BROADCASTING.

Auckland Star, Volume LXII, Issue 194, 18 August 1931, Page 10

BROADCASTING.

FUTURE CONTROL

RADIO TRADE VIEWPOINT.

PUBLIC CORPORATION WANTED.

THE COMPANY'S STATEMENT.

The proposals of the Radio Broadcasting Company for the future control of New Zealand broadcasting have aroused the keenest interest. Reviewing them this morning on behalf of the Auckland Radio Dealers' Association, of which he is the president, Mr. C. A. Tucker, who is a member of the advisory committee of IYA, said that the statement was a very clear one from the point of view of the Broadcasting Company, but it required careful study and understanding, so that other aspects of what was now a burning question might receive due consideration.

One claim that he immediately desired to controvert, said Mr. Tucker, was that the Broadcasting Company had pioneered radio in New Zealand. The fact was that broadcasting in its initial stages had been handled by a email group of Auckland business men, who equipped and ran the old IYA from about August, 1922, until a monopoly was granted to the present company. In those early days IYA was free of all charge to listeners, and was supported by enthusiastic members of a vigorous infant—the radio trade—which contributed to ite upkeep in cash or kind. Pianos, records, ete, were lent by local music dealers, but at the coming into force of the agreement with the Government there was no option but for IYA to be transferred at a valuation fixed by the P. and T. Department. These facts he considered worthy of record in the history of ,New Zealand radio development. financial Statement. Commenting on other aspects of the company's statement, Mr. Tucker said he noticed that the company had written off a total of £19,659, and showed a profit after five years' working of £188, but that the statement did not cover operations up till March 31 last. That final year was the best patronised one of the six in the company's history, and it was a pity that details had not been brought up to date. '1 think it is useless trying to pass any comment upon the tabulated revenue account published," said Mr. Tucker, "since it omits so much that listeners and dealers would like to know. One cannot help noticing, however, the statement that all plant in connection with the stations had been purchased through the A. R. Harris Company, and that it was only on condition that this firm undertook all the technical work, and that the management was placed in the hands of Mr. Harris, that the company agreed to carry on. One wonders if the same state of affairs is to continue under the new proposals. It is very evident that the present Broadcasting Company will still have the- real control of the service under its new scheme, which is, in essence, the old R.B.C. in a new guise. What I cannot understand is why the company has seen fit to suggest the total elimination of the radio trade from any say in the administration of the service."

"It would seem that an effort is being made to frighten the public on the costs of relay stations which are proposed. This looks, like drawing a red herring across the scent. Proper co-operation with existing B stations, and with future ones that the trade would erect in various centres, would not run into anything like an outlay of £45,000. Extension of Hours. "The company emphasised that their original license required a service of 12 hours per week per station. I would like to point out that in the past three years the Radio Dealers' Association of New Zealand has been in constant negotiation with the company for an extension of hours, and it has been their pressure which has to a large degree brought this about. If B class stations had not been first in the field to provide daytime programmes the radio trade believed that they would still have been without the chance of demonstrating sets for sale before 3 p.m.' ' "I can confidently assert, ,, declared Mr. Tucker, "that had listeners not enjoyed the programmes provided by stations outside the control of the Broadcasting Company, and had they not been provided with sets capable of reception from Australia, the number of licenses would not in any way approach the present New Zealand totaL On behalf of the radio trade I wish to make it clear that they have at all times considered the best interests of listeners, and have always been. anxious to see that the public is provided with a first-class service, which they feel has not been given in the past. To achieve this the only possible scheme that will be satisfactory to the listeners and the trade is the appointment of an independent corporation, similar to that of the British Broadcasting Corporation, free from political and government control. Such a scheme our association has urged upon the Postmaster-General as' Minister in charge of the Department which controls radio broadcasting."