Radio reprieve

Press, 29 October 1981, Page 20

Radio reprieve

Many New Zealand radio listeners will have been cheered by the news that the British Government has been dissuaded from cutting the budget of the 8.8. C. as savagely as it. first intended. The revised decision means that familiar and valued programmes will still reach listeners in this country. An appropriate gesture, and one which would assist the B.BU. itself to restore its funds, might be made by the Broadcasting Corporation of New Zealand by offering to foot more of the bill for providing the services to this country than it does at present. ■ „ '

To the extent that recorded radio programmes are overseas “propaganda” for the country that issues them they hardly qualify for payment. The 8.8. C. is, of course, far more than a propaganda arm of the British Government. The corporation disseminates ideas and culture, even an idea of culture, which go- far’beyond any selling of Britain in a crude or political sense. Between the goal of. thefßritish, to ensure that the art, culture, and thought of Britain remain influential throughout the world, and the interest of listeners in such countries as New Zealand in hearing programmes of a variety and quality which could not be attained locally, there is a happy coincidence that Radio New Zealand has been sensible to exploit. Radio New Zealand pays something already for the services it receives; but at $BO,OOO a year for about 100 hours of programmes a week, New Zealand gets a bargain in broadcast time alone. Radio New Zealand could safely pay more to help

the 8.8. C. to justify the continuation of the services and still not incur anything like the expense of making similar programmes of a comparable quality in New Zealand. The British Government may feel that it is appropriate to help the broadcasting systems of poorer countries, in a form of disguised overseas aid, by providing services far below cost. It may equally feel that such countries as New Zealand do not need aid.

The British Government, it should be remembered, was attempting to reallocate the limited funds it could make available for the 8.8.C.’s external services, to ensure that the widest possible audience. had opportunities to hear the most important programmes." If the flow of letters and messages' from New Zealand that apparently 1 helped to change the British Government’s mind, were followed by a willingness to pay more, everyone might get a better deal/ -, . ' f

The quality of many of the programmes obtained for rebroadcasting in New Zealand discredits the argument, that it would be desirable for New Zealand to wean itself entirely from programmes emanating from the other side of the world and look to its own culture and resources for material to fill all transmission time. The sums paid for programmes secured from the 8.8. C. and the time that the&e consume do not starve local productions of either funds or air time. Indeed, the imported programmes provide stimulating competition for local producers as. well'as a healthy variety for listeners.