Lease of N.Z.B.C. plant “might be illegal”

Press, Volume CXII, Issue 33051, 19 October 1972, Page 18

Lease of N.Z.B.C. plant “might be illegal”

(New Zealand Press Association)

WELLINGTON, October 18.

It might be illegal for the Broadcasting Corporation to lease its transmitting facilities to any other organisation granted a warrant to run the second television channel, said an N.Z.B.C. executive today.

The Independent Television Corporation, an applicant for the second channel warrant, plans to use the N.Z.B.C.’s transmitters and towers throughout the country if it is granted the warrant.

Mr N. R. Palmer, an N.Z.B.C. executive director, told the Broadcasting Authority in Wellington today that the

corporation had received legal advice that it was “extremely doubtful” if the N.Z.B.C. had the power to lease or provide transmitting facilities to other organisations. Mr Palmer was giving evidence at the authority’s hearing on applications for the second television channel. The I.T.C. and the N.Z.B.C. are the applicants for the warrant. GOVT FUNDS Under cross-examination by I.T.C.’s counsel, Mr I. L. McKay, Mr Palmer also said the Government had approved a financial commitment for setting up the second channel only if the N.Z.B.C. was granted the warrant. Mr McKay asked whether Mr Palmer was suggesting the hearing was an idle exercise and that whatever the result, the Government commitment was to the corporation. “Certainly not,” Mr Palmer said. Estimates for leasing the facilities would be a major consideration by any private corporation applying for the second channel permit, and certain information and break-downs of estimates had

not been given to the head of I.T.C. (Mr Gordon Dryden) when he had asked for them, said Mr Palmer. It was the decision of the director-general (Mr L. R. Sceats) not to give Mr Dryden the estimates. “HIGH QUALITY” Another corporation executive director, Mr A. Rickard, said there was still sufficient material available from the “cream” of overseas productions for the N.Z.B.C. to extend its programme hours and continue to maintain a high quality of broadcasting. Last year, 1440 programmes produced overseas were examined by the N.Z.B.C. and 40 per cent were rejected. The proposed programmes for the second channel were the types which “have best suited New Zealand audiences and which can be expected to find favour now and in the near future.” Second channel programming would provide “crossover times” each evening so that viewers switching from one channel to another would be able to do so without missing the end of one programme or the beginning of another. Mr Rickard said that current affairs programming at present took up 2hr 15min a week. With two channels, this time would be increased to four hours. Serious music programmes and programmes about the arts did not find acceptance

with viewers and, in the past, had been scheduled outside peak viewing hours. "It has been a matter of concern and regret to the corporation that its single channel has not allowed more consideration of this type of programme,” he said. These “serious programmes” had been planned on three nights a week during peak times on the second channel.