Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1954-02-14
On the Air
On the Air
All the News Fit to See
Thuts Whot TeIevision Can Give Us,
But 1t Sometimes FoiIs to Do 1t
By Harry Macarthur

stSsy
Television, the broadcasters
keep telling us, is q great in
strument for showing us the
news as it happens. It can.
when conditions are right. poke
it's electronic eye out the win
dow and let us at home with
our shoes off watch a building
burn down. It can invade a
hearing room and give us the
vital additional information of
how a witness looks when he
says what he says.
The broadcasterS are jealous
of their right to report these
and other news events. They
were delighted when James c.
Hagerty of the White House
staff said that he should be re-
ferred to as the Presidents
news secretary rather than
press secretary.
Here was clear recognition
that freedom of the HpresS"
should also embrace freedom
of broadcasting. This is a prin-
ciple for which the radio and
television people wage con-
tinuing battle and one with
which the newspapers gen.
orally agree.
NARTB Protests
Only this past week the
forces were joined again. this
time in Massachusetts,. The
Judicial Council of that State
has proposed prohibiting the
broadcasting or telecasting OF
proceedings where witnesses
are required to testify. The
proposal brought an immediate
protest to the Legislative Com
mittee of the Judiciary Of the
Massachusetts State Legisla-
ture, from Harold E. Fellows,
president of the National As
ISOLATION Of Radio and Tele-
vision Broadcasters.
The NARTB, Mr.. Fellows
telegraphed. wishes to register
opposition to the recommends
ton of the Judicial Council
for (this) legislation. II
any affirmative action is antic-
ipated on this proposal. it is
urgently suggested that the
committee investigate the SUBJ
ject at length and hold public
hearings on it to learn all OF
the pros and cons involved. 1t
is understood that the proposal
before the committee is based
to a large extent on the New
York statute on this subject.
The New York Legislature held
no public hearings on this law
and gave no opportunity to
the public or to radio and
television stations to present
any arguments on the matter"
The broadcasters, you see.
don't want any doors barred
anywhere.
Comeros Welcomed
Well, another event took
place this same week here in
Washington. The United
States gained 102 new citizens
in naturalization ceremonies
held at the U. S. District
Court for the District on Tues
day morning. For the first
time newspaper photographers
took pictures of this ceremony
in the courtroom They were
there because they were in
cluded in freedom of the press
when TV broadcasters were
invited to televise the cere-
monies If they so desired.
Newspaper city editors know
a human-intereSt story when
they see one. even if it isn't
dropped in their laps as this
one was. The naturalization
proceedings we're given full
word and picture coverage in
Washington newspapers.
This event was judged
sufficiently newsworthy, too.
to be included in subsequent
TV newScasts by Bryson Rash.
Doug Edwards and probably
some others. But the live"
televiSion cameras were nota-
BILE by their absence in the
ceremonial courtroom last
Tuesday morning.
It makes one wonder. Is