Evening star., 1942-06-19
Fly Denies Seeking
Radio Censorship
AT House Hearing
'Bueoboo,' FEC Chairman
Tells Committee; Says
Networks Rule NAB
By the Associated Press.

By the ASsoclateo fress.
Chairman James L. Fly of the
Federal Communications Commls-
SION empha.ically denied at a con-
gressional hearing today any in
tention of seeking to censor radio
programs, and suggested a, change
in the management of the National
Association of Broadcasters.
Mr. Fly got into the censorship
and NAB field during discussion of
a bill being studied by the House
Interstate Commerce Committee to
make broad changes in the Com
munications Act.
"All this talk about censorship is
just bringing IN a bugaboo," Mr..
Fly said when committee members
inquired into his views about CEN
soring broadcast programs.
He added that no station had
been taken of the air because of
its programs but referred to a re.
fusal to renew a license in one
case because of alleged fraudulent
advertising and stock sales pro-
motlon ScnemeS.
Did Not Attempt Control
At no time, he emphasized, did
he seek to utilize the FEC licensing
power to control the communication
OF facts and opinion.
Led into a discussion of the NAB
by Representative McGranery
Democrat, of Pennsylvania, Mr.. Fly
said that organization was "domi-
mated" by the two big networks,
Columbia Broadcasting System and
the National Broadcasting Co. and
fails to represent the views of "a
great number of stations" through
ont the country. However, he added,
the fact that a broadcaster belongs
to the NAB does not prejudice the
commission against the broadcaster.
Asked by Representative McGran-
cry If he had made a speech at an
NAB convention in st. Louis in
which he described the organization,
headed by Neville Miller of Louis
vile, as being like dead mack
efel in the moonlight; it shines and
it stinks," Mr.. Fly said:
That's my choice phrase"
He emphasized that he referred
10 the NAB management and not
to the membership.
Would Dust NAB Leaders.
II think it would be a good idea
for the members to oust the NAB
management" Mr.. Fly added,
charging that the management
sought to dominate the industry" :"
He said he personally was doing
nothing to effect a management
change.
ct have only one emotion here" ("
he continued, and that is that this
Is a public business and when a sta
ton is licensed to perform a public
service. it should perform that
service.
'"If you want to turn this vast
Industry over to a couple of
men in New York. you can go ahead
and do it,"
He previously had asserted that
the NAB, CHS and NBC were the
principal proponents of the pend
ing legislation and had charged
that the two big networks sought
too much control over the operation
Of member stations.
"As far as I'm concerned" he
said, "the industry belongs to the
public, and that's where I'm going
TO stick"
Mr.. Fly said he was not pre-
JUDGED against NBC and CHS and
that in many respects they were
splendid" organizations.
Networks Shouldn't Rule.
But this is a public service" he
added, and radio stations ARE obliged
to serve the public" and when the
large networks dominate the sta
tions throughout the Nation, ito
that extent they are wrong"
The same criticism, he said, would
apply to Mutual Broadcasting Sys-
TEN if it pursued the same operating
methods as the two other networks.
Commenting that the NAB had
recommended his removal from the
communication commission, Mr..
Fly turned to Representative Nc
Granery and expressed the view
the legislator probably would ap-
prove of that recommendation.
I'll say for the record, Mr.. Fly,
I would not approve of it," Repre-
sentative McGranery replied.
And I'll withdraw my state
ment," Mr.. Fly laughingly re-
torted.
The frequent pointed exchanges
between Mr.. Fly and several COM
mittee members caused the chair
man to digress from a prepared
statement he had started to read.
Objects to Changes.
In the statement, the second he
has prepared during several days of
testimony, Mr.. Fly objected to pro-
posed procedural changes in the
present law as examples of "en-
trenchment of vested interests and
of the erection of barriers to the
entry of man of moderate means
into the radio field"
His earlier statement opposed
provisions to split the commission
t,,fo fu,o 5ivicioy,r opJ efrin tho