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6/16/39
HEARING ORDERED IN S-W RULES CONTROVERSY
A public hearing was ordered this week for July 12 by the Federal Communications Commission on the question of whether the new rules governing the operation of international broadcasting stations should be modified, revised, or amended.
The FCC decision culminated growing criticism of the rule which stipulated that an international station must broadcast programs which "reflect the culture of this country and which will promote international good-will, understanding, and cooperation. "
The regulation was viewed with alarm by the radio industry, the American Civil Liberties Union, and members of Congress on the ground that it verged too close to Government censorship of radio. The hearing was granted upon the filing of a petition by the Civil Liberties Union.
"The Commission is of the opinion", the announcement said, "that an open public hearing to discuss the merit of the new regulations is desirable, particularly in view of the fact that the application of the rules has been misunderstood in some quarters. "
Chairman Wheeler, of the Senate Interstate Commerce Com¬ mittee, criticized the regulation on the Senate floor this week and said he hoped the FCC would decide to reconsider and hold a hearing. Senator Johnson (R.), of California, echoed the wish.
Previously the National Association of Broadcasters had filed a formal request for a hearing with the FCC. The Commission ignored this petition, however, in acting on the request of the Civil Liberties Union.
Among the last to join in the demand for reconsideration was Representative Celler ( D. ) , of New York. In a letter to Chairman Frank R. McNinch, he said:
"I am disturbed with one of the regulations recently promulgated by your Commission, which provides as follows: ’A licensee of an international broadcast station shall render only an international broadcast service which will reflect the culture of this country and which will promote international good-will, understanding, and cooperation.1 What is ’international good-will’ to one, may be international ill will to another. Furthermore, what is meant by ’understanding’; and what is meant by ’coopera¬ tion*? There is no common definition of these words, and there¬ fore the language used is somewhat vague.
"If I were scheduled to speak on one of the four inter¬ national broadcasting stations, and were suddenly stopped on the score that I was not promoting 'international good-will, under¬ standing, and cooperation', I would be deeply resentful against
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