RADIO

Hawke's Bay Tribune, Volume XXV, Issue 78, 15 March 1935, Page 9

RADIO

SUPERVISION BY BOARD Provisions of Redrafted Bill LISTENERS' REPRESENTATIVES I : [Try Telegraph—Special to “Tribune '] WELLINGTON, Marell 14. Although employing the word “supervision'’ instead of “con- ■ trol” of all programmes transmitted from broadcasting stations and I abandoning specific directions in which over-riding authority could be exercised, the redrafted Broadcasting Amendment Bill as presented to the House of Reprcsen- ! tatives still invests the controlling organisation with the absolute | right to prohibit in whole or in part the transmission of any broadcasting programme. Provision Is made in the amendments conceded by the Minister for the apI pointment to the board of two listeners’ representatives. Under the original measure the board was to have as part of its functions the duty of controlling all transmitted programmes. It will now have the “supervision” of them. To enable it effectively to control programmes it was, under the first draft of th? Bill, empowered to require licensees of broadcasting stations to submit particulars of projected programmes; to prohibit, either absolutely or subject to such conditions as it thought fit to impose, the transmission of any programme or part of it; to require a station licensee to include in or exclude from any p ogran.me any matter specified by the board, to give directions to the licensee regarding the contents, arrangement and presentation of programmes, and report to the Minister any failure to comply with the directions or requirements. The amended Bill takes away from the board all those powers and gives to it instead a comprehensive authority which is expressed in the following

words; For the purpose of supervising all programmes to be transmitted from broadcasting stations the board may prohibit, cither absolutely or subject to such conditions as it thinks fit to impose, the transi mission from any broadcasting station of any programme or part of programme which in its opinion is unsuitable for broadcasting. As a result of this reconstruction the power of the Minister to caned licenses will be exercisable if station licensees fail to comply with the prohibitions’ or conditions respecting their programme imposed by the board and not, as proposed previously, if they did not comply with the directions or requirements of the board. As anticipated, provision is made foi

the appointment of two members of the board from persons nominated by organisations recognised by the Minister as being representative of the holders of receiving licenses. The Government will make the actual appointments. Should no nominations be forthcoming the Government will select such persons as it thinks lit for tho positions. In connection with the transaction of board business by telegram, the Bill provides that assent of five instead of all members be required to make directions and instructions effective. (Discussioi of the Bill appears on pr.g? 6).