Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1930-06-08
RADIO IN POLITICS
PROVES DANGEROUS
Stations May Bar Subject,
Providing Partially Is
Observed.
BY MARTIN CODEL.

Having plunged into the nlaelstrom
of another political year, American
broadcasting finds itself put to the test
once more to avoid recriminations from
the politicians and the perennial
charges of partisanship.
AS radio is used more and more in po-
litical campaigning, the problems of the
broadcasters become more and more Diff
f1cult. They must either lend their fa-
cilities on an equal basis to all candi-
dates for a political office or else refuse
to broadcast political speeches at all.
The choice Is their own under the radio
law.
Most Choose Former Course.
Most have chosen the former course,
for they realize that large portion Of
the public is interested. Moreover. reve-
nues from the sale of time to the poll
ticianS are too attractive to their eX-
chequers to be overlooked. In their
national and State committee headQuar-
tiers, the major political parties are con-
tinuing the radio speakers bureaus they
established during the 1928 campaigns.
Since this years elections are con-
fined to the States and Iocalities-the
States electing all members of the Ma
tional House of Representatives anew
and one-third of the Senate, besides fill
ing State and local of1ces-the prob
lens of broadcaSting this year are main
~ local. The networks are employed
only in the national campaigns
Federal ofticialdom, however, has had
its attention drawn even to local cleo
tons. Only last week, for example, the
Federal Radio Commission felt con-
strained to refuse TO relicense a small
15-Watt station in Portland, Greg, be-
cause it was being used for allegedy
abusive" Indecent" and "repulsive"
language in the course of a bitter pri-
mary battle over seat in Congress.
Prohibited from censoring what is
broadcast, the commission nevertheless
construed its powers to license or re-
fuse to license station very broadly in
this instance.
For the most part, the American
scheme OF affordlng equal opportunities
before the microphone to all candidates
for political office as prescribed in the
radio act, has worked very successfully.
Only occasional complaints against
either the networks or the local stations
have been heard, for the station owners
have generally complied with the law
quite rigidly. If they fear comebackS
from political speeches, they often refuse
entirely to sell time to the candidates.
That is their privilege; the law merely
holds that if they give one candidate
an opportunity to broadcast they must
give the same opportunity to all other
candidates for the same office.
Anticipating more trouble In the flu
ture than they have suffered in the past,
some members of Congress have adj
vanced variety of proposals for regu-
lat1ng the use of radio in politics. One
proposal would have amended thu pres
ent radio act to guarantee equal oppor-
tunities for the discussion of all issues
before the people in refsrenda, national,
State or local, as well as all candi-
dacies.
Put Teeth in Clause.
This was rejected by the Senate in
terState commerce committee, which Is
now writing the Couz:nS bill for the
regulation Of communications by new
commission. Instead, that committee
simply put more teeth in the equal OPP
portunity" clause Of the present radio
act by providing not only that candi-
dates for offics shall have equal oppor-
tunities on the radio. but also those
speaking in their behalf
Section 50 of the communications
commission bill, as accepted by the COM
mittee, now reads:
ca No obligation is imposed upon any
licensee to allow the use of his station
by or in the interest or support of any
candidate for public ONCE, or for the
presentation OF views on any public
question, but If any licensee shall per-
NIT any person who is a legally quail
fed candidate for any public Office, or
any person designated or approved by
said candidate or the political organi-
cation supporting him, to use a broad
casting station, he shall afford equal
opportunities to all other such candi-
dates for that Office or to person desig-
mated or approved by such candidates or
the political organizations supporting
them, in the use of such stations; and
likewise upon all public questions aqual
opportunities, as nearly as may be, shall
be given to persons representing differ
emit views on said questions.
OBJ The commission shall make rules
and regulations to carry this provision
into effect. No licensee shall have power
of censorship over the material broad
cast in accordance with the provisions
of this section.
Co The rates charged for the use of
any station for any of the purposes set
forth in this section shall not exceed
the regular rates charged for the use
of said station to advertisers furnishing
regular programs, and shall not be dis
criminatory as between persons using
the station for such purposes.