BROADCASTING AND POLITICS

Press, Volume LXXI, Issue 21533, 24 July 1935, Page 18

BROADCASTING AND POLITICS

TO THE EDITOR OT TSTE T3ES3. Sir,—My letter of July 19, appearing in "The Press" this morning, has drawn forth an interesting reply from Mr H. G. Livingstone, member of the Broadcasting Board. Mr Livingstone says, "I have already stated that the newspaper announcement was both incomplete and incorrect." The Editor of "The Press" says. "The statement printed in 'The Press' came from Mr Hz.nds, manager of the Broadcasting Board, to whom it was rightly attributed."

No newspaper of the standing of "The Press" would even dream of publishing anything purporting to bi: an official statement without" having authority for such a statement. It can be accepted, therefore, that the statement to which such exception has been taken was issued by the manager of the Broadcasting Board as an official statement. We are now in the position of a member of the board repudiating the whole affair, which can only mean that the manager of the board has issued a statement on behalf of the board which he had no right to do. This brings up the whole question of the board and its management. This country will never stand Mussolini tactics in such an important branch of its public life as the Broadcasting Board and its management, and knowing Mr Livingstone—it is true by reputation only—l cannot think for one minute that such a condition of affairs will be allowed to continue. I am prepared to leave the matter at that, in the meantime. Just before closing this letter, however, it is interesting to study Mr Livingstone's own statement that "The beard's decision will net prevent a member of Parliament or any other candidate from speaking over the air if he is doing so in his official caprcity as mayor of a local authority." Now see where this will lead to. Mr Sullivan and Mr Kyle, as Mayors of the city and Riccarton respectively, can broadcast speeches on mayoral subjects, etc., and thus maintain, and add to. the "goodwill" which the board considered should be banned; while, say, Mr Holland, Mr Clyde Carr, of Timaru, and even the Prime Minister. as a private member, will be debarred from speaking over the air. How true it is that "fools rush in where angels fear to tread."—Yours, etc., JOHN CUMMINS.

July 22, 1935. [Commenting on this letter, Mr H. G. Livingstone reiterated that the statement originally issued was not in any way an official statement, and that it was incomplete and incorrect. He was not discussing the comment by the general manager of the Broadcasting Board and members of Parliament, which appeared in "The Press." "Nor will the correspondent help the position by wandering into a discussion of other aspects of broadcasting administration until he hrs studied his subject," he added. "There is much truth in the last line of his letter, and he is to be congratulated on his candour and modesty. Here I leave him to it."]