The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1927-05-14
DRIGAND GANG
IN SCHEME TO
CONTROL AIR
Encourage Monopoly of
Radio
(By A Staff Correspondentl


ing received Of the most partisan
censorship and class discrimination
by broadcasters throughout the land,
the federal radio commission refuses
to do anything about the matter. The
commission takes the position that
under the law it has neither the
power nor the authority to do any
thing.
The fact is that the commission has
che authority TO intervene and is ac-
tually doing so. Section 1S of the
radio act, specifically provides that a
broadcaster who grants the use of
his equipment to one political candi-
date, or one side of an issue, must
permit other candidates the same use.
The law also gives the commission
the right to regulate stations charged
with broadcasting obscene matter.
And finally, and most effective of all,
through its control Of the issuing of
licenses and allocating wave-lengths
and fixing the power that may be
used, the Commission has an all
powerful control of broadcasters and
could if it desired put the lid down
on censorship and discrimination in
"a hours.
Keeps Out Radicals.
The Commission grayely announces
at the numerous conferences it holds
with the press that every station now
operating will be licensed. Not all of
course will get preferred accomoda-
tions, but all viii be licensed. But the
fact that not one labor station has
been given the right to operate, that
not one radical, or even aiberal broad
caster is now functioning is entirely
passed by, by the Commission.
Quizzed about the matter, the reply
is made:
ooh, yes, as soon as we clear up
the existing situation we will con-
slider the applications Of new sta
TONS"
Not the applications that have
been pending for months from or
ganized labor for permits to broad
cast, no, but the applications of new
stations In other words, if or
ganized labor, or radicals, or liberals
want a station they win have to go
to the bottom of the list and begin
all over again. Already the best
channels and power usages have been
preempted, mostly by the American
Radio Corporation. The remaining
desirable places are in the hands of
small number Of owners, all reac-
tionary, invariably hostile to labor,
radicalism or even liberalism.
Of course the good Mr.. Coolidge
and the equally sacred members of
his party can always get a national
"hook-up," to broadcast their propa-
ganda.
BrOadcasting a Monopoly.
The Commission is making much
of the fact that it will give all broad
casters now operating a place in the
air-net quite so much just how
much of a place-but still a place
1t declaims often and loudly that it
is showing no favors, that service,
equipment, priority and past record
alone will count. Which is undoubt-
eddy true, but still means nothing.
The fact is that the commission is in
dulging in the grossest sort Of dis
elimination.
Instead of giving all sides, all
parties vantage places on the air,
the commission is merely confirming
the grabs Of those who already are
operating. The result is that broad
casting IN America today is prac-
tically monopoly. 1t is in the hands
of big business, controlled by big
money, and nothing they don't want
said is spoken.
AS Attorney Ernst, Of the Ameri-
can Civil Liberties Union, in address,
ing the Commission when it first or
ganized, pointed out, these broadcast
ers have greater power of censorship
than any other institution in the
country. Not only censorship, but
the medium for spreading their views
while denying the other side the OPP
portunity to reply. In his speech,
the only discussion by the way, of
the many that were delivered by the
numerous authorities" interested in
the radio business, that reached
down and jerked out to view the
fundamental issues involved, Mr.
Ernst cited scores of instances Of the
baldest sort Of discrimination and
censorship.
Vicious Discrimination.
He related how a GROUP Of liberals,
men and women Of international
reputation, attempted to purchase
time from certain big station to
answer a rabid denunication Of those
who dared criticize the mirtaristic
Imperialism Of Kellogg and I Coolidge
in Central America, made OYER the
stations equipment by crooked Re-
publican boss. The operator flatly re-
fused to allow them to use his sta
ton, although they submitted to
him a list Of score of prominent
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