Psychic sad over communication lack

- 1 May 1987

The first Wellington psychic Mary Fry knew of her terminated contract with Radio New Zealand was when a friend rang up and said her husband had seen it in the newspaper.

She still has had no official notification. However, Radio New Zealand’s director-general, Ms Beverley Wakem, has written to one of Mrs Fry’s strongest critics, Mr Denis Dutton, a University of Canterbury lecturer, telling him of the decision.

Ms Wakem’s letter, parts of which were published earlier this week, said the contract for the series would be completed in November and would not be renewed.

Mrs Fry said that was incorrect. Her contract for October arrived yesterday. After reading of the show’s termination she refused to sign it. She would not be going on air again this year. She feels she would not be helping anybody, biding her time under sufferance.

Mrs Fry believed the producer of the show and 2ZB’s station manager had also been unaware of the cancellation of the show.

Mrs Fry said she was certainly not angry about the end of the series but was saddened at the lack of communication between herself and the hierarchy. Mrs Fry said most of the criticism of her and the show stemmed from Christchurch through Mr Dutton and Mr Brian Preistley, host of the television programme “Fourth Estate.”

Mrs Fry started work in radio two-and-a-half years ago as a “one-off.” She was part of a series on alternative thinking. Her programme got the most feedback and radio asked her to continue.

It started off monthly for 2ZB, then fortnightly.

Mrs Fry said she had not been upset by the Christchurch criticism “They were within their rights to voice their opinions.”

She believes they made some valid points. “They made me look hard. Sometimes I may not have been clear enough to people. Okay you guys (the spirits) we must be more specific we must get deeper,” she said.

Other criticism levelled at her was that she gave medical advice. Mrs Fry said she did and would continue to discuss herbal and natural remedies but she always stressed people should continue with their own medical programmes and advice.

She has had offers from private radio but would not be taking those up.

She said radio was a small part of her life. She had plenty of other requests to keep her going. ‘I will respond to the work that comes up.”