I.T.C. plans ‘one-way’ South Island link

Press, Volume CXII, Issue 33063, 2 November 1972, Page 2

I.T.C. plans ‘one-way’ South Island link

• fH.Z. Press Association} WELLINGTON Nw, L ’ None of the companies or individuals which had invested in the Independent Television Corporation did so with the note or major reason of making a profit, Mr Gordon Dryden said today.

. Mr Dryden, organiser of the I.T.G's application for a Warrant to run the second channel, said the company’s investors were “tn it to provide a good television service."

• Mr Dryden was giving evidence at the Broadcasting Authority's hearing on second channel applications. The N-Z-B.C. is the other applicant for the warrant. ' Under cross-examination

by counsel for the N.Z.B.C. (Mr R. B. Cooke, Q.C.), Mr Dryden said it was necessary for the I.T.C. to make a profit if it was to provide a good television service.

Mr Cooke asked why Independent Newspapers, Ltd, had invested in the I.T.C. Mr Dryden said the main purpose was to provide a good television service.

Mr Dryden said the I.T.C. would not be able to originate broadcasts from the South Island, because its micro-wave link was one-way in the South Island. Film taken in Christchurch or Dunedin would have to be sent to Wellington for broadcast over the I.T.C. channel, he said.

Although programmes would be networked, advertising would be regional, divided into three areas—the upper and lower halves of the North Island, and the entire South Island.

He said later that a "slight weakness" in the I.T.C. proposal was that there was no regional division of advertising in the South Island. The N.Z.B.C. was able to broadcast regional advertising in both Christchurch and Dunedin, he said. Mr Dryden said the I.T.C did not propose to provide regional news. It would have a news staff of 30, who would be stationed in Auckland or Wellington. I.T.C. coverage of news in other areas would depend on negotiations with private radio stations and newspapers.

The entire field of news in New Zealand was in a state of flux, and a lot depended on these negotiations as well as on negotiations going on between the New Zealand Press Association and private radio stations.

I.T.C. had budgeted to hire five camera crews, Mr Dryden said. Arrangements would also be made with free-lance cameramen to provide extra coverage, he said.

He could not give an analysis of the amount to be paid for free-lance cameramen, reporters, or private radio station "news feeds,” but a sufficient amount had been budgeted to cover the service.

He said $lOO,OOO had been budgeted for overseas news coverage, including transmission from other countries by satellite. Mr Cooke said 365 10minute transmissions by satellite from New York would cost $427,000. Mr Dryden said the cost of satellite news depended on how many countries shared the service. News agencies from Asian and Pacific countries, as well as Australia, could share the service with New Zealand, and the cost would come down.