21 JANUARY NEW ZEALAND GAZETTE

Authorities and Other Agencies of State

Broadcasting Tribunal

Broadcasting Act 1976

Decision No. 20/87

Before the Broadcasting Tribunal

In the matter of the Broadcasting Act 1976, and in the matter of an application by the Broadcasting Corporation of New Zealand to amend Sound Radio warrant AM-23 (2YB) to extend the hours of transmission of access programmes:

Chairman: B. H. Slane.

Decision dated the 11th day of December 1987.

The BCNZ has applied to increase the number of hours of access broadcasting from 120 hours per month to 220 hours per month. The proposal has been advertised and there have been no objections.

Until 1980 station 2YB was only used when Parliament was being broadcast by station 2YA. During those periods 2YB broadcasts the National Programme. The station has continued to fulfil that function supported by community, religious and charitable groups satisfied the Tribunal that there was a wide demand for access programmes made, in particular, by and for neighbourhood communities and minority and ethnic groups in the Wellington area.

The Corporation applied for an extension of hours to permit access broadcasting regularly between nine and noon on Sundays and at other times intermittently and irregularly on an experimental basis. The hours would depend on the demand for the service.

In Decision 20/80 the Tribunal granted an extension of hours to permit up to 120 hours per month of access broadcasting. The hours of broadcasting were to be reviewed at the expiration of twelve months from the date of the decision when it would be possible to determine the demand and review the hours.

In March this year the Corporation filed an application to extend the hours to a total of 220 hours per month and stated that broadcasts were currently from 6 p.m. to 10 p.m. on Fridays and from 9 a.m. to 10 p.m. on Saturdays and Sundays, a total of 30 hours per week. An indication was given of an immediate demand for about another 25 hours per month. The application was advertised and there were no objections.

In an affidavit made on 9 November 1987 Ms G. D. Woodward co-ordinator of Access Radio confirmed that a report had been filed with the Tribunal within the first twelve months of operation in July 1982. At that stage access programmes still totalled only 46 hours per month.

It appears the present broadcast hours are probably more than those permitted since the station appears to be broadcasting 30 hours per week which would result in some months there being over 120 hours.

Ms Woodward gave evidence that the staff of three full-time and two part-time producers/facilitators also had a training role. The station makes available studio and portable equipment to access users and produces an Access Radio Newsletter which is distributed free to 500 listeners and users each month. This contains user news and programme listings.

With the increase in transmission hours there had been a growth of regular weekly, fortnightly or monthly programmes. Programmes were being produced by collectives and societies as well as by individuals, and there were short series and one-off programmes as well as regular contributions. There was a constant turn-over in contributors and organisations. The addition of radio production to the School Certificate syllabus had engendered a growth of interest in access from college students who received training, produced programmes and had them broadcast. There had been increased listener response with the longer transmission hours.

A recent analysis of the BCNZ audience survey, said Ms Woodward, indicated that 3.4 percent of the available weekend radio listeners in the Wellington area listened to Access Radio. There had been fewer than a dozen complaints all dealt with satisfactorily at station level and one which went to the Corporation.

There have been no libel or defamation suits and usage in respect of air time was treated responsibly.

It was contemplated broadcasts might continue until midnight on Saturdays and Sundays.

Decision

The extension of Access Radio services by the Corporation is commendable. This aspect of public service broadcasting is recognised as a legitimate use for the spectrum.

The making available of a professional facility for use by non-professionals has encouraged a high standard of responsible use of the station’s transmission capability.

The Tribunal has no hesitation in extending the hours on the basis granted.

It is understood that the intention is to obtain an increase of hours to 220 per four weekly period, i.e. 2,860 per annum. In order to provide some flexibility the Tribunal will fix the total on a per annum basis to be calculated from the date of the decision.

Condition (3) will be amended by deleting the words “120 hours per month” and substituting therefor “up to 2,860 hours per annum”.

B. H. SLANE, Chairman.

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PostBank

Post Office Savings Bank Regulations 1985

Bonus Bonds Weekly Prize Draw No. 3, January 1988

Pursuant to the Post Office Savings Bank Regulations 1985, notice is hereby given that the result of the weekly Prize Draw No. 3 for 16 January is as follows:

One prize of $25,000: 010 423945

Fourteen prizes of $5,000: 064 067435, 118 277813, 214 583447, 215 646769, 611 933051, 986 469658, 3897 418861, 5381 315237, 5490 899427, 5880 982402, 6790 840730, 6795 884679, 7083 109292, and 9481 101205.

[table of winning bonus bonds numbers omitted]

ROGER DOUGLAS, Minister of Finance.

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