphia District Court to frown on NBC's application for an extension of consent decree deadline of December 31 for the network to dispose of its Philadelphia station. Court pointed out an "administrative remedy," that is to ask the FCC for conditional permission to RKO to trade its Boston stations for NBC's Philadelphia stations. In accordance with this advice, RKO-NBC did ask for temporary approval. They pointed out that if the FCC should decide in the present long-winded proceedings not to permit the trade, it could be voided easily and without prejudice to any other parties to the case. Otherwise, they argued, there would be "gross inequity and injustice" if NBC had to forfeit its Philadelphia stations solely because of delays over which NBC has had no control. Meanwhile, the hearings drag on. There has been an unscheduled one-week delay because of papers Philco wants to subpoena from RCA. There is a scheduled recess from 9 November to 26 November to permit the hearing examiner to attend to other business. The lawyers will not be out of the FCC trenches by Christmas. The FCC continues in the direction of giving "economic protection" to radio stations. If uhf ever becomes as successful as so many hope it will, whatever is done along these lines for radio will apply in tv. NAB president LeRoy Collins said at the fall conference here that NAB and FCC will have another "shirt sleeves" conference on the subject soon. SPONSOR/5 NOVEMBER 1962 63