Electioneering On TV

Press, Volume CII, Issue 30129, 13 May 1963, Page 16

Electioneering On TV

(N.Z. Press Association) AUCKLAND. May 12. Television will be used by the major political parties this year during the general election campaign. It will be the first time the medium has been used foi electioneering. Channels were operating during the J 960 campaign but parties agreed not to use political telecasts then. The Broadcasting Corporation has notified the Government that it will reserve certain time” on its channels for radio and television political broadcasts during the campaign. This was revealed today by the Minister of Broadcasting (Mr Kinsella). The Prime Minister (Mr Holyoake) had already begun informal talks with leaders of the other major parties on the time to be allotted to each party, said Mr Kinsella A decision would be announced toward the end of the month Allocation of television time will probably follow the formula set by broadcasting cor-

porations in Australia. Canada, and Britain. The N.Z.B.C. will not be “educating” any politicians on how to look their best on television or be coaching them in the simple dramatic tricks effective on the small screen. Mr Kinsella said. He said the question of whether any party in New Zealand would buy advertising time as an additional

aid had been left to the N.Z.B.C. to decide. Politicians have already appeaired on television. A recent interview with the Leader of the Opposition (Mr Nordmeyer) was followed by a similar kind of interview with the Deputy-Prime Minister (Mr Marshall) The N.Z.B.C. is now planning a series .of political debates. It has invited the Minister of Labour (Mr Shand) and Mr Nordmeyer to take pert in the first programme, on. economic affairs

This will probably be broadcast before Parliament opens in June.