WHRB Wins Approval Of Football Broadcasts

By a nearly unanimous vote, the Faculty Committee on Athletics last night rules that WHRB may broadcast the remaining home and away games of the varsity football team this fall.

Geoffrey M. Kalmus '56, President of the undergraduate radio station, immediately announced that the first broadcast will take place this Saturday, when Cornell plays in the Stadium. Although no announcer for the games has been selected as yet and no sponsor found, WHRB will definitely carry the Crimson's remaining schedule, Kalmus said.

"No serious opposition" to the station's petition developed in the nine-man Committee on Athletics, members reported last night. Despite the argument that students should be in the Stadium instead of their rooms during a home game, the committee felt that most undergraduates would attend the games regardless of WHRB broadcasts.

Although the committee's decision applies only to this year's football schedule several of the Faculty members indicated that WHRB, by doing a creditable job this fall, might well win the right to continue the Stadium broadcasts next year. "We'll all be interested to see how they handle this challenge," remarked John U. Monro '34, Director of the Financial Aid Office.

Student Reaction Favorable

Thomas D. Bolles, Director of Athletics and chairman of the committee, was not available for comment last night.

Student reaction to the committee's decision, meanwhile was very favorable. "Both the student body and WHRS well deserved this action," said Albert B. Levin '56, Student Council president.

In approving WHRB's request, the Athletic Committee was influenced mainly by two arguments: 1) that approval would not hurt the University financially, since this year there is no "exclusive" football contract with a local commercial station; and 2) that WHRB, a responsible student activity, deserved the opportunity to use the University's athletic contests as program material.