‘Times’ for a change

Press, Issue 33845, 17 May 1975, Page 2

‘Times’ for a change

The “Times,” Hamilton, has offered Dr M. E. R. Bassett, M.P. for Waitemata, a job on its reporting staff for a week. The “Times” made the offer in a front-page editorial yesterday, the Press Association reports. It says the offer is made to give Dr Bassett, chairman of the arts, media and broadcasting committee, a chance to see how allegations against newspapers made at Thursday’s session of the Labour Party conference compare with reality. If he cannot spare a week, the editorial says, Dr Bassett would b- welcome to spend a day as its guest, sitting in on the morning editorial confer-

ence and talking to executives and reporters. It says the “Times” would be prepared to pay

him for the week — but no figure is specified. The president of the Newspaper Publishers’ Association, (Mr J. A. Burnet) says he does not think it appropriate to comment officially on Labour Party conference resolutions on the press. Many of the points made by delegates had been raised at similar conferences in previous years Mr Burnet said. In his view much of it stemmed from ill-informed and biased criticism. As for the resolution favouring setting up a public corporation to publish newspapers, his view was that the New Zealand taxpayer was already carrying enough burdens.