Broadcasting and Controversy

Press, Volume LXIV, Issue 19251, 5 March 1928, Page 8

Broadcasting and Controversy

Home papers to hand by the last mail show that considerable attention is being given to the quality of the programmes broadcasted by - the British Broadcasting Company, whose audience of twelve million people seems to be growing restless. In Britain as in New Zealand the choice of matter to be broadcasted is narrowly restricted by a .ban on anything that can fee called " controversial." This term is so strictly interpreted in Britain that the ban embraces not only political speeches but addresses by provoking and entertaining notabilities like Mr Shaw and Mr Chesterton, and also the great majority of modern plays. At first sight this regulation seems a ridiculous one in that few speeches or plays entirely devoid of controversy would be worth listening to, but even if the authorities have erred on the side of caution it is vitally important that the public should be protected against the unscrupulous use of wireless. The possibilities of broadcasting for disseminating the worst kind of propaganda are almost unlimited, and it therefore seems imperative that no group or interest should be able to exploit broadcasting for its own purposes. But the fact that in Australia and Britain the control of broadcasting is above all suspicion of partiality should be a sufficient safeguard to the public in those countries without such stringent regulations against controversy as would prevent broadcasting from doing either good or evil. There is no reason why listeners-in should not hear political speeches —if they are worth hearing—provided there is an authority which will ensure that no party gets preferential treatment. In Britain there is already an agitation for the removal of any ban on controversy, and sooner or later there will be a similar agitation in this country. The solution of the problem seems to be a cautious relaxation of the offending regulations accompanied by further measures to ensure that the controlling body shall be inaccessible to any form of influence.