RADIO PROGRAMMES

Dominion, Volume 24, Issue 150, 21 March 1931, Page 7

RADIO PROGRAMMES

Charge of Political Bias 8.8. C. ANSWERS CRITICISM (Ree. March 20, 5.5 p.m.) British Wireless Rugby, March 19. The programmes of the British Broadcasting Corporation were the subject of comment in both Houses of Parliament. In the House of Lords, Lord Radnor referred to the phenomenal popularity of broadcasting, and said that there were now 3.500.000 licensed receiving stations in Britain. He thought the corporation had done its work well, but he criticised what he described as the tendency to introduce political bias. Lord Crawford said that critics of the British broadcast programmes should compare them with those of other countries. No country enjoyed more varied programmes of entertainment and education, and nowhere were there more remarkable men contributing the best of their knowledge to broadcasting. Lord Gainford, acting-chairman of the corporation, said they prepared programmes to give a maximum of interest and entertainment. He declared that there was no justification for the charges of bias or propaganda. Lord Ponsonby, for the Government, eaid the debate showed that there was very little real criticism of the programmes. The Government would continue the policy of its predecessors. The policy of the corporation would be kept free from Government control.