Some Children’s TV "Too Far-fetched”

Press, Volume CIX, Issue 31984, 10 May 1969, Page 14

Some Children’s TV "Too Far-fetched”

Some television programmes for children were considered too far-fetched even to fool the children, said the chairman of the N.Z.B.C.’s Southern Regional Programme Advisory Committee (Mr J. G. Barnes, of Dunedin) after a meeting of the committee yesterday.

One er two programmes had been criticised on the grounds that they were violent and too unrealistic, / he added. “Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea” and “Tarzan" were two mentioned. But with these exceptions the whole committee felt there was little wrong with the amount of time given to children’s programmes on radio and television. Another criticism was that in story-telling programmes more English than American spoken word would be desirable. But the difficulty of obtaining these programmes was pointed out, Mr Barnes said. “The Family Affair" was described as rather sentimental and more appreciated by

older age groups than those for whom it was intended. The high quality of children’s holiday radio pro! grammes was Mentioned, and it was Mid that adults as wall as children listened, Mr Barnes Mid. •

Early placement of the television programme "The Lost Peace” was criticised and the corporation would be asked for later screening. The use of a national microwave system In October wn described by Mr Barnes as a tremendous step forward for news and sports coverage. The committee had been exhilarated by hearing the-Director-General of Broad-, casting (Mr G. H. Stringer) explain how sports and other news would be seen almost at. the same time as it happened by means of a four-way hookup.

“Some day, when we get. colour television, this will be a tremendous step forward' for viewers of news and sport,” Mr Barnes said. On-the-spot television coverage would be possible and news would originate from the centre where it was happening.