Racing Broadcasts

Press, Volume CIX, Issue 32232, 26 February 1970, Page 10

Racing Broadcasts

Sir,—What formula does the N.Z.B.C. use when deciding which race meeting doubles will be broadcast over the ZB stations? Last Saturday there were four day meetings: Waikato, Woodville, Northland, and Gore The first three were broadcast but not Gore, the only meeting in the South Island If the formula used is popularity reflected in tote turnover, then Gore should have been broadcast: on course, Gore, 855.598: Northlands. #58,387. Off-course: Gore 888,082: Northland, 846,818 Or did Northland get the nod because the course was already wired up from the pre vious day's meeting? If the choice was based on last year’s figures then Gore was still higher than Northland: total on and off-course, Gore. 893,359; Northland, $92,927. Here in the South Island we are being compelled to think of the North Island. “To them that hath more is added.”— Yours, etc., RACE-DAY LISTENER February 16, 1970 [Mr L. Boyes, public relations officer in Wellington, replies: "Wherever possible, the N.Z.B.C. bases its decision as to which three doubles i races shall be broadcast on I any one day, on the off-course , figures from the previous year, which are supplied by the T.A.B. In this case, no comparative figures were possible, because in 1989 Gore and Northland did not hold their meetings at the same time of year, the Gore meeting being held in the summer, and the Northland meeting in early winter, May 2 and 3. In these circumstances, the N.Z.B.C. decided to broadcast from Northland to preserve a continuity of the commentaries broadcast from that course on Friday, the previous day. There is no question of lines, since all courses are permanently wired for direct broadcasts. There is also no question of a preference for North Island meetings: and therefore, if Gore and Northland clashed next year, the Gore double will be broadcast on the basis of the 1970 offcourse figures which your correspondent has quoted.”]