Broadcasting Telecasting (Jan-Mar 1963)

New bills introduced in Congress The following legislation introduced in Congress was processed between Jan. 17-24 and was not therefore mentioned in Broadcasting's summary of legislation in the Jan. 21 issue. Proposals which duplicate earlier bills and resolutions are so noted (* indicates legislation introduced in the same or similar form in earlier congresses). Language communication study: H.R. 977, Rep. Alphonzo Bell (R-Calif.): to create a division of language science within the National Science Foundation to coordinate, promote and facilitate an intensive national program of language communication and cultural exchange. Public information*: H.R. 1063, Rep. Ed Edmondson (D-Okla.): to amend the Administrative Procedure Act and open to the public records and papers filed with agencies. Overtime: H.R. 1 680, Rep. James G. O'Hara (D-Mi.ch.): to amend the Fair Labor Standards Act of 1938 and improve its overtime standards. Communications would be included in a definition of industries of "major economic importance," and employes would be entitled by law to double time pay for work beyond the "maximum work week." Obscenity commission: H.R. 1894, Rep. E. Y. Berry (R-S.Dak.): to create a commission on noxious and obscene matters and materials (Broadcasting, Jan. 21). National institute of arts and humanities: Rep. Edward P. Boland (DMass.): to establish a national institute of the arts and humanities (Broadcasting, Jan. 21). Equal pay*: H.R. 1936, Rep. David T. Martin (R-Neb.): to give equal pay for equal work and eliminate discrimination by sex (Broadcasting, Jan. 21). Excise tax on communications: H.R. 2054, Rep. Ralph J. Scott (D-N.C); H.R. 2358, Rep. Jamie L. Whitten (D-Miss.): to repeal the excise tax on communications (Broadcasting, Jan. 21). Ban pay-tv*: H.R. 2096, Rep. George Huddleston (D-Ala.) : to prohibit the charging of a fee to view telecasts in the home. End daylight saving time*: H.R. 2335, Rep. Kenneth J. Gray (D-Ill.): to amend the Standard Time Act of March 19, 1918 to provide that standard time be the measure of time for all purposes (the effect would be to eliminate daylight saving time). Spy watchdog: H.J. Res. 145, Rep. William Fitts Ryan (D-N.Y.): to establish a joint committee on foreign information and intelligence. This House-Senate unit would examine the activities of the United States Information Agency, Central Intelligence Agency and information services within the Executive. International etv: H. Con. Res. 46, Rep. Kenneth A. Roberts (D-Ala.): to express the sense of Congress on promoting international educational radio and television broadcasting as a means of achieving better understanding among and promoting education of the peoples of the world. National arts foundation: S. 165, Sen. Jacob Javits (R-N.Y.), for himself and Sens. Joseph S. Clark (D-Pa.), Hubert H. Humphrey (D-Minn.) and Claiborne Pell (D-R.I.): to establish a United States National Arts Foundation with up to $5 million for operations and grants in its first year and not more than $10 million in succeeding years. Cultural Center site: S. 315, Sen. Schafitz, and a license covering a construction permit for WXTV (TV) Youngstown, Ohio, owned jointly by Mr. Schafitz and Guy W. Gully. The television station is now dark. Mr. Schafitz's difficulties with the commission stem from discussions he had with Mr. Horvitz in September 1958, which led to the formation of WWIZ Inc., assignment of the WWIZ license to it, and the sale to the Journal of a 45% interest in the corporation for $55,000. Mr. Schafitz needed the funds for construction of WXTV. The Broadcast Bureau said Mr. Schafitz was so preoccupied with financial problems in completing the television station that he was willing to sell a share in WWIZ "upon such conditions as Horvitz would dictate, including the transfer of effective corporate control to the Journal." Agreed to Journal's Terms ■ The Bureau contended that even before the corporation was formed, on Nov. 12, 1958, Mr. Schafitz agreed to terms that would give control of the station to the Journal and that after the corporation was organized, the Journal exercised this control. The bureau held that Mr. Horvitz controlled the votes of two of the three directors — his own and that of Harry Wickens, who had been an attorney for the Journal. Mr. Schafitz was the third director. The Bureau also said that Mr. Horvitz controlled the keeping of records and financial affairs through his employes, who were secretary and treasurer of WWIZ. According to the bureau, the Journal's alleged control of WWIZ was concealed from the commission and the "nature of the understanding were not revealed, except through the hearing process under cross exarnination." The Journal and WWIZ however, said there was no agreement to sell and transfer full control until May 2, 1961. In a joint pleading, the Journal and WWIZ said that Mr. Schafitz not only controlled the corporation through his majority stock ownership but retained actual control of the operation of the station. The Journal and WWIZ said Mr. Schafitz was solely responsible for hiring and firing employes, for determining the banks WWIZ Inc. would use, and for the advertising, business and programming policies of the station's operation. Regarding Mr. Wickens' role in the corporation, the two parties maintained there is no evidence to support the inference that he acted as "an agent of the Lorain Journal." Newsmen deny pro-Cuban leanings A refugee Cuban journalist's charges that five U. S. newsmen slanted news to favor Cuba in broadcasts and newspaper stories were denied and sharply criticized in statements to a Senate subcommittee released today (Monday). Sen. Kenneth B. Keating (R-N.Y.), who presided at 1962 hearings of the Senate Internal Security Subcommittee (Broadcasting, July 23, 1962), said last week he regretted the charges by Carlos Todd had been made "in public without an opportunity for evaluation and out of the presence of the accused parties." The senator also said, "At no time was it proved to my satisfaction that the reporters named by Todd were either the instruments or the dupes of the communist conspiracy." Mr. Todd, now head of the Cuban Information Service named: Charles Kuralt, CBS News Latin America correspondent; John Hlavacek, NBC News correspondent now stationed in Miami; Hendrick J. Berns, formerly a commentator and feature reporter on WGBS-AM-FM Miami; Willem L. Oltmans, commentator; and Sam Halper of Time Inc. The Replies ■ An analysis of an 60 (GOVERNMENT) BROADCASTING, January 28, 1963