U. S. Radio (Oct 1957-Dec 1958)

"We reserve the right to eclitorialize and consider that the individual stations shouhl have tlie right to editc»rialize. "Vie give the Midest latilu<k' to our eonnnenlalors and analysts — provi<h*d they are qualified hy training, background and experience — to express opinions, and \sa' maintain a balance of points of view so that all phases of opinion are available to the public." John Daly, ABC vice president in charge of news, special events, sports, and public events. "CBS lustily defends its right to editorialize but prohibits bias in its newscasts. While occasions arise when a network feels called upon to take an editorial stand on controversial issues in the news, it isn't the role of CBS news broadcasters to assert such editorial comment. Such an editorial broadcast should not be incorporated into an established news format, but should be independently presented and clearly labeled. This is part of our responsibility as a broadcast news organization which supplies the day's news to millions." John F. Day, CBS director of news. have the guts that many in our industry seem to lack. We have not lost an advertiser, and have gained several." WCLI, Corning, N. Y.: "We have lost some advertisers, but have gained more. The general public loves it. We print scripts as aired daily and mail them to those who write-in." KRXK, Rexburp, Ida.: "No adverse reaction from advertisers who are part of the general public. We have made some individuals mad. but the overall acceptance has been excellent." Favorable Reactions KOLS, Pryor, Okla.: "Reactions from public and advertisers are very favorable, although the editorializing is done strictly from the station point of view — without regard to effect on the advertiser or listener." WMCA, New York, which airs ten regularly scheduled editorial opinion programs weekly: "We have recieved no unfavorable response." WMUU, Greenville, S. C: "Editorials have been well accepted by the general public." WMUS, Muskegon, Mich.: "Advertisers for the most part recognize oiu" rights to editorialize, and do not hold animosity for editorials even when they affect the interests of the advertiser in some way. Public reaction depends on which side of the fence the listener stands. For the most part om^ comments have been favored by the majority." All Issues Aired Most of these stations claim the right to editorialize on any subject that they feel warrants attention. Typical is WNOE, New Orleans, which has recently aired opinions "on local issues such as the police department 'shake-up,' and a^so on the election of James Hoffa, and on the vmdesirability of certain 'filthy' magazines being displayed and sold to teenagers on New Orleans street (orners." Gordon McLendon aired a labeled editorial 16 times in one day over his Texas Triangle stations — KLIF, Dallas; KTSA, San Antonio; KILT, Houston. Calling tiie launching of Russia's Sputnik "the blackest day for the United States since the British armada lay off her coast in 1776," he urged a crash program in the guided missile field. KAFY, Bakersfield, Cal., \\ill soon begin extensive editorializing to speak out on "any problem we feel needs public attention. We will concentrate on local problems and on situations we feel the public should Avrite Sacramento or Washington about. We can't think of any reason why a radio station should not editorialize on the air." "We prefer," states WCAU, Philadelphia, "to present opposing points of view on controversial issues, cast as nuich light as possible on the topic, and then let oiu^ listeners make up their own minds. In this connection we do a considerable amount of public affairs broadcasting." AVMC.A, New York, simis up the attitude of these broadcasters: "We editorialize on all issues of a public nature." Many of the stations which air opinions do restrict thenisehes for reasons of geography and history, but then how many newspapers rise above sectionalism and deep-rooted ideas on their editorial pages? Not many. .\ start has been made and manv examples set for those who said it could not be done. How far editorializing will go depends on the ability and the courage of the local stations and of the networks. • • • U.S. RADIO • November 1957 29