Broadcasting Telecasting (Oct-Dec 1959)

THE MEDIA NAB TAKES THREE STEPS FORWARD Task force holds meeting, radio standards to be fortified Three steps were taken last week by NAB in its meet-the-crisis program as the FCC continued its hearing into the status and future of broadcast supervision. • The new industry 12-man task force comprising NAB directors and staff executives held its first meeting. • The Standards of Good Radio Practice Committee put a fresh bite in its ethical document. • The NAB Tv Code Review Board told the story of video self-regulation at the FCC hearing Dec. 18 (story page 36.) At its Dec. 14 session the task force, headed by President Harold E. Fellows, took a practical measure designed to help stations answer the FCC's questions regarding payola. This consisted of approval of a guide to be mailed to all radio and tv stations. The group voiced confidence that answers will show that an "overwhelming number of stations are observing high standards of ethics in their operations." Stronger Radio Language • The task force called on all broadcasters to review their operations "in the light of the current needs of their respective communities, emphasizing that the public taste is constantly changing." It drew preliminary plans for presentation of the industry case to the FCC at a session scheduled in January. Stronger language covering quiz-rigging, payola and similar topics was voted by the Standards of Good Radio Practice Committee, which met Dec. 16. This language will be submitted to the NAB Radio Board for a mail referendum vote. Two basic changes in the whole standards concept were recommended to the Radio Board by the committee. These were: 1 — Switch from an honor system of enforcement to a form of selfdiscipline somewhat along the lines of the Tv Code; 2 — Open the standards to all radio stations on an equitable basis instead of limiting them to NAB member stations. The committee, headed by Cliff Gill, KEZY Anaheim, Calif., said it believes "the overwhelming majority of stations will welcome the tightened language and will find no difficulty in operating in compliance." The enforcement suggestions are flexible, offering several approaches to self-discipline. John F. Meagher, NAB radio vice president, told the committee 683 of the 1,533 NAB radio members subscribe to the standards, a gain of 76 in the last 10 days. The committee-approved standards amendments awaiting Radio Board action follow: In "News" section of "Program Standards" add this paragraph — "Treatment of News and Special Events • All news interview programs should be governed by accepted standards of ethical journalism, under which the interviewer selects the questions to be asked. Where there is advance agreement materially restricting an important or newsworthy area of questioning, the interviewer will state on the program that such limitation has been agreed upon. Such disclosure should be made if the person being interviewed requires that questions be submitted in advance or if he participates in editng a recording of the interview prior to its use on the air." After title "General" in "Program Standards" add — "The intimacy and confidence placed in radio demand of the broadcaster, the networks and other program sources that they be vigilant in protecting the audience from deceptive program practices." Insert as fourth paragraph of "General"— "Payola • The broadcaster shall be constantly alert to prevent activities that may lead to such practices as the choice and identification of prizes, the selection of music and other creative program elements and inclusion of any identification of commercial products or services, their trade names or advertising slogans, within a program dictated by factors other than the requirements of the program itself. This expressly forbids the acceptance by producer, talent, or any other personnel of cash payments or other considerations in return for including any of the above within the program." Insert before last paragraph of "General"— "Quiz and similar programs that are presented as contests of knowledge, in Toughening radio standards ♦ NAB's Standards of Good Radio Practice Committee drafted new rules designed to improve medium's performance Dec. 16. Left photo (1 to r): Jay E. Wagner Jr., WLEC Sandusky, Ohio; Frank Gaither, WSB Atlanta; William B. McGrath, WHDH Boston; John F. Meagher, NAB radio vice president, chairman Cliff Gill, KEZY Anaheim, Calif. Right photo: Carleton D. Brown, WTVL Waterville, Me.; George J. Volger, KWPC Muscatine, la.; Cecil Woodland, WEJL Scranton, Pa., James L. Howe, WIRA Fort Pierce, Fla. In background, William Carlisle, NAB station relations manager 54 BROADCASTING, December 21, 1959