Motion Picture Commission : hearings before the Committee on Education, House of Representatives, Sixty-third Congress, second session, on bills to establish a Federal Motion Picture Commission (1978)

80 MOTION PICTUEE COMMISSION. Dr. Carter. Of course, he can not tell before he has seen them, although some of the picture houses advertise the fact that the films they show have been approved by the board. I want to make one correction, which is self-explanatory. I said there were 98 per cent of all the films passed by our board. In this record or report, which Avas not in print at the time I made that statement, the record shows that for the present year we are passing 96 per cent instead of 98 per cent. That record has been very carefully compiled, and I think it is approximatel}^ correct. In the year before the report showed definitely the figures as I gave them, 98 per cent. This last year there has been such a large in- crease of films that are usually produced by the independents that there is a decrease in this percentage from 98 to 90 per cent. That is an answer to j^our question. In other words, the people of this countr}'^, by this censorship which we have established, are assured that 96 per cent of the pictures that they see in any motion picture house in any town, city, or village in the land have been censored. In other words, of the pictures that all these people all over the country may see in motion picture houses, only 4 per cent of them have not been passed and approved by our board. Mr. Thaciier. In other words, they might see some films that your board has not approved? Dr. Carter. Four per cent of the pictures they mav' see have not been approved. Mr. Thachek. The moving picture house does not advertise on their program that the pictures they are showing have been approved by your board ? Dr. Carter. In a good many houses they do. It raises the tone of the pictures to a higher standard. That is the reason the managers were written to to go into the combination. It was for their com- mercial interests. They realized that if they had the approval of the board, on Avhich were represented so many and various interests, it would be to their commercial advantage. There are 20 civic bodies represented on the board, representing religious, educational, and philanthropic interests and social service organizations, and the mov- ing picture people realized if they had the approval of such a board for the films they show, it would really advance their business, and it has. Mr. Towner. A gentleman was telling me not long ago that he had noticed advertisements in some of the tlieater programs in which they were advertising everythiug censored by your board, and I sup- pose tliat is likely the case in a number of houses? Dr. Carter. Oh. yes. But there are some Avho will not accept those that are not censored. Mr. TowNEK. And openly advertise that they will not exhibit any not approved by your board? Dr. Carter. In summarizing what I luive already said. I just want to put the summary under three heads: First. I want to say that Federal censorship is unnecessary, be- cause the printed facts in the j)am[)hk't before you, with the eight carefully drawn standards which I have already (juoted, show that by these metliods we are doing the woi'k well enough ourselves and it is proved also by the statistical report I gave to you the other day.