Broadcasting Telecasting (Apr-Jun 1958)

HARRIS COMMITTEE continued at a value of $10. "In other words, they mors" of the way "certain large interests" gypped me," Mr. McConnaaghey retorted. felt about her work on the Commission. She said if these interests did not approve WITNESS: Ex-Comr. Hennock of her actions' she thought she was doing a good job. Mr. Lishman asked if "monopolies "I'll answer anything; just ask me," for control appointment of members of the mer Comr. Frieda Hennock told the sub Commission," and Miss Hennock replied: committee on taking the stand Thursday "You can draw your own conclusions. The and she kept this promise during subsequent fact is, I fought these interests and was not testimony. Counsel Lishman said there were reappointed." no instances where Miss Hennock — in mar As with other witnesses, Mr. Lishman ried life Mrs. William Simons — received asked Miss Hennock about numerous trips government per diem and at the same time and telephone calls made while she was a had her hotel bill paid by the industry. "I commissioner. In practically every instance, know, I never took any trips — wasn't she explained, they concerned her efforts to invited," she replied. boost educational television, for which she Rep. Emanuel Celler's (D-N. Y.) charges was highly commended by several of the of monopoly against the networks found a Congressmen. champion in Miss Hennock. She charged A majority of the trips were made over "monopolistic interests," identified as the weekends to New York, her home state three tv networks and AT&T, completely "because I didn't want to miss a Com dominate the industry. She cited the failure mission session," Miss Hennock said. She of uhf as ample proof of this contention. explained efforts to interest the New York "They [networks] don't want 3,000 sta Board of Regents in backing an educational tions; they want 300," the witness charged, uhf operation. If the board had done this, Regardless of how many channels were as she maintained, each of the 48 states would signed to Washington (for instance), she said, now have an operating educational station only the number of stations wanted by the and "ultra high wouldn't be dead." networks would be on the air. She said a call to former President Harry She said nobody with official standing in S. Truman also involved educational teleWashington ever discussed the possibility vision. Mr. Truman, who appointed Miss of her reappointment to the FCC with her. Hennock to the Commission, at one time "I knew of the impossibility" of reappoint called all the commissioners to the White ment but knew nothing of the "possibility," House and asked them to reserve channels she said. "I assumed I was marked for ex for educational use, she said, tinction," she said, and was "kicked off the Miss Hennock did not remember exactly Commission unceremoniously." She was why she called Mrs. India Edwards, former succeeded by Comr. Mack. Democratic National Committee official, but Miss Hennock told about hearing "ru assured the subcommittee it was on official — mm — . PLAYBACK | WJTN DEFENDS RADIO-TV WJTN Jamestown, N. Y., used its pre§§ rogative to editorialize in replying to §; criticism, made in a speech at James|j town by William Stringer of the Christian Science Monitor's Washington bureau, ig; that radio-tv too often treat news as "a show." The editorial, voiced by Si Goldman, WJTN president, said in part: Let's look at Mr. Stringer's charge that || the broadcast media treat news as "a show." It's a serious charge, indeed. We pick up a copy of a New York !! newspaper with wide circulation. Its !! headline story concerns a scandal involv|| ing movie stars. Also featured on the first two pages are items about an ax mur|§ der, two sex crimes, and juvenile gangI! sters. News on the national and interi; national scene is relegated to the back I; pages. i;| Of course this paper is an exception. Il Its policies are not the policies of the || average newspaper across the country. || But exceptions, too, are radio and tele|| vision stations which make "a show" of the news. Every substantial poll taken |f in the United States shows that listeners Broadcasting QUOTES WORTH REPEATING consider radio news the fairest and most honest. Radio established an unprecedented reputation for news reporting and fairness during World War II — a reputation it never relinquished. . . . As the number of daily newspapers has tended to decline in this country, the number of radio stations has tended to grow. . . . Today there are 18 states without locally competitive daily newspapers. In these instances, radio is the only competitor to the local daily paper and in many communities the hometown radio station is the only source of fresh local and community news. This situation has placed heavy responsibility upon radio stations . . . and they recognize their responsibility and work hard to meet it. RULES FOR EDITORIALIZING WHAS-AM-TV Louisville do not broadcast editorials because the stations are owned by the Louisville Courierlournal and Times and because editorial opinions are "the province" of these newspapers' editorial columns, Victor A. Sholis, WHAS-AM-TV vice president and director, said in a statement in the Times. But Mr. Sholis said he would business. She said Mrs. Edwards "got me my job" on the FCC. On the color tv set placed in her home, Miss Hennock said she and other comissioners "resented" them and did not want the sets. She said efforts to have her state congressional delegation watch color in her home on a Monday night, when color was offered, were unsuccessful because "none of the New York delegation is in Washington on Mondays." The witness was asked about the FCC sharetime grant of ch. 10 Rochester, N. Y., in March 1953 to WHEC-TV and WVETTV. Minutes of FCC meeting at the time the grant was made, Mr. Lishman said, show the vote actually was 3-3 but a final decision was granted on a 3-2 vote with Miss Hennock abstaining. The witness said this was the FCC interpretation, her's was that a legal quorum was not present. Although not voting, she issued a strong dissenting opinion. She told the subcommittee she felt the case was not properly on the meeting agenda. Miss Hennock termed the FCC's Sixth Report and Order "the worst thing that ever came out of the Commission." She said a proposed code of ethics should include legislative matters as well as adjudicatory proceedings. "To me," she added, "the dirtiest work was done in rulemaking proceedings," a legislative process. In a lengthy exchange with Rep. Harris, a pay tv foe, Miss Hennock said she favored pay tv in a form limited to uhf outlets in multi-station markets. She said toll operations should be limited to 15% of the station's time. recommend editorializing by non-newspaper-owned stations under these specific rules: 1. The opinions broadcast would reflect the thinking of the station licensee and not individual employes. 2. The station licensee would assume full responsibility for the opinions expressed. 3. The editorials would not be casual or off-the-cuff judgments, but would be the documented product of research and study by an editorial staff disassociated from the station's news department. 4. Most frequently these editorials would probably deal with local and regional issues. 5. The editorials would be clearly identified as such, would be carried completely apart from regular newscasts, and would not be delivered by newscasters. 6. Comparable and equal opportunity would be given responsible persons and groups who disagree with the station's editorials to express their differing opinions on the air. Broadcasting editorials under such rules would give stations additional stature in the community. April 7, 1958 • Page 35