TV listings law to change

Press, 4 March 1982, Page 1

TV listings law to change

PA Wellington The Government will press ahead with changing, the law to allow it to force the “Listener” to make television programme listings widely available and to change the complaints system. The Prime Minister (Mr Muldoon) said after the National Party caucus yesterday that a plan to end the system of the corporation censoring its own films and programmes had been rejected by the caucus, however. The legislation will define all areas of broadcasting where the Minister of Broad-, casting does not have the power to direct the Corporation, allowing him direction in all other areas. The “no-go” areas will include programme content and staff matters. “What we are proposing is that we will draft an amendment (to the Broadcasting Act) which very clearly defines areas in which the (Minister may not direct,” Mr Muldoon said. This would include “all those areas where it would be seen to be obnoxious for the Minister to have the power of direction." The law change will also take the adjudication on complaints out of the hands of the corporation itself and give it to an independent tribunal. The present right of appeal to the Broadcasting Tribunal will remain. The proposal to take censorship away from the corporation, perhaps giving it to the Film Censor, had been dropped after the caucus had discussed reports from both the Film Censor and the Broadcasting Corporation.