Broadcasting (Apr - June 1960)

MUSIC all day long to suit every mood of the day. Freedom from weird sounds . . . freedom from gimmicks . . . just wonderful entertainment. NEWS More newscasts per day than any other local station. Local news gathering as well as reporting. National and international coverage all through the day from NBC's excellent staff. PERSONALITIES that are well-known and welcome in every home . . . selected to suit the program . . . and backed by vigorous promotion. NETWORK Monitor for the week-end, plus NBC’s on the spot coverage of events when they happen — where they happen. Facts, figures, data, statistics and other pertinent information are at the fingertips of your PGW Colonel. See him today. w PRESIDENT Col. B. J. Palmer VICE-PRES. & TREASURER D. D. Palmer EXEC. VICE-PRESIDENT Ralph Evans SECRETARY Wm. D. Wagner RESIDENT MANAGER Ernest C. Sanders SALES MANAGER Pax Shaffer THE QUINT CITIES DAVENPORT BETTENDORF ROCK ISLAND MOLINE EAST MOLINE PETERS. GRIFFIN. WOODWARD. INC. EXCLUSIVE NATIONAL REPRESENTATIVES be as cooperative as they can be under law, but wondered if individual stations would go this far. Try Voluntary System ■ Sen. Thruston B. Morton (R-Ky.), Republican National Chairman, said Congress should “try out” the voluntary system suggested by the television industry but he favored a free tv time bill if this doesn’t work satisfactorily. He thought a law giving free time to presidential candidates would build up pressure to give free time to candidates for offices at all levels. Sen. Gale McGee (DWyo.) said the problem of giving free tv time to candidates for lesser offices ought to be argued on its own merits later. Sen. A.S. Mike Monroney (DOkla.), who has expressed his belief a law is necessary, said that even if the networks are cooperative, individual stations may be reluctant to clear the time under a voluntary plan. “You’re inviting total failure,” he said. Difficulties ■ Frederick W. Ford, FCC chairman said the FCC takes no position on the bill, but wants to point out difficulties. One, he said, is that neither the FCC nor the Communications Act has ever affirmatively required licensees to carry specific programs as the bill provides, leaving that to the licensee. He noted the public might object to pre-emption of other programs by political speeches. The bill ought to define “network” to eliminate regional or special networks from its requirements, he suggested. The measure also is ambiguous in specifying the amount of time for candidates, he said. He pointed out other ambiguities or inconsistencies. He saw difficulty in simultaneous hookups by networks with some 30 independent commercial tv stations, plus educational stations and those in Alaska, Hawaii, Guam and Puerto Rico. The FCC chairman agreed, after some discussion, to a request by Sen. Monroney that the agency query all tv licensees on their plans and policies regarding political broadcasts during the forthcoming election campaign and whether they will carry political broadcasts paid, sustaining or both. The period would cover Labor Day to Election Day. Barrage of Questions ■ Dr. Stanton was interrupted by questions shortly after he began reading his prepared statement May 17. He cashed-in on the subcommittee questioning by pointing out that the back-and-forth exchange provided a more effective and interesting discussion than reading of a formal statement. That’s why CBS wants to pick the time and format of its political features, he explained. He contended the federal government would be dictating a “journalistic function” under the proposal. “This bill Unconstitutional ■ Whitney North Seymour, for NAB, said political bill is violation of first, fifth amendments. will not help move information,” he added. “We would have candidates coming out of the woods all over the country because Sec. 315 and the bill are intertwined.” He reminded there were 1 8 parties with presidential candidates in 1952 and 1956. Dr. Stanton said he “opposed someone in an office saying we must give a percentage of time to this or that journalistic function.” He called the legislation “merely a free time bill, not a debate.” Chairman Pastore observed that the Communications Act requires public service time. “I’m not aware that it does,” Dr. Stanton replied, clearing up a misapprehension. To Sen. A.S. Mike Monroney’s (DOkla.) remark that the presidential race might be a “Mickey Mouse campaign,” Dr. Stanton said, “The time has come to let us put on long pants and do the job.” He insisted the network’s affiliates will provide facilities, with 95% of effective circulation covered. When Sen. Gale W. McGee (DWyo.) feared CBS would put campaign programs opposite popular broadcasts, Dr. Stanton said, “I’m troubled by the question of forcing the public to see a single program or they can’t look at a tv set.” Sen. McGee contended the bill was merely mild, preventive legisfation that doesn’t sentence the public to look at a tv receiver. Chairman Pastore felt most people are interested in the issues 74 (GOVERNMENT) BROADCASTING, May 23, 1960