NAB reports (Jan-Dec 1944)

1760 N STREET, N. W. WASHINGTON 6, D. C. Vol. 12, No. 43, October 27, 1944 NAB CIRCULATION PROJECT APPROVED BY ASSOCIATION OF NATIONAL ADVERTISERS The Association of National Advertisers has enthu¬ siastically approved the proposal to join in the formation of a bureau to measure radio station circulation, it was announced at National Association of Broadcasters head¬ quarters today. The American Association of Advertising Agencies on October 3 took similar action. Board action of ANA and AAAA followed study of the NAB plan which was presented by J. Harold Ryan, Presi¬ dent of NAB, Hugh Felties, Roger W. Clipp, Chairman of the NAB Research Committee and Committee members on September 22. The method was developed by the NAB Research Committee and approved by the Board of Direc¬ tors and the general membership of the Association at the NAB Executives War Conference in Chicago, August 30. VIEWS ON PROPOSED RULE COVERING 317 TO BE PRESENTED Views of the broadcasting industry on the rule proposed by the FCC to govern the announcement of sponsored programs will be presented to the FCC at the time that body hears oral argument in the matter. The Commission has given notice to all licensees of its intention to promulgate a regulation governing the form of sponsorship announcement required by Section 317 of the Communications Act of 1934 and has fixed November 1 as the date for filing briefs and November 10 as the date for argument. The text of the proposed rule and order appears on page 366 of NAB Reports, October 6, 1944. President Ryan announced this week that Philip G. Loucks, former Managing Director of the NAB, has been retained as counsel to present the Association’s views to the Commission. Conferences with the legal staff of the FCC have already been inaugux-ated in the hope that agree¬ ment can be reached between the Commission and the in¬ dustry on the form of regulation to be adopted. Further conferences will be held and in order to provide adequate time to explore the possibilities of agreement, the NAB has requested that both the time for filing briefs and oral argument be continued for not less than two weeks. ACLU REQUESTS IDENTIFICATION OF POLITICAL ADS From a press release of the American Civil Liberties Union we quote: “A request to the FCC to require that sponsors of polit¬ ical announcements be identified was made in by a telegram sent on October 16 to James L. Fly, chairman, of the ACLU through Thomas Carskadon, chairman of the Radio Com¬ mittee, Arthur Garfield Hays and Roger N. Baldwin. “We are advised,” the telegram said, “that radio stations throughout the country are now carrying spot announce¬ ments in behalf of political candidates without indicating sponsorship. Since these are paid political advertisements we assume that the Commission’s rules would cover an indication of sponsor. Listeners at present have no means of identifying this paid political propaganda. May we urge your immediate attention with prompt instructions to the industry?” RYAN ANSWERS STATEMENTS ABOUT CODE MADE IN WHKC CASE (As released by NAB News Bureau) NAB President Harold Ryan issued the following statement : “The NAB has followed with great interest the hearings in the UAW-CIO-WHKC case. “Certain statements have been made regarding the NAB Code in connection with the testimony offered in this case which the Association feels should be clarified. “Station WHKC had sold commercial time to the CIO local of Columbus, Ohio, and when the sponsor presented his script for a certain program the station refused to accept it for broadcast on a sponsored basis on.the ground that it was controversial, without offering time on a sus¬ taining basis. “The Code, however, neither suggests nor implies any release from the responsibility of the station licensee in the case of controversial material to give free time for the purpose of discussing the controversial subject. There is no language nor implication in the Code which justifies or encourages a radio station to refuse either to sell a forum type program or give time for the discussion of controversial questions in the public interest. On the con¬ trary, the Code highlights very pointedly the responsibility of the station to encourage sponsored forums and to give time for the discussion of these controversial issues. “In the opinion of the NAB station WHKC should have considered the propriety of broadcasting this program on sustaining time.” THE ALLOCATION HEARINGS The Federal Communications Commission resumed the hearing of testimony on television on Tuesday, October 24, following several days which had been devoted to police, safety and emergency services. That portion of the allocation hearing devoted to television will probably end on Friday (27). Immediately following the television testimony ten wit¬ nesses are scheduled to appear on facsimile. The Com¬ mission will then hear several witnesses in connection with other broadcast services such as relay pickup, satellite control and relay program circuits. With the taking of testimony in connection with these supplementary services, it is anticipated that those portions of the hearings of interest to broadcasters will be concluded. Special NAB Allocation Hearings Bulletins Nos. 6 and 7 have been delayed by reason of a printers’ strike, but will be mailed within a few days. Other special bulletins covering those portions of the testimony of interest to the broadcasters will be sent as quickly as they can be gotten out. October 27, 1944-397