BROADCAST POLICY

Dominion, Volume 28, Issue 283, 27 August 1935, Page 16

BROADCAST POLICY

Case For the B Stations

By Telegraph.—Press Association.

Auckland, August 26.

The Town Hall and Concert Chamber were both filled to overflowing yesterday when followers of “The Friendly Road” welcomed back the Rev. C. G. Scrimgeour from Australia. The proceedings were broadcast until Mr. Scrimgeour said he had an important announcement to make and asked to be taken off the air. He then made a statement about B class stations and their future. He said the Broadcasting Board could at once, if it wished, save the B class stations any further worry about the copyright of gramophone records. The copyright companies were reasonable and should be paid something. B class stations which were approved by the Broadcasting Board were absolved from any responsibility, but those which did not were going to be forced off the air, because no broadcasting station could exist without music. Here was an opportunity for the board to prove it really represented listeners. He hoped listeners would watch the board’s action in the matter carefully and then they would know whether the board really represented listeners or whether it was an authority that desired to abolish B class stations.

Mr. Scrimgeour strongly criticised the Postmaster-General for his reported statement that B class stations “are in the anomalous position of having no revenue and no rights.” Mr. Scrimgeour said he had been accused of adopting political action. He was tired beyond endurance of the pinpricking regulations of the board, and unless the broadcasting policy of New Zealand were changed before or immediately after the general election, and advertising revenue allowed for B class stations, the Friendly Road’s station would go off the air and he would leave New Zealand. He proposed to give political parties an opportunity of defining their policy toward B class stations.