KE27 15537 1979e vol.5 COMMITTEE ON INTERSTATE AND FOREIGN COMMERCE HARLEY O. STAGGERS, West Virginia, Chairman JOHN D. DINGELL, Michigan RICHARDSON PREYER, North Carolina JAMES J. FLORIO, New Jersey ANTHONY TOBY MOFFETT, Connecticut JIM SANTINI, Nevada ANDREW MAGUIRE, New Jersey MARTY RUSSO, Illinois EDWARD J. MARKEY, Massachusetts THOMAS A. LUKEN, Ohio DOUG WALGREN, Pennsylvania ALBERT GORE, JR., Tennessee BARBARA A. MIKULSKI, Maryland RONALD M. MOTTL, Ohio PHIL GRAMM, Texas MICKEY LELAND, Texas RICHARD C. SHELBY, Alabama SAMUEL L. DEVINE, Ohio JAMES T. BROYHILL, North Carolina TOM LOEFFLER, Texas WILLIAM E. DANNEMEYER, California CONTENTS Submissions of San Diego Committee on Media-statements presented at Page San Diego Common Cause: Cable TV.. June 1, 1979 hearing by: California State PTA 25 Greater San Diego Telecommunications Association.. 24 11 Women's Institute for Freedom of the Press - 7 16 Common Carrier- Voices and Choices- Women Against Violence Against Women. YWCA of San Diego County Submissions received at a communications meeting in the Terrace Room of Xavier University, Cincinnati, Ohio, July 3, 1979 conducted by Hon. Thomas A. Luken, a Representative in Congress from the State of Ohio: Cincinnati Human Relations Commission.. Citizens Action for Church Women United of Greater Cincinnati, Coalition for Blacks Concerned for Justice and Equity. Council of Christian Commissions.... Greater Cincinnati Community Action Program Council. Jewish Community Relations Council of Cincinnati... Lutheran Social Service of the Miami Valley. Memorial Community Center, Inc.. Presbytery of Cincinnati, Mission Council. Woman's City Club of Greater Cincinnati.. WPE-TV (Washington Park Elementary School) Statements submitted for the record by— Action for Children's Television. Alaska Public Broadcasting Commission.. American Library Association. - American Petroleum Institute.. Committee for Community Access.. General Conference Menonite Church. Intercollegiate Broadcasting System, Inc. International Ladies' Garment Workers' Union_ National Council of the Churches of Christ in the USA. National Radio Broadcasters Association. Pontius, Dale... POLICY STATEMENT OF THE NATIONAL ORGANIZATION FOR WOMEN on legislation to Rewrite or Amend the Communications Act of 1934 The National Organization for Women (CW) has long recognized that women have a major stake in the establishment of social policy goals in the telecommunications industry. In 1972, NCW called for the Federal Communications Commission to guarantee fair treatment of women (in image, programming, news coverage and employment) in the broadcasting industry. NOW continues to believe in the validity of the basic concept encompassed in the Communications Act of 1934--that broadcasters hold a public trust--the airwaves. And, the scarcity of these airwaves have put a special obligation on the industry to broadcast in the public interest and necessity. Since 1934, our nation has seen the development of television, cable systems, satellite communications and other technological advances. NOW supports the efforts of Congress to review the telecommunications policy of our nation in light of these advances. We support the need for an assessment of the legal and regulatory structure that governs the broadcast and cable industries. NOW welcomes the opportunity to participate in helping to mold these new policies from a feminist perspective. We urge the Congress and federal agencies to make every possible effort to ensure that the views of a wide range of feminist organizations and public interest groups are included in the debate on the future of the telecommunications industry. However, reforms in this rapidly expanding industry must contain certain basic public rights including the following: --Broadcast licenses must be regulated to provide an affirmative obligation to afford equal employment opportunities regardless of sex, race, color, creed, national origin or sexual preference; (1) --The regulatory agency administering telecommunications policy must be granted the authority to enforce EEC provisions and for effective review of equal employment progress; --The public trusteeship standard must be maintained as a basis for awarding and evaluating the performance of television and radio licenses; --Licensees must be required to ascertain the problems, needs and interests of the communities they are licensed to serve. Organizations for and of women must be considered a significant community group during the ascertainment procedures; --Federal programs should be established to assist women in their ability to purchase and control broadcast stations; --Licenses must be obliged, first and foremost, to cover all controversial issues of public importance. These issues must continue to be presented in a balanced, fair and accurate manner; --Broadcast licenses must be issued for a fixed term and standards must be developed for reviewing their performance. --Provisions must be developed for reimbursement of citizen participation in all agency proceedings that relate to telecommunications policies. Compensation for participation is especially necessary to present responsible positions that would not otherwise be present, but for such compensation; --Candidates for public office must have equal access to radio and television broadcast facilities, whether free or on a paid basis; --Policies on written agreements between radio and television broadcast stations and citizen groups should be developed by the regulatory agency, if found to be consistent with the public interest standard of broadcasting; --Congress should support continuing research to determine --Specific authority must be granted to the regulatory agency |