‘Listener’ struggle ahead, says Mr Cross

Press, 4 February 1982, Page 1

‘Listener’ struggle ahead, says Mr Cross

The Broadcasting Corporation would resist any attempts by the Government to remove the “Listener” magazine’s exclusive pro-gramme-publishing rights, said the corporation’s chairman (Mr lan Cross) last evening.

The Government caucus decided yesterday that the magazine’s programme information should be available to anyone. The Prime Minister (Mr Muldoon) said yesterday that caucus had resolved “that the corporation be directed to make this programme material available at reasonable cost to anyone who wants it.” “We believe it can be done by a simple direction under the Broadcasting Act by the Minister to the corporation,” he said. But Mr Cross said the corporation would use “every legal means at its disposal” to fight the move. Just because caucus had decided it should happen did not mean that it would, said Mr Cross. “This is just the first move. The whole thing will have to be tested on legal grounds before the issue is settled.” Mr Cross said the Government would probably not proceed with the move once it realised its implications. The. caucus decision asked the Government to strip the independent corporation of its property rights and possibly make it violate international copyright laws. “I do not see that the Government can tell us what to do with our own property,” he said. “If it does it might as well'turn us into a State department.” . Mr Muldoon said last November that he intended to take the question of the programme “monopoly” to his caucus. Speaking then at the Christchurch Media Club he said: “I certainly intend to [jut it to my caucus coleagues after the election that we take from (the “Listener”) this programme monopoly which gives them this massive circulation which enables them to prom-

5 ulgate this trendy-lefty 5 material.” But Mr Cross said he did. ■ not think the caucus decision was an example of Mr Mul- ‘ doon trying to “get at” the - magazine. i I ■ “My experience with Mr ‘ Muldoon is that he comes at you publicly and in the open and does not try and use around-the-corner methods. “This would represent an indirect and covert attack ; and this would seem to me to be entirely out of character,” ’ said Mr Cross. ! Mr Muldoon said on Mon- \ day that the corporation had put a better case for the retention of its monopoly [ than private sector radio and newspapers had for the loss ' of it, but this had not held sway in caucus. '■ Mr Cross said he believed [ the caucus decision resulted ‘ from private enterprise pres- ! sure on caucus members. He was sure the Minister of Broadcasting (Dr Shearer) - was against the decision. Asked if loss of its pro- [ gramme publishing rights j would damage the “Lis- [ tener’s” circulation, Mr Cross . said it would, but that was . not the corporation’s biggest concern. > The biggest concern was t that information about the - corporation’s “lifeblood,” its t programmes, be given the i benefit of high editorial standards instead of being t “paraded like turf gossip.” 1 Mr Cross said the only j strong argument for the re- ) moval of the magazine’s rights would be if the in- > formation was not published j adequately, and “ho-one has > ever questioned that.” “That is because, through i the ‘Listener’ and through - daily newspapers. New Zea- ; land has the information i published better than anyi where else in the world.!’ Under the new regulation

any publisher would be able to buy programme material at a cost the Minister of Broadcasting decided was reasonable. The editor of “The Listener,” Mr Peter Stewart, said last evening that he would not comment on what effect the loss of exclusive advanced programme publishing rights would have on the magazine. “There is no point in my saying anything because it is hypothetical,” said Mr Stewart. “It has not happened.” The matter was in the hands of the corporation because it owned the copyright. Mr Stewart said he would stay out of it. Asked yesterday if the magazine’s circulation would drop, Mr Muldoon said that it no doubt would, but that it would “survive.” Its.circulation and advertising revenue had increased greatly in recent years. The caucus had in mind the hotelier or motelier who, as in other countries, wanted to place a list of programmes in a room, but was not able to do so now without placing a copy of the “Listener,” he said. Under the new regulation any publisher would be able

to buy programme material. Asked if the Government had been influenced in its decision by submissions from private radio or newspapers, Mr Muldoon said he was not aware of any submissions. He did not know of any group or individual which was planning a new broadcasting publication.

The leader of the Opposition (Mr Rowling) said the decision was a “political” one that had come about after considerable pressure from other news media. “It has a smell about it which you do not need sharp nostrils to detect,” said Mr Rowling.