Church Criticises Refusal To Sell Radio Time

Press, Volume CIV, Issue 30763, 29 May 1965, Page 7

Church Criticises Refusal To Sell Radio Time

“In a land that boasts o£ religious freedom our request to buy broadcasting time on commercial stations has been denied,” said Pastor C. O. Lowe, of the Seventh Day Adventist Church, in Christchurch.

A petition from the Wanganui Seventh Day Adventist Church for time to present a half-hour programme,

“Voice of Prophecy,” had been refused after consideration by the Cabinet. The Petitions Committee of the House of Representatives stated in its report that the church had been refused time before on the principle that its membership was small, and that some of its doctrines were unorthodox, said Pastor Lowe.

The only church that had broken through this ruling was the Mormon Church. The Salt Lake City Tabernacle Choir’s recordings were used extensively during the year. The Brethren were also granted one service annually, he said.

The Seventh Day Adventist Church produced 102 programmes in eight languages which were broadcast weekly in Australia and the Pacific Islands. Altogether, 2500 programmes were broadcast through the world, the main exceptions being Communist countries. New Zealand was one of the few democratic countries which did not allow the Church time. “In ‘Voice of Prophecy’ we have a programme which has wide public appeal,” Pastor Lowe said, “and the volume of letters we have received indicates that people think a minority group should have the opportunity to be heard.” Mr Holyoake Replies

The Seventh Day Adventist Church was able to buy time on may of the privately-owned commercial stations in Australia, but State-owned broadcasting in Australia and Britain did not provide facilities for this minority group, the Prime Minister (Mr Holyoake) said when asked to comment on Pastor Lowe’s statement. Mr Holyoake said the “main stream” principle of boardcast Christian teaching had worked well in New Zealand through the Central Religious Advisory Committee, representing more than 80 per cent of the population of New Zealand. This committee rigorously opposed the “selling” of religion. It also held that religious broadcasts were in a different category from commercial broadcasts. The petition from the Wan ganui Seventh Day Adventist Church was considered by the Petitions Committee of the House, and referred to the Government for consideration. This was done, and the Cabinet declined to approve the petition, Mr Holyoake said.