Person to Person

When Baritone John Charles Thomas closes a broadcast by saying, "Good night, Mother," when a victorious prize fighter pants into the mike, "Hello, Mom, put on that steak. I'll be right home," they violate the terms on which FCC issues broadcasting licenses. For radio stations hold their licenses only for communication to the public as a whole, are not permitted to broadcast person-to-person messages. Scripts are carefully edited by all stations. But when an enthusiastic broadcaster ad libs some harmless dash out of bounds, FCC makes allowances, does not crack down.

Last week when Special Events Director Henry Dupre put on one of his daily street broadcasts for station WWL (New Orleans), he chose from the crowd Bartender John Barry, interviewed him at the microphone. Barkeep Barry answered the questions, signed off with an unsolicited query of his own. Said he: "I want to ask Marie Vicknair up in Reserve, La. if she will marry me. I didn't have the nerve to ask her face to face." At week's end Miss Vicknair told station WWL and bashful Barman Barry that she would give them an answer only after she had had time to think it over.

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