Mr Couch declines to criticise interviewer

Press, 29 October 1981, Page 3

Mr Couch declines to criticise interviewer

PA Wellington The Minister of Police (Mr Couch) has declined to criticise a television interviewer, lan Fraser, over the controversial “Newsmakers" programme before the Springbok tour.

Commenting in a letter to the Broadcasting Tribunal on a complaint about the programme, Mr Couch says: “I shall not be . wielding any blunt instrument personally.” The Minister also, says he stands by his public statements after the interview, which were designed “to make it safe for Mr. Fraser to walk down dark alleys at night.” The complaint was

brought by a Wairarapa man, Colin Alexander Bell, who alleged that Mr Fraser allowed his own views to prejudice his performance in the interview’ with the Minister.

In its decision, the tribunal said the complaint had been referred to the Broadcasting Corporation which decided the interview’ did not breach the. Broadcasting Act or Television programme rules and standards requirements. The corporation told Mr Bell it could not reconcile his complaint. with the actual performance, and noted that Mr'Couch later said publicly that Mr Fraser had done his job well.

It said that in issues of public concern it was an interviewer’s responsibility to examine subjects in depth, and this was usually done by adopting a “devil’s advocate” approach, which was sometimes misconstrued as bias.

Mr Bell then complained to the tribunal disputing the suggestion that Mr Fraser's role was that of a devil's advocate, but the tribunal has not upheld the complaint.

It said that much of the interview involved reconciling “apparent inconsistencies" between Mr Couch’s stated views with the Government's official position on. the Gleneagles Agreement and the tour.