Evening star., 1934-04-15
HANLEY DEPLORES
WASTE IN RADIO
Commission Member Recon-.
mends Government Pass
ing on Programs.
By the Associated Press.

By the Associated Press.
The "woeful waste" of radio facili-
ties by "a few big fellows" was con-
demned yesterday by Commissioner
James H Hanley of the Radio Com
mission in recommending govern
mental authority to pass on programs
and prevent what he termed as i'm
positions upon the public.
Differing with some of the posi-
tions taken by the commission, Han
ley suggested in a statement the use
of more regional channels as there
are now too many clear channels" I"
He also recommended setting aside "a
liberal number" of channels for the
exclusive use Of educational institu-
tions.
Saying "this question of program
content and extent. particularly in
commercial advertising, is one that
the commission has been considering
and sooner or later will have to solve" Z"
the commissioner charged that one
of the greatest abuses of the radio
today 'is the disposition of adver-
tisers to take advantage of the gen.
eral public, and the law as it now
stands affords little protection" He
said relief was looked for through
a pending bill in Congress to tighten
up the food and drug act and stop
false advertising
Favors. Fair Warning.
1T seems to me as a matter of
fairness and equity" 'Hahley said,
that the regulatory body should be
clothed with enough authority to warn
stations that certain classes of pro-
grams are undesirable and may lead
to embarrassment if not actual pun
tshment, if they are put on the air
In other words, it would seem
unfair to stations for the commission
TO be muzzled regarding the rendition
OF programs and at the same time be
clothed with authority 10 arbitrarily
and summarily put off the air a sta
tion which consciously or uncon-
sciously has rendered an objection
able program. 1t puts the commission
much in the attitude of spider sit
ting in its web waiting for some prey
on which to pounce"
The commissioner urged enactment
of Administrations proposed legislation
now before Congress to create a Fed
eral Communications Commission. He
added that "as the President points
out in his timely message. there
should be Federal regulatory body
to consider interstate rates charged
by the telegraph, telephone and COM
mercial radio companies"
Court Decisions Necessary.
'Of course, we are conscious of the
fact Hanley said. that regulatory
statutes such as the Federal radio
act, must await the decision of the
courts to determine just to what ex-
tent we can regulate and control
without violating the anti-censorship
section of the statute, but the COM
mission has been and will continue to
be, and I think rightly so. petitioned
by listeners protesting lotteries and
games of chance being broadcast over
radio stations, as well as other pro-
grams.
Eventually Congress will make pro-
vision for penalties and punishment
against stations which permit fla
grant Misrepresentation of goods dur
AAA5 oPOA1oOACo RAOsl oilAo. Ah4d1ly
vertisemerts over the air are reeking
with superlatives regarding certain
mediocre If not harmful products.
There is no doubt in my mind that
the general public is being grossly de-
ceived in many instances.
While I firmly believe that the
American system of broadcasting is
the best in the world, there has crept
into our system certain practices and
abuses which are very apparent and
tend to discredit, if not disrupt, the
whole institution. We must correct
the present abuses and injustices in
our system, otherwise public opinion
will demand that we 'recapture all the
Government radio franchises and
work out a new ALLEGATION, using as
a yardstick. in. the new deal the well
fare of all listeners"