WAR SERVICE OF THE B.B.C.

Timaru Herald, Volume CLIII, Issue 22476, 11 January 1943, Page 4

WAR SERVICE OF THE B.B.C.

Truth Is Guiding Principle Fight Against Enemy Propaganda Truth is the guiding principle of the British Broadcasting Corporation, Mr N. C. Tritton, representative of the 8.8. C., who is at present in New Zealand, told listeners last evening in a broadcast talk entitled, “The B. B. C. at War.” News, broadcast by the 8.8. C., was confined to facts and commentaries were given for the sole purpose of creating a proper understanding of the news. When war was declared the B. B. C. was ordered to “ battle stations ” and had remained on the air ever since. There was a job to be done and it had been done, continued Mr Tritton. Units were distributed ail over England and although Broadcasting House had been bombed, equipment smashed, programmes lost and persons killed in the building, the B. B. C. never ' ent off the air. They had three tasks: to maintain a regular and complete news service to the world, to combat enemy propaganda and to create inspiration and hope among the conquered nations, said Mr Tritton. Before the war broadcasts were made in nine languages, now they were made in more than 45 languages. Four overseas services, the Empire service, the Near East service, the Latin-America service and the European service were maintained and in these services British aims and view’s were explained. He emphasised the task set the B. B. C. in broadcasting the news, mentioning that more than 100 news bulletins were issued each day. In combating enemy propaganda the B. B. C. employed dozens of listening posts which listened constantly day and night to more than a million words every 24 hours. As each statement was received it was studied and the answer went back from the 8.8. C. “Listeners are the Masters” “ Broadcasting House is a vast institution," continued the speaker, after describing the large staff of technicians, artists, announcers and those who arranged the programmes, “but the listeners are the masters. Nobody wants a public meeting .' i his sittingroom. Each speaker is a guest and if you do not like him you can turn him off. “ There is nothing more heartening than to receive a letter from a listener more than 13,000 miles away,” he said. Suggestions were welcome and the reason for his visit to New Zealand was to collect the views of listeners in this country. ■ The people of New Zealand were interested in events in the South-West Pacific and in their men and women overseas, but all news had to be given in world perspective. They could not tell one section not to listen as the news was for someone else. They had to remember in each programme that they were talking to anyone everywhere. Every day 800 listeners, a crosssection of the public in England, were interviewed on their ideas and what they liked in a radio programme, and the results were tabulated. Reports were made on every person in all walks of life. “ AU this work is carried out for the home service, so you can understand how much we need the help of you who are so far away. “No matter what lies before us, the 8.8. C. programmes will continue,” Mr Tritton concluded. While the war continued the enemy and his propaganda had to be beaten and the news services had to be maintained, and when victory was ours the B. B. C. had a duty in helping to lay the foundations of civilisation.