BROADCASTS OF SERVICES

Press, Volume LXXXIII, Issue 25328, 30 October 1947, Page 8

BROADCASTS OF SERVICES

REPORT TO GENERAL ASSEMBLY APPOINTMENT OF RELIGIOUS DIRECTOR NOT FAVOURED Presenting the report of the committee on broadcasting at last evening s ( session of the Presbyterian General Assembly in Christchurch, the Rev. W. J. Fellow replied to criticism of the curtailment of Sunday services by the broadcasting authorities. Mr Pellow said that under |he rules, for broadcasts, one hour only was allowed for the Sunday evening service, with five minutes’ grace. The rules had not been drawn by the Director of Broadcasting (Professor J. Shelley) or his officers, but hy the churches’ own representatives. Ministers who had complained that broadcast services had been cut short lacked the grace to tell the public that it was not the broadcasting officers’ fault, but the fault of their own non-observ-ance of the rules. The committee’s report stated that the possible appointment of a director of religious broadcasts (similar to the British practice) had been discussed, but the opinion was expressed that, because of the widely differing conditions between Britain and New Zealand. the arrangement would be unsuitable. The Rev. F. H. Robertson said the whole set-up of a normal church service was not very suitable for broadcasting. and studio services had to come. He attacked what he termed the present “vested interests” in church, broadcasts, and claimed that not nearly all the ministers who should be on the air were being broadcast under the present system. The churches would not get away from the growing evils of the present system till they faced up to the appointment of a director of religious broadcasts. The committee’s report was received by the Assembly, which expressed its thanks to the Director of Broadcast- ■ ing and his staff for “their assistance and willing co-operation at all times.’’