DIRECTOR OF BROADCASTING.

Auckland Star, Volume LXVII, Issue 174, 24 July 1936, Page 6

DIRECTOR OF BROADCASTING.

Why advertise in Australia for a Director of Broadcasting for this country? Are wis so bankrupt of brains and ability that we must import a man to direct a service which should be essentially national in character ? The old Broadcasting Board failed chiefly because it was not capable of organising and developing New Zealand talent —musical and other —up to a standard fit for public performance. In fact it made no serious attempt to do this, but relied upon gramophone records and even these were chosen without discrimination and presented without understanding. The Australian stations, it is true, do not depend to any extent upon records, but make Teat use of Australian musicians, authors,, "playwrights, actors and speakers. The resultant entertainment is sometimes of a high order, but frequently descends to a low-class vaudeville level, with very dubious comedy, -which need not be imitated in this country. Entertainment in New Zealand badly needs to be rescued from the simpering frivolity of the London stage, the cacophony of New York's Tin-Pan Alley, and the blue jokes of red-nosed Australian vaudeville comedians. Broadcasting offers a wonderful opportunity to develop a culture, but surely this is a job for a New Zealander. AOTEA.

fit is unfair to suggest that the Broadcasting Board made no serious attempt to. develop New Zealand talent. Many hundreds of auditions have been given in efforts to secure the best available voices, and instruction in microphone technique has been given to promising applicants. The board has also engaged artists of repute from overseas partly to give local candidates a standard at which' to aim, as well as to improve the quality of the programmes. Very serious efforts hatfe" also been made to engage the most interesting speakers available, both New Zealanders and' visitors. The programmes of every station in the world include a large proportion of gramophone records.—Ed.]