Evening star., 1941-07-24
News Broadcasts
Part Of Journalism,
F. {. {. Told al Probe
Teacher Describes
Toboos at Hearing on
Press Radio Control
By CARTER BROOKE JONES.

ouiry into newspaper ownership OF
radio stations
Mitchell v. Charnley, professor of
Journalism at the University of
Minnesota, pointed out that the
"ear audience" listening to radio
news-broadcasts included many liv-
ing room groups, with the whole
family addressed. This, he said. had
led to certain taboos on radio which
newspapers did not observe. Some
stations, he said, never use the word
smoke" because it is Objectionable
to many persons.
Necessarily, Prof. Charnley said,
radio news is briefer and less COM
plete than accounts in newspapers.
Both media of news, he added. must
select a comparatively small portion
of the many thousands of words a
day they receive from press asso-
of the space limitation which both
must meet.
Prefers Separate Stats.
In response to a question, Prof
Charnley said he would consider it
desirable that separate staffs edit
news broadcasts and printed naws
A radio station, the witness said
he would guess" could use only
about one-fifth the news available
to it each day.
Louis G.. Caldwell. attorney for
WGN. the Chicago Tribune's station
asked: with few exceptions, will
you not find any story you have
heard on the radio printed in your
newspaper?
That is true"
"And in more detail?"
"Yes."
The next witness was a veteran
of Midwestern journalism, Marco
Morrow, associated with Senator
Capper in his Kansas publications
since 1908 and at present member
of the Board of Directors.
Inherent Part of Journalism.
In a discussion of the function of
newspapers, Mr.. Morrow declared
that ''if a publisher does not serve
the public he loses out"
IF I didn't believe that" he
added Il would lose faith in democ-
racy."
The radio he regarded somewhat
as a new mechanical device which
would aid newspapers in doing their
job. Radio, he insisted, is inher-
emily part of journalism"
Newspapermen. because of their
training, ought to do better job
in handling the news end of radio
stations than anybody else, he said.
Most newspapers, he told the COM
mission, try to give at least some
space to every side of a question
and to the various political and
economic factions.
Doesn't Increase Danger.
Asked by Thomas E. Harris, as
sistant F. c. c. general counsel,
whether single newspaper and a
single radio station in one COM
munity under one ownership would
not be more of a menace to fre Adom
of expression than if the radio and
paper were owned separately, Mr.
Morrow replied:
II suppose the possibility does
exist in community where one
newspaper has complete control.
Yet I think to increase the one
newspapers facilities for providing
news does not necessarily increase
the danger, but rather would make
1t better newspaper"
Mr.. Morrow, whose pungent COM
ments often brought laughter to the
crowded auditorium of the Archives
Building, said most editors tried to
give. some space to worthy projects,
except in the case of nuts and
cranks"
If there were 10 newspapers in a
town, he commented, there still
would be a chance that somebody
would be overlooked.
The F. C. c. developed at the
opening sessions of the hearings
Yesterday a statistical background
on the number of newspapers in
terested in broadcasting outlets and
other pertinent figures.
Elisha Hanson general counsel for
the American Newspaper Publish
ers' Association, walked out on the
hearings after Chairman James
Lawrence Fly had refused to enter
the proceeding on the ground that
the commission was without luris-
diction. Mr.. Hanson said he would
instruct the associa tons witnesses
to ignore their subpoenas and refuse
to testify. Mr.. Fly said this matter
would be taken up when the COM
mission reached it.
The commission learned from fig
ures and charts offered in evidence
that advertisers spent an estimated
S545 100000 on newspapers and
s200, 100000 on radio last year.
Circulation Gain Cited.
The total circulation of daily
newspapers in the United States, the
commission was told, increased from
2e0S0,323 in 1922 to 4l,OO9,258 in
194l. although the number of daily
papers DECREASED from 2,033 in 1922
to 1877 at the close of 1910.
The figures showed that during
the same 10 years the number of
broadcasting stations increased
from 30 to 882 and the number of
radio receiving sets from 100000 to
b0.10O,OOO.
Chairman James Lawrence Fly
asked whether there were estimates
of how many of these receiving sets
were in actual opera ton a good part
of the time. pointing out that some
households might own several, and
automobiles we're included Allen w.
Saylor of the commissions research
staff said information on this subject
would be presented later.
Another witness. Elmo Roper, a
research expert for the Fortune
Public Opinion Service, intro
duced the results of recent polls in
tended to develop the popularity of
radio and newspapers, respectively,
as sources of news.
Tells Of Poll.
Mr.. Roper said, in answer to a
question, that a poll he conducted
on the last presidential election was