RADIO WARRANT APPLICATIONS N.Z.B.C. Expected To Object

Press, Volume CIX, Issue 32020, 21 June 1969, Page 14

RADIO WARRANT APPLICATIONS N.Z.B.C. Expected To Object

(Frtm Our Own Reporter;

WELLINGTON, June 20.

The State-owned New Zealand Broadcasting Corporation is expected to Object to private applications for new mediumwave commercial radio station warrants, if only to protect its own appeal right.

Bat whether the corporation will itself apply for four warrants being offered by the independent New Zealand Broadcasting Authority is still in doubt.

Questioned today, the chairnan of the corporation (Major-General W. S. McKinnon) would aay only: “At this early stage I do not think it is proper for mo to comment on corporation proposals relatipg to matters which are tn come before the Broadcastinc Authority." Applications are now beint accepted by the authority for two new stations in Auckland, one in Hamilton and one in Dunedin. Under its empowering legislation, the authority is required to heed the interests of the corporation and the effect on the corporation of awarding a warrant to any new broadcaster. In considering applications for warrants the authority is required to heed the effect which a new station would have on existing non-commer-eial services of the corporation. There are already indications that the NXB.C. will

not allow private Interests into the transmitting field by default Earlier this year, General McKinnon said the N.Z.B.C. intended to put before the authority all available information on the capacity of the corporation to meet public demands. He cited statutory obligations on the corporation to develop, extend and improve its own services in the public interest

Appeals will be possible only by a party whose own application for a warrant has been refused, or who, being a warrant-holder (as the N.Z.B.C. is already), has objected to the granting of the warrant in question. The Minister of Broadcasting (Mr Adams-Schneider) said today he had no intention of issuing formal directions to the corporation on the attitude it should adopt to the coming proceedings. But he would expect the corporation to inform him of the policy it would follow. “We will have discussions on this,” the Minister said. “It would be the Government view that we should have an infusion of privately owned station competition, and that It should be limited to a small number of stations to start with.

“We would want to see a start made in private radio," the Minister said. The question of possible eppeals was one for the corporation itself, but he would also expect to hear from the N.Z.B.C. on this matter. He said that if the corporation were to apply for any warrants for additional stations it would need previous Government approval for any capital expenditure exceeding 325,000.