Evening star., 1943-11-24
Publishers Defend
Right Of Press 10
Own Radio Stations
oy the Associated Press.

Whitney N. Seymour, counsel for
the newspaper-radio committee of
publishers interested in radio, told
Congress today the Federal Com
munications Commission would
strike directly at the freedom of
the press" if it divorced all radio
stations from newspaper ownership.
. Mr.. Seymour appeared before
the Senate Interstate Commerce
Committee to advocate legislation
making it unlawful for the FEC to
discriminate against any type of
business in passing on applications
for broadcasting licenses.
Other witnesses said the FCC-by
putting all newspaper applications
In a suspended file"-has blocked
for two years attempts of newspaper
publishers to get into the radio
business.
Dangerous Experiment"
Mr.. Seymour argued that any
FEC order divorcing radio from
newspaper ownership would be a
dangerous experiment upon and in
vasIon OF rights guaranteed by the
first amendment to the Federal Con-
stitution."
Under that amendment the Gov
ernment is not wet nurse to those
who seek to exercise their rights of
expression" he said
1T is not charged with some vague
obligation to provide them with op-
portunities which they cannot 9TH
erwise gain for themselves by pub
lie acceptance of their views. They
must make and find their own op-
portunities without interference by
the Government"
Harold v. Hough, chairman OF the
newspaper-radio committee and an
official of the Fort Worth Star-Tel-
egram. told the committee yester-
day: I'VE don't want to be segre-
gated into a special class along with
aliens and convicted criminals and
told we're not fit. We feels we've
come to a wall and must turn to
Congress"
Asks Equal Standing.
What the newspaper-radio COM
mittee wants." said Sydney M. Kaye,
an attorney for the group, "is equal
standing before the law, and to that
We believe we are entitled"
When some Senators raised a
question whether newspaper-owned
radio stations would reflect the edi-
torial opinions of the newspapers,
Mr.. Kaye asked in reply:
rs there any reason to think that |
q newspaper will do a worse job |
than the banker, the leading manu-
facturer, or, for that matter, the
butcher or the candlestick-m maker
or any one else who could go into the
broadcasting business? The only in
terest in many towns that does cru
SADIE and that does show concern for
the local interest is the newspaper
ITSELF"
Meanwhile, the FEC adopted yes
terday prohibition against owner
ship by one firm or person of two
or more standard radio stations
serving substantially the same area.
Hearings Planned.
Exceptions will be made only
""upon showing that the public in
terest, convenience and necessity
will be served through such multi
pie ownership situation" the FEC
announcement said
The order is effective immedi-
ately with respect to all applica-
tions for construction permits or
for assignment of licenses or trans
fers of control.
For existing stations the regula-
tion will 60 into effect at midnight
May 81, 1914. The commission, how
ever, may postpone the deadline in
any case where this is necessary to
permit the orderly sale Of proper
ties
The commission did not estimate
how many stations might be affect
ed by the ruling
Individual licensees may request |
early hearings to determine the ap-
plicability of the regulation to them.