Radio N.Z. policy

Press, 18 April 1980, Page 12

Radio N.Z. policy

Sir, — I was surprised to hear Mr Doug Bruce, a sports, announcer employed by Radio New Zealand, on Saturday, while discussing the Lions tour of South Africa, supporting the Springboks’ attempt to tour New Zealand in .1981 and attacking anti-apartheid protesters. Could the Director of Sports for Radio New Zealand advise whether it is policy to allow employees to support publicly a system that the world has condemned? Surely Radio New Zealand should, as a minimum, have a policy similar to the Olympic Federation, whereas teams from South Africa, despite the cosmetic improvements of the last few years, still belong to a racist system. The New Zealand Government has “no politics in sport” as its policy. Therefore, it cannot condone a visit of a team from a country whose laws are based on superiority of race and are part of the sports sj'stem. — Yours, etc., M. O’NEILL. April 6, 1980. |Mr Geoffrey Harte, Radio New Zealand controller of news and sport, replies: “Your correspondent read more into the broadcast than was intended, presumably because Mr Bruce is a former international rugby player of distinction. The tenor of the report was to discuss the prospects of the Lions’ visit to South Africa and the view was offered that the Springboks may well come here next year. This does not reflect the view of Radio New Zealand, but that of a sports specialist offering informed comment on the programme.”]