RADIO SERIALS

Evening Post, Volume CXXX, Issue 95, 18 October 1940, Page 6

RADIO SERIALS

REQUEST FOR CONTROL

MINISTERIAL OPINION

(Special to the "Evening Post.")

PALMERSTON N., October 16,

Not satisfied with a letter received from the Minister of Broadcasting in reply to representations urging the necessity for stricter censorship of serial matter broadcast, the Wanganui Education Board yesterday decided to communicate with the Hawke's Bay Education Board, which originally raised the matter, suggesting that the subject called for immediate inquiry by the responsible authorities.

In his letter the Minister said that whatever could reasonably be done would continue to be done by the Broadcasting Service. The matter of censoring programmes of a nature so universally appreciated as serials of the type referred to was one of great difficulty. Any drastic action would be likely to cause resentment. He was satisfied that careful attention was paid by the broadcasting service to the need for ensuring that vice was not presented in an attractive form and that no serious conflict with decent behaviour was allowed to go unpunished. Many otherwise attractive programmes were rejected by the service on such grounds as these. It was necessary that the service should continue to consider the legitimate taste of aSI types of listeners. The difficulty could largely be met by parents realising that they have a responsibility in regard to the selection of the most suitable programmes for their children to listen to.

Mr. J. F. R. Wallace said the Minister's reply did not get down to the essence of the matter and he thought the board should not let the matter die. With this view the board concurred.