BROADCASTING.

Auckland Star, Volume LXVI, Issue 49, 27 February 1935, Page 9

BROADCASTING.

NEW CONTROL.

BOARD OF SEVEN. CONTROVERSIAL MATTER. BAN ON ADVERTISING. (By Telegraph.—P.-irliamentary Reporter.) WELLINGTON, this day. With the exception of the issue of ■broadcasting licenses and the allocation of transmitting frequencies to stations, the control of broadcasting in New Zealand will be in the hands of the new Broadcasting Board of seven members, which Government legislation, in'lroduced into the House of Representatives yesterday, proposes to creato in place of the board of three membbrs which has been operating for the past three years. Other provisions of the measure, which was given a lirsL reading, relate to the abolition of the advisory council, the prohibition of advertising over the air, the limitation of the stations not operated by the board, and the control of all station programmes including the broadcasting of controversial matter.

According to the acting PostmastcrGeneral, Mr. Bitchener, the board will be authorised to prohibit the transmission of any programme or part of it, within the Dominion which it may deem not appropriate for broadcasting, and such matters as the broadcasting of controversial subjects will be decided by the board. Members' Salaries, £250. The bill will come into force on April 1 next. In increasing the size of the personnel of the Broadcasting Board to seven, the measure fixes the term of the appointment of the chairman, who is one of the seven, at five years. The other fijx representatives, who as well will be appointed, ae hitherto, by the Government, will hold office generally for three years. However, there is a provision under which three of the first appointees will hold office for a period not exceeding four years and the remainder for three years. The former salary of a broadcasting board member was £350, and it is to be reduced to £250. The ealary of the chairman is not mentioned. The advisory council constituted under the original Act is abolished. Control of Programmes. The bill sets out that in addition to its functions under the principal Act, the board shall have tho duty of controlling all programmes to be transmitted from broadcasting stations. In order effectively to exercise this power the board may:— (1) Require the licensee of any broadcasting station to submit to any authorised officer of the board such particulars as may be required .relating to programmes to be transmitted from the station. (2) Prohibit cither absolutely or subject to such conditions as the board thinks fit to impose t,he transmission of any programme or part of a programme. (3) Require the licensee of any broadcasting station to include in or exclude from any programme any matter specified by" tho board. (4) Give to the licensee of any ■broadcasting station such directions us the board thinks fit in relation to the contents, arrangement, and presentation of programmes to be transmitted from the station.

(5) Report to the Minister any fail\ive of the licensee of a broadcasting station to comply with any direction or requirement of the board given or made pursuant to this section. The final portion of this clause gives the Minister power to cancel the license of a station upon receiving a report from the Broadcasting Board that its directions have not been complied with. No Advertising. "No advertisement intended for the pecuniary benefit of any person," states another clause, "shall be transmitted from any broadcasting station, whether operated by the board or by any other person." The. final clause prohibits the issue of any license for a broadcasting Nation if the effect would be to increase the number in force beyond that existing at the time of the. passing of the present bill.