Evening star., 1938-07-06
RULES APPORT|ON
POLITICS ON AIR
New Regulations Of F. c. c.
to Serve as Guide for
Candidates and Stations.
BY WILLIAM J. WHEATLEY.

BY WILLIAM ]. WHEATLEY.
Radio broadcasting stations are to
be bound by rigid rules in the alloca-
ton Of time to candidates for public
ONCE during the coming campaign,
in accord with new regulations which
were promulgated late yesterday by
the Federal Communications Com
mission.
While the commission said that It
was cognizant Of the fact that no set
of rules would meet all situations
which may arise. they are to govern
uses Of the stations by all legally
qualified candidates." who are defined
by the rules.
The announcement Of the new rules
was accompanied by q statement by
Chairman Frank r. McNinch Of the
commission, which said:
Good Faith = Requisite.
1.-THE commission will, Of course,
insist upon good faith in the appli-
cation Of these rules and will deal
vigorously with infractions thereof"
The first of the new regulations
merely restates the statute which is
to the effect that no station is required
to permit use of its facilities by any
candidate for public ONCE. but If they
are opened to one then all other
candidates for that office shall be
allowed to make use of the facilities.
No licensee is given power Of censor
ship over any of the broadcasts by .
legally qualified candidate.
Another regulation defines q legal
ly qualified candidate" as any person
who has met all the requirements
prescribed by local. State or Federal
authority, as a candidate for the Of
flee which he seeks.
No attempt is made by the rules to
regulate the use Of stations for politi-
cal addresses by Others than candi-
dates. In other words, all of the time
might be purchased by one side with
out offending the rules If the other
side is not given any time.
Uniform Rates Prescribed.
On the matter Of rates, the new
rules say that If any are charged they
shall be uniform for all candidates
and shall not be rehated, directly or
indirectly; the station shall not make
any discrimination in charges, prac-
tices, regulations, facilities or services
for or in connection with any service
rendered under the political candi-
date rules, or make or give any pref
erence to any candidate for public
Office or subject any such candidate
to any prejudice or disadvantage.
Neither shall the licensee make any
contract or other agreement which
shall have the effect of permitting
any legally qualified candidate for
public Office to broadcast to the ex-
clusion of other legally qualified can
didates for the same public Office.
Every station is required to keep
and permit public inspection of
complete record Of all requests for
broadcast time made by or in behalf
Of candidates for public once, to-
gether with an appropriate notation
showing the disposition made by the
licensee Of such requests, and the
charges made, if any, If the request
is granted.
The rules prohibiting the making
Of any contract which might exclude
one candidate to the advantage of
another is construed to mean that
time must be kept available for all
candidates in the event that they
apply, even though they might refuse
to take offered time at any period in
campaign.