Editing WSVN (section)

=== FCC ethics violations and ramifications ===
{{Quote box
| quote = "[John S.] Knight told me he knew the license had been awarded to Biscayne Television before it was announced by the FCC," said [Stephen J.] Angland. The attorney said he asked [Niles] Trammell if he had talked to any of the commissioners while the case was pending. He said Trammell replied: "I guess I made the rounds. I don't guess I missed anybody."
| author = Paul Einstein
| source = ''The Miami News''{{r|Miam580602}}
| align = right
| width = 300px
| qalign = left
| salign = right
}}
The [[House Subcommittee on Legislative Oversight]] was organized in July 1957 to investigate the practices of federal regulatory agencies.<ref name="Miam580216">{{Cite news|date=February 16, 1958|title=Leading Miamians Embroiled In FCC Probe|page=19|newspaper=The Miami News|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/94696111/leading-miamians-embroiled-in-fcc-probe/|access-date=February 11, 2022|via=Newspapers.com|archive-date=February 11, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220211041127/https://www.newspapers.com/clip/94696111/leading-miamians-embroiled-in-fcc-probe/|url-status=live}}</ref> FCC chairman John C. Doerfer disclosed during a [[cross-examination]] on February 5, 1958, that a 1956 golf trip taken by [[Civil Aeronautics Board]] chairman James R. Durfee was paid in full by an undisclosed airline. Doerfer's testimony came as four of the seven commissioners were accused of misconduct and favoritism.<ref name="Palm580206">{{Cite news|date=February 6, 1958|title=Probers Told Airline Paid For CAB Chief's Golf Trip|page=6|newspaper=The Palm Beach Post|agency=United Press|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/94696513/probers-told-airline-paid-for-cab/|access-date=February 11, 2022|via=Newspapers.com|archive-date=February 11, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220211041129/https://www.newspapers.com/clip/94696513/probers-told-airline-paid-for-cab/|url-status=live}}</ref> Bernard Schwartz, recently fired as subcommittee [[counsel]]<ref name="Miam5802162">{{Cite news|date=February 16, 1958|title=Meet Ex-Prober Bernard Schwartz: He Set Off Washington Fireworks|page=21|newspaper=The Miami News|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/94700125/meet-ex-prober-bernard-schwartz-he-set/|access-date=February 11, 2022|via=Newspapers.com|archive-date=February 11, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220211041132/https://www.newspapers.com/clip/94700125/meet-ex-prober-bernard-schwartz-he-set/|url-status=live}}</ref> after alleging the committee was "trying to [[Whitewashing (censorship)|whitewash]]" behavior by [[Eisenhower administration]] officials, told reporters an unnamed commissioner (later identified as Richard Mack) engaged in [[bribery]] regarding an unspecified license application dispute.{{r|Miam580216}}

Schwartz testified under oath that Mack was paid several thousand dollars by Thurman A. Whiteside, a lawyer National Airlines retained as a "[[Fixer (person)|fixer]]", according to Schwartz.{{r|Miam580218}} Newspaper columnist [[Drew Pearson (journalist)|Drew Pearson]] reported Whiteside's payment, made before Mack became a commissioner, enabled him to rule in favor of the airline for the channel 10 license. This overruled a prior recommendation given by an independent examiner to the FCC that said the channel 10 license should be granted to [[WQVN|WKAT]] owner A. Frank Katzentine.<ref name="MiamiH19580117p6">{{Cite news |last=Pearson |first=Drew |author-link=Drew Pearson (journalist) |date=January 17, 1958 |title=Merry-Go-Round: FCC Quiz 'Too Hot To Handle' |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/103669396/merry-go-round-fcc-quiz-too-hot-to/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220614235828/https://www.newspapers.com/clip/103669396/merry-go-round-fcc-quiz-too-hot-to/ |archive-date=June 14, 2022 |access-date=June 13, 2022 |newspaper=The Miami Herald |page=6A |via=Newspapers.com}}</ref> Mack previously endorsed Katzentine for the channel 10 license in letters written to the FCC in 1951, while a Florida state employee.<ref name="Miam580218">{{Cite news|date=February 18, 1958|title=Did Mack 'Jilt' Katzentine on TV Station?|page=1|newspaper=The Miami Herald|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/94698748/did-mack-jilt-katzentine-on-tv/|access-date=February 11, 2022|via=Newspapers.com|archive-date=February 11, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220211041125/https://www.newspapers.com/clip/94698748/did-mack-jilt-katzentine-on-tv/|url-status=live}}</ref><ref name="Miam580222">{{Cite news|date=February 22, 1958|title=Legislators Assail Wire-Pulling: FCC Ethics Code Urged|page=1A|newspaper=The Miami News|agency=Associated Press|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/94709591/legislators-assail-wire-pulling-fcc/|access-date=February 11, 2022|via=Newspapers.com|archive-date=February 11, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220211061419/https://www.newspapers.com/clip/94709591/legislators-assail-wire-pulling-fcc/|url-status=live}}</ref> Whiteside testified several days later that Mack was a part-owner of Stembler-Shelden Insurance, which handled the insurance for both WPST-TV<ref name="Miam580302">{{Cite news|date=March 2, 1958|title=Political Weather Turning Stormy For Ike: Farm Policy, His Inaction Draw Attack|page=B1|newspaper=The Miami News|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/94701595/political-weather-turning-stormy-for/|access-date=February 11, 2022|via=Newspapers.com|archive-date=February 11, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220211041131/https://www.newspapers.com/clip/94701595/political-weather-turning-stormy-for/|url-status=live}}</ref> and Biscayne Television. Trammell called the Mack connection "a complete surprise", claimed Whiteside had been opposed to Biscayne's channel 7 license bid, and said Biscayne was insured by Stembler-Shelden due to Florida law requiring the company to have a locally-based insurer.<ref name="Miam580225">{{Cite news|last=Wise|first=David|date=February 25, 1958|title=Mack Link Surprises Trammell|page=8|newspaper=The Miami News|agency=New York Herald Tribune|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/94691900/mack-link-surprises-trammell/|access-date=February 11, 2022|via=Newspapers.com|archive-date=February 11, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220211041133/https://www.newspapers.com/clip/94691900/mack-link-surprises-trammell/|url-status=live}}</ref> The [[Federal Bureau of Investigation]] (FBI) was also called in by the subcommittee to help with the investigation.{{r|Miam580216}}

Subcommittee attorney Stephen J. Angland's testimony on June 2, 1958, revealed that Knight and Trammell met with two [[Florida Power & Light]] officials—chairman McGregor Smith and vice-president Ben Fuqua—who in turn approached Mack on Biscayne's behalf.<ref name="Miam580603">{{Cite news|date=June 3, 1958|title=Pressure Is Usual, FCC Prober Finds|pages=1A–[https://www.newspapers.com/clip/94704307/pressure-is-usual-fcc-prober-finds-p2/ 2A]|newspaper=The Miami Herald|agency=Associated Press|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/94704256/pressure-is-usual-fcc-prober-finds/|access-date=February 11, 2022|via=Newspapers.com|archive-date=February 11, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220211041130/https://www.newspapers.com/clip/94704256/pressure-is-usual-fcc-prober-finds/|url-status=live}}</ref> Fuqua, who was a personal friend of Mack, engaged in 29 telephone conversations with him over a two-year span.<ref name="Miam580602">{{Cite news|last=Einstein|first=Paul|date=June 2, 1958|title=Pressure Put On Mack For Channel 7 Is Told|pages=1A–[https://www.newspapers.com/clip/94703318/pressure-put-on-mack-for-channel-7-is/ 2A]|newspaper=The Miami News|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/94703280/pressure-put-on-mack-for-channel-7-is/|access-date=February 11, 2022|via=Newspapers.com|archive-date=February 11, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220211041129/https://www.newspapers.com/clip/94703280/pressure-put-on-mack-for-channel-7-is/|url-status=live}}</ref> Mack then contacted ''Herald'' associate editor John D. Pennekamp inquiring about the character of Biscayne's officials, which Pennekamp saw as "disjointed" on Mack's end and a potential tip off of the commission's actions.<ref name="Miam600614">{{Cite news|date=June 14, 1960|title=Editor Says Mack Asked His Advice|page=3B|newspaper=The Miami News|agency=Associated Press|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/94702334/editor-says-mack-asked-his-advice/|access-date=February 11, 2022|via=Newspapers.com|archive-date=February 11, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220211041125/https://www.newspapers.com/clip/94702334/editor-says-mack-asked-his-advice/|url-status=live}}</ref> John S. Knight also approached President [[Dwight D. Eisenhower]], Ohio senator [[John W. Bricker]], and previous FCC chairman George McConnaughey about applying political pressure to help Biscayne's application;{{r|Miam580602}} McConnaughey, Doerfer, and Mack all voted in favor of Biscayne and to reaffirm the license.<ref name="Miam590404">{{Cite news|date=April 4, 1959|title=Channel 7 Award Is Reopened|page=A1|newspaper=The Miami Herald|agency=United Press|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/94709085/channel-7-award-is-reopened/|access-date=February 11, 2022|via=Newspapers.com|archive-date=February 11, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220211061416/https://www.newspapers.com/clip/94709085/channel-7-award-is-reopened/|url-status=live}}</ref> Angland's investigation found three of the four final applicants for the channel 7 license, including Biscayne, went outside of normal procedures,{{r|Miam580602}} with Sunbeam being the only one that went through proper protocol.<ref name="Tamp600612">{{Cite news|date=June 12, 1960|title=FCC Orders Inquiry Into Miami TV Cases|page=9A|newspaper=Tampa Bay Times|agency=Associated Press|location=St. Petersburg, Florida|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/94710139/fcc-orders-inquiry-into-miami-tv-cases/|access-date=February 15, 2022|via=Newspapers.com|archive-date=February 11, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220211061418/https://www.newspapers.com/clip/94710139/fcc-orders-inquiry-into-miami-tv-cases/|url-status=live}}</ref><ref name="Miam610316">{{Cite news|last=Anderson|first=Jack|date=March 16, 1961|title=Ch. 7 Switched; New Station OKd|page=1A|newspaper=The Miami Herald|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/74592196/ch-7-switched-new-station-okd/|access-date=February 11, 2022|via=Newspapers.com|archive-date=February 11, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220211152629/https://www.newspapers.com/clip/74592196/ch-7-switched-new-station-okd/|url-status=live}}</ref> Subcommittee counsel Robert W. Lishman believed that internal pressure by applicants to the commission was present in nine contested TV licenses across the country.{{r|Miam580603}}