B.B.C. AND PRESS

Greymouth Evening Star, 20 July 1945, Page 5

B.B.C. AND PRESS

MINISTER’S ESTIMATE LONDON, July 19. “Experience proved the 8.8. C. . hasn’t been, is not, and cannot be impartial on controversial issues, says Mr Ernest Thurtle in his book ot memories and , comments, “Time s Winged Chariot.” . .. Mr. Thurtle, who during the Coalition Government was Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Information, from which the 8.8. C. accepted direction in war matters, thinks the 8.8. C. monopoly should end. He declares its much vaunted objectiveness is greatly exaggerated, and that private interests and prejudices intrude into the programme in a number of directions. Although in theory, the BBC gave equal prominence to all views, it thus provided opportunity for any crypto-proselytiser on the staff to make a great show of giving all sides of the question, yet contriving to weight the scales in accordance with his own inclinations. Mr Thurtle argues that on a newspaper anyone attempting to give a “slant” in articles and news, at variance with editorial policy, would be speedily detected, whereas a person doing a similar thing o.n the 8.8. C. could reasonably count on a long successful run. , Mr. Thurtle turning to the Press deormous power of the Press in a few hands had evil potentialities. He saw for himself while at the Ministry of o Information the power of the Press to make or break particular Ministers. He believed, however, that a. Statecontrolled Press would not remedy the situation.