“N.Z. Lacks High Degree Of Press Freedom”

Press, Volume CVII, Issue 31383, 31 May 1967, Page 6

“N.Z. Lacks High Degree Of Press Freedom”

(N.Z. Pre st Assn.— Copyrights

COLUMBIA (Missouri), May 30. New Zealand is. excluded from the 16 leading nations in the world having the highest degree of press freedom, according to a survey by the University of Missouri.

Approximately 450 newsmen, broadcasters and journalism educators took part in the study, which judged the world’s press on 23 factors.

The study concluded there is an “extremely close relationship between political democracy and press freedom.” The survey found that on the basis of their press, 45.2 per cent of the earth’s population is free, 39.2 per cent is not free and another 13 per cent stands somewhere in between, according to the study, which included radio, television, books, magazines and newspapers. The study started by defining a “free” press as “one in which newspapers, periodicals, news agencies, books, radio and television have absolute independence and critical ability, except for minimal libel and obscenity laws, and the press has no concen-

trated ownership, marginal economic units or organised self-regulation. “A completely controlled press is one with no indeppendence or critical ability. Under it, newspapers, periodicals, books, news agencies, radio and television are completely controlled directly or indirectly by Government, self-regulatory bodies or concentrated ownership.” Criteria For Survey

Criteria for judging the press included such factors as legal controls on the press, Government policies, Government ownership of news media and favouritism in release of Government news. The freest region of the world, according to the report, is the Western Hemisphere, where more than 96 per cent of the population lives under varying degrees of free press conditions.

The most "oppressive area” of the world is the Middle East, where 72 per cent of the population is subjected to a controlled press. The survey reported uncovering some surprises. One was that Guatemala and Venezuela ranked among the 16 countries with the highest degree of press freedom. Japan received a minus score only on the factor of concentrated ownership, but

received cbnsistently mediocre scores on many other factors.

England received almost an equal number of favourable and negative scores. Negative points were listed as libel laws, organised self-re-gulation, concentrated owner-

ship, Government control of foreign exchange and the number of marginal press units.

New Zealand compiled relatively poor scores on libel laws, local and regional criticism and national criticism. No African or Middle Eastern country was listed among the top 16 countries. The 16 leading nations with the highest degree of press freedom according to the surv< j were, in alphabetical order: Australia, Belgium, Canada, COsta Rica, Denmark, Finland, Guatemala, The Netherlands, Norway, Peru, the Philippines, Sweden, Switzerland, United States, Uruguay, Venezuela.

DECIMAL CONVERSIONS Decimal currency will be Introduced in New Zealand in July, 1967. Recommended conversion rates from Is to 5s are as follows:

Is 10c Is Rd 17c Is Id 11c Is 9d 18c Is 2d 12c Is lOd 18c Is 3d 12c is lid 19c Is 4d 13c 2s 20c Is 5d 14c 3s 30c Is 6d 15c 4s 40c Is 7d 16c 5s 50c