'Nationwide' takes easy way

Press, Volume CXIV, Issue 33601, 1 August 1974, Page 4

'Nationwide' takes easy way

Problems behind the scenes of “Nationwide” spilled out on to the screen on Tuesday even* ing with the presentation, without apology, of an item which was neither newsworthy nor had anything to do with the nation.

In another context, the programme on Baron Rothschild would have been mildly interesting. Its presentation on “Nationwide” was a disgrace. Viewers were informed, during the Network News, that there had been a change of producer on the programme. The inclusion of this item was, in itself, indefensible, but it served to highlight the programme’s problems.

The N.Z.B.C. deserves criticism for screening a news background programme without any relevant material. It was like a daily newspaper filling its cable page with cartoon strips.

It is inevitable that i George Andrews, the new producer of “Nationwide,” I will start behind scratch. $ * #

“Column Comment’s” fragmentary offering on the Press Council was another uninspiring effort. The cutting in of the interview clips with the front man’s contributions was carried out with breathtaking precision, but the film editor became so carried away that he ran the end of the programme into a biscuit commercial with indecent haste. ♦ ♦ »

A cameo performance by Rodney Bryant enlivened “The South Tonight” and there was also an interesting interview by Bryan Allpress of Warren Mayne, television critic for the "Christchurch Star.”

Mayne proved that newspapermen can turn the other cheek. Recently he was mocked by Allpress on the same programme.

What happens to ageing actors and actresses when their star billing slips? On the evidence of Tuesday evening, it seems that they turn to television ghost programmes. Janet Leigh, complete with outsized false eyelashes, Rory Calhoun and Gene Nel-

ison. appeared in a, shockingly poor “Ghost I Story.” Their successes of ithe silver screen seemed a! long way away. Rick Blum’s stilted script and the ponderous efforts of the sound effects man contributed to the sorry mess. It is not worth restoring the longer viewing period if this rubbish is to be screened. — JKB.