PERMISSION REFUSED

Otago Daily Times, Issue 23220, 18 June 1937, Page 10

PERMISSION REFUSED

ANNOUNCEMENT OVER RADIO MINISTER'S FIRM STAND A definite refusal has been given by the Acting Minister of Broadcasting (Mr F. Jones) to a request by the Otago Radio Listeners" League that the date of its adjourned annual meeting should be announced over the air. It was pointed out to the Minister that the announcement would not constitute advertising as defined in the Broadcasting Amendment Act, 1936, but in spite of that he definitely refused permission for the notice to be broadcast as it was not considered suitable.

Mr H. Booth, secretary of the Listeners' League, stated yesterday that he had telegraphed the Minister asking for permission for the announcement to be made from either 4YA or the B stations. In an answering telegram the Minister replied that it was not possible to comply with the request as transmissions of advertisements from either YA or B stations was expressly prohibited under last year's Broadcasting Act. Mr Booth telegraphed again pointing out that section 14 of the Act prohibited advertising only for pecuniary benefit, and the announcement which it was desired to make was not for the pecuniary benefit of anyone. It was merely notice of a meeting to be held. To this the Minister replied, "Notwithstanding your views, not considered suitable."

It is provided in section 14 of the Act that no programme or part of a programme intended to serve as an advertisement for the pecuniary benefit of any person shiall be transmitted from any broadcasting station except the commercial stations Notwithstanding the ; fact that no. one would derive pecuniary gain from the announcement of the date of the adjourned annual meeting, nermission had been definitely refused by the Minister.