Air N.Z. head deplores radio reconstructions

Press, 21 June 1980, Page 6

Air N.Z. head deplores radio reconstructions

Air New Zealand’s -chic ! executive (Mr M. R. Davis I has criticised radio recor istructions of conversation i: : the cockpit of the DCIO tha crashed on Mount Erebus. He said in Auckland yesterday that the report ’ were “most unseemly’’ for relatives of the 237 passen gers and 20 crew member: who were killed in tb crash. The reconstruction die not give a true resemblanc, of cockpit atmosphere am he was “personally dis gusted’’ at the way thing, had been handled. Reconstructions, using different voices to read thi transcript of the final min utes as contained in the re port of the Chief Lnspectoi of Air Accidents (Mr R Chippindale) were broadcas by Radio New Zealand, Tele vision New Zealand, and a least one private radio station. Mr Davis said Air New Zealand would not make anj comment on the report unti. the Royal Commission of Inquiry into the accident started on July 7. The report which he described as “quite technical, quite complex.’’ was being studied by technical experts. “It will be some time before we come to any significant conclusions on this evidence,” Mr Davis said. “It is evidence that will be subject to cross-examination.” The Christchurch district

, manager of Radio New Zealand (Mr E. G. Rowell) has '.replied that the reconstruction was probably the only way radio had of presenting the information. “It was done in an unemotional way without any attempt to ■dramatise the situation,” he said. Mr Rowell said he thought the public had a right to hear the information, and that no legitimate criticism could be aimed at radio. No adverse reaction had been received by the station. The radio construction was a re-creation of the cockpit scene before the crash. Different people took the parts of the men involved and timing was compressed to fit within the bounds of a news broadcast. Television New Zealand used the radio construction for its news broadcasts. Radio Avon used a second voice for actual quotes, but the station has dissociated itself from the criticisms made by Mr Davis. Avon’s news editor (Mr Tom Clark) said that his station’s tape had been played on Radio Pacific and heard by Mr Davis. The subsequent criticisms, he said, had been made specifically at Radio New Zealand. . Radio Avon had received two telephone calls, both congratulating the station on its coverage.