72- 15,183 BURKE, John Edward, 1942- AN HISTORICAL-ANALYTICAL STUDY OF THE LEGISLATIVE AND POLITICAL ORIGINS OF THE PUBLIC BROADCASTING ACT OF 1967. The Ohio State University, Ph.D., 1971 Mass Communications University Microfilms, A XEROX Company, Ann Arbor, Michigan © Copyright by John Edward Burke !1972 I AN HISTORICAL-ANALYTICAL STUDY OF THE LEGISLATIVE AND POLITICAL ORIGINS OF THE PUBLIC BROADCASTING ACT OF 1967' DISSERTATION Presented in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree Doctor of Philosophy in the Graduate School of The Ohio State University By John Edward Burke, B.A., M.F.A. The Ohio State University 1971 Approved by l/ c p a t viii cii v u i Speech Communications ACKNOWLEDGMENTS It is with pleasure that I acknowledge those whose guidance and assistance contributed significantly to the successful completion of this study. I am deeply Indebted to my committee chairman, Dr. Walter Emery, and my adviser, Dr. Joseph Foley, who gave generously of their time in directing this study. I also wish to thank Dr. I. Keith Tyler and Dr. G. Robert Holsinger, who under the pressure of deadlines, read this study and offered valuable editorial comments. I am very grateful to Richard B. Hull, my former employer, for his time and assistance in reviewing certain data and for arranging interviews with the Honorable Leonard Marks, William Harley, President of the NAEB, and Chalmers Marquia, also of the NAEB. I extend my appreciation to these men and others in Washington who provided time for interviews or other assistance in acquiring important documents. They Include: Nicholas Zapple, communications council, Senate Commerce Committee; Senator Warren G. Magnuson of Oregon; Congressman Ken Hechler of West Virginia; Ron Lively, administrative assistant, U.S. House of Repre­ sentatives; Dean W. Coston, Linton, Mields & Coston, Inc., Terry Turner, consultant, Public Broadcasting Service; Frank Norwood, executive director, Joint Council on Educational Telecommunications; Lewis Berry, minority council, Interstate and Foreign Commerce Committee, U.S. House of Representa­ tives; John Macy, president, Corporation for Public Broad­ casting; James Fellows, research director, NAEB; H. Holt Riddleberger, Educational Television Stations; Robert Guthrie, chief council, Committee on Interstate and Foreign Commerce, U.S. House of Representatives; and Robert Hilliard of the Federal Communications Commission. A special expression of gratitude goes to C. Scott Fletcher and Mrs. Fletcher for extending their gracious hospitality to me for two days in the course of this study. Without Mr. Fletcher's assistance, this study would not have been complete. I wish also to acknowledge the assistance of Dr. Hyman Goldin of Boston University who described in detail the proceedings of the Carnegie Commission and the work of its staff. Finally, I wish to thank the Honorable Douglass Cater, former special assistant to President Johnson and now with the University of California, whom I Inadvertently got out of bed at 6 a.m. to answer questions related to this study. To all who have helped during the past year, I am equally grateful. i 1 i PLEASE NOTE: Some pages have indistinct print. Filmed as received. University Microfilms, A Xerox Education Company VITA August 10, 1942 Born - Huntington, West Virginia 1960 Assistant to Rep. Ken'Hechler, U.S. House of Representatives 1965 B.A., Marshall University, Huntington, West Virginia 1965-66 Graduate Assistant, Department of Speech, Ohio University, Athens, Ohio 1966 M.F.A., Ohio University, Athens, Ohio 1966-69 Instructor of Speech-Broadcasting, Department of Speech, Kent State University, Kent, Ohio Summer, 1967 Director, Television Arts Department, PACE Summer School for the Arts, Cleveland, Ohio 1969-70 Assistant to Richard B. Hull, Director, Telecommunications Center, The Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio 1971-Present Director, Division of Medical Communications, School of Allied Medical Professions, College of Medicine, The Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio 1v FIELDS OF STUDY Major Field: Speech Communications: Mass Media Studies in Broadcasting: Professor Walter Emery Professor Joseph M. Foley Studies in Educational Communications: Professor I. Keith Tyler Studies in Journalism: Professor G. Robert Holsinger v TABLE OF CONTENTS Page ACKNOWLEDGMENTS....................................................................................... 11 VITA......................................................................................................................... 1V LIST OF TABLES............................................................................................... ix Chapter I. INTRODUCTION AND BACKGROUND................................ 1 Statement of Purpose and Importance Review of Related Literature The Research Plan Historical Background II. EDUCATIONAL TELEVISION FACILITIES ACT OF 1962................................................................................... 29 Financial Problems of ETV Stations ETV Redefines Objectives ETV Facilities Act Conceived Preparation of Bill and Passage III. REORDERING OF PRIORITIES IN . EDUCATIONAL BROADCASTING....................................... 56 Facilities Act Provides Stimulus New Problems Develop All-Channel Television Receiver Act New Legislative Objectives Develop IV. FIRST NATIONAL CONFERENCE ON LONG- RANGE FINANCING OF ETV............................................. 68 Fletcher Recruited for ETS Division Conference Idea Develops Conference Action Conference Mandates vi Page V THE FORMATION OF THE CARNEGIE COMMISSION............................................... 95 Lowell Committee Formed Committee Recommendation Commission Proposal Endorsed Carnegie Supports Commission Selection of Commission Members Selection of Commission Staff VI. THE CARNEGIE COMMISSION REPORT........................ 110 Commission Work Begins Operational Procedures Policy Problems Encountered Preparation of the Report Conclusions and Recommendations Reaction to the Report VII. THE FORD FOUNDATION PROPOSAL.............................. 132 Purpose of the Proposal Hearings Begin Comparison with Carnegie Report VIII. THE PRESIDENT'S MESSAGE........................................... 145 "Message on Education and Health" Discussion IX. THE PREPARATION OF THE LEGISLATION 152 HEW Begins Work on Legislation Early Draft Prepared Senate Bill Introduced X. SECOND NATIONAL CONFERENCE ON LONG- RANGE FINANCING OF ETV............................................. 161 Conference Action and Rationale Reaction to Carnegie Commission Report Conference Recommendations XI. SENATE HEARINGS AND PASSAGE ................. 173 Committee Work Begins Long-Range Financing Educational Radio Testimony Interconnection Other Amendments Floor Debate and Passage vi 1 Page XII. HOUSE HEARINGS AND PASSAGE.......................; ____ 193 Committee Work Begins Issues and Amendments Floor Debate and Passage XIII. CONFERENCE REPORT AND FINAL PASSAGE 218 Anti-editorializing Issue Educational Broadcasting Defined Objectivity and Balance in Programming Interconnection Records and Audits Instructional Broadcasting Conference Report Adopted XIV. SUMMARY AND CONCLUSIONS........................................... 225 Summary Conclusions and Discussion Recommendations for Future Study APPENDIX A. FIRST NATIONAL CONFERENCE ON LONG- RANGE FINANCING OF ETV.................................. List of Participants Financial Survey and Questionnaire Letter from the President B. SECOND NATIONAL CONFERENCE ON LONG- RANGE FINANCING OF ETV............................................ 293 List of Participants Conference Proceedings C. BERRY MEMO • LETTERS ON INTERCONNECTION.................................. 329 D. PUBLIC LAW 90-129........................................................... 345 BIBLIOGRAPHICAL ESSAY.............................................................................. 356 v i 11 LIST OF TABLES Table Page 1. FM STATION GROWTH PATTERN - THROUGH 1966... 20 2. TV STATION GROWTH PATTERN - THROUGH 1967... 24 1 X CHAPTER I BACKGROUND AND INTRODUCTION On November 7, 1967, President Lyndon Johnson signed the Public Broadcasting Act (Public Law 90-129). The Act amended the Communications Act of 1937 and contained the following provisions: 1. Establishes the Corporation for Public Broadcasting (headed by a 15-man board appointed by the President with Senate approval) to oversee appropriate channelling of funds for use by noncommercial television and radio production groups, to stimulate programming of higher education and cultural value through financial aid and recommendations to local stations and educational TV networks, and to arrange for systems of regional interconnection to extend educational broadcasting's audience. 2. Authorizes $9 million to finance the first- year (1968) activities of the Corporation. 3. Extends through fiscal 1970 the construction program under the Educational Television Facilities Act of 1962 in which $10.5 million will be appro­ priated for 1968, $12.5 million for 1969, and $15 mill ion for 1970. 4. Authorizes $500,000 to Department of Health, Education, and Welfare to conduct a study of instructional television, radio, and related elec­ tronic apparatus in schools and classrooms.' 1. U.S., Library of Congress, Legislative Reference Service, "The Public Broadcasting Act of 1967" (Washington: January 12, 1968), p. 4. The provisions in this Act required several years of concen- trated and dedicated efforts by many in Washington and throughout the United States. Congress was