Election advertisements ‘not discussed’ with party

Press, 26 May 1984, Page 7

Election advertisements ‘not discussed’ with party

PA Wellington The Broadcasting Corporation has confirmed that it had not consulted the New Zealand Party for its views about political advertising on television. The party has protested against the corporation’s decision that the amount of advertising should not increase for this election. The party’s president. Mr Malcolm McDonald said his party had intended to buy television time to ensure it ran as much advertising as Labour and National. The corporation’s chairman, Mr lan Cross, said that the board had consulted the main political parties and considered there was no demand, to extend television’s political advertising. The corporation’s public

affairs manager, Mr Charles Martin, said only “previous election parties” — National, Labour and Social Credit — had been consulted. Mr McDonald said that his party might initiate legal action over the decision, once it knew how much free time had been allocated. If TVNZ intended to "ban political advertising and simultaneously allocated greater free time to Labour and National than it did to the New Zealand Party then it was abrogating its responsibilities to ensure a democratic, fair and equal presentation of alternative policies,” he said. The same restricted form of advertising as at the last election, mainly advising

the date, time and place of meetings, will be available. More paid advertising by political parties or independent candidates will be accepted by Radio New Zealand during the official campaign, in the month leading to polling day. It decided to guarantee each party or independent candidate 10 30-second placements between 6 a.m. and 7 p.m. each day during the campaign for advertising on networks or local community stations. "The parties may elect to buy this or not, as they see fit,” Mr Cross said. The matter of allocation of free time on radio and television during the official campaign period would be announced later, he said.