Tastes ‘Catered For’

Press, Volume CIX, Issue 31906, 6 February 1969, Page 22

Tastes ‘Catered For’

(N.Z. Press Association)

WELLINGTON, Feb. 5. The new chairman of the New Zealand Broadcasting Corporation, Major-General W. S. McKinnon, said today he had looked at television in many parts of the world “and I think it is remarkable what a very good job the N.Z.B.C. has made of catering for the full range of tastes with a onechannel television system.” “1 have been to places where they have four channels and one still cannot find anything agreeable.” he said. “But here they have balanced the interests of different people, such as sport, entertainment of a high cultural value, and other varied types in a most satisfactory manner, and this is a remarkable achievement.” General McKinnon, a former Chief of the General Staff, has just been appointed chairman, succeeding Mr C. A. McFarlane. He traced his interest in radio to the days when, as a third-former at Otago Boys’ High School in 1923, he and his friends made a crystal set and listened to the first broadcasts in Dunedin. “I am now 58, so I have been listening to radio for 46 years," he said.

“1 have also had some training in the field. I took a science degree at Otago University in my youth, and trained as a technical engineer.

“Afterwards, I went into the army, and later specialised in radar, which is a first cousin to television technically. “Today, I seem to have a house full of radios. “I have owned a television set for 15 years, much of the time abroad, of course. And I like to look at it.

“I prefer the news-type programmes, and panel discussions, such as ‘Gallery,’ but 1 derive enjoyment from watching, say, 'Get Smart.’ “I enjoy detective series, such as ‘Softly, Softly,’ and 1 can even look at a western such as ‘High Chaparral.’ ENTERTAINING “In fact, I find television entertaining over a wide range of programmes.”

General McKinnon said his experience of serving on a number of Government boards and councils which operated in similar manner to the board of directors of the

N.Z.B.C. should stand him in good stead. “I have served on the Army I Board, the Defence Council, I the Government Superannuation Board, the Armed Forces i Canteen Council, as deputy, chairman, and numerous, other boards,’’ he said. General McKinnon set out! his immediate plans in the job. “At the moment I am going to concentrate on familiarising myself with the organisation, particularly with the reconstruction of it as recommended in a report by a firm of Australian consultants,” he said. “Some of their suggestions have already resulted in changed policy. “I also intend to study the! impact of the creation of the; new Broadcasting Authority; on the activities of the! N.Z.B.C. “Also, I aim, at a very early date, to tour the whole of New Zealand and visit every installation of the corporation, whether it be a TV studio or transmitting station, or repeater station where there might be only a couple of technicians.” INDEPENDENCE On the question of the cor-1 poration’s independence or otherwise. General McKinnon said:

“The independence and authority of the N.Z.B.C. is a matter of law. Such restrictions as are imposed are matters of acts of Parliament. “To my knowledge it has been the policy of the N.Z.B.C.'s board of directors to use this authority to the full, and with this policy I am, of course, in complete agreement.

“I might add that since coming here I have not been advised of any impairment of programmes deriving from an insufficiency in authority. “Furthermore, I understand some extension of authority, particularly in the finance field, is contemplated.”