Advance TV list withheld

Press, 10 June 1977, Page 4

Advance TV list withheld

i PA Wellington ' The chairman of the Broad- ! casting Corporation (Mr I. R. I Cross) confirmed yesterday that a blackout had been ordered on all advance tele-j vision programme informa-1 tion to newspapers. He said it would remain in! force until all newspapers! assured the corporation in writing that they would abide) by the copyright rules relat-j ing to publication of pro-i gramme information.

Mr Cross described it as a “sad and distasteful” situation but said the corporation had no legal alternative. At present, daily newspapers depend on “press kits” issued by the two tele-j vision services for much of I the information on their: television pages. Under the blackout direri tive issued by the directors-, 1 general of the two services,) these kits will now not be available.

Both TV channels employ! publicity sections to prepare! and dispatch the press kits.! Television One has a staff of ; four to do the job and three 1 are employed at TV2.

Mr Cross said that the directive had been issued as a result of a unanimous decision of the board of the corporation on Wednesday.

The situation had been imposed on the corporation by the activities of one publication. He hoped that it would be tidied up “very quickly indeed.” j

A publication which featured the advertising of massage parlours was not an appropriate place to print television programmes, said Mr Cross. The comment was a clear reference to the weekly newspaper, "Truth.” The corporation is taking legal action seeking a permanent injunction to prevent “Truth” from publishing television programmes a week in advance. A motion for an interim injunction was dismissed by Mr Justice Ongley in the Supreme Court, at Wellington on 'Wednesday. In its Court action, the corporation is claiming that “Truth” is breaching copyright in publishing programmes a week in advance. When questioned about his comment yesterday, Mr Cross said that he was concerned about the moral issue as well as the copyright issue. He said that television programmes should be published where anybody, even young children, could read them. A publication with advertising for massage parlours was “not appropriate.” he said. A “Truth” reporter at the press conference said that massage parlours were advertised in both Wellington daily newspapers, the “Dominion” and the “Evening Post.” Mr Cross said that he was not aware of that.