Markup session on subpena powers on 3 0 5 15 Feb. 20 Joint Committee on Congressional Operations. Congressional communication through the 446 On Government wiretaps.. 9 Joint Committee on Congressional Opera 10 Congressional communication through the 3 59 tions. 1 The Senate Foreign Relations hearings as result of President's message were sudden on part of Congress and NPR's coverage. Logs must be analyzed. Winter quarter. Public Broadcasting Service Hon. LEE METCALF, PUBLIC BROADCASTING SERVICE, U.S. Senate, Washington, D.C. DEAR SENATOR METCALF: I read with interest the additional questions you sent to me May 8 regarding Congress and mass communications. They evidence your sensitivity to the problems which confront broadcast journalists in attempting to make the workings of government accessible to the public at large. I have attempted to answer the questions fully and concisely. However, I would suggest that in some areas the views of public television producers such as NPACT, the National Public Affairs Center for Television, would be helpful. Again, I appreciate your interest in this important issue. Please let me know if I can be of further assistance. Sincerely, Enclosure. HARTFORD N. GUNN, Jr. RESPONSE BY PUBLIC BROADCASTING SERVICE TO QUESTIONS FROM SENATOR METCALF 1. Since 1971, PBS has distributed the following programs covering committee and subcommittee activities (See Attachment A for exact date, length and producer of programs): Senate Foreign Relations Committee Hearings on Mainland China, 1971 Senate Foreign Relations Committee Hearings on Withdrawal of U.S. Troops from Viet Nam, 1972 Senate Commerce Committee Communications Subcommittee Hearings on PTV, 1973 Senate Foreign Relations Committee Hearings on Confirmation of Henry Kissinger as Secretary of State, 1973 Senate Select Committee on Campaign Practices (the Watergate Hearings), 1973 Senate Rules. Committee Hearings on the Confirmation of Gerald Ford, 1973 House Judiciary Committee, Opening Session of Impeachment Inquiry, 1974. 2. To my knowledge, none of our producers has been denied permission for such coverage since the Rayburn Rule was changed. 3. To my knowledge, none of our producers has ever requested permission to cover a conference committee. 4. No. We assume that hearings are always open for broadcast coverage unless such coverage is explicitly denied. 5. In addition to coverage of the hearings listed above, PBS has distributed the following programs concerning Congress as an institution: The Advocates No. 15-"Should the Congressional Seniority System be Abolished?" Jan. 12, 1971 The Advocates No. 83-"Should Congress Limit the President's War Powers?" Dec. 7, 1971 Bill Moyers Journal No. 111-"Congress and the President" Jan. 23, 1973 The Advocates No. 319-"Should the President be Required to Spend Money Congress Appropriates?" Feb. 15, 1973 Bill Moyers Journal No. 205—“Mr. Aspin and the Pentagon" Nov. 28, 1973 Great Decisions No. 301-"The President vs. Congress" Feb. 10, 1974 Washington Connection No. 114-on lobbyists Apr. 24, 1974 Washington Connection No. 116-on the impeachment process May 8, 1974. 6. I would respectfully suggest that Congress not allow its routines and practices to be in any way upset by the presence of television cameras. It is not our intention to turn Congressional floor debate into an event "produced especially for television." The burden should be on the television journalists to bridge the gaps in understanding that must exist, at least initially, between Congress and the viewing public. 7. We agree with the commercial networks that they and the public television producers responsible for providing coverage should each be permitted the use of one unilateral camera in addition to the broadcast pool equipment on covering floor debates. The task of making the workings of Congress understandable as discussed in question six, is a creative process which cannot be left entirely to the pool. Four unilateral cameras are required so that each pool member may have the flexibility needed to present and explain the Congressional activity in what each considers the most compelling and clear fashion. 8 and 9. For answers for these questions I would refer you to the producers who cover the Congress for public broadcasting, particularly NPACT. As I understand it, these producers do not currently staff the House and Senate Radio and Television Correspondents' galleries. 10. We cannot estimate what would be involved in providing facilities for a limited trial period of broadcast coverage of floor proceedings. We can say, however, that the cost to public broadcasting will be different from the cost to the commercial networks. We would consider any expenditure required by a trial run to be well worth the financial risk, in view of our commitment to educate the public as to both the great issues before Congress and the way our representative system of government works. For any trial run, we would be willing to pool equipment and resources, and we certainly hope that such a trial period would be successful. However, we refer you to our original testimony stating that we strongly urge the installation of permanent broadcast facilities in the Congressional chambers in the same fashion that such facilities are permanently installed at the United Nations. The availability of such equipment would simplify television coverage enormously and put the television camera in the role of spectator and not intruder. ATTACHMENT A.-COMMITTEE AND SUBCOMMITTEE HEARINGS Number Committee Date of hours WETA Senate Foreign Relations Committee hearings on mainland China (gavel to June 24, 1971 1 June 25, 1971 1 1 June 29, 1971 1 Summary. July 20, 1971 1 NPACT Senate Foreign Relations Committee hearings on U.S. withdrawal from Viet- Apr. 17, 1972 3 NPACT Apr. 18, 1972 3 314 NPACT Senate Foreign Relations Committee hearings on confirmation of Kissinger as NPACT..... Senate Select Committee on Campaign Practices hearings on campaign ac- (1) 247 NPACT Senate Rules Committee hearings on the confirmation of Gerald Ford (gavel Nov. 1, 1973 NPACT House Judiciary Commitee-Opening session of impeachment inquiry... Nov. 5, 1973 151 days of hearings in 1973, from May 17 to Nov. 15. སརྦཀཉྩ ོཚེ 314 Radio, Television News Directors Association Mr. JOHN STEWART, Joint Committee on Congressional Operations, WASHINGTON, D.C., April 30, 1974. DEAR Mr. STEWART: In accordance with your request, RTNDA would like to outline some of our objections to the restrictions placed upon broadcast coverage of Congress. With the exception of a few designated areas, broadcast newsmen are hindered in their news gathering by the requirement that they seek permission for the use of the tools of their trade anywhere on the Capitol. This rule applies not only to the Capitol itself, but also to Congressional office buildings, hearing rooms, grounds and sidewalks. Frequently it is inconvenient for members of Congress to travel to the designated areas for a brief film interview. In order to get permission to film or record interviews outside the designated areas the broadcaster must get permission from not just one but a variety of offices. For instance, for a television or radio reporter to take his equipment onto the Capitol steps, he must have a member of Congress with him, and he must have the permission of the Sergeant at Arms for the Senate or the Speaker of the House. On the Senate side, we question the need to have equipment installed 30 minutes before the beginning of a hearing. The House requires only 15 minutes, and we feel that this should be sufficient for the Senate as well. Additionally, the rule that organizations may not pull out of Mults until hearings are recessed means that an entire crew may be tied up for a morning or an afternoon hearing when it is interested in getting the testimony of only one witness. Specific permission must be gained for the use of portable sound-on-film equipment anywhere on the Capitol, which is an added difficulty that broadcasters must contend with. And at stake outs beside committee rooms, hand-held microphones are not permitted. All microphones must be fastened to a stand. RTNDA appreciates the interest of the Joint Committee on Congressional Operations in this matter, and we hope this information may prove helpful in your deliberations. Sincerely, ALEXANDER B. CHADWICK, Westinghouse Broadcasting Co., Inc. Hon. LEE METCALF, Joint Committee on Congressional Operations, Washington, D.C., June 14, 1974. DEAR SENATOR METCALF: I will attempt to be helpful in response to your questionnaire regarding news coverage of the Congress. I believe I should first explain that Westinghouse Broadcasting Company is not a network. While our coverage parallels network news coverage in every way, we are a Group broadcaster serving the seven Westinghouse radio stations and its five TV stations. The Westinghouse Broadcasting Company Washington News Bureau was the first Group broadcasting bureau established in the nation's capital. It continues to be unique in its field. The objective of the Washington News Bureau therefore is to provide national news as well as news of regional importance to our individual stations. With respect to the Congress this means blanket coverage of Congress as an institution and as a collection of 535 individuals. Our correspondents cover the activities of Congressmen from our station areas. With respect to your questions: 1. We request permission from time to time to cover hearings on major issues being considered by the Congress. These include the Judiciary Committees of both houses, the Armed Services Committees of both houses, the Commerce Committees of both houses, the Joint Economic Committee, Appropriations Committees, House Ways and Means Committee, and Education and Labor of both houses. The requests have been for news film and audio tape coverage. 2. We have been denied permission to film or record in the following: House Judiciary Committee, House Armed Services Committee, and Ways and Means Committee. In many instances we simply do not request permission anymore because of the long established practice by some committee chairmen and some members against open coverage. 3. Yes. We asked for and received permission to cover a conference between the House and Senate on the Energy Bill in December 1973. 4. Yes. See answer to question #2. 5. The Westinghouse Broadcasting Company in 1968 produced a television series called the "Government Story". This series is made up of forty half-hour productions that explain the workings of the government. A large part of the series was devoted to the workings of Congress as an institution. These TV films were made available to other television stations across the nation, universities and high schools. They are still in circulation. The series is also available to and is being used by clubs and organizations. The "Government Story" was made possible through the cooperation of wives of congressmen, including Mrs. Gerald Ford,. Mrs. Hale Boggs and Mrs. Charles Vanik. We have produced special radio series on major matters before Congress which explained how the Congress would act on issues as an institution. A special film unit on Capitol Hill will, from time to time, report on how Congress functions. 6. Greater access to floor activities would help. But I believe it would take an act of Congress to simplify the rules in order to make floor coverage more understanding. 7. Some of the rules of the House and Senate Radio and Television Correspondent's Galleries are archaic. It would be a simple procedure to remove restrictions on filming on the grounds of the Capitol and in certain areas inside the Capitol which are now off limits. Special permission must be granted by the Capitol Architect before interviews can be conducted beyond three specific areas on the Capitol grounds. There are also restrictions inside the Capitol that could be modified. For instance, it takes special permission from the Architect of the Capitol or the Sgt. at Arms to film a Congressman or Senator as he leaves a hearing room if that hearing room is off limits. Such permission could take several hours. 8. Although we have covered this in our testimony, it bears repeating. The space situation in the Senate Radio Television gallery is critical. The work space should be enlarged. I believe constant attention must be paid to the space problems in both galleries because of the increasing number of organizations seeking to cover Congress. 9. Radio coverage would be a rather simple operation in both chambers. However, I believe this entire question should be answered by the Radio-TV pool. I trust this response will be helpful to your study and produce some favorable response. Sincerely yours, SID DAVIS. II. SUPPLEMENTARY MATERIAL SUPPLIED BY WITNESSES Matthew Coffey, president, Association of Public Radio Stations, list of noncommercial radio coverage of State legislatures-1973. KASU-Jonesboro, Ark. KPFA-Berkeley, Calif. WSIE-Edwardsville, III.. WLCC-Lincoln, Ill. WBAA-Lafayette, Ind.. WOI-Ames, Iowa. WMKY-Morehead, Ky. WKMS-Murray, Ky. WEKU-Richmond, Ky. Weekly. KSJR-Collegeville, Minn. KUOM Minneapolis, Minn.. KCCM-Moorhead, Minn. WNJC-Senatobia, Miss.. KBFL-Buffalo, Mo. KBIA-Columbia, Mo. On occasion. do. Weekly When needed. Weekly. Do. Do. Do. On occasion. On occasion. |