Evening star., 1959-11-06

j Hoover Remark in 1922 Recalled
6 As Probers Discuss Controls
> Continued From First Page

" - SS@S@@A->Se AASAAA ANSS = SoO
"to'police quiz shows and other
g programs.
DR.. Stanton told the subcom-
mittee today there was always
the danger that programs
Whose major appeal was in
contests for large sums of
money or expensive prizes may
be rugged in one way or another
despite a whole squad Of in
vestigators In the studio"
= For this reason, he said. CHS
decided to remove all such quiz
shows from the network. This
decision was announced three
weeks ago.
80 : Integrity Challenged
aaapr. Stanton said the quiz
show scandal "in its every
stawdry detail" has raised seri-
sous problems for CHS and added
that the result has been "the
integrity Of all broadcasting has
been challenged"
He said CHS was not looking
"tor q scapegoat on which to
brush of our own shortcom-
ings." and added:
Whether 1t. is q quiz pro-
gram. or an advertising COM
mercial. or q news broad
cast, or whatever, we are held
responsible for what happens
on CHS. We accept that re-
sponsibility :"
Mr.. Stanton said that he was
unaware until August 8, 1858,
Of any irregularity in the net
works quiz shows.
when gossip about quiz
shows in general came to my
attention" DR.. Stanton said, II
was assured by our television
network people that these
shows were completely above
criticism of this kind. With
benefit Of hindsight, it is now
clear I should have gone fur
ther."
He pointed out that CHS had
removed four quiz shows from
the network after an inveStiga.
ton Of rigging charges.
Mr.. Stanton received a much
warmer welcome than was ac-
corded to Mr.. Kintner yeSter-
day. He was commended by
subcommittee m e m bers for
saying CHS would take the
responsibility for programs and
advertising on its network.
II think you expressed be-
fore this committee a far more
open mind and constructive at
titude than was expressed here
yesterday by the president Of
another network" Representa-
tive Moss, Democrat Of Cali
fornia told the witness.
Recalls Hoover Remark
Robert Lishman, subcommit-
tee counsel. in questioning Mr..
Stanton recalled that at the
first radio conference in 1922
former President Herbert
Hoover, then Secretary of Com
merce, said it was inconceivable
to allow so great a medium for
education as radio ito be
drowned in advertising chatter"
He said he was trying to
establish that the problems
being discussed today about
television advertising were rec
ognized in the early days of
the industry.
II could not agree with you
more" said Mr.. Stanton, land
if we are here 20 years from
now these will be the same
problems. if we still have free
system.
II would be the last one to
say that TV is perfect, but it
is better than a government
system would be-"
Mr.. Lishman asked if it was
not remarkable that Mr.. STAN
ton and officials of NBC had
no inkling of something wrong
with the quiz shows until Au-
gust, 1858, although magazines,
including Time and Look, had
articles in 1857 raising the
question of whether the shows
were rugged.
Lacked Full Information
II would not say I did not
have an inkling," Mr.. Stanton
replied, "but an inkling is far
from information on which you
could base action"
Mr.. Stanton said he was not
offering an alibi, but pointing
out he had no tangible evi-
dence prior to August, 1858.
He said he had enough curl
osity on two occasions to ask
about specific incidents on
quiz shows, but when he was
assured that everything was all
right, he saw no need for ac-
ton.
He continued that it is easy
now to read into the magazine
articles a meaning that did
not seem apparent when they
were published two years ago.
He also said that the maga-
zines were competing with tele-
vision for advertising dollars
and for that reason their criti-
cism of television did not make
the impression it might have
made.
SItcS LulhS 10 SL1LlOnS
Mr.. Stanton pointed out that
the same magazines had tele-
vision stations as affiliates and
said he could not recall any of
these stations refusing to clear
the shows involved.
On questioning by Repre-
sentative Bennett, Republican
of Michigan, Mr.. Stanton said
the practice of getting busi-
ness or product mentioned on
television shows sponsored by
others was dishonest.
AS soon as he gets back to
New York, he said, he is going