BROADCASTING POLICY.

Manawatu Standard, Volume LIV, Issue 304, 21 November 1934, Page 2

BROADCASTING POLICY.

CONTROVERSIAL TOPICS. BOARD’S DIFFICULTIES. CHRISTCHURCH, Nov. 20. “We have often been criticised for not broadcasting talks on controversial subjects, but few realise how difficult it is to select suitable subjects and speakers,” said Mr L. R. C. Macfarlane South Island member of the New Zealand Broadcasting Board, during an address to the Christchurch Businessmen’s Club. ‘‘We wish we could find them,” Mr Macfarlane added. Mr W. J. Hunter said later that he understood there Was a definite rule that controversial topics were not permitted over the air. Mr Hunter considered that ordinary people did not exercise themselves enough in controversy. They were generally content to leave it to academic people. All the recent trouble had resulted from outspoken speeches by academic men who believed themselves capable of talking on all subjects. A professor should feel that anything he said in public must be well considered. “We cannot always exclude the discussion of controversial topics over the radio,” said Mr Hunter. “When an important subject arises I, for one, should like to hear speeches for and against and from every angle.” Mr Macfarlane indicated that the Broadcasting Board had arranged for the broadcast of a series of speeches by some of Britain’s leading speakers on the subject, “Will There Be War?” These, he added, should satisfy listeners’ ' needs in this direction for some time.