Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1959-07-06
Rule Revision
On Equal Time
.UptoCongress
BY JACK ADAMS
Associated Press star Writer

The hurly-burly over equal
air time for political candidates
is not likely to quiet down I'M
less and until Congress amends
existing law on the subject.
And there is no guarantee
that any amendment to exempt
newscasting from the equal
time requirement, however care
fully worded, will completely
still the controversy.
This is amply illustrated in
the current House committee
hearings on various amend
ments, and in the public state
ments Of members Of the Fed
eral Communications Commits
sion. who administer the law
and who read 1t with different
spectacles.
BY now. everyone knows
what the present fuss is all
about: Lar DAILY of Chicago. a
perennial candidate for public
once. ran for mayor in Chicago
TINS year. Mayor Richard. j.
Daley was running for re-elec-
tion. After Tv stations there
ran MIN clips on news programs
showing the Mayor Welcoming
the President of Argentina and
performing other official func-
lions. Lar DAILY demanded and
got an FEC ruling that he was
entitied to matching time.
Industry Protests
The broadcasting industry
roared that newScasting had
been dealt a Gripping blow.
An FEC majority said it could
only apply the law as Congress
wrote it and that it found no
equal time exemptions in exist
ing law.
Immediately, there was a
shower Of bills in Congress to
provide specific exemptions for
newscasts in which a candidate
might be heard or seen.
At first nearly everyone said
this was a simple matter. But
1t quickly turned into a COM
plicated one-so complicated in
fact that there is now a grow
ing feeling among many in
daily touch with the situation
that Congress may do nothing
In the election years Of 1860.
One example of the compile |
cations which have arisen:
Chairman Harris. Democrat of |
Arkansas, of the House Com |
merce Committee offered an
amendment to exempt news
casts and political debates. But |
so much difference of opinion |
developed over defining debates |
that he has now withdrawn the
word from his proposal.
Again: Five Of Fees seven |
members have reached agree |
ment on what they think the |
amendment should say, but the |
two others don't like the words |
used.
Would Exempt Newscasts
This proposed amendment |
would exempt "newscastS ana !
special events such as political |
conventions" with the require |
ment that the presentations be |
objective.
This wording is Endorsed by |
Chairman John c. .Doerfer and
Commissioners Frederick W..
Ford, Rosel H. Hyde, Robert |
E. Lee and John Cross.
But Commissioner T. A. M. |
Craven, who believes FEC now
has ample authority to exempt |
newcaSts, says such an amend
ment would unnecessarily COM
plicate administration.
Commissioner Robert T. /
BARLEY. objects that the amend
ment goes too far because in |
his view special events might
well Include Fourth Of July
picnics, blowing contests, post
Office dedications, road or
bridge ribbon-cutting events"
and so on.
1t is Chairman Doerfer's
position that while the amend.
ment is acceptable to him, he |
would prefer to see the whole |
equal-time provision repealed,
leaving the matter Of fair play |
| for noliticans To the broadcast |