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Washington
What Started as a Snowball The tidal wave of accusalioiis and iiu i iiiiiiiaiioiis, >>tl in nioiif>n In' tlie
Has Turned Into an Avalanche Harris sxibcoinmittee's quiz show invcsligalioiis, is last spilliiij^ over into
all lacels of radio and television jnogranmiing and ( oniinerc ial pi adices. C^hiel fear expressed in industry circles is that the current situatif)n may bring about the passage of legislation which will place radio in a tight girdle of censorship and control. Proof that these fears are based on a ])reniise sturdier than mere conjecture is the public hearings and activities by the Federal ( ionmuuiic ations (lommission.
FCC officials state that "the connnission is reviewing the extent of its authority, in the light of the censorship prohibitions in the Communications Act and court decisions reversing its attempts to regulate certain types of programs, inc luding lotteries and give-away programs, to determine what action, if any, it can or shoidd take, or whether it shoidd recommend remedial legislation to Congress."
Programming and Advertising In outlining the areas which will be floodlighted by the probe, the
Get Their Pulses Taken commission reports that it will "determine the policies, practices, me
chanics and surveillance by networks, stations and others in the accpiisition, ownership, production, distribution, selection, sale and licensing of programs . . . also the selection, presentation and supervision of broadcast advertising material."
By next January 4, all stations are expected to return answers to a special FCC questionnaire relating to the area of payola. The two-part incjuiry is seeking to determine: (1) If stations have accepted anything resembling payola and (2) if any internal controls have been established that provide information concerning remuneration, other than that paid by the station, to individuals "in connection with participation in the preparation and presentation of programs" broadcast by the station.
Another important phase of the study is a close look into the need for any tightening of the commission's procedures to check on the performance of its broadcast licensees in programming and advertising. Perhaps the most ominous aspect of the probe is the study to see if the "commission's authority mider the Comnumications Act of 1934 ... is adequate."
Question: Has the FCC There appear to be differences of opinion in broadcasting and govern
Authority to Take Action? ment quarters as to whether or not the commission has the authority or
power to pass upon such practices as unauthorized mention of products, payola among others, on network shows. Under the present set-ujj, the FCC only licenses individual stations.
The networks and stations themselves have been taking steps to "clean house," prior to the FCC hearings. Most of the emphasis has been concentrated on disc jockeys and the progranuuing of popular music shows. Heavy press ccjverage has been given to payola, and the influence exerted by record companies, publishers and distributors.
(Cont'd on p. 18)
U. S. RADIO • December 1959
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