Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-05-06
INCIDENT SHOWS
PUBLIC AS CENSOR
Cigarette Publicity Over
Radio Is Altered After Com
plants Are Made.
BY MARTIN CODEL.

The way the public acts as its own
censor of radio programs is pointedly
Illustrated by the change instituted in
the character of the announcements
interpreting the Saturday night Or
cheStral program sponsored over a Ma
ton wide network of the National
Broadcasting Co. by the American To-
bacco Co.
Advertising Of cigarettes, including
paid testimonials from athletes, actors
and other celebrities, to which objec-
tions we're raised, have been omitted
from the program and, although no an
nouncement of its intention was made
by the company, they will probably be
heard no more.
The slogan urging the listener to
reach for the cigarette instead of a
sweet was abbreviated in last Saturday
nights program to the simple sugges-
ton to reach for the cigarette. Food
and candy interests had been joined by
health, church and women's societies
and various other protesting groups in
objecting to the advertising. The pro-
tests were made on health grounds and
on the theory that indirect aSperSionS
upon other industries constituted un-
fair competition.
Commission Uses Big Stick.
Even the Federal Radio Commission
had threatened to take hand. Al
though without power to censor pro-
gram material, the commission proposed
to hold public hearing in Washington
on the subject to determine whether
the station members of the chain we're
acting in the public interest in broad
casting the announcements.
The moral force of the Federal radio
authority was exerted to secure a change
in the advertising methods. 1t is now
apparent that the altered announce
ment came as a result of pressure from
this source. from the stations taking the
programs and from the chain manage
ment.
The stations and chain were under
considerable pressure from the listening
public, along with the company itself
Station WTAM, Cleveland, several weeks
ago refused to continue its contract for
the program of popular dance music,
despite its popularity as an entertain
ment feature, and withdrew from the
chain for that hour. Other stations
threatened to follow suit
Robinson Is Pleased.
Qualification was expressed today by
Chairman Ira E. Robinson, of the Fed
cral Radio Commission, who said he re-
garded last Saturday nights announce
ment as "a decided improvement. ="
Judge Robinson said the whole incident
has revealed how determined public
sentiment can control broadcasting
The same sentiment was expressed by
Commissioner Fl. A. La Fount. He had
urged the National BroadcaSting Co.
which has the right of censorship. to
insist that the client make the change
The commissioners and the legislators
who framed the radio act are at one
with the broadcaSting industry in the
belief that any kind of Government
censorship over the radio is undesirable
The radio act itself specifically denies
the right of censorship to the commits
sion. except in the event of profanity
or obScenity being broadcast. This is
sufficient grounds for the revocation of
license.
Relatively few instances of such abuse
OF the broadcaSting privilebe are on
record in the short history of program
radio. Most stations exercise a strict
censorship OF their own, usually in the
interest of maintaining a high standard
OF quality and thus holding their heter-
ogeneouS audiences. While the radio
commission does not censor directly. il
holds sort Of indirect power to pass
upon the programs of station by virtue
OF the fact that 1t alone is the Judge of
whether station is operating in the
public interest, convenience or neces-
sity" and should be relicensed.
Copyright, 1929. by North American News