The Catholic times. [volume] (Columbus, Ohio) 1951-current, 1954-03-12
The Force Behind The Code

The selfregulatory Code of teevision broad
casters began its third year of operation this month
Established fairly early in the history of the then
infant industry, the Code has in most respects done
a credtable job, and its administrators and those
who subscribe to it TO be congratulated and
commended.
For or against no one deny that television
is Of if not the most cogent means of the mass
dissemination of knowledge, good or bad.
Not even the movies or periodicals bear the In
innate relationship to the home and thereby the
extensive audience in all age groups, that the tee
vision industry does Because of this fact, It's power
as instrument of good-or of evils almost
incalculabe.
That this industry should function under the
watchful eye of morally responsible men is fore
gone conclusion That the industry itself should sub
scribe to self regulation, and recognize this as
duty to the ultimate consumer, is highly com
mendable.
We realize that television is a relatively new, al
belt most powerful, force the American scene.
As in anything, mistakes regretted but never
theess expected in the early life of any such
venture.
Now, either such mistakes have been made and
we hope that they just mistakes. have
been duped into believing that the televison code
is something utterly different than have been
led to believe The progress noted in the past year
in television fare generally would lead us TO be
lieve that the former is the case
It may be that the mistakes in the judgment
of the morality OF programs that we're made le the
scsndaous bump and grind dance a Bing Crosby
show; the general tenor Of many of Milton Berle's
Comedy" situations. the showing of highly insult
able films the movie programs. were made in
the spirit of experimentation just 10 what the
people wanted because they were thought not
TO be very bad
This is the very situation in which ndi-
vidual American citizens aid the members of the
selfreguatory code if they don't know already just
what we mean by morality IN entertainment.
Advertising profit is still the principle means
II not the roiSon dere OF the teevision industry.
like a thing possessed or rather like thing about
to be dspossessed
Every television station and most sponsors spend
huge sums of money yearly in conducting polls,
usually over the telephone, 10 find out If their
station is being listened to, how often, and what
programs are pleasing. in the industry has
assured that this is the FIRST and main criterion
IN future programming
Let a sponsor know that because OF the quality
Of the program he offers into the privileged in
timacy of your home YOU going 10 ban both the
program and product and the reaction is almost
electric
Within metropolitan area reached by one or the
other of television transmitting stations, the same
message be delivered at minimum OF effort
over the phone And never fear, YOU WILL he heard
and you WILL have salutary effect.
Whether as the head of family just an in
dividual teleyieWer, card from you 10 the spon-
Sor and phone call TO the station all that is
needed TO insure the kind Of adherence TO the
teevision code by all concerned that will result in
the kind of broadessts We want 10
YOU the force behind the code.