Evening star., 1941-07-25
F.C. Recesses Quiz
On Radio Ownership
By Newspapers
N. Y. u. Professor Sees
Trend Toward Curb
Of Press Freedom
By CARTER BROOKE JONES.

llCdI ana OI1eTWlSe, curing TWO Gays
of hearings on its inquiry into news
paper ownership of radio stations,
recessed late yesterday until 10 am.
next Wednesday.
Alfred McClung Lee, assistant
professor of marketing at New York
University, called by counsel for the
commission as an expert witness
with a wide background in journal
ism, described what he saw as a
long g-developing tendency toward re-
Etriction of press freedom.
There has been a gradual elimina-
ton of local competition among
newspapers through mergers and
eventual community monopolies, he
said, adding that this tendency
could not be blamed on any individ-
ual, group or set of factors, but on
a multiplicity of conditions.
why is freedom of the press re-
stricted to one person in all but
few citieS?" he questioned, and he
gave historical outline of journal
ism in America.
Social Changes Described.
In the American Revolution, he
pointed out, the press played lead
ing part by mobilizing public opin-
ion for freedom of the Colonies. He
described a series of social and
economic changes occurring since
which, he said, had brought about
the gradual restriction of the in
fuence and freedom of the press.
Actual competition among news
papers is rapidly disappearing" Mr..
Lee said, adding that it was founded
on fundamental economic issues
only in such cities as New York,
Chicago. and Philadelphia. In other
cities, he said, papers were apt to
compete over comic or some other
feature rather than over any i'm
portant issue of the day.
The publisher knows he will
make more money if he merges his
properties" the witness added, and
he is not interested in freedom of
the press as it was understood in
Jeffersons time"
'One-Paper' Cities Increase.
wi AINC CflN ptullNu4 blHdL4O4l Va
newspapers. growth of press aSSocia-
tons and other mass production"
factors as contributing to the loss of
individuality among dailies and, in
the final analysis. to substantial re-
duction in their freedom of opinion
Counsel for the Newspaper Radio
Committee attacked Mr.. Lees statis-
tlcal exhibits which purported to
show that the number of cities in
which one publisher or publishing
company had a newspaper monop-
oily was increasing.
Mr.. Lees tables indicated that
cities with "allegedly competing"
daily newspapers declined in num-
Der from 288 in 1880 to l81 in 1910,
cities with admitted or known"
local monopolies increased during
the same period from lila to 1,245,
one-daliy cities increased from 1,002
to 1895 and cities with one or more
dailies from 1,402 to 1926.
Newspaper Counsel Objects.
Thomas D. Thatcher, represent
ing the Newspaper Radio Commit
tee, objected both to the "allegedly
competing and admitted or
known designations and asserted:
The exhibits should not be read
In evidence or given any weight
until we know the facts underlying
the conclusions"
Mr.. Lee said his choice of words
was perhaps unfortunate" and that
he did not mean to cast doubt on
the sources of his information.
which he said were the Standard
Rate and Data Service and Editor
and Publisher. a trade magazine.
Commissioner T. A. M. Craven
indicated doubt that cities which
had only newspapers under one
ownership could be called "monop-
olized," because. he remarked, many
such newspapers had competition
from dailies published in neighbor-
Ing cities.
Marco Morrow, long associated
with Senator Capper in Kansas
newspapers and other publications,
told the commission he thought it
tOo44 oDlC DOIll n DuSIliCSo dllI q
profession" for newspaper to own
a radio station.
He conceded it also was desirable
for community to have more than
one news management. IF the COM
munity can support two or three
avenues of communication" But it
was better, he added, for one paper
to do good job than for two or
three to do a halfway job"
Quality Is Preferable.
ut is like two or three denomi-
national churches in a community"
he said. The difference between
them is tWeedle-dum and tWeedle-
dee, and they would be able to give
better community service if they
would get together. And We are get
ting away from the old idea. I don't
know how m any commu i t V
churches there are, but probably
our grandfathers would turn over in
their graves if they knew"
He contended that it was better
for newspapers to be good than
prevalent"
The commission was told by It's
research staff that 214 radio sta
tions owned by newspapers made a
profit last year, while 68 stations af-
filiated with newspapers operated at
a loss
Newspapers own 36 per cent of
the network stations, according to
the latest tabulation.
The commission will continue next
week to compile evidence bearing
on the af1liation of newspapers and
radio stations. Chairman James
Lawrence Fly said the present in
quiry was intended only to guide
the commission in deciding whether
any general policy was necessary in
licensing applicants for radio sta
tions who owned newspapers, and, If
such policy were desirable,
u,he+ber tho commission had OIL