Question for B.C.N.Z.

Press, 9 December 1981, Page 24

Question for B.C.N.Z.

Sir.—l should like to ask the Broadcasting Corporation, through your columns', to explain two repeated errors. The first is the persistent pronunciation of “Sinai” as “Simai”. This occurs in both/radio and

television newscasts. In the latter, I have twice heard the reader mispronounce tne word at the very moment when it was correctly captioned on screen. My second question concerns the technical standards set for advertising on television. Tne British Airways advertisement whicn is frequently screened during the 6.3 u p.m. news, has its sound ana picture seriously out of synchronisation I accept that it was probably received by the corporation like this, but contend that no professional television network would set such low standards in technical requirements as to allow such an incompetent piece of filmmaking to oe screened. 1 would like the corporations reaction to these criticisms ano hope that it will cake steps to correct these two matters — Yours, etc., RUPERT GRaNVILLE GLOVER. Former producer, National Film Board of Canada and■ Canadian Broadcasting Corporation. November 4, 1981. \ [Mr Charles Martin. Public Affairs Manager for the 8.C.N.Z., replies: “The corporation is not in error with its recommended trisyllabic pronunciation of Sinai. The fourteen references winch support this include the Shorter, Illustrated and Concise Oxford dictionaries, the 8.8. C., the A.8.C., the Cyclopedic Bible Concordance, Daniel Jones English Pronunciation dictionary, and the New Zealand Zionist Association. Websters and Chambers, two American dictionaries, are on the side of your correspondent, but our support is overwhelming by comparison. We have not received any other complaints about the advertisement, referred to, but your correspondent’s comments will be referred to our advertising and technical people: for tneir information. If he is a former member of the C.B.C. staff he will be familiar with the corporation’s international reputation for high technical standards.”]