TV Aid To Electors

Press, Volume CVIII, Issue 31754, 10 August 1968, Page 40

TV Aid To Electors

The New Zealand Broadcasting Corporation’s Southern Regional Programme Advisory Committee will recommend that television be more widely used in helping viewers in their choice of Parliamentary candidates.

At its meeting yesterday the committee carried unanimously a resolution which broadens the terms of its policy on the matter formulated two years ago. A statement issued after the meeting said that the committee was anxious to see the use of background information on international and national events and circumstances as the basis on which electors would be able to pass their own judgment on the political parties and candidates.

It felt that something should be done about the work of local bodies, because people generally were not informed in these matters.

As a guide to electors in local government polls the committee would ask the N.Z.B.C. to show programmes portraying the work of such

organisations as the Christchurch Drainage Board, the North Canterbury Catchment Board and the North Canterbury Hospital Board. The original resolution carried by the committee in October, 1966, was:—“That in pre-election programmes and for the instruction of the elecorate the media should not be timorous but be directed with enterprise towards securing a balanced and impartial exposition of current issues of national interest and importance and that the N.Z.B.C. pursue this policy until, say, 14 days before election day.” Additions Made The additions by the committee yesterday were:— “That, having regard to the right and duty of citizens to be informed on political matters, the committee asks for more informative and educative material in an appropriate pre-election period. This might well include a phased portrayal of the political

background with problems and movements of the time and some assessment in popular phraseology of the aims of the different parties. “That, as regards local bodies, an attempt be made to allocate reasonable times within which informal presentation may be made of policies and candidates. “While recognising the limits imposed by one television channel, the N.Z.B.C. where possible present Parliamentary candidates once after due notice to viewers. “Compass” Programme “That the committee recommend that the powers and functions of lesser bodies be presented through such a type of programme as ‘Compass.’ “That the committee expresses appreciation of the existing method of portrayal of party conferences and the efforts made to maintain impartiality and a justly proportioned distribution of time between the parties.”