B CLASS STATIONS

Ashburton Guardian, Volume 55, Issue 242, 26 July 1935, Page 3

B CLASS STATIONS

misapprehension suggested DUNEDIN PROPRIETORS’ VIEWS. (Per Press Association). DUNEDIN, July 25. The proprietors of the four B class stations in Dunedin—4ZM, 4ZO, 4ZB, and 4ZL—consider that the demand made by the International Federation of Phonograph Industries has, so far as these stations are concerned, been issued under a misapprehension about tlieir status.

The federation lias demanded 10s a record side for each time a record lias been used without authority in a sponsored • programme by a commercial station. Actually, the proprietors say, none of the local B stations could be classed as commercial undertakings, as each of them is operated under an ordinary private transmitter’s license. Moreover, none of them derives revenue from • advertising, as sponsored programmes are not permitted in New Zealand.

In the meantime, all the stations propose to carry on, and to await some more definite action on the part ot the federation. If the worst comes to the worst, however, they will be able, for a time at least, to transmit modified programmes with records which aie manufactured by companies not allied to the federation, and are therefore not subject to the payment of royalties. .Should! the federation insist on demanding royalty payments for records dulling the last three years, station 4ZM, for instance, would be fated with a bill of about £50,000.