Bison piece was good television

Press, Volume CXIV, Issue 33514, 20 April 1974, Page 5

Bison piece was good television

The story of one man’s determined fight against bureacracy in a bid to keep, of all things, European bison, made an excellent piece for “Nationwide” on Thursday evening.

It demonstrated clearly that the programme need not always be grappling with national -issues, or interviewing politicians and others in the news to be first-class television.

This particular item had all the ingredients of a good story and “Nationwide” explored all avenues to the full, even adding some “Home on the Range” colour. The • introduction was novel and interest-arousing, although the exploits of Peter Snell, Sir Edmund Hilary and the All Blacks were hardly comparable.

However, the point was made — no permission was required for these examples of human endeavour, whereas with Richard Cook, of West Otago, it was an uphill drag all the way. With his quick smile and engaging personality, Mr Cook made an excellent television subject. He came across as a friendly, imaginative New Zealander mad keen on animals, especially bison.

The programme’s quick switches, from Dick Cook to the Ombudsman, Sir Guy Powles, were most effective. Sir Guy is always good value and his admiration of the young man’s persistence echoed the feelings of most Viewers. And the moral of the

story came through loud and clear — perseverance in the face of unreasonable bureaucratic opposition will be rewarded in the end by "compromise. “Nationwide’s" other offering explored the implications of ■ the $25 million boost given State rental housipg through the plan to buy houses direct from builders.

This is an important change in housing policy, and some indication of the aims of the Government’s proposal, and the possible snags it may encounter, were given in the piece.

Programmes highlighting racial difference offer ample scope for making play of bias and prejudice. “Love Thy Neighbour” certainly makes a meal of this, and Eddie lapses into “Nig-nog” talk at the slightest provocation.

The best character in the series is Eddie’s wife, whose lines are frequently terse and very much to the point. The trouble with the programme is that Eddie constantly appears as such a twit. One wonder whether the producers are so conscious that' the black man has been made to look the ignorant fool in the past, that they have leaned over backwards to present the “honkey” in this way. Although Eddie’s wife does to some extent balance his prejudice, Bill and his wife do not show the same bias. One wishes that Bill would flatten Eddie occasionally just to show that he, too, is human. —'K.C.

CHTV3 Today 2.00 p.m.t News, weather (C). 2.05: Grandstand — soccer, motor racing, horse racing. 4.58: The Jetsons. Cartoon (Repeat) (C). 5.25: News (C). 5.29: Follyfoot. Children’s drama (C). s •. 5.58: Free Ride. Music (C). 6.29: The Don Rickies Show. Comedy (C). 7.00: Network news. 7.22: Weather. The South Tonight. Focus. 7.47: The Julie Andrews Hour. Variety (C). 8.49: Music Boxes in Vogue Again (C). 9.00: Newsbrief (C). 9.02: Film (1947) — “The Treasure of Sierra Madre. (Humphrey Bogart). 11.14: Late news, weather (C). 11.20: Big Time Wrestling. Tomorrow 2.00 p.m.: News, weather (C). 2.05: Film (1952) — “The Importance of Being Earnest.” (Michael Denison, Edith Evans) (C). 3.27: Sunday Grandstand —■ soccer, racing. 5.01: The Mouse Factory (C). 5.24: The Best of Vision On (C). 5.49: News (C). 5.51: Too Long a Winter. Documentary (C). 6.36: Kamahl. Music (C) (Final). 6.50: Sideline. 7.00: Network news, 7.15: Weather, regional news. 7.23: Country Calendar (C). 7.38: Thirty Minutes Worth. Comedy (C). 8.06: The British Empire (C). 9.02: Newsbrief (C). 9.04: Plain Speaking. 9.08: Music From the Proms. (C).

9.12: The Lotus Eaters. Fourth of nine parts. Drama (C). 10.02: A Question of Survival. Documentary' (C). 10.52: Late news, weather (C).

SATURDAY NATIONAL LINK [lncluding 3YA Christchurch <690 kilohertz): 2YA Wellington (570 kilohertz); 4YA Dunedin (750 kilohertz); and 3YZ Greymouth 1950 kilohertz).] 7.30 p.m.: Judy: Judy Gar-i land. 8.0: Shadow of thei Pharaoh. 8.40: Looking at! Ourselves. 9.0: Those Were the Days. 9.30: Pick of the Goons. 10.0: Sounds Great. 10.45: Spotlight on Steve and Eydie. 11.15: Continuous.

I 3YC, CHRISTCHURCH (960 kilohertz) iSong Book. 7.22: Larry Pru7 p.m.: Wolf: The Italian | den: String Trio. 7.46: Holst: 'Ballet Music: The Golden I Goose. 8.1: From the Festivals: Flanders. Kabalevsky. 9.33: A Portrait of Enoch i Powell. 9.55: Ireland: Incidental Music. 10.0: Gillian I Weir: Organ building. 10.14: i Gillian Weir (organ): i Schoenberg, Hindemith, ißach. i 3ZB, CHRISTCHURCH | (1100 kilohertz) I 7.4 p.m.: Peter Sledmere.