COSTLY BROADCASTING

Dominion, Volume 23, Issue 85, 4 January 1930, Page 27

COSTLY BROADCASTING

BRITISH YEAR’S DEFICIT As a consequence of the considerable expense which the British Broadcasting Company have already borne and which they will have to face in connection, with the new building in Portland Place, as well as the expensive programme developments which are in hand, representations, it is anticipated, will be made to the Postmaster-Gem?-tal for a larger share in the license •revenue.- *. 1 When Sir William Mitchell-Thomson was Postmaster-General he mentioned 1929 as the date on which the company might reasonably seek to gain a larger proportion. of the license, revenue if.their financial situation became difficult. In the financial year 1928, .the share of license revenue of the company fell short of expenditure by £7560, whereas in the previous year there had been a credit balance of £27,699. The principal items in the balance-sheet were: Income. Publications 120,635 Licenses £871,763 Total £1,002,505 Expenditure. Programmes £538,990 Plant, power, etc. 160,455 Rent, rates, taxes .... 77,799 Administration and salaries 56,211 Total £879,324 In the annual, accounts of the Post Office the total cash receipts from wireless receiving licenses during the financial vear, 1927-28, were stated to be £1.234,898. Of this per cent, was deducted for expenses of management. A sum of £254,872 accrued to the Exchequer, and £824,237 ‘■•was paid to the company. Following upon an inquiry l®the governors of the company, the status and pay of announcers have been greatly improved. It is .understood that announcers may now start at a salary up to £6OO a year. Previously the starting figure was about £350 a year, and the limit fixed at approximately £750.