Broadcasting Telecasting (Jan-Mar 1963)

GOVERNMENT Will House put an end to Rayburn ban? SPEAKER McCORMACK REPORTED READY TO HEAR RADIO-TV ACCESS CASE The long shadow of the "Rayburn Rule," still cast over the proceedings and committee hearings of the House even though the late Speaker Sam Rayburn has been dead more than year, could be lifted if the House adopts any of several bills introduced last week. Two Michigan representatives, George Meader, Republican, Martha W. Griffiths, Democrat, each introduced two access bills when Congress convened Wednesday. Both are seeking access to House proceedings for microphones and cameras, but they approach the subject from different positions. Rep. Meader would authorize committees to permit coverage of public hearings. Rep. Griffiths thinks broadcast newsmen and photo journalists should have the right to cover public hearings and suggests floor proceedings might be reported on a pool basis. A group of broadcast newsmen was trying last week to arrange a date with Rep. John W. McCormack (D-Mass.), the present speaker, to explain how electronic and photographic equipment can be used without demeaning the dignity of the House. Speaker McCormack was pictured before Congress convened as "open minded" about access and "glad to discuss it" (Closed Circuit, Dec. 31). Refuses Change ■ Last year Speaker McCormack went along with Speaker Rayburn's historic interpretation, first articulated by the Texan in 1952 and repeated in 1955. The Massachusetts lawmaker said last year, "The chair intends to follow those opinions [as formulated by Speaker Rayburn] until such times as the House, by its own action in amending the rules, provides for a different method of proceeding" (Broadcasting, Jan. 22, 1962). Under the Republican-controlled Congress in 1953-54 Speaker Joseph W. Martin (R-Mass.) allowed broadcasters to cover public hearings of House committees. The Senate authorizes its committees to permit access to broadcast and photographic media. Radio and television newsmen may cover House business without their broadcast equipment and must rely on impromptu corridor news conferences for photographic or tape coverage. Rep. Meader, who for several years has offered bills to change the House rules and provide broadcast access, last week introduced two proposals to amend Rule XI of the House — one a permanent (H Res 53) and the other a temporary or experimental change (H Res 54). Rep. Meader's last proposal to authorize a permanent rule change was killed in the Congress by an 8-6 vote of the House Rules Committee under Chairman Howard W. Smith (D-Va.) (Broadcasting, Feb. 27, 1961). It was understood then that a vote in favor Speaker McCormack Holds key to coverage was considered by Speaker Rayburn as a vote against the House leadership. Temporary Plan ■ Rep. Meader offered a second bill last week which would provide a rules change similar to that advocated by his first bill, but to apply only for the duration of the 88th Congress. Rep. Griffiths, who has been introducing her own form of access legislation since 1956, said last week broadcasters should have the same "right to cover as the AP." H Res 77 would permit radio and television to broadcast public committee hearings live or delayed "subject to such reasonable rules as the committee may prescribe to prevent such broadcasting from interfering unnecessarily with the business of the committee." On pool coverage of floor proceedings, Rep. Griffiths' H Res 78 would permit one "reputable" representative of radio and one of television to oper ate equipment which would be located in a "portion of the gallery of the House of Representatives as may be necessary." Objections by House members to live coverage of floor proceedings usually centers on aversion of some to the public seeing them or their colleagues engaged in such "undignified" activities as reading newspapers or magazines or dozing, as some have been seen to do from time to time. A "reputable" representative, it is thought, would use discretion and avoid showing such scenes. Robert Fleming, outgoing president of the Radio & Television Correspondents Assn., has said Speaker McCormack has expressed interest in hearing broadcasters' arguments for access. Capitol Hill correspondents familiar with congressional thinking on the access problem and who are personally acquainted with congressmen, hope they (the newsmen) would be able to show the speaker that broadcast coverage has "grown up" since Sam Rayburn first banned broadcasters more than a decade ago. Magnuson wants Cox to stay for full term Sen. Warren G. Magnuson (DWash.), chairman of the Senate Commerce Committee, said last week he'd like to see his political protege, Broadcast Bureau Chief Kenneth A. Cox, nominated by the President and certified by the Senate for both the unexpired term to be vacated by T. A. M. Craven and the succeeding seven-year term. So far the President has indicated only that he intends to nominate Mr. Cox for the five-month period left in the term of Commissioner Craven, who reaches the mandatory retirement age of 70 on Jan. 31. Sen. Magnuson said Thursday he hopes the nomination of Mr. Cox will be "sent up like Minow's." FCC Chairman Newton N. Minow was approved by the Senate in March 1961 for both a four-month period remaining from an expired interim appointment held by a predecessor and a nomination by President Kennedy to a regular term. Mr. Minow replaced Eisenhower appointee Charles H. King. An administration spokesman said last month that Mr. Cox was scheduled for a full seven-year term. 64 BROADCASTING, January 14, 1963