RADIO TIME RULING

Press, Volume CII, Issue 30289, 15 November 1963, Page 16

RADIO TIME RULING

Protest Made To P.M. (N.Z. Press Association) WELLINGTON. Nov. 14. For any official, whatever his position in the country, to take on himself the power to withhold privileges was an act of victimisation, said the Radio Freedom League in a letter to the Prime Minister (Mr Holyoake). The league, which describes itself as “an organisation to procure democratic control of New Zealand radio” and with its headquarters in Auckland, protested in the letter against political groups, including the Communists and Liberals, being denied an opportunity of speaking on the radio and television. “In our opinion, this conflicts with the principles of democracy and is a denial of elementary justice,” says the letter. When the Government set up the Broadcasting Corporation, it was allegedly to remove the control of radio from political control. “How can you still allege that you have effected this when political pairties directly control election broadcasts?” Mr Holyoake was asked. “National politics have most important social consequences and broadcasting has not been removed from political control if the allocation of time and election broadcasts is a matter of Government decision after consultation and agreement with some political groups only.”