CLERGYMAN OPPOSES NEW ARRANGEMENT FOR BROADCASTS.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 18639, 17 December 1928, Page 8

CLERGYMAN OPPOSES NEW ARRANGEMENT FOR BROADCASTS.

REV GARDNER MILLER EXPLAINS REASON FOR RESIGNATION, The reasons for his resignation from the committee set up by the Radio Broadcasting Company to supervise the broadcasting of church services were given by the Rev D. Gardner Miller in response to quee* tions put by a reporter to-day. “ A little over a year ago,” said Mr Miller, “ a committee was set up, consisting of representatives of six denominations, to act in conjunction with the Broadcasting Company, for the arranging of the broadcasting of church i services and also for advising the company on matters that might come within the power of such committee. The Salvation Army did not care to be permanently attached to the committee, while the Roman Catholic Church preferred not to take any part in broadcasting at all. I was elected chairman of the 3YA Church Committee, and have acted in this capacity until last week, when I resigned from the committee owing to my being at variance with its declared policy. “pw the present year we all had equal opportunity for broadcasting, being 4 on the air ’ about once in six weeks, leaving the company free to offer the fifth Sunday in certain months to any denomination not represented on the committee, and which had sent in an application for broadcasting. The company always sought our advice on all requests. Of coufse, l it was distinctly understood that broadcasting must riot be used for denominational propaganda. It was felt by certain members of the committee that an alteration should be made, and so, in August last, it was moved that church broadcasting should be on a basis as near as possible to the census returns.

“ The proposition was put forward that the rota should be: Church of England 16, Presbyterian 14, Methodist 9, Baptist 3, Church of Christ 3, Congregational 3. By the turn over of one vote, this proposition was carried, and arrangements made to bring it into effect at the beginning of 1929.

“No further action was taken until about three weeks ago, when the Broadcasting Company wrote to the committee suggesting that a further consideration should be made as they thought the arrangement entered into would bear hardly on some and asked us to consider the advisability of coming into line with the Auckland Church Committee, the rota of which was: Church of England 12, Presbyterian 11, Methodist 9, Baptist 6, Congregational 6, Church of Christ 4. I, personally, was quite in favour of this arrangement. However, at our meeting last week it was defeated, and the previous arrangement confirmed. It was then felt that a compromise, for the sake of unanimity, should be arrived at, and it was carried that the allocation should be: Church of England 15, Presbyterian 12, Methodist 9, Baptist 4, Church of Christ 4, Congregational 4. I voted against the compromise.

“I could not see how I could vote for a so-called unanimity when the principle upon which it was based was not acceptable to me. The argument put forward was that the listeners-in preferred a type of service to which they were brought up, even though they had ceased to attend church. Personally, I don’t think for one moment that the listeners-in care a scrap what particular label a church or minister wear; what they desire is a service which they can enjoy and receive good from. If such service comes from a church with which they have no connection, my experience is that they are perfectly unmoved by considerations of denominationalism. “I am utterly opposed to broadcasting on a basis of denominational census returns. The day is coming when a small group of churches will be selected for broadcasting, largely because _pf the facilities they offer, and no question of the numerical strength will be considered. In any case, I have yet to be convinced that influence in a community has any real connection with numerical strength in that community. “Although it is a thousand pities that the committee has decided on the policy now declared, I want to make it perfectly clear that there is no personal feeling in the matter. The members of the committee are very friendly with each other. I have refused the allocation of four broadcasts per annum. The principle, in my judgment, is wrong, and will need to be altered if the public is to get the best from the broadcasting of church services. Until it is altered I shall not be ‘on the air’ from my church, although, by. request of the Broadcasting Company, I shall continue to conduct the children’s service, every Sunday, from the studio. I would take this opportunity of stating that the privileges given me by the Broadcasting Company have been greatly valued.”