ON THE AIR.

Auckland Star, Volume LXVII, Issue 91, 17 April 1936, Page 9

ON THE AIR.

FUTURE OF RADIO. BOARD'S REVIEW. DEBATED IN THE HOUSE. METHODS UNDER CRITICISM. (By Telegraph.—Parliamentary Reporter.) WELLINGTON, Thursday. Practically the whole of this afternoon's sitting of the House of representatives was devoted to the discussion of the annual report of the New Zealand Broadcasting Board, which was presented to Parliament before the Easter adjournment. It was the first opportunity that the rank and file of Government members have been given this session for a full discussion of any subject before the House, and they readily availed themselves of the chance.

Although both the Prime Minister, Mr. Savage, and the Postmaster-General, Mr. Jones, took part in the debate, they gave no clear indication of the Government's policy on broadcasting. Mr. Savage, however, gave an assurance that the promises given during the election campaign, as far as B stations are concerned, would be put into operation, and ho said also that the time was not far distant when there would be a- receiving set in every home.

Generally, speakers indicated their strong support of B stations and their desire that these stations should be helped either by advertising or sponsored programmes. A debate was opened by Mr. J. A. Lee, Parliamentary Under-Secretary to the Prime Minister, who said the present Government did appreciate the fact that in the radio service it had something new which had infinite capacity for expansion. Where the newspapers in the p:ust had presented only one side of a case, broadcasting, intelligently utilised, could bring every

side of a political case to the people. Broadcasting made it possible for all shades of opinion to have their viewpoints stated in the public interest. Mr. Lee said that the Prime Minister had before the last election declared in favour of the conservation of the State stations and their utilisation in the best interests of the people, and also that the B stations would either be given the opportunity to earn revenue or be supplied with funds out of the State revenue. If the Government were so inclined it could enable the B stations to secure revenue from advertising, which was now a monopoly of newspapers, leaving the whole of the listeners' fees to be used for the expansion of national stations. He was not saying that that would be done, but was merely mentioning it as a possibility. It might be desirable, in the meantime, not to declare in favour of any policy, but to try an experiment or two. After declaring that the Government intended to- make the Minister responsible for State broadcasting, Mr. Lee said. that that had been the case all along, although the late Government had pretended that it was not so.

"Hug the Mike." The Rev. Clyde L. Carr (Government, Timaru) said the Broadcasting Board had given rather a better account of itself during the last year than in the previous year. He was not saying it had justified itself, but it appeared to have done something in an attempt at justification. He criticised the board s methods in respect to engaging artists and described the ordeal that performers had to go through before being engaged. The best talent was not secured and he did not think it would make itself available under present conditions. The thing that gets me," he said, is the self-sufficiency, the arrogance and the assumption of the Broadcasting Board. Tier© was a tendency for listeners to pre-

fer records. He was not surprised that this was so, such poor examples local talent being engaged. He also complained that there was no proper instruction given as to the method of using the microphone. Those who went on the nir should be taught "how to hug the mike." The best results were not being obtained because there was not efficient transmission. There should be more debates broadcast such as study classes conducted by the W.E.A. and other societies.

Mr. S. G. Smith (National, New Plymouth) said the last speaker was not the sole judge of talent. He had heard many appreciative references to New Zealand talent by listeners from every part of the Dominion. There had been a substantial increase in licenses, which showed that broadcasting had created great interest in New Zealand.

Mr. Smith said he did not believa in advertising over the air. He did not mind sponsored programmes, as some of them were as good as what the YA stations presented. Mr. Lee Martin: Better. Mr. Smith said that Australia had demonstrated how dangerous it was to have advertising placed 011 the air. Large sums of money were expended that gave certain persons great influence. The air was needed for educational purposes. Commenting on the broadcast of Parliament, he eaid that Ministers had £.poken with little interruption, but when the Opposition members were 011 the air there had been irritating remarks from the Government side of the House. (Laughter.) Mr. J. A. Lee (Government, Grey Lynn): Is that not a reflection 011 the Chair? " Mr. Smith said he meant to make no reflection on the Chair. After the general election the Prime Minister had said the Government's broadcasting policy would be made known in a few weeks, but so far no statement of policy had been given out. He was of opinion that B stations should be encouraged as far as possible. Mr. H. Atmore (Independent, Nelson) said that prior to the general election the Government tried its best to keep the facts away from the people because they feared the people. The Prime Minister had stated since the _ election that B stations would be assisted or allowed to advertise. He commended the Government for placing Parliament on the air, which took away the power of the Press, which was in 110 way a public Press, but a monopolistic institution used for profit. He thought there should be a station used particularly for broadcasting Parliamentary debates, and suggested an 111 the Broadcasting Board to make it a more democratic organisation.

Minister's Outline. The Postmaster-General, Mr. Jones, said he would be quite prepared to take up with the board the question of reducing the fees of amateur transmitters. Referring to the arrangement with the "Radio Record," the Minister said there was a contract between the board the proprietors of the paper, which could be terminated on notice. The paper published the programmes withiOut cost to the board. Mr. W. J. Broadfoot (Nationalist, Waitomo); Who owns the Record? Mr. Jones: It is privately owned. Referring to the provision of a shortwave station, the Minister said he had had repeated feprescntatioiuj made to him 011 the subject since he assumed office, and he was sure the board would take the matter into consideration. Other countries had short-wave stations which they used to disseminate information, and if such a station were established in New Zealand it might be possible to arrange suitable broadcasts, such as Maori concerts and talks on the beauties of the Dominion. That would be a cheap and effective way of bringing New Zealand under the notice of other countries.

The establishment of the new station at Titalii Bay would cost £86,000, and a special reserve fund of £75,000 had been established for the purpose of meeting that cost. It was hoped that the new station would give a sufficiently wide coverage to reach all parts of New Zealand. He agreed that the time would come when it would be desirable to have a special station for the purpose of broadcasting Parliamentary debates. They had already had several broadcasts as an experiment, and judging by the letters he and other members of the Government had received they had been greatly appreciated. One of the difficulties encountered was the interference with regular programmes, and he agreed that the only solution was that they should have a station of their own. The Government was out to give the best possible service and to give it as cheaply as possible. Replying to suggestions that there should be a reduction in license fees, the Postmaster-General said it was not known at present what the commitments of the board would be during the next twelve months, and no reduction had taken place. The Government was anxious to provide a service that would go into as many homes as possible.

The board, said the Minister, had endeavoured to give preference to New Zealand artists as much as possible, but he did not agree that they sh'ould not engage overseas artists. Their aim should be to give the public the test possible service.

Prime Minister Optimistic. The Prime Minister, Mr. Savage, said he saw no stopping place so far as broadcasting was concerned. The people were entitled to know just what was happening in the world and particularly in their own country. What the newspapers refused to give the broadcasting service of the future would give. The Government had promised the B stations that they were going to live. He had never said that they would have advertising rights. The Government had never decided whether they were going to be given the right to advertise or whether they would be subsidised. The principle of broadcasting would be developed. It was the most modern means of publicity so far; if they ever got a better means they would use that.

Mr. Savage said he could understand people with vested interests opposing advertising, even if he could not agree with them. People who were anxious to keep advertising off the air did not seem to worry about preventing people reading advertisements in the newspapers. He could never understand the difference from the moral point of view. It was possible that they might arrive at the point at which advertising was not considered necessary, but a lot of water would flow beneath the bridges before that time arrived.

The Prime Minister said that at present there was a powerful station in course of erection. It was not too powerful, because they wanted the people of New Zealand and the world at large to know what they were doing. New Zealand wanted to keep in step with modern thought. They wanted to exchange opinions and if broadcasting could do the job it would be done. The new station would help considerably in making New Zealand opinion known in the world generally.

So far as the broadcasting of Parliament was concerned, the Prime Minister said he agreed that it was not sufficient to put two or three speeches over the air. At the same time they did not want to inflict themselves on the public, and the ideal was to broadcast Parliament without interfering with listeners who wanted to hear music and other forms of entertainment. The new station would help them in that way. He had not received one letter protesting against the broadcasts of Parliament that had been given already. He thought it could be taken for granted that the people wanted to know what was going on in Parliament; if they did not he pitied them.

Aim of the Government. The aim of the Government was to carry the news to the people in their homes and educational talks to the children in the schools. He was looking forward to the time when there would be a receiving set in every home. He knew that vested interests would not like that, but the Government could not help it. The people were definitely going to get the service—every home was going to get it. That was a definite promise and it would be carried out.

Mr. W. J. Lyon (Government, Waitemata) suggested that more attention should be paid to Maori lore and mythology, and that steps should also be taken to help to preserve the Maori language.

Mr. A. S. Richards (Government, Roskill) urged that the PostmasterGeneral should give serious consideration to a suggestion that there should be a limited number of sponsored programmes and also a limited and reasonable degree of advertising from B stations. He declared that the B stations were largely responsible for the improvement that had been made in the broadcasting programmes, and concluded by expressing the hope that the Broadcasting Board would be abolished and broadcasting brought under the control of the Departmental heads and the Minister. The report was talked out.