The Pittsburgh Press (September 19, 1944)
Radio station tells FDR ‘lay it on line’
Says ‘report’ was political talk
By Si Steinhauser
A few columns ago, we discussed the possibility of a single radio station refusing its time to presidential broadcasts. A local station manager said “it could be done but I doubt whether anyone would dare do it.” He had never heard of Oshkosh, Wisconsin, or Myles H. Johns, who owns Station WOSH there. Mr. Johns decided for his own ears that President Roosevelt’s “report to the nation,” from Bremerton, Washington, at the end of his Pacific tour was political. He sat down and wrote Governor Dewey that the station offers 37 minutes (the time FDR used) for free to answer Mr. Roosevelt.
Mr. Johns said his action was not political but in keeping with Federal Communications regulations providing that both sides of all controversial questions must be presented and that if a speaker for one side is given free time the other side must be offered equal time to reply.
That done, Station WOSH has served notice that until after Election Day it will carry no more of Mr. Roosevelt’s sustaining talks. In other words, if the President wants to be heard through WOSH his national committee must “pay through the nose.”
Speaking of presidential candidates, America’s Town Meeting of the Air has asked President Roosevelt, Governor Dewey and Socialist candidate Norman Thomas to honor its forum with their presence on Thursday, Oct. 26.
And it overlooked another candidate, Prohibition leader Claude A. Watson, who makes his acceptance speech over WJAS at 1:30 p.m. ET next Sunday. Mr. Watson is a Los Angeles attorney.
WCAE lists Governor Bricker at 9:30 tonight and KDKA lists Governor Dewey at 10:30.