Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1952-09-17
Abe Official Defends
Crime Shows Before
House Probe Unit
BY Cecil Holland

2A 0ulCl1CdU 0IOdOCdStlI1S,
Company representative told Con-
greSs today that so-called crime
shows broadcast over this net
works facilities do not irnprop-
erly emphasize crime violence
and corruption"
The testimony came from Mrs.
Geraldine zorbaugh, secretary and
acting general counsel Of the COM
papy.. She appeared before the
House Commerce subcommittee
conducting a full-scale investiga-
ton Of charges that many radio
and television progranns are often
slye and in bad taste.
Uses Charts in Defense.
Mrs. Zorbaugh supported her
defense Of radio and television's
so-called crime programs with an
array of charts comparing the
crime trend from 1916 to 1851 in
ten cities having television and
ten without. She explained that
the charts were made up from
statistics taken from reports of
the Federal Bureau of Investiga-
ton and added:
There is no indication in the
official FBI figures =. that tele-
vision is force which has adj
versely affected the crime rate of
the localities exposed to it,"
Mrs. Zorbaugh contended that
past and continued safeguards in
sure that mystery-crime programs
be presented in a manner (which
does not encourage, in fact dis
courages, the growth of the evil
portrayed"
She added:
THE good sense of the Ameri-
tan people. which for generations
long before television has demon
strated the ability. If not the de-
side. to live vicariously via crime
stories, but the habit, to live as
good citizens in real life"
: Says Problem Is Old.
Mrs. zorbaugh said the problem
of entertainments effect on the
morals of youth is not a new
problem which has been created by
television. 1--WE are dealing with
q problem which television pre-
Sents in new light" she added.
American youth. the witness
testified, was exposed to the i'm
pact of violence in classic liter
allure, movies, comics and radio
before television came out. of the
laboratories"
Another witness was Chris j.
Whiting of the Dumont Television
network which has a license to
operate station WTTG here. He
testified that forced regulations
over programs would serve ito
destroy the creative ability of the
industry and would stereotype
programing, and, in turn, stag
nate programs in advancement"
Witness Offers Solution.
He suggested that any problems
raised by offensive or objection
able programs could be solved
Through the Integrity, broad
vision and business ability Of the
individual. hroadcaSters."
AS for the programs featuring
crime, violence and corruption,
Mr.. Whiting said the television in
dustry has found "a rabid inter-
est" on the part Of the public for
them, but he pointed out that
such programs as far as his COM
pany is concerned do not appear
before 8 pm. so that ordinarily
they should not be seen by chill
dren.
The subcommittee received a
protest from Walter H. Wilson,
Of Washington and Indian Head,
Md, against radio announcements
about diseases. He objected to
such spot announcements saying
lone person out of every seven
will die from heart disease" Mr..
Wilson who described himself as
a metaphysical practitioner. said
such announcements dispense fear
and cause disease.