Compass - First Five Years of Television

Our immediate thought was, would we get away with a critical, controversial programme looking at ourselves? Or would the heavy hand of a vetting committee forestall any honest appraisal of the NZBC Television Service?

– Director Gordon Bick, in his book The Compass File, page 82

To aid impartiality we hired Dr RJ Harrison, a political science lecturer at Victoria University of Wellington, to 'front' and assist us with the script ... An outsider such as Dr Harrison, would, we thought, have much more freedom to give a frank opinion.

– Gordon Bick, in his book The Compass File, page 85

(Gordon) Dryden, in our interview, made a slashing, fiery attack upon the NZBC. He criticised the amount of 'pap' that went on air, resented the lack of controversy, and tore into the Government-servant administration in the corporation...I had my doubts about whether our vetting committee would allow us to use the interview, but most of it went on.

– Director Gordon Bick, in his book The Compass File, page 88