Papers 'soft’ —M.P.

Press, 6 November 1978, Page 6

Papers 'soft’ —M.P.

PA New Plymouth Newspaper companies in New Zealand have been criticised as failing to support investigative reporting: the critic is the Labour Party’s spokesman on justice,! Mr D. R. Lange. Speaking in New Plymouth on Saturday at the annua! Dulux Awards dinner held in conjunction with the New Zealand Journalists' Union' national conference, he said: “The annual reports of the 1 companies make drearv reading. “The recurrent themes are newsprint coSts and supply, technological changes in reproduction, depreciation allowances, and profit. “The reports invariably commence with selfcongratulation on economic management. I have never read one that concerned itself with the philosophy behind the company’s existence, or declared itself for free

dom of journalistic expres-l sion. In fact, one wonders! whether journalists exist except to limit the company’s' profitability.” Mr Lange said that this was because the main news-! papers were published by; 'companies so large and commercial that they were committed to selling processed newsprint as an adjunct to printing. He said that he knew of! no newspaper company chair-j man who had spoken out I i against the provisions of the , IS.T.S. Amendment Act. under which the notes of any working journalist could be] intercepted pursuant to a warrant issued by a politician. “The journalists objected ‘ ro this, but their employers' were fearlessly silent.” Mr; 1 Lange said. A newspaper company had recently asserted that it knew who was behind a large drugtrafficking ring in New Zea-’ land hut did not name those

connected because of the de- ; tarnation laws.. “If the recent report on 1 defamation was enacted it ■ would relieve the press from ] some of its problems,” Mr! Lange said. He said that it was Labour Partv policy to abolish the ! present defamation laws. ! “We are doomed to edii torial blandness at present. ! This blandness comes not be- | cause we do not have the! I journalists capable of produ-i cing good newspapers, but • because the proprietors want] a soft medium in which to! : wrap up their advertising.”! •Mr Lange said. “1 have no fear of, and! ,would welcome, columnists; 'who identified themselves! land firmlv espoused a parti-i 'san position. That we do not! ' have them reflects that advertising and circulation take! priority. : “The threat to the press! • arises from within itself.” Mr: Lange said.