Broadcasting Telecasting (Jan-Mar 1962)

SPEAKER MAY TAKE RADIO-TV STAND He's committed, if Rep. Meader makes promised inquiry The conditions under which House Speaker John W. McCormack CDMass.) has said he will take a stand on whether radio-tv coverage of House committee hearings should be authorized may be fulfilled this week. The first was that he be firmly in the speaker's chair, which he was as of last Wednesday; the second was that a parliamentary inquiry be raised, which may come this week. Rep. George Meader (R-Mich.), who since 1955 has futilely sought reversal of the late Speaker Sam Rayhurn's ban on radio-tv access to hearings, said he plans to raise the issue on the House floor. He has already discussed the matter informally with the speaker, and last week was preparing a brief to suport his position that House rules do permit committees to decide for themselves whether to allow camera and microphone coverage of hearings. Rep. Meader has a staunch supporter in Rep. Francis E. Walter (D-Pa.), a veteran legislator high in the Democratic House hierarchy. Rep. Walter on several occasions tried to get Speaker Rayburn to lift the ban on radio-tv, and has discussed it with the new speaker. But if Rep. McCormack adopts the Rayburn interpretation — that since House rules do not expressly provide for radio-tv coverage it cannot be allowed— Rep. Meader has a fall-back position. He will ask the Rules Committee to reverse its decision of a year ago on a resolution he introduced to authorize radio and television broadcasts of House hearings. New Hope from Rules ■ The committee then voted 8-6 to shelve the issue (Broadcasting, Feb. 27, 1961). But that was after Speaker Rayburn threw his weight against the proposal. Rep. Meader feels that, with a new speaker, there is some hope now that the committee might be willing to permit the question to come up for a House vote. Rep. Richard Boiling (D-Mo.), a member of that committee, said last week, however, that while telecasts of House chamber sessions might be in the public interest, he will oppose any proposal to broadcast committee hearings. But he acknowledged there is "a chance" Speaker McCormack may permit radio-tv coverage of committee sessions. He expressed that view on the Mark Evans Show on WTTG (TV) Washington Jan. 7. Meanwhile, an effort parallel to Rep. Meader's, but somewhat more cautious, is being made by another member of the Michigan delegation, Rep. Martha W. Griffiths, a Democrat. She has long favored radio-tv coverage of sessions of the House as well as of committee hearings, and has introduced resolutions to allow coverage since 1956. She said last week she will "sound out the possibilities" for a change in the Rayburn ruling in talks she plans this week with Speaker McCormack and members of the Rules Committee. That committee was to have taken up her resolutions last year, but considered Rep. Meader's proposal instead when she failed to appear at the hearing. She said at the time that she was stranded in Detroit by lack of transportation, but there were some suggestions that she was absent on Speaker Rayburn's advice. Examiner denies plea by WREA for renewal Hearing Examiner Jay A. Kyle last week dismissed with prejudice the application of WREA East Palatka, Fla., for renewal of license because the applicant failed to publish a notice that the FCC had set the case for hearing (Broadcasting, Oct. 23, 1961). WREA, which has been dark since last winter, is owned by Peter, Anthony and Concetta Corrado. The station's renewal application was set for hearing on questions of unauthorized transfer of control, financial qualifications and going off the air without authority, among other issues. FCC refuses to clear Tedescos of charges The FCC last week refused to issue a declaratory ruling that Tedesco Inc. and its principals, Nicholas and Victor Tedesco, have not been engaged in trafficking in broadcast licenses. Such a question against Tedesco had been raised by the commission in setting for hearing the application of Tedesco to purchase WMIN St. Paul, Minn. The Tedescos had asked for such a ruling by the commission and recon NBC's behind the cameras for the FCC's blue shirt day Radio and television will give extensive coverage to the FCC network hearing, scheduled to start Jan. 24 in Washington, judging by network and station plans at the weekend. A pooled pickup of the proceedings by NBC was approved Jan. 11 by the FCC after a flurry of excitement about a union jurisdictional problem involving the National Assn. of Broadcast Employes & Technicians. Comr. Robert E. Lee notified the network it had been given permission to originate the hearing on a pooled basis. A meeting of those interested in coverage of the hearing was scheduled at 10 a.m. today (Jan. 15) at the FCC secretary's office. Technical details of the coverage will be discussed. Comr. Lee, who has handled this phase, will attend. The details of lighting the dimlyilluminated hearing room will be discussed. The Commission originally directed that only available lighting would be permitted. Last Dec. 12 the Commission granted coverage permission to G. Bennett Larson, head of Washington, D. C, Television & Program Service, production firm. The letter from Chairman Newton N. Minow specified that exclusive coverage would not be permitted, and that a pooling arrangement would be necessary should others want to participate. When NBC went to the Commission with a request to originate the hearings the network was referred to Mr. Larson. At this point, it's understood, NBC was reminded by NABET that the network cannot, under its union's contract, take a pickup from Mr. Larson's firm (which is an independent producer) though this firm reportedly has a NABET contract, too. Mr. Larson agreed to step aside to let NBC originate the testimony for the pool. His firm will take its feed from the pool. NBC originally had wanted to take the hearing from the Larson firm because NBC is a party in the proceeding. The FCC hearing was first scheduled to start Jan. 23. The date was changed last week when CBS noted a space shoot is scheduled that day. Triangle Stations announced Jan. 11 that all stations in the group will cover the hearing. It plans to offer testimony by network presidents along with other significant developments. Live highlights will be given during the day, with special evening excerpts. 62 (GOVERNMENT) BROADCASTING, January 15, 1962