Free Time

How much free time, if any, should Radio give to religious and educational programs?

For months this question has been bumping loosely and loudly around Washington. Religionists and educators felt that the New Deal, as part of its general reform program, should open the air wider to them. The Federal Communications Commission took the question firmly in hand and proceeded, through a three-man board, to hold public hearings. Last week Radio's biggest wigs trooped to Washington to protest any plan which would force them to take into their broadcasting studios any specified number of preachers or pedagogs and permit them to hold forth, without charge, for any specified amount of time.

Suave young President William Samuel Paley of Columbia Broadcasting System pointed out that his chain is already giving one-sixth of its time free to Religion & Education. Said he: "Columbia has carefully refrained from imposing on its audience any small personal concepts of what the audience ought to receive."

President Merlin Hall Aylesworth of National Broadcasting Co. gave Education a round scolding for having alienated its Radio pupils by "monotony and poor showmanship." Cried he: "People do not want to be educated. They want entertainment. . . . Our guilt lies in having been too big-hearted in our desire to help educators." By way of support. NBC's program director produced a testimonial from Henry L. Mencken: "The pedagogs now have all the time they can fill profitably--and more. Their programs are puerile and dull. There is no evidence that they would do any better if they had all day." Most notable witness of the week in behalf of more Education &

Religion on the air was Dr. Floyd W. Reeves, longtime educator and now Personnel Director of Tennessee Valley Authority. He proposed a Government-owned & operated broadcasting system, controlled by a committee recruited from non-profit educational & cultural agencies. Dr. Reeves said he "spoke for the TVA." Where, asked the Board of Dr. Reeves, would the money or the radio channels to operate such a system come from? How much would it cost? Who would listen in? Dr. Reeves replied he had not fully considered such details.

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