Salient. Victoria University Student Newspaper. [Volume 39, Number 19, 1976.]

[Introduction]

This is the second of John McBride's articles on National's changes to broadcasting. The first looked at the finances of the 'news fuse'. The following is based around four propositions:

(1)	Broadcasting will not be freed of "political interference" unless it's freed from "Parliamentary accountability". National Party arguments have applied both these terms incorrectly and inappropriately.
(2)	Broadcasting need not be financially accountable because it does not use taxpayers' money (except for capital expenditure, in respect of which it is already accountable to Parliament via the BCNA).
(3)	"Parliamentary Accountability" contradicts the more important principle of "professionalism in broadcasting". Bureaucrats must be "accountable", but professionals require to be independent.
(4)	The National Party is really just scared of independent broadcasting.