Federal Government's More To Control Radio

Chronicle (Levin), 2 November 1948, Page 5

Federal Government's More To Control Radio

Received Mondav, 8 p.m. .SYDNEY, Nov. 1. The determination of the Federal Government to establfsh lirm control over privately ovvned and operated comiiiercial radio stations as well as its own Australian Broadcasting Cornmission, is exjn-essed in legislation introduced in tlie Senate Itv the Post-master-General, Senator Cameron. The measure, which was something of a surprise outside 'Minigterial circles, , has been roundly conde7nned by the Opposition and by a large section ot the press, as another step towards the Labour goal of complete nationalisation and as a blow against private enterprise and the freedom of expression, The provisions of the new Bill con fer upon Senator Cameron and a boarrl of three who are yet unnamed, wide powers of censorship over broad casts. Clauses lay down that the board mav ban any programme to which it takes objection, liiay prevent any politieal party from using its funds to obtain widespread radio piiblieity, on the grounds that finaneially weaker opponents cannot do the same, and may exereise indirect control by its power over network contracts, The Liberals feel that the Bill is directed speeially against the series of popular political dramatisations sponsored by their party. Tolerant minded members of the Labour caucus itself raised objections to the clause which prohibits any national or commercial station from broadcasting a dramatisation of any political matter current during the preceding five years. The present Bill is the latest move in the struggle which has been going 011 almost as long as commercial radio in Australia. The existing Act was strong enough to enable the Postmaster General some years ago to put a Lab our station off the air with out explana tion. Observers belieye that were it not for Section 93 of the Constitution which is the main stumbling block to bank nationalisation plans and which lays down that the Federal Government .cannot interfere with inter-State trade, the commercial stations wquld have beejj. taken over long ago. A recent Government decision to limit the use of frequency modulation to the national stations has also been interpreted as a move to subjugate cominercial broadcasting. "The impartial regulation of broadcasting in the natiohal interest is one thing," says the Sydney Heraid. "What the Government is proposing is quite another. Senator Cameron makes it quite clear that the function of the new board would be to carry out plans approved by the Minister. All too obviously such powers could be employed for a most ruthless discrimination ag well as the suppression of news and commeuf, 7 ' The Telegraph repeats the assertion of Mr. Fadden, Leader of the Country Party, that the Bill has a GoebhoB touch and that it is an elaborate means of banning rival political propagaada.