BROADCAST SERIALS

White Ribbon, Volume 17, Issue 3, 18 April 1945, Page 3

BROADCAST SERIALS

The Clerk of the General Assembly has received the following letter from the Hon. F. jones, Minister-in-Charge of Broadcasting. “I have to acknowledge the receipt of your letter of 4th instant transmitting a copy of a resolution passed at the General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church of New Zealand urging an improvement in the quality of broadcast serials and recommending that thp times of broadcast be such as would interfere least with the Jiotne lessons of secondary school pupils. In reply I should like to say that the National broadcasting Service is desirous of maintaining the highest possible standard in the material selected for broadcasting. It will be realised of course that within the many sections of listeners for whom the Broadcasting Ser\ice must cater opinions as to minimum standard of acceptability would \arv considerably. At the present time many serials offered are rejected on the grounds of unsuitability, and only the best axailable are purchased. “If there is any seria’ to which members of your Assembly would wish to draw attention as being unsuitable for broadcasting I shah be very glad indeed to have it reheard with a view to ascertaining whether or not, having regard to all circumstances, the objection made is reasonable. ‘*lhc suggestion that serials should be on the air only at such times as would interfere least with the home lessons of children in secondary schools is a very difficult one to consider putting into operation. The times at which these children are doing their home work would. I am sure, cover the whole evening from 6 p.m. till 9 p.m. This would involve the remo\al of serials from the evening broadcast programme right up to 9 p.m. I his, I feel, would not be fair to adult lis*eners, particularly those in country districts, who retire early, and for whom the serials could not be said to be unsuitable. "If there is any evidence that home work is being greatly interfered with by the broadcasting of serials, A it not tfiat the remedy lies in restraining children in the homes from listening to the serials when they should be doing their home work rather than depriving the whole body of listeners of the pleasure very many of them get each night from listening to their favourite serials? “I am desirous of helping in this matter as much as is |>ossible-, but I feel that the matter is one for action in the home and in the school rather than by the Broadcasting Service."— I rom "The Outlook," March 7, 1945.