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Mr, Wal.som, Tele, Room Mr. Ingram Miss Gandy. O a od % 4 . Des Ju thidwtfior’ Mustas touch 7) eS. yX AN exhibition of poor taste and poorer judgment. the retiring attorney general, William P. Rogers, has &ened. an episode of ABC-TV’s The Untouchables to “payadla and the quiz shows” and has called it “another example of broadcasters failing to fulfill their duties as trustees for the public.” ‘ (Mr. Rogers made his remarks at the prodding of a subor-- . dinate, James V. Bennett, director of the Bureau of Prisons, _who has been carrying on a running campaign againsé the: * show. Mr. Bennett has protested to the network snd to ‘the FCC and has threatened to intervene in license rewewals.; ‘of ABC-TV affiliates because the program showed Prison rds in an unfavorable light. It seems to us that Mr. Bennett’s own performance i af least as unattractive as that of the fictional guards im Thi} ntouchables episode. He has resorted to the kind of pres} sure that ought to be beneath a man in his position. As t Mr. Rogers’ parting remarks, we can say only that be must have been distracted by the problems of packing. It is in poor grace for a federal official to holler t the FCC when a television program treats a government service unkindly. Television, like any other medium of communi- cation, is subject to the libel laws, and the courts are avail- able to any person who feels wronged by a television: per- formance. If Mr. Bennett thinks he or his bureau has been damaged, he has the right available to any citizen to sue. arene No matter what the nature of the program in question, . sO : ABC-TV was absolutely correct in rejecting Mr. Bennett’s i ; demands for suppression of a second episode. nnn, ! Guy $25Y9- fF. NOT RKGORDED 0 FEB 8 190) a] BROADCASTING MAGAZINE : Washington, D. C. eres Page 9b a3, L96l Se po “Page 8 ei Sage eer, eee on Pe ae a a