3270 THE NEW ZEALAND GAZETTE No. 142

For the purpose of this approval the term "Authority" where it is used in those Codes shall be:

(a) In the case of reticulated gas the appropriate franchise holder;

(b) In all other cases either:

(i) the installer of the equipment; or

(ii) such other person as I may notify in writing to the installer of the equipment.

The notice published in the New Zealand Gazette, No. 83, page 2638 on 6 September 1979 is hereby revoked.

SCHEDULE

1. Reticulation of Gas Code (other than by plastic pipe) with amendments published by the Gas Association of New Zealand Incorporated, March 1976.

2. Installation Code for Gas Burning Appliances and Equipment with amendments, published by the Gas Association of New Zealand Incorporated, February 1976.

3. Industrial Installations Part 1. Interim Code of Practice for installation of gas piping, and gas equipment on industrial premises, and certain other premises with amendments, published by the Gas Association of New Zealand Incorporated, November 1977.

4. Industrial Installations Part 2. Interim Code of Practice for installation of industrial gas-fired equipment with amendments published by the Gas Association of New Zealand Incorporated, November 1977.

Dated at Wellington this 23rd day of July 1985.

D. J. GREEN, Chief Inspecting Engineer.

Decision No. Dec. No. 3/85, BRO 108/81.

Before the Broadcasting Tribunal

In the matter of the Broadcasting Act 1976, and in the matter of an application by Radio Rhema Ltd. for a sound radio warrant to establish a broadcasting station at Auckland with relay stations at Whangarei, Hamilton and Tauranga:

Chairman: B. H. Slane.

Members: Lionel R. Scarts, Ann E. Wilson.

Co-opted Member: Murray J. Henshall.

Counsel: C. Anastasiou for the applicant. J. B. Thomson for the Broadcasting Corporation of New Zealand. B. G. Impey for Radio Pacific Ltd. T. C. Gould for Radio i Ltd. A. C. Sorrell for Stereo FM Ltd. J. F. Galvin for New Zealand Post Office.

Hearing: At Auckland, 26 February—2 March, 8 May. At Whangarei 26 March 1984. Final submissions in writing.

DECISION

The application—The applicant is the holder of a warrant for non-commercial private broadcasting station 3JG Christchurch which broadcasts also through relay stations at Wellington and Nelson.

The applicant seeks to establish another AM station in Auckland which would also network with 3JG. The station would also broadcast through relay stations sited to serve Whangarei, Hamilton and Tauranga and surrounding areas carrying either the Auckland originated programme or the common programme from 3JG Christchurch.

A request was also made for short term authorisations to permit break outs to broadcast public service announcements, conselling numbers and the like to the regions concerned from the relay stations.

The applicant—The applicant is a society incorporated to establish and operate broadcasting, production and transmission studios and stations throughout New Zealand to present material of both Christian and a general nature. The objects are to be carried out in the spirit of the “Statement of Faith” and the “Faith We Affirm Together”. The Statement of Faith is a 9 paragraph statement of beliefs of a Christian faith which could be described as fundamental beliefs.

To broaden its support, it has an alternative, “The Faith We Affirm Together” as approved by the Joint Commission of the Associated Churches of Christ in New Zealand and the Anglican, Congregational, Methodist and Presbyterian Churches. This statement can be described as less fundamental, more broad based, accommodating as it does people from a variety of Christian viewpoints.

The Society relies for its funding on its own activities which generate income and capital donations from subscribers and well-wishers. Radio Rhema Inc. operates a public relations activity which is substantial and significant for its existence and its future. It does not however directly solicit assistance or donations by broadcasts. None of those working for Radio Rhema receive any salary but a number of supporters make direct donations to individuals and provide them with assistance in kind. Tax for staff is paid from Radio Rhema’s general account.

Other objects of the applicant are to organise and present concerts, entertainment, lectures, addresses and debates to establish support groups and to arrange for counselling services.

The proposal—The applicant proposes to broadcast on a frequency of 603 kHz which has been allocated in the Geneva Plan to Auckland and for synchronous use in the Bay of Plenty. This frequency would be used for all four transmitters, those in Auckland and Tauranga 2 kW, Hamilton 1 kW and Whangarei 600 watts. It is proposed to have the establishment of the three relay stations follow the commencement of the Auckland transmitter: at Hamilton in 6 months, at Tauranga in 12 months and at Whangarei in 18 months.

The application was originally filed in November 1981, but the Tribunal deferred the application until such time as commercial FM stations in Auckland had been fully established, in order that an assessment of the audience needs and market potential in a comparatively stable situation could be made.

The applicant stated that its overall philosophy was aimed at meeting spiritual and social needs in the community, noting the degree to which community standards were under tension and that the principals providing the foundation of our society were severely strained.

The applicant said that people were seeking guidance through what appeared to be confusion over the direction in which society is heading. Assistance needs to be given by providing a constant spiritual perspective on such matters as individual and collective goals, identity and self-worth.

The applicant believed there was a demand for a station broadcasting Christian music which, it said, has become more contemporary with major artists around the world writing and performing specially for this genre. Radio Rhema wished to supplement this with pleasant-listening secular music, including New Zealand artists.

The station would also broadcast news and current affairs which it said should highlight constructive forces within the community, should deal with events of lasting significance in preference to the ephemeral, should place quality before quantity and should place responsibility to the public before expediency.

The station also proposed to broadcast Christian programmes discussing day to day issues from a Christian perspective and also programmes discussing or teaching aspects of the Christian faith. Programmes would be provided for children.

There would also be a full time telephone counselling service in Auckland.

The station proposed eventually to originate programmes from Auckland during the hours from 6 a.m. to 6.30 p.m. Monday to Friday, from 6 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Saturday, Sunday and public holidays and from 10 p.m. to midnight on Sunday. The remainder of the 18 hours a day programme would be relayed from 3JG Christchurch.

Initially local origination would comprise only 4 hours (6 a.m. to 10 a.m.) Monday to Friday and 2 hours (10 p.m. to midnight) on Sunday.

Christian music would comprise approximately 60 percent of the music content. The remainder would be a combination of modern treatments of light classics through to popular ballads and light contemporary music within which there would be an orientation towards country music.

Opposition—Some written submissions from members of the public were received opposing the application, principally on the grounds of the Christian nature of the programming.

BCNZ—The Broadcasting Corporation of New Zealand (the BCNZ) opposed the granting of the last AM frequency available in Auckland to a group with limited membership representing narrow doctrinal interests. It regarded the use of the frequency 603 kHz for a regional Polynesian/ethnic/access programme for Auckland, Whangarei, Bay of Plenty and Rotorua areas as more appropriate. It also opposed the applicant being granted the extensive networking facility it sought.

It raised questions relating to the management, the nature of the publicity in the applicant’s newsletter and the material used to train counsellors.

The Corporation submitted that New Zealand’s ethnic population received scant consideration in the proposals since the multi-cultural programmes were clearly inadequate in their scope. While other stations tended to establish the needs of the community and to endeavour to fulfil those needs Radio Rhema’s goal was to gain converts to the fundamentalist view of Christianity. It criticised the lack of denominational broadcasting.