The charge that the New York Daily News fosters anti-Semitism and racial animosities was made today by the American Jewish Congress at a hearing here on an application by the News for an FM radio broadcast license.
Will Maslow, director of the Commission on Law and Social Action of the Congress, presented copies of editorial and news items appearing in the News in recent months. Among the exhibits were ten News editorials containing anti-Semitic innuendos, and eight columns by John O’Donnell, News Washington columnist, which ranged from a reprint in 1938 of an anti-Semitic pamphlet by Silver Shirt leader Pelley to his column about Gan. Patton and the Jews, and the more recent false report about the “resignations” of four Supreme Court Judges, which President Truman branded as “fantastically untrue.” Also three articles with pictures purporting to show that the meat-shortage was caused by kosher slaughterers.
Mr. Maslov also submitted a comparative analysis of all news pertaining to Jews which appeared in all the New York morning newspapers for a period of six months. The survey, which was prepared by two members of the staff of the New School for Social Research, showed that the ratio of favorable to unfavorable news concerning Jews appearing in the News was 57 to 43, while the average ratio in the other papers was 84 to 16. The survey showed that the News’ treatment of news concerning Negroes was even more biased.
The newspaper’s attorney Louis G. Caldwell objected to introduction of the exhibits and to the questioning of F.M. Flynn, business manager of the News, on the basis that the questioning was an infringement of freedom of the press. However, the presiding examiner of the Federal Communications Commission ruled against him, declaring that he had discussed the question with FCC headquarters in Washington.
The Archive of the Jewish Telegraphic Agency includes articles published from 1923 to 2008. Archive stories reflect the journalistic standards and practices of the time they were published.
