Christchurch: The "Compass" television programme on Canterbury University's Forum was not considered to contain anything slanderous, but he hopes some future programme may highlight a more positive aspect of student activity, the Director-General of Broadcasting (Mr. G. H. Stringer) has said.

He was replying to a letter of protest on the programme from Canterbury president John Anderson, which alleged that slander, bad language and less than careful editing marked the programme.

Upset

Mr. Anderson said the film had caused upset in the university and community. Shown nationally, the programme featured horseplay and in it one student referred to Mr. Anderson as a "paranoiac."

Mr. Anderson complained that the students association had been reluctant to allow Forum to be filmed. Victoria University had refused to allow theirs to be televised.

"I asked to see the edited film before it was shown. I was told that I would have to go to Wellington to do this. The assurance was given again that this would not be necessary as the film would be carefully edited.

"I regret to say this did not take place," said Mr. Anderson.

Domestic

Forum, said the president, was essentially a domestic gathering where all grievances were aired and squabbles settled, sometimes in the nature of a family row.

"You will understand that any family or organisation would not appreciate this being advertised at large," said Mr. Anderson.

Mr. Stringer felt that the swearing left in the film (which was edited to one-third original length) was innocuous.

Negotiations

He agreed that it would have been better if all the negotiations had been carried on with students association on a more formal footing and if the programme had been prepared within clearly defined terms of reference.

The original request for permission was made to the association but subsequent details were arranged with Dialectic Society president Peter Rosier, who runs Forum.

Mr. Stringer said it was not intended to use any of the material filmed again.

The uproar complained of in the film arose when one student objected to the television crew's presence.