Heinl radio business letter (Jan-June 1944)

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5/12/44 the commentator's own time. The President may have indicated whether or not he wanted a new radio law enacted before the election. Also Senator Wheeler, being the #1 radio and communications authority on the Hill, the President may have asked him what he thought of the progress of the House FCC investigation and "where do we go from here?" on that. Senator Wheeler, who has been off the reservation for years and one of the President's severest critics, has been a "very good boy" of late. One example was the way he went to the rescue of the FCC appropriations bill in the Senate recently and praised Chairman James L, Fly to the skies. This didn't prevent the Senate from ripping a half a million dollars out of the appropriations in addition to the million the House had socked it. Nevertheless, it was another indication of a more friendly attitude of Senator Wheeler towards the Administration, If Senator Wheeler discussed the subject of radio com¬ mentators with the President, he may have told him about the message he sent to the Ohio State Institute for Education by Radio last week, which read in part as follows: "There is not one respectable newspaper that would sell its lead story day after day to an advertiser, nor is there a news¬ paper owner who would allow an advertiser to sponsor a daily column of comment about news of the day But the dollar has been radio's master and I am often impelled to wonder Just how much of what I hear has been dictated by the advertiser. "I am certain that the average big-money sponsor in hiring a news commentator (unless possibly he had large Government con¬ tracts) would be more likely to employ a commentator with the views of the National Association of Manufacturers than one with possibly the views of any liberal administration in power. In the future, radio broadcasters, I believe, will find they can greatly strengthen themselves with the people by following the example of the Fourth Estate, of presenting unhampered factual news. "You who are educators have an opportunity, the privilege and duty to use your knowledge and ingenuity to raise the standards of American radio. You have failed in your efforts in the past. Let us hope and work for a brighter future. " If there is any truth in the rumor that Senator Wheeler is again flirting with the vice-presidential idea, he is indeed tread¬ ing a slippery path and would do well to read Charley Michelson^s new book "The Ghost Talks", who speaks of Mr, Roosevelt's "genial trait of sending people away with the idea that he is quite in accord with them. Sajnples: Farley's faith in the idea that he had the President's word that he would not run for a third term, and the faith of various candidates for the vice-presidential nomination in 1940, each one thinking that he had the green light, despite the actuality that Roosevelt had determined on Henry Wallace for the second place on the ticket and would take nobody else, " XXXXXXXX 3