In Re
Application of MAHONING VALLEY BROADCASTING CORP. For Renewal of Licenses for
STATION WBBW, YOUNGSTOWN, OHIO and STATION WBBW-FM *, YOUNGSTOWN, OHIO
·
Subsequent to the filing of pleadings in this proceeding,
the call letters of WBBW-FM have been
changed to
WQOD (FM), effective May 1, 1972.
File No. BR-2247; File No. BRH-935
FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION
39 F.C.C.2d 52
RELEASE-NUMBER: FCC 72-1001
November 15, 1972 Released
Adopted November 8, 1972
JUDGES:
BY THE COMMISSION: COMMISSIONER JOHNSON DISSENTING AND ISSUING A STATEMENT;
COMMISSIONER HOOKS CONCURRING IN PART AND DISSENTING IN PART AND ISSUING A
STATEMENT.
OPINION:
[*52] 1. The
Commission has before it for consideration: (1) the above captioned license renewal
application filed on July 6, 1970, by Mahoning Valley Broadcasting Corporation
(WBBW); (2) a petition to deny each of the above-captioned applications, filed
October 1, 1970, by the Black Broadcasting Coalition and others (hereinafter
BBC); n1 (3) WBBW's opposition to the
petitions to deny, filed October 14, 1970; and, (4) BBC's reply filed November
4, 1970. n2
n1 On August 27, 1970, the
Commission granted BBC a 30-day extension of time in which to file petitions to
deny WBBW's renewal applications.
n2 On October 29, 1970, BBC's
request for a more than one month extension of time in which to file its reply
was denied. However, the filing date was extended until November 4, 1970.
2. WBBW raises a question
concerning the standing of the petitioners in this case. The BBC is an
"umbrella" organization whose members include various community
organizations in the Youngstown area. We believe the standing of the BBC
is clear. Office of Communications of the United Church of Christ, et al.
v. F.C.C., 123 App. D.C. 328, 359 F.2d 944 (1966).
ASCERTAINMENT
3. BBC criticizes WBBW's
ascertainment of community problems on several grounds. It is alleged
that a single ascertainment study was conducted for both WBBW and WBBW-FM. BBC
also alleges that WBBW failed "to include any description of the stations'
service area or the major groups and interests of which it is comprised,"
and that "no information is provided concerning the sampling technique
employed or the selection of the leadership or general public samples."
Further, according to BBC, the 46 interviews with community leaders and 42
interviews with members of the general public are numerically [*53]
insufficient. Although BBC acknowledges that WBBW "... made a
special effort to consult with representatives of the Black community...",
it is alleged that "... the station's overall lack of concern for minority
groups remains, as indicated by its total failure to consult with members of
other minority groups, such as the Spanish speaking community." BBC also
alleges that WBBW has not provided a detailed discussion of community needs and
interests, nor has there been an attempt to differentiate between the problems
of minority and majority communities. BBC charges that WBBW's inclusion
of a listing of Black interest items carried on "Open Mike" shows
indicates the station's "superficial preoccupation with the Black
community". Finally, BBC states that WBBW's "nebulous
description of a contemporary music format... provides little or no insight
into the station's understanding of the Youngstown Community."
4. In opposition, WBBW first
states that BBC was incorrect in stating that WBBW had conducted a single
ascertainment survey. On the contrary, licensee submits that it is
continuously ascertaining the area's problems "... through its Community
Service Director, Mr. Mizell 'Chick' Stewart, Sr., by its continuing contacts
with prominent community leaders and groups as they utilize the public service
facilities of the Station, by its public affairs programs and news programs, by
written contacts urging the use of the Station's facilities, and by continuing
contact with the leaders of the various educational governmental and civic
organizations." WBBW also states that it conducted 104 interviews with members
of the general public. In this connection, WBBW points out that the 42
individuals listed in its renewal exhibit were clearly identified as "A
representative list of area residents with whom dialogued surveys were
conducted." This is all that is required, according to licensee, since the
Commission does not require an applicant to submit a list of all contacts
made. In opposition to BBC's allegation that the station's ascertainment
showing contained no description of the station's service area or the groups
and interests of which it is comprised, WBBW points to its list of civic
organizations, interests and groups consulted in the survey. Licensee
also includes as an exhibit in its opposition several tables of population
statistics. Regarding the allegation that it has shown lack of concern
for minority groups, WBBW contends that it consulted with a cross section of
the community and that the national origin of persons contacted was not
requested. The licensee also states, contrary to BBC's allegation, that
its renewal application does provide a detailed discussion of community
problems. In this connection, WBBW points to Exhibits 3, 4, and 5, of its
renewal applications, which list the various individuals, groups, and
organizations in the community which were consulted, the problems ascertained,
and some of the types of programs proposed.
5. In defending its inclusion
of the list of 28 programs on "Open Mike" which were of interest to
the Black community, WBBW states that they were "... merely representative
programs where the guests were all Black," Further, WBBW states that it
has used the "Open Mike" show to meet many of the current needs and
interests of the total community, including the Black community. Some of
the topics included were problems of the city, drugs, city transportation, war
in [*54] Vietnam, city health problems, community sewer tax issues,
mental health, welfare, parks and recreation, and many others. In
addition, licensee states that "To Be Equal", a local weekly program
series produced in cooperation with the local Urban League, is specifically
designed for the Black community. This program began in March 1970 and is
aired each Saturday at 6:15 p.m. on WBBW-AM and FM. The licensee also
states that it carries a series entitled "Did You Know", which is
dedicated to highlighting Black history. This series, according to
licensee, appears 30 times each week on both WBBW-AM and FM. Another
program which WBBW states is meeting community needs is "Job Call", a
weekly 15-minute program presenting job availabilities within the Youngstown
market. "Opportunity Line" and "Life Line" are two
other shows which, WBBW contends, serve the needs of the Youngstown area.
Finally, in opposition to BBC's allegation that its application contained a "one-page
nebulous description of a contemporary music format, WBBW alleges that no such
description exists in its application since it does not have a contemporary
music format.
6. In reply, BBC states that
it has alleged not a total lack of consultation with the Black community, but
an inadequate consultation and responsiveness and an overall insensitivity to
the problems and needs of the Black community. BBC also challenges
several of the consultations listed in WBBW's application by submitting statements
of the directors of three organizations who state that the individuals
consulted by WBBW were not authorized to represent their respective
organizations. BBC also includes the statements of two other individuals
who were consulted by WBBW. These individuals state, in essence, that the
interviews were ineffectual. Petitioner states that its conclusion that
WBBW conducted a single ascertainment study for WBBW-AM and WBBW-FM was based
on the fact that the two renewal applications contained "identical" supporting
documents, and by the fact that the licensee submitted a single opposition and
motion to dismiss for both stations. The licensee's ascertainment,
according to BBC, does not meet the standards of the Commission's 1968 Public
Notice on Ascertainment of Community Needs by Broadcast Applicants, 13 RR 2d
1903. n3 BBC next alleges, in its reply,
that WBBW's Community Service Director, Mr. Mizell Stewart, was hired without
BBC's being consulted regarding his qualifications. Mr. Stewart, it is
alleged, is unqualified for the position since he works fulltime for the
Youngstown Police Department. It is further alleged by BBC that Mr.
Stewart is an older man who is not attuned to the attitudes of younger people
in the community. Regarding WBBW's claim that it actually contacted at
least 104 members of the general public, BBC acknowledges that the applicant is
not required to submit supporting data. However, petitioner asserts,
"Certainly, when a Petition to Deny has been filed, the licensee ought to
find it in his best interest to indicate exactly what ascertainment efforts
were taken." It is next alleged in BBC's reply that only 18 of the 42
residents were from the Youngstown area and only two of that number were
Black. Petitioner submits statements from these two individuals which
state [*55] that they were not personally consulted by WBBW.
BBC also asserts that WBBW has ignored the Spanish-speaking population of
Youngstown. In this connection, it is alleged that this group includes 8
percent of the population of Youngstown, that it is a substantial as well as
cohesive segment of the population, and that its members are readily
identifiable by surname.
n3 These requirements were subsequently
set out in the Primer on Ascertainment of Community problems by Broadcast
Applicants, 27 FCC 2d 650 (1971).
7. In its reply, BBC further
contends that WBBW's use of call-in programs is "a cheap and easy
format." Petitioner also charges that WBBW failed to submit any evidence
in support of its claim that it carried more than 28 programs of service to the
Black community. Regarding WBBW's establishment of the program "To
Be Equal", BBC alleges that it is merely "a token gesture",
although "[it] is a start in the right direction..." BBC also
contends that the institution of the vignettes "Did you Know" was a
good start, but it is no way representative of WBBW's past or proposed
programming and can barely begin to compensate for its past and proposed
inadequacies. In this connection, BBC alleges that the licensee's other
programs, "Job Call", "Opportunity Line", and "Life
Line", are designed for the community as a whole and not for the Black
community in particular. Petitioner contends that WBBW does not
distinguish between its AM and FM facilities, yet such treatment is somewhat
misleading. Thus, BBC notes that "WBBW-FM is increasingly a
'background music' station and WBBW-AM is wedded to a call-in format for public
affairs programming."
PROPOSED PROGRAMMING
8. With respect to WBBW-AM's
proposed programming, BBC first alleges that the station proposes to reduce the
time devoted to programs in the categories of news, public affairs, and
"other". Thus, BBC states that news will be reduced from 11.1%
to 10.4%; public affairs will be reduced from 9.4% to 6.7%; and
"other" programming will be reduced from 7.9% to 3.7%.
Petitioner next alleges that the WBBW-AM application lists three weekly
programs related to Blacks which it intends to continue in the next license
period. BBC claims that all three of those programs, "Job
Call", "To Be Equal", and "Bethel Church of God in
Christ", were begun within the past six months as a result of its
efforts. It is alleged further that "[these] minimal station gestures
are neither sufficiently responsive to the needs and interests of the Black
community to be acceptable nor are they in any way indicative of WBBW's
programming record over the past license period." Petitioner contends that
WBBW's call-in shows, which it describes as the chief means of discussing
public issues, are not sufficient to resolve public questions. With
respect to WBBW-FM's proposed programming, BBC alleges that 85% of the time
will be devoted to recorded music, while only 5.3% will be devoted to news,
0.8% to public affairs, and 1.9% to "other" programming. Since
petitioner presumes that most of WBBW-FM's non-entertainment programming will
be duplicated from WBBW-AM, it is alleged that "... the station... will
not add to the community's diversity of informational, instructional or
religious programs."
[*56] 9. In
opposition, the licensee maintains that its proposed reductions in the program
categories of News, Public Affairs, and All Other programming, Exclusive of
Entertainment and Sports, are insignificant. The licensee also states
that the amount of programming proposed in these categories is sufficient to
meet the problems in the Youngstown area. The licensee states further
that, although it has proposed reductions in the amount of broadcast time it
proposes to devote to these programming categories, WBBW is nevertheless
broadcasting the same amount of News, Public Affairs, and All Other programming
presently being broadcast. It is the licensee's position that its AM
renewal Exhibit 5, which lists 33 programs or program series to be broadcast,
meets the needs and interests of the area. In this connection, WBBW
characterizes its 12 hours of public affairs programs a week on its AM facility
as exemplary in comparison with the average radio station. WBBW alleges
that BBC erred in its conclusion that the three programs for the Black
community were initiated by the station as a result of the efforts of the
petitioner. Rather, the license contends, all three programs were begun
prior to any dialogue with the petitioner: "Job Call" on May 18,
1968; "To Be Equal" on March 21, 1970; and "Bethel Church of God
in Christ" on July 21, 1963. Finally, WBBW disagrees with
petitioner's conclusion that its audience participation programs, "Open
Mike" and "Life Line," do not contribute to the resolution of
public questions in the Black community or within the Youngstown community as a
whole. Such a conclusion, according to WBBW, "... is self-serving
and contrary to the Commission's pronouncements that these types of public
affairs programs are wanted and needed to fulfill the public's desire to
discuss current problems of any area."
10. Petitioner, in reply,
contends that the licensee has given no indication of the nature of its
contemplated format change or its effect on the station's service to the
community. BBC also alleges that call-in shows are informal,
unstructured, often lightweight and not exemplary programming.
PAST PROGRAMMING
11. With respect to WBBW's
past programming, BBC alleges that licensee's list of past programs which it
intends to continue in the future greatly exceeds its list of typical and
illustrative programs presented during the past year. The only program
which offered any potential for local participation by minority groups,
according to BBC, was "open Mike". Petitioner further alleges
that no regular series are listed in the areas of public affairs, instructional
or religious which relate specifically to Blacks or other minorities.
12. WBBW, in opposition,
submits that BBC's allegations regarding its past programs are in error and not
factual. WBBW states that Exhibit 5 is a list of typical programs and
program series which the station presently broadcasts and plans to continue
while Exhibit 7 is a partial listing of programs carried. The following
programs listed in Exhibit 5, licensee asserts, specifically relate to all
minorities in the Youngstown area: "Open Mike", "Education News
Special", "Consumer Time", "Watch Your Step",
"Your Social Security", "The Veteran's Show", "Concert
Preview", "Northwestern Reviewing [*57] Stand",
"Valley Tales", "Job Call", "Georgetown Forum",
"Life Line", "To Be Equal", "Party Line", Business
Review", "Mt. Calvary Pentecostal Church" and "Bethel
Church of God in Christ".
13. In reply, BBC states that
WBBW has failed to demonstrate the alleged error in petitioner's analysis of
its past programming. Petitioner further states that the licensee has not
supplemented its "partial listing" in Exhibit 7. Finally, BBC
characterizes as absurd WBBW's statement that all of the public affairs,
instructional and religious programs listed in Exhibit 5 specifically relate to
minorities in the Youngstown area. In this connection BBC questions,
inter alia, whether "Bethel Church of God in Christ" relates to the
minority Jewish or Lebanese communities, or whether "The Veteran's
Show" relates to the female minority.
COMMERICAL PRACTICES
14. BBC next alleges that the
station exceeded the 18 minute per hour commercial limit set by the NAB Code on
two occasions in the composite week. Licensee states that it exceeded its
policy of limiting commercial matter to 18 minutes on two occasions. In
one hour it exceeded its limit by 30 seconds and in the other hour by 20
seconds. It is licensee's contention that these two instances do not
violate the station's policy or the Commission's.
PUBLIC FILE
15. Petitioner alleges that on
September 29, 1970, Mrs. Margaret Linton Visited WBBW's studios to inspect the
station's policy relating to minorities. However, according to Mrs.
Linton's statement, the station personnel were unable to produce the
document. Petitioner alleges that this is a clear violation of Section
1.580 of the Commission's rules. n4
The licensee denies violation of the Commission's rule. It contends that
Mrs. Linton requested the public file from a female staff member whose
responsibility does not include knowledge of the location of the public
file. All other staff members were out to lunch, according to
licensee. WBBW further contends that if Mrs. Linton had returned after
lunch the public file would have been made available to her as it had been on
another occasion. In reply, BBC contends that the Commission's rule
requiring the availability of a public file does not contain an exclusion for
lunch hour.
n4 Petitioner erroneously cites
Section 1.580. The rule involved is Section 1.526.
NEGOTIATIONS
16. BBC contends that WBBW has
been totally inconsiderate in responding to its efforts to make broadcasting
relevant to the needs of Black people and other minorities. In
particular, BBC alleges that it submitted three specific proposals to the
station and on each occasion the licensee's response showed no genuine interest
in seeking solutions to the many community problems. The licensee, in
opposition, states that it has responded to each proposal presented to it by
BBC and that it will continue its dialogue with petitioner and other
representatives [*58] of the community. Further, WBBW submits
that it does have a genuine interest in seeking solutions to the apparent
problems of the Black community.
EMPLOYMENT
17. Finally, BBC alleges that
WBBW employs only four Blacks out of a total of 32 persons. Of these
four, one is a fulltime custodian, one a part-time community service director
and one a part-time clerk typist. It is alleged that this record of
employment is not in accord with the Commission's rules concerning equal
employment opportunities. BBC further alleges that it does not appear
that WBBW has any affirmative plans to conform with the Commission's
rules. The licensee disagrees with petitioner's conclusion and asserts
that it is an equal employment opportunity employer. To demonstrate its
compliance with the federal and local laws governing employment, WBBW submits a
copy of the station's employment application. BBC states in reply that
submission of this application is merely an empty gesture if the station
continues to employ only token Blacks in non-policy making positions.
CONCLUSIONS
18. Petitioner has alleged
that the licensee's past programming has not been in the public interest.
As we stated in the 1960 Network Programming Inquiry, 25 F.R. 7291:
... the principal ingredient of the
licensee's obligation to operate his station in the public interest is the
diligent, positive, and continuing effort by the licensee to discover and
fulfill the tastes, needs and desires of his community or service area, for
broadcast service.
The Commission has never imposed
upon licensees any requirement that they broadcast certain types of programs in
order to fulfill their public interest obligation. Programming is
generally a matter left to the discretion of the individual licensee. It
is not the Commission's function to sit as a final arbiter to evaluate the
propriety of a licensee's programming decisions. Rather, it is our duty
to determine whether or not the licensee has made a reasonable effort to deal
with the problems of his service area.
19. The renewal application
for WBBW-AM indicates that during the composite week the station broadcast 14
hours and 57 minutes of news (11.1% of total time on the air), of which the
licensee estimates that 33% of this time is regularly devoted to local and
regional news. WBBW-AM also broadcast 12 hours and 43 minutes (9.4% of
total broadcast time) in the category of public affairs, and 10 hours and 36
minutes (7.9% of total broadcast time) in the category of all other
programming, exclusive of entertainment and sports. In addition, the
station also broadcast 211 public service announcements.
20. One of the major programs
relied upon by licensee to fulfill its public service obligation is "Open
Mike". During the past license period "Open Mike" has
served as a forum for a diverse range of community organizations and
groups. Broadcast each weekday morning for two hours, "Open
Mike", through a varied format of group discussions, interviews, and
call-in participation by listeners, has covered such topics as sewer taxes,
drugs, civil defense, city health, water service, [*59] summer jobs
for youth, Vietnam, and transportation. "Open Mike" has also
featured interviews and discussions with leaders of the Youngstown Black
community. These leaders have discussed such issues as the welfare
family, rehabilitating homes for the inner city and civil rights. Other
programs which were broadcast to meet community needs include: "To Be
Equal", a 15-minute program broadcast each Saturday and produced in
cooperation with the Urban League; "Did You Know", 40 to 90-second
vignettes about Black history broadcast 30 times each week; "Job
Call", a 15-minute program broadcast each Saturday presenting local job
opportunities; "Life Line", a call-in show produced in cooperation
with the Youngstown Council of Churches; and "Education News Special",
broadcast weekdays and produced by the Ohio Education Association.
21. On the basis of the
information submitted in licensee's renewal application and its opposition
pleading, summarized above, we conclude that WBBW-AM's past programming has
been in the public interest. Petitioner's arguments concerning WBBW's
past service is merely conclusory. BCC's statement that "No regular
series are listed in the areas of public affairs, instructional or religious
which relate specifically to Black or other minorities", misconstrues the
Commission's requirement that a station serve the needs and interests of its
community. Where it appears that a station has followed a discriminatory
policy in its over-all programming by failing to serve a substantial minority
in the community, a substantial and material question of fact is raised
concerning the licensee's service in the public interest. Radio Station
WSNT, Inc., 27 FCC 2d 993 (1971). Here, however, there is no such evidence of
discriminatory programming; nor is there any evidence that non-Blacks have been
accorded different, more positive treatment. Stone v. F.C.C., D.C. Cir.
Case No. 71-1166 (June 30, 1972). A licensee has wide discretion in
deciding the best manner in which to effectively respond to community problems.
Therefore, a program series which discusses numerous community problems,
including those of interest to the Black community, should not be dismissed for
failure to serve the Black community merely because it is not directed
specifically to Blacks. Capitol Broadcasting Co., 28 FCC 1135
(1965). The Evening Star Broadcasting Company, 27 FCC 2d 316 (1971),
affirmed sub nom. Stone v. F.C.C., supra.
22. BBC does not make any
specific allegations regarding WBBW-FM's past performance. Instead, BBC
merely states that the station proposes to continue its good music
format. The BBC alleges that this proposal is insufficient to meet the
needs and interests of the Youngstown community. This allegation, without
more, is too general in nature to require exploration in an evidentiary
hearing. Further, most radio stations follow a specialized format; e.g.,
top-40, soul, all-news, classical, country-western, etc. However, the
ultimate test of public service responsibility is not the particular
entertainment format utilized but, rather, whether the station is providing
informational programming -- news, public affairs, and all other programming,
exclusive of entertainment and sports -- to serve the needs and interests of
the public it is licensed to serve. Such programming may, of course, be
tailored to the particular format of the station. See Primer on
Ascertainment of Community Problems by Broadcast Applicants, 27 FCC 2d
[*60] 650 (1971). In the present case, WBBW-FM broadcast "good music
in stereo" 85 per cent of its total air time. Also, as disclosed by
its composite week figures, WBBW-FM broadcast 5 per cent news, 0.7 per cent
public affairs, and 2.9 per cent all other programming, exclusive of
entertainment and sports. Additionally, the station broadcast 128 public
service announcements. There is no information before us which indicates
that this programming has failed to serve the needs and interests of the
Youngstown community; and, accordingly, it is concluded that WBBW-FM's past
programming service has been in the public interest.
23. Petitioner alleges that
the licensee's ascertainment of community problems is deficient. Our
review of WBBW's ascertainment efforts, however, leads us to conclude that
those efforts are in compliance with our requirements. The showing
required of an applicant in response to Part I, Section IV-A of the renewal
application (Ascertainment) is set forth in the Commission's Primer on
Ascertainment of Community Problems by Broadcast Applicants, supra. A broadcast
applicant is required to conduct personal consultations with community leaders
representing a cross-section of the community and to survey the general public
in order to determine the problems, needs and interests of the community.
After ascertaining community problems, the applicant must then evaluate them to
determine their relative importance so that he may propose programming
reasonably designed to meet those problems, needs and interests. The
number of person consulted is not the most important factor in judging whether
a licensee has conducted a good survey, because the number of such
consultations often depends on the size of the station's staff. Universal
Communications Corp., 27 FCC 2d 1022 (1971). Rather, what is required is that
the licensee make reasonable and good faith efforts to consult with a
representative cross-section of the community.
24. WBBW's renewal
applications indicate that consultations were conducted with 46 community
leaders representing a wide cross-section of community interests.
Included among those interviewed were representatives of the following
organizations: NAACP, Neighborhood Youth Corps, Chamber of Commerce, Civil
Defense Office, County Sheriff, Planned Parenthood Association, Alcoholic
Clinic, United Appeal, and others. The licensee also contacted at least
42 members of the general public. Although petitioner has alleged that
WBBW's survey ignored minority groups other than Blacks, it has submitted no
factual data to support its claim. The one affidavit and five statements
appened to BBC's reply do not detract from the validity of WBBW's
consultations. These statements allege either that the individuals
interviewed were confused as to the purpose of the interview or that they were
not asked their opinions about WBBW's operation. In this connection, we
emphasize that the purpose of these consultations is to ascertain community
problems. Thus, questions pertaining to the station's programming
policies or employment practices are not directly relevant to the purpose of
the consultations. See Primer Question and Answer 18, 27 FCC 2d at 684,
685. Moreover, there is no requirement that an applicant must consult with the
head of an organization. To be a community leader, one does not have to
hold a position such as director, president, or chairman. We also note
that [*61] there is no requirement that a licensee conduct a
separate ascertainment for each of its stations in the same city. Such a
requirement would amount to an unnecessary duplication of effort, a result which
we have attempted to avoid. See Primer, supra, paragraph 15.
25. As a result of its
consultations with community leaders and members of the general public, WBBW
compiled a list of 25 problems including, among others, the following: problems
and dangers of pollution; the need for higher quality education and better
schools; more adequate law enforcement; stronger controls for the drug and
narcotics problems; more effective methods for the prevention of crime; more
adequate and reasonably priced housing; better understanding between blacks and
whites; a better transportation system; more jobs and employment for youth of
the community; and solution for taxation problems. To meet these
ascertained needs, WBBW proposes to continue the same programs it broadcast in
the past license period as discussed at paragraph 18, supra. We believe
that a promise to continue to carry such programs as "Open Mike",
"To Be Equal", "Did You Know", "Job Call", and
"Education News Special" which have dealt with a wide variety of
community problems, constitutes a sufficient programming proposal to meet
community problems in the new license period. As in the past license
period, these program proposals relate only to WBBW-AM. We also conclude
for the same reasons set forth in paragraph 22, supra, that the proposed
service for WBBW-FM is adequate to meet the needs and interests of the
community.
26. Petitioner's allegation
that WBBW-AM proposes to reduce broadcast matter in the categories of news,
public affairs, and "other" fails to raise a substantial and material
question of fact which requires exploration in a hearing. The Commission
has not adopted quantitative standards by which to judge a licensee's
performance in the context of a regular renewal. Instead, the amount of
such programming has been left to the sound discretion of the licensee based
upon his ascertainment of community problems, the format of his station, the
size of his market, the availability of other broadcast outlets in the markets
and other factors which may affect the licensee's operation of his
station. Absent evidence that the licensee's percentage proposals will
not meet ascertained community problems or that the licensee has abused its
discretion, the Commission will not seek to second guess the licensee. No
such evidence has been presented here. In view of the number of variables
involved in the operation of a broadcast station, a licensee's program
proposals are not expected to remain static. What is important is that a
licensee live up to its programming promises. No question of promise
versus performance has been raised in this proceeding. In fact, WBBW-AM's
programming during the 1970 composite week in the categories of news, public
affairs and "other" exceeded its 1967 proposals. Finally, we
note that although WBBW-AM's 1970 percentage proposals are less than its 1967
proposals, the licensee states, in its opposition, that it is presently
carrying the same amount of programming in the categories of news, public
affairs and "other" as the station carried during the past license
period.
27. Petitioner has alleged
that the licensee's employment record is not in compliance with the
Commission's Equal Employment Opportunity [*62] Rules and that the
licensee has no affirmative plans to establish compliance. We note, by
way of background, that on June 4, 1969, the Commission adopted rules to
prohibit discrimination in the employment practices of broadcast
licenses. Nondiscrimination in Broadcast Employment, Docket No. 18244,
FCC 69-631, 18 FCC 2d 240 (1969). At the same time we issued a Further Notice
of Proposed Rule-Making, 34 F.R. 9288, requesting comments with regard to a
proposed annual reporting requirement and a proposed requirement for the
preparation of equal employment opportunity programs to be furnished by
existing stations in the applications for construction permits, assignments or
transfers of control, and renewals of licensee. By Report and Order
adopted May 20, 1970, released June 3, 1970, 23 FCC 2d 430, we adopted a rule,
47 C.F.R. 1.612, requiring broadcast permittees and licensees to file an annual
statistical report on their employment makeup (FCC Form 395), and a requirement
that broadcast applicants and licensees submit an equal employment opportunity
program (Section VI of FCC Forms 301, 303, 309, 311, 315, 340, and 342).
By Public Notice dated October 22, 1970, the Commission advised all broadcast
licensees and permittees that they would be required to file their initial
annual statistical reports of their employment makeup on or before May 1,
1971. The Commission also advised broadcast applicants and licensees who
would be filing applications on or after January 4, 1971, that they would be
required to file an equal employment opportunity program in accordance with the
guidelines delineated in Section VI of the various broadcast application forms.
28. Petitioner's allegations
concerning WBBW's employment policies and practices are based solely upon
information and belief. Petitioner cites the number of minority persons
employed by WBBW and concludes that the licensee has engaged in employment
discrimination on the basis of race. No evidence of specific instances of
discrimination indicating a pattern of discrimination has been submitted.
Nor has petitioner submitted any evidence indicating that the licensee's
employment policies contain artificial barriers to employment. While it
is recognized that an extremely low rate of minority employment may raise
appropriate questions requiring administrative inquiry, the facts in this
proceeding indicate that the licensee is making reasonable and good faith
efforts to assure nondiscriminatory employment policies and practices and, in
particular, to improve the employment status of minorities. An
examination of the stations' annual employment reports (FCC Form 395), which
are now on file with the Commission, indicates that the licensee is taking
affirmative steps to improve its minority hiring. The May 1971 report
indicates that WBBW employed 21 persons full time, including one minority
service worker. The stations also employed 11 persons part-time,
including two minority professionals and one minority office and clerical
worker. The stations' 1972 report indicates that WBBW employed 23 persons
full time, including one minority professional, one minority office and
clerical worker and one minority service worker. The 1972 report also
states the WBBW employed six persons part-time, including two minority
professionals. These facts also disclose that the percentage of minorities
employed by the licensee (i.e., 13%) fall [*63] within a range of
reasonableness when compared with the percentage of minorities (approximately 9
per cent) in the Youngstown-Warren standard metropolitan statistical
area. n5 On the basis of the information
available to us, we conclude that the licensee is making a reasonable effort to
maintain policies and practices which assure nondiscrimination in
employment.
n5 Bureau of the Census, Advance
Report on Population Characteristics PC (V2)-37, February 1971, discloses the
following population characteristics for Youngstown and the Youngstown-Warren
Metropolitan Area:
|
Youngstown,
Ohio: |
|
|
Total
population |
139,788 |
|
White
population |
103,765 |
|
Negro
population |
35,285 |
|
Other |
738 |
|
Youngstown-Warren
metropolitan area: |
|
|
Total
population |
536,003 |
|
White
population |
483,796 |
|
Negro
population |
50,621 |
|
Other |
1,586 |
29. We find petitioner's
allegation concerning licensee's commercial practices to be without merit.
Although the licensee did exceed its self-imposed commercial ceiling of 18
minutes on two occasions, this does not constitute a pattern of
over-commercialization.
30. Petitioner alleges and
licensee admits that on one occasion the station's public file was not
available for inspection by a representative of petitioner. Licensee's
explanation that all the employees who were responsible for the public file
were out to lunch is not a satisfactory reason for failure to make the file
available. Section 1.526 of the rules provides that a file be available
at the main studio of a broadcast station during regular business hours for
inspection by the public. It is the licensee's responsibility to make any
necessary arrangements to have the public file available at all times during
its regular business hours. We note, however, that licensee did make its
public file available to petitioner on at least one other occasion and the
violation of Section 1.526 does not appear to be repeated. We believe
that no further action is necessary on this matter.
31. The pleadings indicate the
parties have drawn different inferences and conclusions from the facts
presented and, to some degree, have become involved in irreconcilable disputes
as to the facts themselves. The existence of factual disputes does not
give rise in every instance to the requirement that a hearing be held.
This requirement does not arise under Section 309(d) of the Act unless the
Commission finds that it involves substantial or material questions of fact
which have direct bearing on the determination of whether or not the public
interest would be served by a grant of the application. Stone v. F.C.C.,
supra. Based on our review of the licensee's renewal applications and the
matters discussed herein, we find that BBC had failed to raise substantial and
material questions of fact which establish a prime facie case for denial of
WBBW's licenses. We also find that a grant of Mahoning Valley
Broadcasting Corporation's applications would serve the public interest,
convenience and necessity.
32. In reaching our
conclusions, we are not unaware of the concern being expressed by minority
groups about the responsiveness of the broadcast media to their local
problems. The Commission, of course, cannot waive or ignore the pleading
standards set forth in Section [*64] 309(d) of the Act to
accommodate petitioners. Clearly, if members of the public choose to wait
until the end of a license term and then petition to deny renewal of license, they
must meet the strict requirements of Section 309(d). This does not mean
however that community groups are left without the means to improve local
broadcast service. We have found that cooperation at the local level is
the best and most effective method of resolving local problems and improving
local service. Accordingly, we wish to reaffirm our prior expression of
policy approving community-broadcaster discussions throughout the license
term. Obviously, while under an obligation to ascertain and program for
community problems, no broadcaster can be aware of everyone's needs all the
time. Therefore, interested members of the public who feel a station's
performance is inadequate should so advise the broadcaster to give him the
opportunity to consider their ideas and suggestions. Such discussions
will be more effective if conducted throughout the license term and not only at
renewal time.
33. Accordingly, IT IS
ORDERED, That the petitions to deny filed by the Black Broadcasting Coalition
and others are denied.
34. IT IS FURTHER ORDERED,
That the above-captioned applications for renewal of licenses of Stations WBBW
and WQOD (formerly WBBW-FM), Youngstown, Ohio, are hereby granted.
FEDERAL
COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION, BEN F. WAPLE, Secretary.
CONCURBY:
HOOKS (IN PART)
DISSENTBY:
HOOKS (IN PART); JOHNSON
DISSENT:
STATEMENT OF COMMISSIONER BENJAMIN
L. HOOKS, CONCURRING IN PART; DISSENTING IN PART
In Re:
Renewal Proceedings in Youngstown and Columbus, Ohio
I concur with the majority on these
cases insofar as its holding that the petitions to deny filed by the respective
community groups do not attain -- or candidly, even proximately attain -- the
procedural standard of specificity mandated by the Communications Act. n1 It is a hackneyed but nonetheless true, legal bromide
that bad cases make bad law. Vague invective and wide-brush critique in a
legal pleading requiring factual precision provides the (justifiably) ideal
juridical basis for dismissal. Interested parties must dig deep, make the
effort to pinpoint and factually support the exact abuses of which they
complain so as to render summary rejection, with attendant loss of credibility,
illegal if not impossible.
n1 Specifically, 47 U.S.C. §
309(d)(1). It must be conceded that Congress intended a strict standard
when amending the statute to permit petitions to deny. Congress expected:
"... a substantially stronger
showing of a greater probative value than is necessary now in the case of a
post grant protest. The allegations of ultimate, conclusionary facts or
mere general affidavits... are not sufficient." S. Report No. 690, 86th
Cong., 1st Session, p. 3 (1959).
See Stone v. F.C.C., Case No.
71-1166 (D.C. Cir. June 30, 1972). But see, Marine Space Enclosures, Inc.
v. FMC, 137 U.S. App. D.C. 9, 18 (Note 22) (1969) where the court observed that
"[Procedural] requirements depend in part on the importance of the issues
before the agency."
My point of departure and dissent
from my colleagues stems from the fact that the perceived deficiencies in the
petitioners' pleadings eliminates only inadequate petitioners from the renewal
byplay -- it in no way eliminates the Commission itself. As the principal
monitors of broadcaster performance, we have the main statutory duty to
investigate licensee activities; especially when confronted with earnest
complaints from the neighbors. The Commission frequently acts on its own
volition in withholding renewals when it suspects delinquencies. It
should not stand behind a procedural barrier on the apparent side of a licensee
and let the matter ride simply because a complainant is without the assiduity,
resources or legal acumen to mount a perfect attack. n2 Rather, the Commission should be on all sides
looking critically [*68] in; not at the quality of the
complainants' performance -- we do not license complainants -- but at the
activities of the station. n3
n2 That the Commission need not
depend solely on the procedural sufficiency of denial petitions in determining
the propriety of license renewal is clearly enunciated in 47 U.S.C. §
307. In pertinent parts, that Section provides that the Commission "may
officially notice" (§ 307(d)(2)) facts and circumstances and if the
Commission is "for any reason unable to make the [public interest,
convenience and necessity] finding specified... it shall formally designate the
application for hearing on the ground or reason then obtaining". It
is axiomatic that before the Commission can find "any reason" it must
first look.
n3 For an astringent reminder of the
Commission's appropriate role in these renewal triangles, see Judge Burger's
opinion in Office of Communications of the United Church of Christ v. F.C.C.,
138 U.S. App. D.C. 11, 425 F. 2d. 543 (1969).
Accordingly, while I don't believe
the Commission's action here is wholly unwarranted, it certainly could have
gone further in fulfilling its own statutory function in these cases.
DISSENTING OPINION OF COMMISSIONER
NICHOLAS JOHNSON
A number of concerned citizens -- individually
and as agents of various community organizations in Columbus, Ohio -- brought a
petition to deny the license renewals of stations WCOL (AM & FM). The
Black Broadcasting Coalition (BBC) brought a petition to deny the license
renewals of stations WBBW (AM & FM) in Youngstown, Ohio. Both
petitions charge that the challenged stations have failed adequately to
ascertain their community's needs and that they have discriminated against
various minority groups in both their programming and employment practices.
If true, these claims would surely
indicate that these stations have failed to serve the public interest.
See, e.g., Primer on Ascertainment of Community Problems by Broadcast
Applicants, 27 FCC 2d 650 (1971); Radio Station WSNT, Inc., 27 FCC 2d 993
(1971); Nondiscrimination Employment Practices of Broadcast Licensees, 13 FCC
2d 766 (1968), 18 FCC 2d 240 (1969), 23 FCC 2d 430 (1970). However, by holding
that the pleadings of these petitioners have failed to raise "substantial
or material questions of fact" sufficient to show that a grant of these
renewals would be prima facie inconsistent with the public interest, the
majority -- with a casual wave of its collective hand -- simply brushes these
objections aside and grants the renewals.
Under the majority's Draconian
approach to our vague, yet stringent pleading rules, these petitioners never
really had a chance. I dissent.
In Stone v. Federal Communications
Commission, F.2d (D.C. Cir.
1972), 24 RR 2d 2105 (1972), the D.C. Circuit held that, [*65]
under § 309(d)(1) of the Communications Act of 1934, a petition to deny a
licensee's renewal application does not mandate an evidentiary hearing unless
that petition contains specific allegations of fact sufficient to show that a
grant of the application would be prima facie inconsistent with the public
interest. Like the FCC, the Court merely parroted the language of the Act
-- failing to elucidate on the sort of allegations required.
As a result, the majority today --
as it has done repeatedly in the past -- leaves in total darkness those
citizens who are concerned enough about the state of broadcasting in their
communities to challenge a station's renewal application. These selfless
citizens just keep filing their renewal challenges, and the majority -- after
some perfunctory analysis -- just keeps telling them that their pleadings have
failed to meet the requisite specificity.
Absent a clearer definition of
precisely what that specificity "test" demands, I would think that --
if we are truly interested in ensuring that our licensees are "serving the
public interest" (a phrase upon which the majority has also consistently
declined to elaborate) -- we would at least give these challengers an
opportunity to amend their complaints. See my dissent in Letter to George
Corey, FCC 2d (1972).
Absent such procedural flexibility, we are confronted with a pure adversary
proceeding where the licensee's lawyers are pitted against the challengers -- challengers
who do not seek either control or ownership of the station, but whose sole
desire is that the broadcaster better serve its community's needs. In
such a system, the licensee will invariably win; but the public interest can
only lose.
In such circumstances, I should
think that this Commission -- whose goals are, at least in theory, rather
congruent with those of these and other challengers -- could do better to help
serve the public interest by making a greater effort to determine the truth.
For example, the BBC argues that, in
ascertaining its community's needs, the Mahoning Valley Broadcasting
Corporation, WBBW's licensee, failed to consult with any members of the
community's Spanish-speaking minority -- a minority which, according to the
BBC, constitutes 8% of the population. This allegation is nowhere denied
by the licensee. Yet, the majority finds no problems with the licensee's
ascertainment study. Must the pleadings be more specific, or is the
majority actually holding that a licensee need not consult with its community's
minorities in ascertaining community needs? Surely, the majority cannot
be reaching the latter conclusion. So, why doesn't it at least offer the
petitioner some indication of the information it seeks?
In the case of WCOL, the petitioners
charge the licensee with discriminatory hiring practices, something which our
regulations specifically prohibit, See Nondiscrimination Employment Practices
of Broadcast Licensee, supra, and a problem we have sought recently to correct
-- though in a rather chaotic, half-hearted manner. See my separate
statement in the Pennsylvania-Delaware Renewals, FCC
2d (1972), and the subsequent Pennsylvania-Delaware
Equal Employment Opportunity Inquiries, FCC 2d
(1972), and also in the Washington, D.C., Maryland, Virginia, West Virginia
Letters of Inquiry, released this day.
[*66] The majority notes
that the licensee's staff is 8% black and that this figure is
"reasonable" given the fact that the community is 11.6% black.
Aside from this totally ad hoc, unsupported declaration, the majority does not
even pause to inquire as to the positions held by these minority members, nor
does the majority ask whether this 8% figure represents a reduction in the
number of black employees at the stations between 1971 and 1972.
In Pennsylvania-Delaware Renewals,
supra, the FCC agreed that a reduction in black employment during the last two
years should arouse our suspicion and should thus warrant further investigation
into a licensee's hiring practices. Had the majority so inquired of Great
Trails -- an inquiry which demands no more than a glance at the licensee's
Annual Employment Report, Form 395 -- the majority would have discovered that
while the station employed eight blacks in 1971 -- in both full and part time
positions -- the station employed only seven in 1972.
Since the majority is obviously not
going to investigate on its own, it should, at the very least, give the
petitioners an opportunity to amplify their complaint.
Indeed, the majority has no problems
permitting a licensee -- who should not need such favored treatment -- the
right to amplify and to update its filings. In response to petitioners'
claim that Great Trails' efforts at ascertaining its community's needs for the
coming years were inadequate, the majority suggests that Great Trails could
amend its renewal applications pursuant to § 1.522(a) of the rules, 47
CFR § 1.522 (a), by conducting a further ascertainment of community
problems.
In Stone v. Federal Communications
Commission, supra, the Court held that a licensee could, under §
1.522(a), amend its ascertainment study prior to Commission scrutiny in a
renewal proceeding. However, the renewal applicant in that case had
sought to amend its ascertainment study on its own motion, well before final
Commission action on both the application and an opposing petition to
deny. The Court held only that new ascertainment efforts, at that stage
of the proceedings, did not violate our policy against upgrading, on the theory
that ascertainment is prospective in nature.
There is some question -- at least
in my mind -- about whether the Stone court would reach the same result where a
licensee does not, on its own, find any difficulties with its ascertainment
survey, but, rather, submits that study to the Commission and rests. In
short, I am not convinced that just because an applicant is able to amend its
ascertainment study prior to a Commission decision upon the merits of that
survey, an applicant may amend its survey after the Commission has ruled it
inadequate. For, in the latter case, the licensee's stubborn refusal to
consult properly with its community of service should, I would think, merit
some form of disapprobation.
But, assuming that the majority is
correct in its reading of Stone, I cannot see why that majority distinguishes
so invidiously between a licensee's right to amend its ascertainment study and,
hence, its renewal application, and the right of a concerned citizen's group to
amplify its pleadings. This sort of unequal treatment reveals, better
than I [*67] could ever hope to accomplish, the majority's
preference for our licensees at the public's expense.
If we are truly concerned about the
failure of these petitioners to offer us the required specificity, then we
ought to so advise them and then give them at least one opportunity to try
again. To do otherwise, especially while, at the same time, giving our
licensees a second bite of the ascertainment apple, is not merely inequitable,
and not merely contrary to the public interest which we are directed by Congress
to protect -- it is simply outrageous.
I dissent.