NO FILMS OF CUP

Press, Volume XCVI, Issue 28421, 30 October 1957, Page 5

NO FILMS OF CUP

V.R.C. Sells Right To Brewery

(N.Z Press Association—Copyright) MELBOURNE, October 29.

New Zealanders hoping to see the champions Redcraze and Syntax in action on the screen in the Melbourne Cup will be disappointed for there wil] be no newsreels of the classic this year Mr Harry Lawrenson. managing editor of one of Australia’s only two newsreel companies, said in Sydney today the race would not be filmed. He was commenting on a Victorian Racing Club statement that newsreel companies would have to pay more for the right to film the cup. Last week, the Victorian Racing Club committee decided to sell the newsreel and television rights for the cup to a brewery. The committee rejected an offer by Melbourne’s three television stations to telecast the event at their own cost.

Mr Lawrenson. who said ne spoke also for the other newsreei company, stated today: "We won’t pay for the right to film the cup any more than we did for the Olympic Games. “The cup is news. Newspapers do not pay for the right to cover news. Nor do we.

“It’s too bad. The cup is one of Australia’s best news events for overseas.

“It’s a deadlock, and the Victoria Racing Club has only itself to blame.”

In Melbourne, the chairman of the Victoria Racing Club, Sir Chester Manifold, said the question of newsreel films of the cup was now a matter of negotiation between the Victoria Racing Club and the newsreel companies. He said the brewery which had offered £5OOO for the television rights, was no longer interested in newsreel rights.

“The Victoria Racing Club creates the setting for this big (national event. It provides the stage and the actors.” said Sir Chester Manifold.