Behaviour delaying third channel

Press, 17 November 1987, Page 8

Behaviour delaying third channel

PA Wellington The managing director of TV3, Mr Tom Parkinson, says the Broadcasting Corporation’s behaviour in delaying the channel’s start is "a public scandal.” The Broadcasting Corporation and the Maori applicant, Aotearoa Broadcast Systems (A. 8.5. have appealed to the High Court opposing the granting of the third channel warrant to TV3. Mr Parkinson said yesterday that not only was the Broadcasting Corporation not a channel applicant but that it has not yet decided the grounds on which it is appealing against the Broadcasting Tribunal’s granting of the warrant to TV3. Mr Parkinson said the corporation was not only prolonging the appeals procedure — which is delaying the introduction of the third chan#fel —

but spending public licence money on legal bills. “Audience levels are dropping and there is widespread discontent with TVNZ’s programming policies. If TVNZ really wanted to win audience affection and loyalty it would be putting its time and money into relevant and exciting television programmes, not into costly legal procedures,” said Mr Parkinson. He said that the corporation was going to need an increase in the television licence fee to pay the legal bills it was now incurring. The High Court case could drag on for months. The corporation has until December 1 before it — and A.B.S. — have to submit detailed submissions on their reasons for appealing against TV3’s winning of the warrant.