THE B.B.C.

Wairarapa Times-Age, 8 February 1941, Page 9

THE B.B.C.

AIR DUFF COOPER REPLIES TO CRITICS NEED OF TAKING ACCOUNT j OF DIFFICULTIES. ! SAFEGUARDING LIBERTIES. i (By Telegraph—Press Association—Copyright' : LONDON. February 6. ‘ The status and functions of the BritI ish Broadcasting Corporation were described in the House of Commons today by Mr. DulT Cooper, Minister of Information. Replying to a debate on the work of the Ministry of Information he said that people who criticised the 8.8. C. should remember what its difficulties had been, and he paid some tributes to its'achievements. Dealing with relations between the Government and the 8.8. C.. Mr. Duff Cooper admitted that the position was a slightly anomalous one. but he thought it ought to be maintained. "The general principle, underlying our war time policy," declared the Minister, "is that while it is necessary to interfere with the liberties enjoyed by the people owing to the exigincies of war. such interference should be as slight as possible, and when such interference is made, precautions should be taken so that on the completion of war the status quo should be reverted to and the liberties restored." Meanwhile, to make for close liaison in war conditions it had been decided recently that two advisers should be appointed to the 8.8. C. from the Ministry of Information, on foreign and general topics and British home policy more particularly, and one on foreign policy. The adviser on foreign policy had already been appointed. He was Mr. Kirkpatrick, for many years counsellor at the British Embassy. Berlin. Mr. Duff Cooper made it clear that the responsibility, so far as any activities of the 8.8. C. connected with politics were concerned, lay with him. He said that he did not want the 8.8. C. to become simply a mouthpiece of the Government. If al! individual opinions were to be eliminated from 8.8. C. broadcasting, the 8.8. C. would become a dull, dead voice. He was all in favour of permitting individual statements to be made by independent persons.

Mr. Duff Cooper said that Broadcasting House, the London home of the 8.8. C.. had received a direct hit. and had to be entirely evacuated for half an hour. Yet not a single listener had been aware that anything had happened. and the whole programme was carried on.