STATE OF EMERGENCY EFFECT UPON BROADCASTING

New Zealand Listener, Volume 1, Issue 11, 8 September 1939, Page 12

STATE OF EMERGENCY EFFECT UPON BROADCASTING

Ui the state of emergency proclaimed to exist in New Zealand, regulations were issued last Friday to deal with Censorship and Publicity, Naval, Army and Air Force Mobilisation, Shipping Control and Price Stabilisation Price stabilisation became operative irnmediately but it was announced on Friday that the others would become effective only if and when circumstances required it. > The chief emergency regulations which affect the sphere of broadcasting are those dealing with the cancellation of the licences of all amateur radio transmitting stations and with censorship and publicity. Ordinary radio listening-sets are not affected. Amateur Transmitting Illegal Cancellation of the licences of all amateur radio transmitting stations, under Regulation 25 of the Radio Regulations has been announced by the Postmaster-General (Hon.

F, Jones). The Minister said that all licences in respect of amateur radio transmitting stations were revoked, and henceforth it would be unlawful for any signals whatever to be transmitted from such stations. Licence-holders are required to surrender their licences forthwith, and to dismantle their stations in order to render them incapable of emitting radio signals," said Mr. Jones. "Any licence-holder who fails to comply with the regulation is liable on conviction to a fine of £500, and the fine may also be levied on any licence-holder who does not surrender his licence to the Director-General of the General Post Office, Wellington." Ordinary Radio Sets Not Affected Regulation 26 of the Radio Regulations provides that the Minister may, when it is expedient in the public interest, assume control of and operate any amateur receiving station. There is no restriction on ordinary radio listening sets. Censorship and Publicity The emergency regulations provide for the appointment of a Director of Publicity to exercise control over published matter. It is to be illegal for any unauthorised person to have in his possession any information on the following matters: The number, description, armament equipment, disposition, movements or condition of the units of the army, navy or air force, or of any British or allied merchant vessels. Press censorship is also applied to information of this nature, and to the possession or publication of photographs'+ or subversive reports dealing with similar subjects. "Subversive reports" include reports — likely to prejudice recruiting or training of the forces, and reports likely to undermine public confidence in banking or currency. These restrictions are applied to periodical as well as daily publications. Appointment of Officials The appointment has been made of Mr. J. T. Paul as Director of Publicity under the censorship and publicity emergency regulations, with Mr. J. H. Hall as Deputy-Director of Publicity. Mr. G. McNamara has been appointed Controller of Censorship, although it is understood that the latter will not be in charge of the press censorship which is to come under the Director of Publicity.

EFFECT ON PUBLISHED PROGRAMMES Readers will understand that because of the world situation the radio programmes scheduled in this issue may be considerably revised. They were correct as we went to Press and any last-minute alterations will be announced over the air. In the meantime, a twenty-four hours’ continuous service is being maintained in order to give the public all the news from Europe as it is available. This service will be maintained as long as the situation calls for it.