Articles on Mass Communications in American Magazines

Abstract

The event that produced the greatest amount of controversial wordage concerning newspapers and journalism during the second quarter of 1952 was undoubtedly President Truman's offhand reply to a question seeking to link the governmental seizure of steel plants to a possible seizure of newspapers. The President's remark, made at a press conference with the American Society of Newspaper Editors, was debated as to meaning and intent for several weeks despite attempted clarification by the White House. More definite was the exoneration of five Lake Charles, La. newsmen accused of defamation by local officials. The Louisiana state judge, in giving his decision, read a ringing assertion of the right of newspapers to inquire into local affairs and to comment upon the action of local officials. Other controversial incidents included the filing of a suit by the Las Vegas, Nev. Sun to break up an alleged advertising boycott inspired by Senator Pat McCarran. In the suit's first test, a federal district judge ordered the return of advertising to the newspaper. According to Time magazine, Senator Joseph McCarthy sent letters to advertisers of Time asking them to cease patronizing the magazine because of stories printed about the senator. Economic developments in the field of communications involved the ending of the television channel allocation “freeze” and the announcement of the policy and order of the awarding of channels throughout the United States. The price of newsprint was jumped $10 a ton by all major Canadian pulp manufacturers during the period.