Radio Hauraki slated

Press, 12 July 1980, Page 7

Radio Hauraki slated

PA Auckland Radio Hauraki has been accused of breaching the terms of its licence by providing an inadequate news service. The allegation was made at a Broadcasting Tribunal hearing of an application by Hauraki Enterprises, Ltd, for a renewal of its licence for a further five years. The tribunal, chaired by Mr B. H. Slane, heard submissions in support of the application by the managing director of Hauraki Enterprises (Mr D. S. R. Lowe). Objecting to the application were Radio Pacific and Wilson and Horton, Ltd, proprietor of the ‘New Zealand Herald.” Mr Lowe said Radio Hauraki was first granted a licence in 1970. It was primarily a music station aimed at the age-group, 20 to 34. The station had a news staff of eight journalists.

Although 21 journalists had been employed in 1970, news bulletins were then being produced 24 hours a day. The station now provided news from 6 p.m. to 5.30 a.m. In 1970. the station spent 20 per cent to 25 per cent of its budget on news. Now it spent about 9 per cent on its information service. Under cross-examination by Mr A. R. Galbraith, for Wilson and Horton. Mr Lowe said that Radio Hauraki recognised its oublic responsibility to provide an accurate and uu-to-date news service. He said he did not consider newspapers to be in comoetition in the field of news. The function of radio news services was to present headlines. He did not feel the reduction of news staff had resulted in stories presented on Radio Hauraki being rewritten from newspaoers. Mr G. W. J. Dryden.

managing, director of Radio Pacific, said he was concerned that all licenceholders should be . equal under the law and that thev should all carry out the terms of their licence. He said Radio Hauraki was not devoting as much time, effort,- and expertise to its information service as to its entertainment. That constituted a breach of a major provision of its warrant.

Mr Dryden said Radio Hauraki felt that making a huge profit was more imoorrant than providing a genuine alternative news service.

Mr Galbraith said it was hard to avoid the suggestion that Radio Hauraki had reduced its news staff in pursuit of profits.

He said Wilson and Horton considered that “pirating” of stories had been taking place from newspapers without attribution and without checking sources.