TV and its effects

Press, 20 October 1981, Page 21

TV and its effects

Television is the form of political advertising that has sparked most criticism Mrs Margaret Murray, the National candidate tor Yaldhurst. led the way in using television in this year's General Election. She was followed locally by the National candidate for Papanui, Mr Brian keeley. and Labour's Rangiora candidate. Mr Chris Hayward. Criticism of the use of television has been made on the basis that it is an attempt by candidates to buy" their way into a seat: that it makes a farce of the $4OOO spending limit; and that it would open a floodgate of political advertising on television.

Much of the criticism of television advertising comes from a belief in the power of television over other forms of advertising

The truth of this may be decided by the outcome of the election However, Mr Mcßobie, wno has conducted a survey in Yaldhurst with Christchurch Teachers' Training College students, believes television has only a superficial effect.

While 47 per cent of those surveyed remembered seeing a television advertisement for Mrs Murray, few could remember more than vague details about her. Pamphlets, which had been seen by 32 per cent of the people surveyed. had a more lasting

effect, especially among National supporters Mr Bill McKean, the regional sales manager tor the Broadcasting Corporation of New Zealand, says that Mrs Murray s auvertisemeni was a test case for local television authorities.

Before being screened, it was checked against the corporanon s own rule on political advertising and the three-month spending limit. The rule allows for advertisements on benalf of candidates for public meetings and addresses. The advertisement . must be confined to the date. time, place, and subject of the meeting, and the candidate’s name Candidates mav also advertise tneir availability to the public.

Mr McKean says that advertisements on regional television are not all that expensive. It is national television that is cosily.

Estimates for the cost of eacb screening range from $4B for 10 seconds in off-peak time to $2BO for 20 seconds in prime viewing time Package deals are also available. Mr Hayward savs that 40 television advertisements screened over tnree weeks in August cost about $2OOO Mr Keeley says his 10 aovertisemenis cost about $lO5O. including $lOO for the cost of making the advertisement.

Mrs Murray will not reveal how much sne has

spent on television advertising She used television extensively oeiore the threemonth period started and has used it since. Sne says that television advertisements run in the final three months will come within the $4OOO spending limit.

“What we are basically trying to do in television advertisements is. to put across an awareness, getting the candidate's name known. It is not trying,to sell a package We are not in the soap powder market or the toothpaste business." he says.

Making the candidates' names known is always a top priority in election campaigns’ This year it is even more important because parties will not appear alongside the names on ballot papers.

The party spokesman agree with Mr Mcßobie tnat the nation-wide campaigns run by the parties are of primary importance because most New Zealanders continue to vote on party lines.

Neither National nor Labour will reveal how much money they have for their nation-wide campaigns, Mr Arps says Labour would reveal the amount if the oilier parties did Mr Johnstone says otner parties have no idea of how much National has and that its colters contain nowhere near the rumoured $1.6 million Social Credit, on the other hand, proudly announced at

its recent conference that the Beetham-Dwyer Foundation was nearing its $1 million target.

Mr Wright says that the Social Credit money has come from 2000 or 3uoo substantial donations. About $600,000 was raised among the party’s members and supporters and $300,000 came from small and mediumsized businesses.

It is an open secret, however, that Social Credit does not plan to spend all its nest egg on this election. One reason for this is the chance that another election could be called before 1984.

Predictably, the parties are critical of each other's campaigns. “National is making up for the work that has not been done in the last couple of years. It is almost an arrogance that you can neglect your electorate work for two years and then make up tor it by spending a lot of money." Mr Wright says. Mr Arps accuses National of having a "simplistic" approach in campaigning, saying it spends a lot of moneyon superficial glossy advertising Labour, he adds, prefers to advertise hard policy.

Mr Johnstone, says that National candidates opt tor the personal approach. They are limited only by time in the number of constituents they can meet during a campaign.