Tuesday, March 8, 1983/The Battalion/Page 7
High court lets TV
censorship stand
United Press International
W ASHINGTON — The Sup
reme Court Monday let stand
the ruling that Houston and
^Alabama’s public television com-
Jflittees acted properly when
they refused to broadcast a con-
froversial program about the be
heading of a Saudi Arabian
princess.
Houston and Alambama
viewers filed suits claiming the
program was censored for poli
tical reasons. The show was can
celed by the Alabama Educa
tional Televison Commission
and by the University of Hous
ton’s station, KUHT-TV. Texas
A&M’s public television station
KAMU-TV — also canceled
the scheduled show.
||' Thejustices refused to review
an appeals court ruling that the
First Amendment had not been
violated by dropping the show
— “Death of a Princess” — from
the stations’ program schedules.
“Death of a Princess” is the
dramatized account of the ex
ecution in July 1979 of a Saudi
princess for adultery with her
commoner lover. The Saudi
government protested its airing
in the United States.
Members of the Alabama tele
vison commission, which oper
ates nine publicly owned stations
and receives federal funds, de
cided the program should not be
aired, based on protests by view
ers who feared for the safety of
Alabama citizens working in the
Middle East.
At the same time, University
of Houston officials decided not
to air the program because of
the Saudi objections.
In Alabama, a federal district
court held the stations’ editorial
decisions were protected by the
First Amendment.
A federal district court in
Texas reached a different con
clusion, holding KUHT-TV was
a public forum that could not
deny access to speakers — in this
case, the producers of “Death of
a Princess.”
The full court in New Orleans
consolidated the two cases and
held the stations were not public
forums.
“There is no right of access to
compel the broadcast of any par
ticular program,” the court said.
The function of the viewing
public is to watch or decline to
watch offered programming,
but not to schedule programs, it
concluded.
EPA chief wants
to talk on lawyers
tudy shows buyers
refer Japanese cars
United Press International
^^^IDETKOIT —U.S. car buyers
“believe Japanese autos are more
dependable, more fuel efficient,
of superior quality and less ex
pensive than American cars, a
survey shows. American models
d were preferred for style and
safety.
1 The Findings came from a
study released Sunday on the
image of automobile manufac-
ractsof turers. The study, by J.D. Power
es m JlAssociates of Westlake Village,
vernon'Calif., involved interviews with
5,000 people nationwide.
Japanese companies were
ranked first in dependability,
fuel economy, value, engineer
ing, low purchase price, the abil
ity to build subcompacts and
overall leadership-manage
ment. U.S. firms got top marks
for safety, styling, parts and ser
vice.
Respondents were asked to
rate individual companies on a
five grade scale from poor to ex
cellent. No automaker, foreign
or domestic, received an excel
lent rating.
The highest rated U.S. firm
was Volkswagen of America.
Volkswagon received a rating
between average and very good.
Following Volkswagon was
General Motors Corp., rating
just above average.
Among Japanese companies,
Toyota and Datsun werejust ab
out even with ratings close to
very good. Following them were
Honda and Mazda.
The survey was conducted in
September 1981.
United Press International
WASHINGTON — Environ
mental Protection Agency chief
Anne Burford wants to meet
with White House officials this
week to discuss her legal repre
sentation, a spokesman said.
Her spokesman, Rusty
Brashear, said Sunday a meet
ing with President Reagan is a
possibility, but specific plans
have not been made.
Reagan told reporters in Kla
math Falls, Ore., Saturday that
Burford retains his confidence
and can keep her job as long as
she wants to.
Despite Reagan’s public back
ing of Burford, The Washing
ton Post reported Monday she
may soon decide to resign.
The newspaper quoted an
aide as saying, “The pressure is
building.”
Administration sources told
the Post that Reagan’s statement
Saturday had been carefully
constructed to avoid discussion
of a resignation.
Brashear said Burford plans
to go to the White House to see
“undetermined parties to mull
over the decision about how
Burford would be represented
before Congress in her con
tempt citation and by whom.”
The Justice Department noti
fied Burford Friday it would no
longer represent her in congres
sional testimony on her con
tempt of Congress citation for
refusing to give Congress sub
poenaed documents or other
matters it is investigating.
Burford is enmeshed in con
troversy over her agency’s hand
ling of the $1.6 billion Super
fund toxic waste cleanup prog
ram. Six congressional commit
tees, the Justice Department and
FBI are investigating.
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