Radio alleges censorship

Press, 1 April 1989, Page 9

Radio alleges censorship

PA Auckland Tougher penalties proposed for infringements by the radio industry have been described as censorship.

Provisions in the Broadcasting Bill allow the Broadcasting Standards Authority to put a station off the air for 24 hours or to impose a fine of up to $lOO,OOO for breaches of a code of good behaviour. The Bill, according to Radio New Zealand and the Independent Broadcasters’ Association, seeks to over-regulate and penalise their industry. “The penalties are extraordinary and amount to censorship,” they told the parliamentary planning and development select committee in Auckland yesterday. A fine of $lOO,OOO represented the loss of more than a year’s profit for most commercial radio stations, the broadcasters said.

Putting a radio station

off the air for a day would cost an average of $6OOO in income, or, for a television station, between $200,000 and $300,000, they said. “It is conceivable that the penalty could be greater than a District Court could impose.” The penalty for not complying with an order by the authority was “extraordinarily severe.”

The broadcasters added: “It is difficult to think of any equivalent size of Industry penalty.” They suggested a $5OOO maximum.

The broadcasters said there would be an effect on the public if a station was forced off the air.

“For the elderly, in particular, broadcasting services are expected as much as water and power. To withdraw programmes would be a disservice to the public. To dislodge carefully planned advertising campaigns would result in severe revenue losses by business firms.