TELEVISION FOR N.Z.

Press, Volume XCVIII, Issue 28897, 18 May 1959, Page 10

TELEVISION FOR N.Z.

Churches Give Views (New Zealand Press Association) AUCKLAND, May 17. Television should be introduced into New Zealand on a moderate and gradual scale, the life and work conference of the National Council of Churches recommended at a week-end plenary session in Auckland. Urging this under the heading of “questions associated with the social impact of television,” the conference said that hours of transmission should be curtailed to avoid lowering the standard by sustaining programme schedules with inferior material. The conference said it believed television would provide the church with unique opportunities for evangelism, and it recommended that churches consider “some form of inter-church cooperation in the field of mass communication.” It will ask the National Council of Churches executive to invite broadcasting member churches to confer on steps that might be taken toward co-operative action in radio and television. Recommendations on radio included a suggestion to churches that they consider appointing denominational broadcasting supervisors. The executive of the national council will be asked to explore the -possibility of arranging an annual training school of church broadcasters.