Salt Lake Telegram | 1944-11-20 | Page 5 | NBC Denies 'Force' in Close Ouster

NBC Denies Force In Close Ouster NEW YORK Nov No 20 UP The PI-The The National Broadcasting Cos decision decision decision deci deci- sion to replace news commentator Upton Close says Niles Trammell N NBC B C president docs does not Involve in the slightest degree the principle of ot free tree speech which we have always always al ale ways upheld Trammell said in a statement Sunday that the network decided last summer to replace Close and he termed completely false re reports reports reports re- re ports to the effect that Closes Close's contract was canceled as a result of governmental pressure or outside outside outside out out- side influence Close was quoted as saying last week in Memphis Tenn that N NBC B C had been pressured by various various various vari vari- ous sources including certain radical and communistic elements