EMPIRE BROADCASTING

Otago Daily Times, Issue 23201, 27 May 1937, Page 9

EMPIRE BROADCASTING

AN ALLY- OF JOURNALISM SiR JOHN REiTH'-S VIEWS LONDON, May 25. Sir John Reith, addressing the Empire Press Union, indicated that he could talk more freely when he left the Broadcasting Corporation. It meant much that the Empire programmes enabled Big; Ben to be heard throughout the Empire. These programmes were specially devised, and were not merely overflows from British programmes. They went out 17 hours a day, but owing to novel problems of shortwave broadcasting to oversea countries it was impossible to prophesy definite continuance. He did not think the dominions' broadcasting organisations were jealous. Wireless news bulletins were at first opposed, but now they were accepted everywhere. How long could anybody withhold vital news? The Empire bulletins gave a taste of the news, but nobody within reach of a newspaper would remain content with that. Europe was at present in a tremendous state. Every mutilated division of it looked to England for information and courage. They must look to politicians for courage, hoping, not very hopefully, for the best information which interested both the press and the Broadcasting Corporation. The press prided itself on its freedom. He doubted whether there was any freedom which should not bt conditioned by moral responsibility or otherwise. The New Zealand Government had taken over broadcasting, but it retained much of its former freedom and independence, whereas in Germany, Italy, and Russia broadcasting was the mouthpiece of the State-controlled press, and controlled broadcasting meant biased, tainted, and censored news. It was harder to exercise unscrupulous influences when reading was also,listening. Public broadcasting was the ally of honourable journalism. The more the press cared for the Empire the more it could help in perfecting the Empire broadcasting service. Sir Arthur Willert spoke on the noxious forms of foreign propaganda broadcasting. Sir Stanley Reed said Italian propaganda must defeat itself by its very violence and unreason.