Problems Of Religious Broadcasting Discussed

Press, Volume CVII, Issue 31521, 8 November 1967, Page 20

Problems Of Religious Broadcasting Discussed

The New Zealand Broadcasting Corporation “should not have to pussyfoot because they are dealing with the feelings of the church,” the Rev. G. Dallard told the Presbyterian General Assembly yesterday. Reporting on radio and television religious broadcasting Mr Dallard said the dilemma of broadcasting religion was that it must be directed to people who did not go to church. But to make this effective it had to be acceptable to the broadcasting authorities and appealing to the audience. He said there was a tendency among people to ignore religious programmes because they lacked entertainment appeal. A great deal of skill was required to succeed in entertaining while putting over a Christian message. While the church must give eyes and ears to its audience it had to show itself as it really was. The Assembly was told that the N.Z.B.C. would agree to placing the religious television programmes on Sundays at a better viewing time if they were up to standard. It was no use talking about peak viewing times unless there was entertainment. The Assembly decided to appoint Mr Dallard full time supervisor of religious broadcasts. Alarm at the implications of the Government’s intention to set up a separate licensing authority to which the N.Z.B.C. and other broadcasters would have to apply was expressed by the radio and | television committee. “The implication is that this would facilitate the introduction of commercial ownership, sponsorship and control,” the committee reported. “The effect would be very far-reaching and can be reasonably forecast from overseas experience. “Programme standards would deteriorate, broadcasting would become more a vehicle for commercial promotion than for the cultural concerns of the people, minority interests would be ignored, and standards of self-censor-ship would become secondary to profits.” Unlike the 8.8. C. and the Australian Broadcasting Commission, the N.Z.B.C. was not

Trek Prize. In the I Y.M.C.A.’s sponsored trek on I Saturday a prize for the enI trant who covered the greatest distance was won by Graham Congdon, of the Bryndwr Y.M.C.A. In the report yesterday Graham’s name was incorrectly printed as Jeffrey.

independent of advertising revenue and if competitive broadcasting was allowed the N.Z.B.C. must either meet the competition by increased “mass appeal" (by ignoring minority interests with inadequate advertising ratings), or become financially independent of advertising through a big Government grant. The committee asked the Assembly to support the safeguards suggested to the Government by the National Council of Churches Commission on Television. The committee’s report was adopted.