HC Deb 25 July 1956 vol 557 cc40-1W
73. Sir D. Gammans

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies what control the Government of Cyprus has over the radio station in the island run by the Near East Association Limited; how far the terms of its licence grant to the Government of Cyprus any control over the nature of its broadcasts; and to what extent material authorised by the Government must be transmitted from this station.

Mr. Lennox-Boyd

Under the terms of the licence granted by the Government of Cyprus to the radio station of the Near East Association Limited, the Governor has the power to determine the licence at any time by one month's notice in writing. The licence also gives powers to inspect the station and to take the station over in an emergency.

The licence does not require the station to broadcast material authorised by the Cyprus Government; its programmes are exclusively in Arabic and are all directed outside Cyprus itself.

Sir D. Gammans

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies on what wavelength the commercial station in Cyprus, run by the Near East Association Limited, operates; and when the licence was granted.

Mr. Lennox-Boyd

The Station to which my right hon. Friend refers operates on the following wavelengths:

Medium-wave … … 470.2 ms.
Short-wave … … 49.02 ms.
25.6 ms.
44.18 ms.
31.09 ms.
48.62 ms.

The station has been licensed by the Cyprus Government since 1948. The most recent licence was granted on 25th May, 1956.