BROADCASTING POLICY

Press, Volume LXXI, Issue 21409, 27 February 1935, Page 12

BROADCASTING POLICY

AMENDMENT BILL INTRODUCED ENLARGED MEMBERSHIP OF BOARD PROVISIONS FOR CONTROL or STATIONS {From Our Parliamentary Reporter.! WELLINGTON. February 26.

Fnlargement of the personnel of the Zealand Broadcasting Board from three members to seven and redefinition of lt.s functions are the main provisions of the Broadcasting Amendment Bill introduced in the House of Representatives to-day and read a first lime. The changes contemplated will come into effect on April 1. The Acting Postmaster-General (the Hon. J. Bitchener). who is in charge of the bill in the absence of the Hon. Adam Hamilton, explained to the House that the broadcasting of controversy and other matters would be considered and decided by the board itself. The prevision in the act prescribing the chairman's period of office as five years has not been altered. Of the other members, three shall be appointed for four years and three for a period not exceeding three years. Thereafter, the terms of members other than the chairman shall not exreed three years. The salary o!' the chairman is relamed at £OSO a year. The other six members will be paid £250 a year, compared with the £.15!) now paid board members other than the chair-

consequential amendment in - <:i eases n quorum from two to four. The advisory council has been abolished, the Acting Postmaster-General explaining that the necessity for the council had disappeared with the enlargement of the board. In addition to the powers given to the board under the act the bill provides that the board shall have the duty of controlling all programmes to be transmitted from broadcasting stations. The board shall have all such powers as may be reasonably necessary for effective control of such programmes, and in particular may >lj Require the licensee of any broadcasting station to submit to any authorised officer of the board such particulars as may be required relating In programmes intended to be transmitted from the station. <2> Prohibit euher ah.;* hiiely. or subject to such condition-; as the hoard thinks tit to impose, transmission from any broadcasting station of any programme or any part of a programme. (3) Require the licensee of any broadcasting station to include in or exclude from any programme to be transmitted from the station any malter specified by the board. (41 To give to the licensee of any broadcasting station such directions as the board thinks fit in relation to contents, arrangement, and presentation of the programmes to be transmitted from the station. (3) Report to the Minister any failure of the licensee of a broadcasting station to comply with any direction or requirements ot the board, given or made pursuant to this section.

Upon receiving ;< report by the board that any 1 icon too has failed lo comply with any direction or requirement of the board, the Minister may. in his discretion, cancel the license Nothing in this section shall bo deemed to constitute the owner nr licensee of any station the agent of the board, or to impose any liability on the board in respect of any expenses incurred by .-web owner nr licensee. No advertisement intended for the pecuniary benefit of any person shall be transmitted from any broadcasting station, whether operated by the board or any other person. No licenses for broadcasting stations not operated by the board shall be issued if the effect of such issue would be to increase the number of licences in force at any one time beyond the number in force v/hen the bill becomes law on April 1.