The Auckland Star WITH WHICH AND INCORPORATED The Evening News, Morning News, The Echo and The Sun. WEDNESDAY, JUNE 10, 1936. ASPECTS OF BROADCASTING.

Auckland Star, Volume LXVII, Issue 136, 10 June 1936, Page 6

The Auckland Star WITH WHICH AND INCORPORATED The Evening News, Morning News, The Echo and The Sun.

WEDNESDAY, JUNE 10, 1936. ASPECTS OF BROADCASTING.

For the cause that lacks assistance. For the rcrong- that needs resistance, For the future in the distance, And the good that tee can do.

The position of the broadcasting station at Manurewa known as IZM was the subject of comment by the Postmaster-General during his speech last evening when moving the second reading of the Government's Broadcasting Bill. The Minister is evidently not well informed as to the history of this small but widely popular B station. 'When what were known as sponsored programmes were permitted 'to a limited extent a band of enthusiasts was able to keep IZM on the air. The withdrawal of this privilege made the financial position unsound, and New Zealand Newspapers, Limited, was approached. The Company assumed the financial responsibility in the belief that it would prove with the Auckland public, and more especially with people in the country, a valuable good will gesture. The action was in keeping with the policy that as far back ago as thirty years provided its readers with free legal advice, and ten years ago introduced a liberal measure of free accident insurance which has helped many hundreds of cases. IZM continued to provide a programme that steadily gained it adherents until to-day it has upwards of 10,000 holders of licenses who have taken the trouble to register. No infringement of any regulation has been permitted while the newspaper has been responsible for keeping the station on the air. Whether there has been any indirect creation of good will for the Company's publications it is difficult to estimate, but the direct costs have been considerable. Contrary to the statement of the Minister, no application has been lodged for advertising over the air. The attitude of New Zealand Newspapers, Limited, is that the 8.8.C. broadcasting policy is the best, and that advertising over the air is so extremely limited in its application that its general use is a waste of money. This is not an unsupported view, but is the conclusion from careful examination of the position in the United States. Newspapers generally in New Zealand subscribe to this view*. An element has been introduced, however, by the Government that requires a fresh examination of the facts. The intention of starting Government commercial stations for advertising is announced. It is unfortunate that it is impossible to avoid the conclusion that if the hope is not at the back of this decision that newspapers will be directly injured, the course is taken with absolute disregard whether this will not be a direct consequence. The service that the newspapers of the Dominion have rendered the people since the infant days of the colony is in most respects greater than any other single agency could claim. The high standards that have been achieved and maintained are acknowledged by every thinking person. This public service has only been made possible by the concurrent development of the science of advertising that has found in the daily newspaper the outstanding publicity force. If Government action can seriously reduce the volume of newspaper advertising, the service that the newspapers are able to give the people must progressively deteriorate. Last evening's announcement makes it evident that the Government is at least indiffei-ent whether this will be a consequence of its proposed State commercial broadcasting. No Government in the history of the country has had a wider circulation of its policy Or a more restrained .examination of its measures than the present, and yet whenever an opportunity presents" itself the principal Ministers of the Crown make an attack that any unprejudiced examination of the facts would demonstrate was without justification. If there has been criticism by the newspapers it has been of measures and not men. If this is to be resented in a country over which flies the Union Jack we have sunk low indeed.