Evening star., 1950-12-17

church one Sunday and being
asked by his wife what the sermon
had been about. Sin" Mr.. Cool
idge replied. And what did the
pastor have to say about it?" Mrs.
Coolidge wanted to know. "He
was against it," said Cal.
Well, a man named Sig Nickel
son spoke here recently on the
subject of commercialism in tele-
vision. He was in favor of it.
That about sums up his message
and, since he was speaking to the
Advertising Club, his audience was
happy to hear it.
Mr.. Mickelson's remarks have
some pertinence today. however
in reference to the FEC hearings
in the matter of setting aside tele-
vision channels for educational
use. Mr.. Nicholson is director of
public affairs for the Columbia
Broadcasting System and pre-
sumably speaks for that network
if not for all the television broad
casters.
It was a little disheartening to
find that he seems to take what
can be described fairly as a dim
view of setting aside channels for
educators. 1t is true enough that
granting television licenses to edu-
cational institutions does not nee
essarily mean good programs. The
problems of budget and trained
personnel are tremendous ones.
Mr.. Nicholson is out in the open
where he can be challenged. how
ever, when he says that TV can
go 100 per cent commercial. that
commercialism is no index Of pro-
gram quality. that q documentary
or international program sup
ported by a rich sponsor should be
better than one presented on q
sustaining basis.
CommercioIism Is No
Friend Of Objectivity
1t is true enough that some one
has to pay the bills for television'.
support and that our system give.
us far greater variety Of pro-
grams than the British, say, gel
from their BIC. 1t is also true
on the other hand, that radios
greatest mistake was selling out te
the hucksters, relinquishing pro-
gram control to the man who pay.
the bills.
If television goes 100 per cent
commercial" as Mr.. Mickelsor
hopes 1t will, it must be remem.
bered that the man from the ad.
vertising agency will be on hanc
to look out for the sponsors in.
tereSt. This is not necessarily tn,
viewers interest. 1t is hardl,
likely, to dream up a random cas-.
in point, that the privately owned
electric power and light com.
panies" would foot the bill for f.,
fair and balanced program de-
scribing the Tennessee Valley Au.
thority.
Commercialism and the dissent
nation Of objective informatio,
Just don't go together. If tn,
trend Is toward this 100 per cen
commercialism in television, thos
channels sought by educators mus
be granted, not only for youth ant
adult education, but also for fai
and unbiased discussion of publ,
affairs.
Sounds Like Broin Surgery
But It's q New Proerom PIon
A plan somewhat different from
that OF CHS for supporting publi,
affairs programs has recently beer
described by Sylvester L. Weaver
)r, National Broadcasting Co
wee president in charge of tele.
vision. 1t is, says Mr.. Weaver
"a revolutionary new plan de.
signed to bring television pro.
grams Of cultural and socia
significance to audiences in prime
evening time"
The program is being called
Operation Frontal Lobes." TIL,
meaning of the title isn't ex.
planned, but NBC probably
wouldn't be too unhappy If it.
suggestion of brain surgery make.
you think Of drastic step in thu
direction of clear thinking.
The plan Is to pre-empt ont
hour OF network evening time .