STANDARDS “ON THE AIR.”

Wairarapa Times-Age, 10 August 1938, Page 4

STANDARDS “ON THE AIR.”

‘A NUMBER of questions which call for attention and treatment are raised by the use and misuse of the commercial broadcasting service of the Dominion on Sunday evening last. Underlying everything else, however, is the question of the standards to be maintained in the conduct and control of national radio services. It should be easy for all responsible people in Parliament or elsewhere to agree that these standards must reflect the best sense and spirit of the people of New Zealand. At a minimum, we surely must maintain in national broadcasting at least the standards that are observed and enforced in our familiar and day to day contacts and purspits as a people. The alternative is to allow one of the most wonderful of modern inventions—an invention that enables a speaker to be heard in almost any part oi a listening wor ld —to be used as a means of lowering our national reputation and standing. Whatever political or other differences we may have, self-respecting New Zealanders at least should be of one mind in demanding that all radio broadcasting in or from New Zealand shall be governed by acceptable standards of manners and good taste and shall not be allowed to make this country ridiculous in the minds of any who may care to listen in. Much more definite assurances than were given by the Prime Minister in the House of Representatives yesterday are needed that our national broadcasting in any and very branch will be controlled and safeguarded henceforth in conditions with which the people of New Zealand can afford to be content. There may be some difficulty in attaining the high standard that is desirable. There should be no difficulty at all in determining that our broadcasting must not sink to a level of which we would have every reason to be ashamed.