Railwaymen’s complaint rejected by tribunal

Press, 15 May 1985, Page 24

Railwaymen’s complaint rejected by tribunal

PA Wellington A complaint by the National Union of Railwaymen that the Broadcasting Corporation breached rules of impartiality in an advertising programme in 1984 has been rejected by the Broadcasting Tribunal. The programme in March, 1984, was a message to staff from the Railways Corporation in the form of a statement from its general manager. The Railways Corporation

said the message was made because of the deregulation of the transport industry by the Government, and the proposed release of a study of the corporation by the American consultants, BoozAllen and Hamilton. A letter from the union to the Broadcasting Corporation seeking an opportunity to present its views during the programme was turned down. A complaint by the union to the Broadcasting Complaints Committee was

also turned down. In its complaint to the tribunal the union said the broadcast had important industrial and political implications, and in fairness it required all significant points of view be presented.

The programme was, the union said, a breach of Rule 1.1 requiring broadcasters in the preparation and presentation of programmes “to show balance impartiality and fairness.” However, in turning down the union, the tribunal said the mere fact of including material that was in some degree controversial was not such as to require immediate balancing material in the same programme.

The tribunal said the type of broadcast, with industrial and political overtones was new. The tribunal did not want to see it unduly restricted during development. Nor did the advertising rules, nor the programme rules require absolutely that balance be achieved within the same programme. It did concede industrial relations advertising was a delicate area. The warrant holder had a great responsibility to consider carefully the nature and form of the material being broadcast. The warrant holder had a clear obligation to consider the material intended to be broadcast in this type of programme, it said.