BROADCASTING POLICY

Evening Star, Issue 22632, 26 April 1937, Page 16

BROADCASTING POLICY

THREAT TO FREE SPEECH “ CAREFULLY-THOUGHT-OUT PLAN " (Contributed by the New Zealand National Party.) The actions of the Socialist Government in regard to radio in general and the B stations in particular demand close scrutiny, says a statement issued by the National Party. As everyone knows, the declared aim of the Government is to control broadcasting in the Dominion, and recent events have shown an equal determination to ensure that New Zealand listeners shall hear nothing detrimental to Socialism, in its most vicious form, from their own radio stations. The Broadcasting Board, which exercised control free from political domination, has been superseded by a director under the control of the Minister of Broadcasting, whose instructions he will have to obey whether he likes it or not; and is there not a danger that this will necessarily develop into Ministers putting their own propaganda over the air and denying their opponents the right to state their case ? Our radio policy seems to be modelled on Russian lines, a system which is being effectively copied in other directions in this country. It has been stated by the Prime Minister that the new highpowered 2YA station will be used to put the Government’s case to the people, who are apparntly to have the Socialist drug injected into their systems so that they may be lulled into a state of false security by a series of specious promises. We have already seen what has occurred in connection with the commercial broadcasting service, a service ostensibly designed to give those desiring it facilities, to advertise over the air, but in reality also destined to serve as a medium for the dissemination of intemperate criticism of the Government’s alleged opponents. We have seen the attempt made by Ministers and by the official organ of the Labour Party to create a psychology hostile to the printed word. The real aim of this is not hard to discover; it is simply a well-thought-out scheme to discredit the Press in favour of radio, which can more easily be prevented from broadcasting anything inimical to the party in power.

The Prime Minister (who, according to a cartoon in Labour’s official organ, is now on his way to show John Bull how to make a better and brighter England), rarely made a speech without launching an attack on the Press. However, a large section of the public had become so used to Mr Savage’s platitudes that his tirades fell rather flat, so it was left to the Director of Com mercial Broadcasting to carry on the great work. For the first time in New Zealand’s history we have the spectacle of a public servant (and one of the most highly paid at that) making political speeches and issuing tirades of abuse, these subsequently proving to have no foundation. The Rev. Mr Scrimgeour said in an interview that he was speaking as an individual, and that' what he said over the air was entirely at his own discretion. He claims to have had Mr Savage’s assurance on that point. Is there any other Civil servant in this country who has the right or would care to use Ins position to say what he likes? The Postmaster-General promised an inquiry into some of the Rev. Mr Scrimgeour’s utterances, but this power behind the throne tells the world that “ I expect Mr Jones had to make such a statement out of courtesy to his inquirers.” If that does not indicate that the Government’s blessing is bestowed upon the Rev. Mr Scrimgeour, and that he feels himself strong enough to defy his Minister, then words mean "nothing. It will be Interesting to see what sort of an inquiry takes place. Another indication of the Government’s plan to control free speech over the air is to be found in the broken election promise to the B stations. These stations are now to be taken over also, and letters have been sent out by the Acting Minister of Broadcasting making- offers for them. The Minister itated that there will be no compulsion -qnd that the Government will not take them over arbitrarily. That statement is not sufficient. The point is this: In the event of their refusing to sell, will ’they receive any State assistance to help them to carry on, and what guarantee will they have that their licenses will be renewed in the event of their refusal to become catspaws and disseminators of Government propaganda? There is one speaker from an Auckland B station who has been a critical thorn in the Government’s side, and it .seems clear that an attempt is going. to be made to remove from the air any possibility of critical examination of the Labour Party’s action in that quarter. _ ■■ Such an intrusion on the liberty of the subject should cause every man and woman in this country _to rise against this throttling of an inherent privilege of British nationals.