Concern Over Bias Charges

Press, Volume CX, Issue 32359, 27 July 1970, Page 24

Concern Over Bias Charges

(New Zealand Press Association)

WELLINGTON, July 26.

The chairman of the N.Z.B.C. (Major-General W. S. McKinnon) said today he was concerned over charges of bias and attacks on the balance of news and current affairs broadcasts made at the National Party conference in Rotorua.

He said the N.Z.B.C. was required by law to maintain balance and impartiality in its programmes.

But this did not mean going down the centre of the road to the exclusion of views to either the Right or the Left. “In fact it is regarded by the N.Z.B.C. as a specific responsibility that views covering the full spectrum of pub-

lie thinking be made known | provided they emanate from | responsible or substantial [sources,” he said. ; “Disagreeable and unacceptable behaviour will eften ; come within this compass, [and the public is entitled to ;know of its existence. ’ j Many with views to the Right would feel critical when views to the Left were presented, and vice versa. However, criticism of this sort could never be a measure of the integrity and impartiality of the N.Z.B.C. SECOND CHANNEL But what was particularly disquieting was that an attack on the N.Z.B.C.’s coverage of the industrial situation and other less-heartening aspects of the present scene, was apparently advanced as a factor in support of a remit urging private enterprise control of a second channel. Surely this was not meant to imply that private enterprise broadcasting would conceal or suppress such information. “The N.Z.B.C. is fully aware that it must present news which reveals unpalatable facts or circumstances,” he said. “If a strike is the news event of the moment it would be totally dishonest of the N.Z.B.C. to pretend it was not occurring, or bury it in the tail of a bulletin.” NOT NEW Allegations of bias in the presentation of news and current affairs on the part of major broadcasting organisations were far from new The 8.8. C. and the Australian Broadcasting Commission had recently experienced this, but the attacks had fallen away when subjected to close and careful scrutiny, and he felt the N.Z.B.C. would be similarly exonerated by the majority of its listeners and viewers. Another point which caused concern was the fact that the party conference not only discussed but also carried a remit urging the Government to request a tribunal to give priority to establishing a private enterprise second channel.

“As the Broadcasting Authority is to begin bearings on August 31 to determine the whole question of a second channel operation, any external influence brought to bear would appear to be an interference with what will doubtless be a carefully and justly conducted inquiry,” he said.