’The South Tonight’ gives perspective

Press, Volume CXIV, Issue 33541, 23 May 1974, Page 4

’The South Tonight’ gives perspective

plans for amalgamation the i Local Government Commis- < jsion may come up with, Mr Knowles was able to give viewers the important infer- < mation' that no start is like- ' |ly on either building for at ■ i least two years. < "The South Tonight” could! i well take the plunge and ’ plan for two or three "in < (perspective” items of this 1 ‘nature each week. There isi [plenty of scope the viewing area. The programme's item on sheep to Peru was rather [laboured with the inter-1’ viewer leaning heavily on' repeated questions about the ■ welfare of the sheep to be‘ carried on the Danish stock! • carrying ship. This reflected a rather [ narrow approach and the; (item was not helped by film which showed the faces of I some of the excellent sheep when the captain was being interviewed. “Nationwide”, provided! plenty of food for thought in its treatment of nuclear power proposals, and the tissues were cogently stated. I It was also good to seel I the' programme providing ! the opportunity for the two, Chilean socialists to state! their side of what has hap-: •pened in that country. I As the new military •regime took over the news media from the moment it took control in Chile, it is important that media in this country take the trouble to present both sides so that a

Christchurch’s plans for f a new city administration 1 block and a new library - j building were put into i > perspective on Tuesday i evening by a brief but [ lucid analysis of the situation by “The South Tonight’s” John Knowles. ' It is good to see the regio-1* nal programme taking this 1 1 approach. We have- been | rather short on good current t affairs items from CHTV-3 lately, and there is an im- , portant' place for the;] “Nationwide” type of look , on a regional basis. j Details of the planned city , administration complex had , already been published, and ( there had also been talk of: the need for a new library:, building for Christchurch. Bv discussing both the I, political background to the , two building projects, and i the important bearing of any ,

reasonably informed public ( opinion can be formed. "The Guardians” was not exactly gripping viewing with its almost sole reliance on dialogue on Tuesday! evening. However, against •the background of a drugged Tom Weston upstairs, the , danger from both the Gs and • the Communists, the verbal i( (sparring of the two women did create an atmosphere. > However, this was not the (best episode in the 13-part j •series,'and with one episode: (to go, it gave the distinct ( (impression of winding down. ■ — K. C.