Race Broadcasts Still Under Discussion

Press, Volume CVI, Issue 31167, 17 September 1966, Page 6

Race Broadcasts Still Under Discussion

Negotiations are still proceeding with the N.Z.B.C. on the broadcasting of racing commentaries, says a statement from the RacingConference.

Recently a sub-committee representing the Racing and Trotting Conferences met a sub-committee of board members of the N.Z.B.C. at which the president of the Racing Conference (Mr R. A. Whyte), asked that if the board was not prepared to resume racing commentaries on the YA stations, it would consider broadcasting the full programme for meetings in Auckland, ’Veilington, and Christchurch on the national network. This request was later amended to incorporate IZB, 2ZB, 3ZB and 4ZB only as it was felt that these four stations would cover most of the listeners. As the corporation said that three network doubles was the maximum that could be handled, a request was made for additional races to be broadcast on the national network. Mr Whyte also asked that meetings in Hawke’s Bay and Rotorua should be broadcast through the stations in those areas which had the higher output. The meeting agreed to hold a further audience survey, the issue being confined to racing and trotting matters only. The conferences reported that the cost of commentators to racing and trotting clubs was £6652 a year and that as there would be a much larger radio audience than the attendance on-course, they thought the

corporation should bear a larger proportion by way of an increase in the fee. They said the fee of £6OOO a year asked for was not in itself sufficient to cover the cost for commentators.

Mr G. H. Stringer, director general of the corporation, said it would be happy to pay the £6OOO asked for if it could reduce its costs by some means and to achieve this it would have to give up broadcasting some of the meetings. With the additional 17 meetings broadcast last year the extra cost to the corporation was £BOOO. The annual amount paid by the N.Z.B.C. to commentators was £3OOO, an average daily fee of about seven guineas. The corporation is considering the submissions of the combined executive. TRACK ATTENDANCE In August the Auckland Thoroughbred Owners and Trainers’ Association wrote to the executive expressing concern at the shortage of licensed jockeys making themselves available to ride trackwork at the various training centres. The complaint fell into two categories: 1, Those horsemen who did not attend the track or, if they did, not very often; 2. Those who attended the track, but left while many horses remained to be worked. The complainants said they had approached the Jockeys’ Association during the last two years without much success. The jockeys’ representative claimed that many of its mem-

bers were forced through economic circumstances to seek employment outside the racing industry to supplement their incomes. The jockeys maintained that by remaining at the track they would reduce their earning capacity elsewhere. The executive has asked the stipendiary stewards to see that all jockeys observe the condition of their licences which involves regular track attendance to ride work, says the statement. USE OF THEOBROMINE The executive committee has decided not to instruct the race course inspector to appeal against the decision of the Southland District Committee in the FLYWAY ease heard at Invercargill in August. The executive feels that because of conflict of expert evidence at the hearing on the effect of the drug theobromine, the decision might encourage trainers and others to use it, thinking they may do so with impunity. Notwithstanding the Southland decision, the executive will continue to conduct inquiries where the presence of theobromine is revealed by analysis as there is extensive expert opinion that theobromine is a drug within the meaning of the Rule. A further statement concerning theobromine will be issued shortly, RACING DATES The executive has approved the following dates: Auckland Racing Club, January 25, 1967. Reefton Jockey ’Club, January 10 and 11, 1967.