TV licence revenue rises $7.4M

Press, 9 October 1976, Page 6

TV licence revenue rises $7.4M

PA Wellington The net income from television licences during the year ended March 31, 1976, totalled $24,280,464, an increase of $7,416,611 over the previous year, according to the annual report of the Broadcasting Council of New Zealand, tabled in Parliament yesterday. This reflected the growth in the number of licences and a full year’s collection in respect of the increased rates of licence fees which came into effect on January 1, 1975. After allocations were made to the three broadcasting corporations, the net income retained by the council amounted to $607,012. A total of 36.5 per cent of income from licence fees was allocated to Radio New Zealand, including a provision for the New Zealand Symphony Orchestra, 32 per cent to TVI and 29 per cent to TV2, the report said. T total licences on issue, including sets on hire, as at March 31 ,vas 811,182, including 188,911 colour receivers. This compared with 790,599, including

82,027 colour sets, the previous year. The increase of 20,583 licences was made up of an increase of 106,884 colour sets and a decrease of 86,301 black and white sets licensed. ■ A total of 40 censorship cuts were made by staff of the Broadcasting Council from 6531 overseas television programmes during the year. Violence, obscenity, and sex were the main reasons for the cuts, the report said. “With a two-channel competitive operation, there is an . obvious need for consistency in censorship which can best be exercised by one organisation not subject to commercial and scheduling considerations.” Accordingly, the censorship and classification of overseas television programme material was undertaken by council staff. However the corporations had a right to have decisions reconsidered, the report said. This oversight of overseas productions which formed the major proportion of television programme material broadcast, provided the corporations with a reference standard to use in their own locally produced programmes, which were not subject to council censorship. During the year broadcasting council staff pro-

cessed 6531 programmes and classified them as follows:— “U” (for showing at any time), 5177. “L” (for showing from 7.30 p.m.), 1141. “A” (for showing from 8.30 p.m. on), 180. “S” (for showing usually at

a later time than “A”), 33. “With the continuing shift in public attitudes and the infinite variety of opinions as to what should or should not be acceptable fare on television screens, the censorship and classification function is not easy to discharge to everybody’s satisfaction,” the report said. “The context in Which any apparent questionable material is shown and the maxim that television reflects but does not lead public attitudes are two important principles in making decisions in this area.” The report said the complaints review committee heard one complaint during the year and held an informal meeting. The complaint alleged unfair and misleading remarks by a TVI commentator in his weekly critique of the press. The committee upheld the complaint. The average weeklyreadership of the “New Zealand Listener” rose by 78,994 to reach 219.027 during the year ended March 31.