GOVERNMENT’S "NEWS-REEL”

Press, Volume LXXIII, Issue 22243, 6 November 1937, Page 18

GOVERNMENT’S "NEWS-REEL”

OPPOSITION SHOWS INTEREST PRIME MINISTER TAKES RESPONSIBILITY [From Our Parliamentary Reporter] WELLINGTON, November 5. The Government’s radio “news-reel” received some good-natured criticism from the Opposition during the discussion on the Estimates in the House of Representatives to-day. Members of the Opposition suggested that they should be given opportunity to state their side of the case when the news bulletins -were put over the air. “When the announcer says he is about to read the official news bulletin from the Prime Minister’s office, listeners expect a fair summary,” said Mr S. G. Smith (National, New Plymouth). “I listened in last Saturday night, however, and most of the time was devoted to the Minister for Finance (the Hon. W. Nash). It is essential that a fair summary should be given, especially when it is listened to by people in distant parts of the country. If we had television —

The Under-Secretary in charge of Housing (Mr J. A. Lee); You would go out.

The Minister for Education (the Hon. P. Fraser); If we had X-ray we could see through the Opposition. “I am interested in this news-reel each evening,” said Mr W. J. Broadfoot (National, Waitomo), “and I would like to know whether the Prime Minister could arrange to have it broadcast at a different time. It comes at meal times; some of us like pleasant things with our meals. The Opposition should be allowed to put its case over the air because as the bulletin is at present it is propaganda, not news.’’

The Prime Minister (the Rt. Hon. M. J. Savage) stated in reply to an inquiry by the Leader of the Opposition (the Hon. A. Hamilton) that he was responsible for the issuing of the nightly broadcast, and he saw everything that went over the air.