St. Paul recorder. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1934-2000, 1959-02-20

But as soon as it started, there
was a news blackout.
Industrial Birmingham has
population of some $4,000 in the
citv and double that, metropolitan.
In this large labor town, approx
mately 40 per cent of the people
are Negroes. For all these 100000
persons know, there maybe a bus
boycott, or there may not be bus
boycott.
The Negro papers, both local
and national, are reporting that
boycott is in full progress. United
Press International reported the
first day of the boycott, stating
the boycott was on, but CLAIMED
up after the first day. The AS
ISOLATED Press said there was no
story, because there is or was, no
boycott.
WBRC-TV reported that the boy
colt was on, but was getting off
to a slow start. AS an observer, I
can say that some of the Negroes
are boycotting the buses, but most
of them still are riding.
What's behind this story, or
lack Of story?
Several radio, television, wire
service and newspaper editors got
together with someone in higher
circles and decided that If the boy
colt were not mentioned it would
go away. Or no news is good news.
Right now the Negro leaders are
amused because the news blackout
is giving them a chance to get the
boycott off on its slow start. If
the news was out that the boycott
wasn't working, all would go back
to riding the buses.
The news is being controlled to
please a person, or group of per-
sons. This is the worst form Of
editorializing, the worst form of
controlling public opinion. 1t is
nothing new in Birmingham, or
most other cities. BY leaving GER
tain stories out, the newspapers,
now monopolies in many cities, can
make an advertiser, or other per-
son of power, happy.
When I worked on a Birming-
ham paper, before going into tele-
vision, I saw censorship rear its
ligly head several times. heard
a manager of a television station
tell one of his stations reporters
not to cover the riots at the Univ
ersity of Alabama. The riots were
inspired by the entrance of Negro
coed, Autherine Lucy. The report
er, who was at the scene to cover
a basketball game, was told to
ignore the story because coverage
would only stir up trouble. The
story was covered by the networks,
APP and every one else.
Somebody always gets wind
of the big stories. So the CEN
sorship just made the local sta
ton look bad. Its own network
reported the story. At the paper
the same story was played down.
We also were told not to men
ton the Ku Klux Khan because
publicity would only help the
movement. As a result, the xxx
Is growing slowly in Alabama,
without a fight from its OpPOsi-
ton, because they don't know
the movement is underway.
At the paper, we also were told
to give little or no play to the ad-
ventures of Asa (Ace) Carter,
segregationist leader and crowd
swaying speaker. Also, Carriers
name was not to appear in head
lines. Carter, a fiery and controver-
sial character, had threatened to
impeach the governor, and also to
form bands of "Minutemen" to
protect white women.
These stories got little or no play
in the local papers. Then Carter
was arrested. The story broke
when a triple-shooting occurred
during g super-secret Ku Klux
Khan meeting, which was complete
with sabers and burning tapers
as sinister props. An argument,
over xxx funds, ended with three
men shot. Ace Carter was charged
with assault to murder, and made
headlines big, black, bold head
lines. They had to break the rules
for such a story.
The assault with-intent-to-mur