Evening star., 1949-10-31
PUCHopestoEnd
Transit Radio
Hearing Today

ICW VuuSSSSS IuS
Commission Prepares
To Study Testimony
The Public Utilities Commission
was back at the same old stand
today, gathering testimony on the
pros and cons of Capital Transit's S
radio-eouipped vehicles.
End of that phase of the hear
ing appeared likely today, unless
rebuttal testimony exceeds the
time anticipated by attorneys for
the transit company. radio in
terests, and those who are op-
posing continuation of the
commercial musicales.
The hearing began last Thurs
day in the District Buildings fifth
floor board room with over 200
persons clamoring for the right
to be heard. Weekend recess
Friday afternoon saw the crowd
thinned to less than 5O-one of
whom went to sleep in the second
row.
Radio Officials Testify.
Early testimony this morning
came from two officials of Station
WWDC, which supplies the pro-
grams. One of them told the
commission:
I'VE leaned over backward to
try to be perfectly fair in the
survey"
The witness was Ben Strouse,
vice president and general mana
ger of the station and president
of Washington Transit Radio,
Inc. Questioned by Thomas
Dowd. radio station attorney, as
to the motive behind the entrance
OF radio into the transportation
field, Mr.. Strouse said The pri-
mary motive was a commercial
venture. No commercial venture
has any chance of success with
out the interest of the public"
When the hearing opened at 10
am. there were IA people in the
audience. There were eight at the
press table.
Program Log Introduced.
The first witness was Norman
Reed, program director of WWDC,
who has the responsibility of
checking the daily music list sub
mitted by Muzak. Inc. He testi-
fed that the station has a regu-
lation limiting commercial an
nouncements to six minutes in
any one hour.
This" he said, has been fol-
lowed consistently"
The program log of Thursday,
October 13, was introduced in
evidence and showed over the H.
hour FIN broadcast to Capital
Transit vehicles contained 81
COMMERCIALS and 81 sustaining, or
public service announcements.
The commercials ran something
like this:
IT'S turkeys again at the
market" How would You like
to be a man without a country?"
"A thing of beauty is a joy for
ever" Its not far to enjoyment
when you stop at the -"
"Mothers-every day is sale day at
-- baby store"
Musical Selections Listed.
The station log also showed
1879 musical selections played dur
ing the 12-hour period also. They
included:
I'VE Could Make Such Beauti-
full Music Together" and "I'll
Never Smile Again"
When the hearing is concluded,
the Commission will have the job
of studying all the evidence pre-
sented by attorneys and volun-
teers from the audience, plus a
mass of figures released by Capt.
tai Transit as results of a public
opinion poll before handing down
a decision.
It's findings will not be final
and appeals may be taken through
legal channels.
Expansion Is Scheduled.
The transit company has
equipped 212 of it's 1,7o0 buses and
streetcars with the FM radio re-
ceivers. for which it receives Sc
per month for each set from
Transit Radio, Inc, and Station
WWDC.
If it receives a favorable PUG
ruling, the system plans installa-
ton of receivers on all except
about 200 of it's streetcars and
buses, the commission was told
Friday by E. Cleveland Giddings,
vice president of the transit COM
pany.
Principal objector thus far in
the hearing has been Franklin S.
Pollak, an attorney in the Justice
Department. who emphasizes he is
appearing in protest "only for
|myself-not for the Justice De-
ma rtYnent -