‘Golf used in bid for higher TV licences’

Press, 16 July 1979, Page 2

‘Golf used in bid for higher TV licences’

Wellington reporter i - I, The Broadcasting Corpor-j ation has been accused of'l using golf as a lever to ' prise higher television li-;J cence fees from a reluctant Government. A meeting of the council of the Golf Association; made this assertion after the; decision by the Broadcasting! Corporation not to provide l live television coverage of' the New Zealand Open Golt Championship, which will be; played at the 3t. Clair! course in Dunedin from December 6 to 9. The council meeting con-; sidered the matter in com-; mittee, but afterwards itj sent the text of a resolution to the Prime Minister (Mr,, Muldoon), the Minister of-. Broadcasting (Mr Ten.ple-> ( ton\ all members of Parliament, the chairman of the;. Broadcasting Council (Mr/ lan Cross), and the direct-ors-general of the two television networks. The Golf Council said that' it was departing reluctantly’ from its general policy of ' avoiding participation in political issues under public i debate. Initial refusal toh televise the open champion-' ship at Wanganui in 1978 had been reversed after an outcry which caused political intervention. “Apparently, the Broadcasting Corporation anticipates a similar reaction to; its decision this year, and wants to use this as a lever in its attempts to secure ap-' proval from the Government! for higher licence fees,” said the Golf Council. “Daily aspects of tele-1

i vision services obviously, waste equipment and staff; time, and it is unacceptable ( that sports coverage, which) has wide appeal should bei one of the first items to bel cut back. “The only conclusion is) I that the move is politically motivated." The Golf Council said that 'it was difficult to accept ; that coverage of a sign-! iificant local event in Decern-j ber was too expensive, when; live satellite transmission of) (such events as the recent! I r e 1 a n d-Australia rugby i union international was! offered. When the question of tele-1 vising the Otago Charity! Golf Classic in November,! 1978, had arisen, Mr Temple-1 ton had told the Golf Coun-j • cil that the application had; (been declined because the Open and the Air New Zea- ' land-Shell tournaments were already being televised. ( However, Mr Templeton j had also said: “While your point about lack of coverage of South Island golf tournaments is noted, it should be remembered that Dunedin 'will be the venue for next year’s Open, and this would be expected to take its usual (priority in golf coverage.” The Golf Council said that! this statement made non-| sense of the Broadcasting; Corporation’s assertion that j it was unable to afford to: televise the 1979 Open, and; made a farce of its bud-! geting for expenditure on the televising of big sports events. The council has supported; 'the association’s sponsor,' which has refused to pay $lO,OOO to ensure coverage I of the Open, and noted that

last year it had been told it! would be improper for the!, ! television service to accept I money for providing cov-V ierage of the event. Another argument rejected! Iby the council was that in-! sufficient viewer interest! existed in golf coverage. Im-i ported golf films had been! shown regularly some years) ago, generating an unprece-i (dented interest in the game! (throughout New Zealand. ! | Efforts to get some guid-| lance to help plan future! (venues for the Open cham-j i pionship, to ensure tele-j (vision coverage, had drawn! (conflicting statements from (Broadcasting Corporation; 'officers, the council said.! (Obviously it was preferable; [to play the Open on the best (available courses, but the (council had been told to confine the event to the main centres, which apparently excluded Dunedin. However, Mr Cross had said on July 18, 1978, in connection with that year’s venue at Wanganui: “In such exceptional circumstances, public broadcasting must put valid regional claims ahead of its own financial considerations.” The Broadcasting Corporation's decision could only (alienate many people who (were entitled to expect more I from public expenditure on television, said the council. I The Open championship ■ was the premier event of !the golfing calendar and of; I wide interest, not just to New Zealand’s 150,000 gol-j Ifers but to at least an equal; (number of casual players 'and other interested people. '