BROADCASTING BILL

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume LXX, 11 June 1936, Page 8

BROADCASTING BILL

BEFORE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL GOVERNMENT ADVERTISING (From • The Mail’s” Parliamentary Reporter) WELLINGTON, This Day. In the Legislative Council this morning the Hon. IVL Fagan moved the second reading of the Broadcasting Bill. He said that although the Broadcasting Board would be abolished, the same people who had carried on the work in the past would continue to carry out the work in the future. The Government had already advertised in die newspapers and on hoardings, and there was no reason why it should not advertise over the air. Dealing with the use of radio as a Government service, the Hon. M. Fagan said that if the necessity arose the" Government unhesitatingly would use the air. However, for every minute used by Government speakers a similar amount of time would be available for opponents of the Government to put their case over the air. He would not say that the press of New Zealand had been unfair. The Government had had all the space it should have had, and had been treated fairly. The Hon. R. Masters said he was not so much concerned with the possible use of the radio by the Government for political propaganda, as with the effect of its policy on the listeners. He was not going to say that the powers taken under the Bill would be used in a dictatorial manner, nor would he prejudice the Government on that point. The Broadcasting Board had given very efficient service and developed the main stations out of revenue solely from the license fees. He condemned the proposal to advertise over the air. He thought that thos countries which’ had advertising would turn it down flat if they had the opportunity. Other members generally supported the measure. The Hon. M. Connelly said that the press had a stranglehold on the minds of the people and the newspapers had had a pretty good time for many years. For that reason the Bill would be for the benefit of the public. The Hon. E. R. Davis urged that the dividends should be allowed to be put over the air. The Hon. T. Bloodworth expressed the opinion that radio would never supplant the newspapers. He said that the circulation of the newspapers had increased during the rise of radio to popularity. The luncheon adournment was taken at this stage.