N.Z.B.C. Journalists Seek Own Organisation

Press, Volume CIII, Issue 30542, 10 September 1964, Page 12

N.Z.B.C. Journalists Seek Own Organisation

(New Zealand Press Association) WELLINGTON,. Sept. 9. senting nearly all journalists

‘‘The persistent refusal by the New Zealand Broadcasting Corporation to allow its news service journalists to be represented by a journalists’ organisation defies the intention of the Government when it wrote the Broadcasting Act,” said the New Zealand Journalists’ Association in a statement today. The statement said the association, at its recent annual conference in Wellington, expressed “strong resentment” at both the corporation and the Government insisting that news service journalists be represented by the Broadcasting Staff Association—a group of the Public Service Association. The journalists’ association had been assumed by the former Minister of Broadcasting (Mr Kinsella) that the Government never intended to deny any section of the corporation’s staff the right to be represented by whom they wished. Similar assurances, said the statement, had been given to the Society of Radio and Television Journalists, repre-

employed by the . news service. For Two Years Yet, in spite of strong representations for more than two yeers. the society had been denied recognition, the statement said. “This means that because journalists would not waive their rights and join the Public Service Association they have had no representation with their employers for the last two years.” Both the journalists’ association and the society had pointed out to the corporation and the Government that it was important for news service journalists to preserve their independence and objectivity by remaining dissociated from powerful pressure groups.

“The journalists’ association has emphasised the overwhelming desire of journalists affected to retain that independence, to preserve traditional links with other journalists through the New Zealand Journalists’ Association and to be represented by their own organisation,” the statement said.