Broadcasting Telecasting (Oct-Dec 1963)

f^r of the federal agencies requested p fill in an extensive questionnaire on fceir information policies had provided he information. The FCC complied a st week and reported that in fiscal 963 it spent about S42.500 in salaries cr its public information activities, but hat it spent more than twice that mount, $102,597, for the salaries of •ersonnel needed to answer congression_ information requests. The FCC estirated it cost another $100,000 for other operating costs in that area, bringing the figure to more than S200,000, including costs for preparation of commission testimony before Congressional committees. The subcommittee, at the request of Representative George Meader (RMich.). is trying to find out just how much the government spends to provide information and how many people are engaged in related functions. Other FCC answers to the informa tion questionnaire: ■ The agency has no requirement that personnel not in the public information field report contacts with newsmen. The same holds true for personnel working in congressional information, although, as a courtesy or for coordination, some contacts are called to the attention of the FCC chairman and/ or the associate general counsel for legislation. GOP-edited Kennedy 'quote' runs afoul of FCC The FCC moved swiftly last week to halt the broadcast by Kentucky radio stations of a doctored tape of a presidential news conference. A Republican state campaign committee, acting through the Staples advertising agency of Louisville, provided the tape for broadcast during the final week of that state's gubernatorial election campaign, which ends Tuesday (Nov. 5). The Republicans had purchased 30-second spots, three times daily, on some 50 stations, and many of the stations began earning them before the commission had a chance to rule on the contents. The commission, acting in response to queries from the Kentucky Broadcasters Association and from stations in the state, didn't direct the broadcasters to stop earning the announcement. But it said broadcasts of the tape appear to violate commission rules against distorting news. Alvis H. Temple, wkct Bowling Green, secretary of the KBA. told Broadcasting Wednesday (Oct. 30) that, as far as he knew, all stations which had been earning the tape dropped it after the commission's ruling was received. He said the Louisville agency supplied a substitute announcement for the controversial tape. Kennedy Quote ■ According to the tape as provided to the stations. President Kennedy appears to advocate race mixing. The complete presidential "'quote" contained on the tape declares: "Good afternoon, ladies and gentlemen I would say that over the long run we are going to have a mix. This will be true racially, socially, ethnically, geographically. That's really the best way." Then another voice breaks to state: "Breathitt supports this Kennedy policy. Vote against it. Vote Nunn-Lawrence." Edward T. (Ned) Breathitt is the Democratic candidate for governor. Louis B. Nunn and Bemis Lawrence are the Republican candidates for governor and lieutenant governor. According to a transcript of the Sept. 12 presidential news conference, obtained by the commission, the President was responding to a question as to the effect the civil rights issue might have on his political fortunes in the North. "I understand what vou mean. emple that there is a danger of a division in the party, in the country, upon racial grounds," he said, according to the transcript. "... I don't know what 1964 is going to bring. I think a division upon racial grounds would be unfortunate, class lines, sectional lines. ... So I would say that over the long run we are going to have a mix. . ." Mr. Temple asked the commission Monday (Oct. 28) for a ruling on the announcement. With the election imminent, the commission met in a special session Tuesday afternoon, decided on its reply and immediately notified Mr. Temple by telephone of its ruling. A telegram containing the commission's ruling, over Chairman E. William Henry's name, was received by Mr. Temple Wednesday morning. Broadcasters' Questions ■ Kentucky broadcasters had asked whether broadcasts of the tape would violate any commission rules. Some were also said to believe that they were barred from rejecting the tape by the political broadcasting law prohibiting censorship of candidates. The commission, in its telegram, noted the 1949 report on editorializing holds that broadcasters would violate their responsibility to the public if they were to "distort" news concerning a controversial issue. "On the basis of the facts presented to us." the commission added, "the announcement is an apparent distortion of the facts'7 concerning the President's news conference statement. The telegram went on to say that the prohibition against censorship doesn't apply to the tape since "no personal use of station facilities by a candidate [is] involved." The ruling was adopted unanimously by the four commissioners who attended the special meeting — Chairman Henry. Robert T. Bartley and Lee Loevinger (all Democrats) and Rosel H. Hyde (Republican). BROADCASTING, November 4. 1963 63