Television in Christchurch

Press, Volume C, Issue 29506, 6 May 1961, Page 10

Television in Christchurch

Last night’s first transmission of a television programme from Channel 3 was a notable occasion for Christchurch and nearby districts. Not only did the transmission inaugurate an amenity that will powerfully influence the community in many ways; it allowed many to appreciate for the first time the potentialities of television for entertaining and informing. This would be especially apparent from the “live" interview with the noted singer, Todd Duncan, by Miss Airini Grennell, a well-known broadcaster. “ The Press ” has consistently argued that New Zealand should delay the introduction of television—an industry that is bound to increase the demand .on our scarce capital resources—until a more favourable time, and certainly, until there was more evidence of a spontaneous public demand. However, the previous

Government had gone so far towards establishing a service—and towards encouraging a demand for one—that the present Government had little choice in the matter. Tempting as postponement or curtailment might have been to a Government wisely pursuing economy,* either course would have been a breach of faith with an industry rapidly gearing itself for the production and servicing of receivers and with many citizens who have bought sets in anticipation of early transmissions in the main centres. Although last night’s transmission was not without imperfections, it must be accounted a most satisfactory first trial. It is to be hoped that when results of the transmission are fully collated they will be found to confirm earlier experiments which suggested that Channel 3 will have a remarkably wide coverage in Canterbury and even, on occasions, beyond.