Broadcasting Difficulties

Press, Volume LXXIII, Issue 22196, 13 September 1937, Page 8

Broadcasting Difficulties

In the last few weeks the Government has been subjected to severe criticism because certain organisations have been refused the opportunity to use the broadcasting service for controversial purposes and because certain broadcast talks have been heavily edited. The most vigorous attack has come from the New Zealand Farmers’ Union, which considers that it is entitled to reply over the air to the Hon. Walter Nash’s recent statement on guaranteed prices. Although much of this criticism is unreasonable, the Government will not receive much sympathy in its troubles, which are largely of its own making. While the Labour Party was in opposition, its members frequently proclaimed and upheld the principle of “ the freedom of the air.” They are now being compelled to admit, what they must have realised at the time, that the principle is absurd and impracticable, since to apply it would be to hand over the broadcasting service to cranks and propagandists. The Prime Minister now says that “any talks broadcast will be con“sidered on their merits in relation to pro- “ gramme value.” If hO had said this before he became Prime Minister his position would be stronger. The Government has also made difficulties for itself by bringing the broadcasting service under direct Ministerial control, thereby acquiring a full and inevitably embarrassing responsibility for everything that goes over the air. The Prime Minister, in the course of the statement just quoted, says that “ it has to be “ understood that the broadcasting authorities “ are responsible for all broadcast transmis- “ sions," meaning, presumably, that the Director of Broadcasting has a free hand. But the Broadcasting Amendment Act of last session lays the responsibility on the Minister for Broadcasting; and nothing that the Prime Minister says can alter the situation. The way out of the difficulty is to safeguard by law the independence which the Director of Broadcasting probably enjoys in practice. There can be few controversial boadcasts bn political, social, or economic questions which do not involve either criticism or defence of Government policy. For that reason alone, the Government should be unwilling to accept direct responsibility for everything that is broadcast.