Radio: 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 Dupré put on one...