MR SCRIMGEOUR'S SALARY

Press, Volume LXXIII, Issue 22073, 22 April 1937, Page 8

MR SCRIMGEOUR'S SALARY

Fixation At £ISOO A Year LARGE RECEIPTS FROM SERVICE EXTENSION PROPOSED BY MINISTER (PBESS ASSOCIATTOH TELEGRAM.) WELLINGTON, April 21. The initial revenue from the Government's first commercial radio broadcasting station, IZB Auckland, has been so much greater than was anticipated, that the Government has reviewed the agreement originally made with the controller of the station, the Rev. C. G. Scrimgeour. New terms have been fixed for his remuneration. Instead of receiving a salary of £SOO a year, plus 1\ per cent, commission on radio advertising receipts, Mr Scrimgeour is to be paid a straight-out annual salary of £ISOO. -„■ ' . A statement on Mr Scrimgeour s position was made to-night by the Acting-Minister in charge of Broadcasting (the Hon. F, Jones): "It was through knowledge gained from experiences in other countries, where commercial broadcasting stations are controlled by private companies and individuals, that the Government made provision in the Broadcasting Act of 1936, to prohibit advertising over the air except from Government stations," said the F^ "Later, when it was decided to initiate commercial broadcasting in tne Dominion, Auckland, being the largest city, was selected as the nest to make a beginning.

Scope of Duties "Station IZB was considered to be of the class that could t be most conveniently adapted for commercial purposes, and it was duly acquired. Negotiations about the price to be paid have not yet been completed, and it will be necessary to have this question determined by reference to an independent and disinterested third party. Mr Scrimgeour was appointed controller of the national radio advertising service The method of radio advertising decided upon was a new feature m New Zealand. Therefore it was impossible to foresee what the response would be. The controller's remuneration was • consequently tentatively fixed at £SOO a year, plus a commission df 7# per cent, on the business done, it being agreed that this question should be reviewed at the end of three months. "Receipts from the business immediately forthcoming proved to be substantially larger than was anticipated, and Mr Scrimgeour. was offered, and has accepted, a straightout salary of £ISOO a year as from April 1, 1937. His duties, of course, are not to be restricted to the control of advertising in the Auckland district alone, but are to include commercial broadcasting throughout the Dominion.

"The commercial service is now about to start in Wellington, and later it will be extended to Christchurch and Dunedin."