NAEB Newsletter (Mar 1958)

some 50 per cent “B,” 25 per cent “C” and 5 per cent “D.” Approximately 10 per cent failed. A “C” grade indicates “average” work. Dr. Zulli compiled the marks on the basis of the students’ performance in home quizzes, term papers and a comprehensive final examination. The NYU professor said his TV students dis¬ played a maturity in their work often lacking in that of other undergraduates. However, he also observed “an understandable lack of practice” in taking col¬ lege-level examinations among many of his video stu¬ dents. PROPOSED EDUCATION BILL DIRECTS MEDIA RESEARCH Two identical “national defense bills,” which include provisions for extensive research and experimentation in new educational media, have been introduced in the U. S. Senate and House by Sen. Lister Hill (D-Ala.) and Rep. Carl Elliott (D-Ala.), respectively. The newly proposed legislation directs the crea¬ tion of an institute within the U. S. Office of Educa¬ tion for research and experimentation to “develop and evaluate projects involving TV, radio, motion pictures and other auditory and visual aids which may prove of value in state and local agencies and institu¬ tions of higher education.” This program also pro¬ vides for grants-in-aid to be made to public or non¬ profit private agencies for the above-mentioned type of research. A second program provided by the bills would re¬ quire the commissioner of education to acquire motion pictures, kinescopes, video tapes, film strips, slides, recordings, magnetic tapes, radio and TV scripts, etc. for adaptation, to be made available upon request to state and local educational agencies. Both programs would be financed by $5 million during the first year and $10 million during the suc¬ ceeding four years. ALABAMA RESUMES CREDIT TV COURSES The University of Alabama has announced its inten¬ tion to resume college credit TV instruction through the University Broadcasting Services Extension Di¬ vision over the Alabama ETV Network. Such courses had been suspended on the network for the past year and a half. Also offered will be credit courses toward a high school diploma. In addition, the network will offer for the first time courses in shorthand and typing for full business school credit. Courses in these fields offered by the network earlier did not lead to a certificate. The certificate which is now available to partici¬ pants upon successful completion of the courses will be issued by the Birmingham Board of Education, in¬ dicating its holder’s qualification to seek employment as typist or stenographer. The New York Times, in a recent issue, gives rec¬ ognition to Alabama’s tireless forging ahead in ETV with a write-up titled “Industry’s Use of TV in Ala¬ bama.” The short feature lists the various benefits to Alabama’s industry which have resulted from the operation of the state’s ETV network. WMCR-FM'S DIRECTOR DIES Word reaches us at press time of the death of Mr. Wallace Garneau, director of WMCR at Western Michigan College of Education, Kalamazoo. With him, the NAEB loses one of its staunchest sup¬ porters and long-time members. PROFESSOR DENOUNCES COMMERCIAL TV FARE Because challenging and controversial themes are avoided in most commercial TV programming, our viewing fare tends to be reduced' to “colorless, in¬ nocuous pap,” according to Prof. Edgar E. Willis of the University of Michigan Department of Speech. Deploring that “the advertiser’s sensitivity re¬ garding program content does not apply equally to the commercials they condone,” Willis claims that the requirement of equal time for opposing views and the advertiser’s fear of controversy, “tend to diminish the kind of attention to public issues that democracy needs.” As a remedy in the areas of news and editorial views Willis suggests that networks should follow ABC and Mutual which broadcast opinions by com¬ mentators whose beliefs range from right to left. To eliminate what he terms “the absurd and some¬ times damaging restrictions” on programming, Willis proposes the adoption of British commercial TV prac¬ tices. In England, he explained advertisers are re¬ stricted to writing commercials. Programs are offered to them on a “take-it-or-leave-it” basis. Commenting on a third restraining influence on TV programming—audience reaction—Willis says: “A concern for the sensitivities of minorities is NEWSLETTER