STATE CONTROL OF BROADCASTING

Dominion, Volume 29, Issue 217, 10 June 1936, Page 10

STATE CONTROL OF BROADCASTING

Debate on Bill i MINISTER OUTLINES INTENTIONS Opposition Criticism There were full galleries lit (he House of Representatives last night to hear the debate on the second reading of tlie Broadcasting Bill, which proposes a new system of State control of the existing services. The speeches were broadcast. "Broadcasting is a national service, and we believe that it should be controlled by the Government in the interests of the people,” said tlie Post-master-General. Hott. F. Jones, in moving the second reading of the Bill. “We believe that it should be used not only for entertainment'but for the enlightenment of tlie public on matters affecting their interests and welfare.” Referring to the growth in popularity of broadcasting, Mr. Jones said that when it was introduced in 1924 there had been 2830 sets licensed. Now there were 192.265, and it was safe to say that there were over 500.000 listeners, but there was still room for expansion.

"There will undoubtedly be protests from the Opposition concerning the abolition of the Broadcasting Board,” said Mr. Jones, "but we believe it is not wise to delegate powers to a body of individuals. The board has done good service, and I appreciate the cooperation I have received from the members, but the board was invested witli greater powers than the Government. I do not doubt the ability or the sincerity of the members of the board, but broadcasting is a service that should be brought under the control of tlie people through their elected representatives. “Ever since I have been in Parliament at least the Labour Party has always stressed the importance of assisting the B stations.” continued the Minister. “Some of them have attained great popularity even to the extent of exceeding the national stations in the public esteem, and as the B stations were responsible for pioneering the service they are entitled to some consideration. Objection may be taken to the fact that they are to receive portion of tlie revenue from license fees in the form of subsidy, but I would like to point out. that out of the revenue of the British Broadcasting Corporation a large amount is used for purposes other than the promotion of the broadcasting service. Advertising Over the Air. “I know the opinion has been formed that we were going to grant advertising rights to the B stations," Mr. Jones added, "and some of therri will be disappointed. I was informed by a recent deputation, however, that only half of the B stations not at present receiving subsidies wished to advertise. That means that only seven B stations sought that right. I think the B stations will be quite willing to accept our proposals as they have been revealed in the Bill.”

In justification of the principle r.f Ministerial control. Air. Jones stated that: a committee set up Io consider broadcasting in Great Britain had recommended the appointment of a Minister of Broadcasting, with the control of the technical side in the hands of the Postmaster-General. The Bill made provision for the appointment if necessary of a Minister of Broadcasting. and he thought it was a wise provision. Referring to the station now under

construction at Titahi Bay, near Wellington, tlie Minister said t’hat by the eml of the year the Government hoped to be able to broadcast from there in a way that would provide an almost Dominion-wide coverage. The Government' would provide a national service that would be available to dis Iricbs which were not at present ade(inately served. There was enough land at Tita hi Bay to enable the establishment of a short-wave station, and the Government could visualise the time when such a station would be in operation. Broadcasting to Schools. ..Dealing with broadcasts for school children, the Minister said there were at present 550 schools receiving the service, and tlie number was increasing all lite time. This provided a valuable mental stimulus Io lhe pupils, and while it was not intended to replace the teacher or even to implement: the school syllabus, it stirred tlie imagination of tlie children by introducing elements which no school could provide. It could be made the connecting link between the school and the main stream of national life. The Government in tended to develop lite service further, and he thought it would be ypssible to show results in at least 12 months. The Minister stated that if tlie Government thought it necessary it would appoint a Broadcasting Advisory Council. It might be necessary to have advice on the selection of programmes and other related matters, and if it was considered necessary to have assistance in that respect the council would be appointed. , “There Is plenty of room for expansion in our broadcasting service,” continued the Minister. “There are at present over 200,000 homes in the Dominion which are not served, and the duty of the Government is to try to put the radio in every home. One of the principal obstacles is the high price of sets. If it is possible to provide a good set at a low price we will endeavour to do so. Royalties are a factor in keeping up the prices of sets, and it may be pointed out that the royalties payable per valve socket for a six-valve set amount to 21/- in New Zealand compared with 5/6 in England. I am not saying that there is racketeering, but we are making inquiries to see if the charges are fair. So far as this Government is concerned, it is going to bring the radio to everyone.” Commercial Stations Opposed. "Broadcasting is a national institution and it is wrong for party politics to come in and control such a service." declared the Hon. A. Hamilton (Opposition. Wallace), who was PostmasterGeneral in the last Government. The present form of control, free from politics and free from commercial p&ifit, he said, was undoubtedly the best system. “This Bill is a far-reaching measure and one of the most autocratic and dictatorial introduced this session,” said Mr. Hamilton.! “It goes much further than the Postmaster-General indicated to the House.” The Minister of Transport, Hon. RSemple: Another step towards— Mr. Hamilton: Yes, another step in the direction of Hitlerism, along with the Minister of Transport and his Hitlerism. The Ministerial control recommended by the committee which reported on the British system, said Mr. Hamilton, was only a power of veto over programmes, and nothing to do with the Ministerial control proposed in the Bill. The Post-master-General had staid it was tlie intention of the Government to control broadcasting for tlie people, but the listeners were the people who had ro find Ihe money. It was t hey who should receive the main consideration. The Government was grabbing a wellrun ami efficient service, Mr. Hamilton continued. Commercial advertising was a difficulty, and any Government was likely to land itself in trouble if it played about witli commercial stations. ' He advised the Government to step warily in connection with commercial broadcasting. It was one of the traits of British people to criticise ami leave the good points alone, but surely there were some good aspects of the broadcasting service in New Zealand. A good service had been built up witli the listeners' money—a service Unit would compare more than favourably with any in the world with the exception of that of the British Broadcasting Corporation. Tlie great desire of the Government was to make changes. Mr. AV. D. Coleman (Government, Gisborne) : AVe were'elected to do that. Mr. Hamilton : Yon might go out for the same reason.

Against Political Control.

Strong exception to the political control of broadcasting was taken by Mr. Hamilton. Party politics was going to dictate what the people were to hear. The home would be invaded by a lot of political talk, which would well be left to the ordinary channels of news. It looked very much as if the commercial stations were going to be used as a localised weapon to bring the newspapers in different parts of the country into line if they did not report the doings of the Government as it would like.

The Minister of Railways, Hon. D. G. Sullivan: Does that frighten you? Mr. Hamilton : It is a very doubtful purpose to which broadcasting is going to be put; if it, is to whip the newspapers if they do not say what the Government wants. If any Government, was ever put in by the newspapers it was the present Government. The Government went in with an antiGovernment wave created a good deal by the newspapers. Good British Example. Mr. Hamilton said the 8.8. C. represented one of the finest examples of broadcasting in the world. No one doubted that except people with no experience in broadcasting. The Government; was taking over an asset worth nearly £200,000 net, and he wondered if the finances would be as safe and as welj administered by the Government as they were by the boat'd. A national service with no idea of profit was the correct basis on which to own and control a broadcasting service. It would be impossible under the system contemplated by the Government; to prevent the broadcasting of political propaganda.

The B stations, said Mr. Hamilton, had given a wonderfully popular service in the early stages of broadcasting before the establishment of the high-powered national stations. The subsidising of privately-owned commercial stations, however, was not altogether in line with the present Government's avowed policy. “This Bill.” .Mr. Hamilton concluded, “is another addition to the absolute anti unlimited power being taken by the Government.” New Outlook and Methods. “This is a Bill after my own heart,” said the Rev. C. L. Carr (Government, Timaru), "We are living in a new age. Tills is an age of new governments. now methods and new men. Broadcasting must have a forward look. This Government has that for-' ward look and realises the infinite possibilities for good in broadcasting. But with a new institution and a pew Gov-

eminent progress must be made by some system of trial and error. “AYe need a new outlook for broadcasting, new methods and new men. The old Government accepted radio rather grudgingly. They more or less put up with it. except when it played into their own hands and they could use it for party purposes.” Mr. S. G. Smith (Opposition, New Plymouth) : That is not so. Mr. Carr: Then why did the former Minister of Finance talk about Ottawa over the air on his return and refuse to allow Hie Leader of tlie Opposition to say a word in reply? Tlie Opposition never need be afraid that we will follow lite evil example and refuse to allow the other side to put its case over the air. Mr. Carr admitted that discretion would have to be used in broadcasting. He asserted that he could not see the force in the argument of Mr. Hamilton that the Bill embodied any dictatorship.

"AVliat is wrong with advertising?" Mr. Carr asked. “AA’e have advertising in newspapers, on hoardings, in films and on posters. AA’hy not, then, advertising over tlie air? Over the air it can be cleverly done and can be made entertaining. If the people do not like it, they do not need to listen to it.”

Mr. Carr emphasised his view of the great future of broadcasting for schools, and advocated a greater encouragement of local talent in the programmes. Sunday programmes in New Zealand he described as dull, dreary, dismal and depressing. Criticising the programmes arranged by the board, Mr. D. McDougall (Independent, Mataura) said he had heard “stuff put over the ajr” that would bring a blush to the cheek of a dead Chinaman. He thought that under the new system radio entertainment would be more in line with the desires of the listeners. He congratulated the Minister on bringing down the Bill. “Dictatorial Powers.” Mr. J. Hargest (Opposition, Awarua) said that Opposition members were of opinion that the Bill gave the party in office dictatorial powers that were not in tlie interests of democracy. The board might have made mistakes and its progress might not have been very rapid, but its programmes must have had something in them to commend themselves, to listeners, for otherwise there would not hare been the remarkable growth in the number of licenses during the last few years. Ultimately the B stations, which the Government seemed so anxious to assist, would go to the wall because New Zealand was not large enough to support A stations, B stations and the proposed commercial stations. Listeners would soon become heartily tired of advertising over the air, and they would feel that they had been "had.” “It is clear,” continued Mr. Hargest, “that the Government wants to use broadcasting to promulgate its own policy throughout New Zealand, and that it wishes to use the radio against the newspapers. AYe on thi. side of the House feel that the Press has been fairer to the present Government, both when it was in Opposition last year and as the new Government, than it has been to us. They are being very fair to the Government to-day. The Government news gets first claim. If the Government thinks tlie attitude of the Press to-day is justification for this Bill, then I contend that the Leader of the Government is under a misapprehension.” Fight for Free Speech,

The Minister of Education, Hon. P. Fraser, said that no argument that could possibly carry any weight had been adduced by the two Opposition speakers, nor had any point against the beneficial nature of the Bill been established. The member for AVallace had indulged in something that could only lie describetAas hallucination when he depleted New Zealand as likely be hurled into the same Germany under Hitler and Italy under Mussolini. The control of broadcasting in New Zealand had been placed in the hands of the Government. Had it not been exercised fairly? Had not the Opposition had a fair opportunity during the broadcast of debates to express its views? : “I want to ask the Opposition,” said .Air. Fraser, “what party in this House has consistently stood for free speech and fought for free speech? Labour has been foremost in claiming that right for the citizens of New Zealand.” Mr. Hargest: That right has never been denied.

Mr. Fraser: Many rights have been trampled underfoot, and it is preposterous to imagine that a party which has always associated itself with the right of free speech should deny the most sacred heritage possessed by the people because it is now the Government.

Continuing, the Minister said that if Labour kept its opponents off the air how could the people weigli up the soundness of Labour’s arguments and the unsoundness of its opponents’ case I Labour had won not by dictating public opinion or by dominating public opinion but by putting its views in front of the people and asking them to judge for themselves. That method was going to be continued. Mr. Fraser said that the Government was being attacked because it was endeavouring to restore to the people their legitimate rights. The policy of the late Government was to delegate its responsibility to boards. No one could claim that the Broadcasting Board as a board had played any part in the success of broadcasting in New Zealand. , Mr. Forbes: You are not very fair to the board. The Minister said bis remarks were directed at the board as a board and not at any individual member. Running the Service.

"Who runs our broadcasting system at present?” asked Mr. Fraser. “Does anyone claim that it is run by tin. board? The people who are managing it arranging the programmes. and carrying 'out all the other factions will be the same people who will toll in the future. AM I hoj-e IS that lie. will have a better opportunity than thev have had in the past. Referring to political broadcasts, the Minister said the fear had been expressed that when the Governmen Lok full control of broadcasting the listeners would bo deluged wit-i speeches on political subjects. Notuh,.. could be further from the thoughts of anybody. The Government realised that the listeners were entitled to the best that the system could give them, but there was a place' for political sm-eehes It was the people's right to know what their representatives were saying and doing in Parliament. Answering statements made by Mr. Hamilton concerning the difference between the British system and the system proposed in the Bill, the Minister asked what interference there would be with day-to-day programmes. Mr. Hamilton: The Government here will bo in charge of the programmes.

"The honourable member's innocence is appalling.” said Mr. Fraser. “L cannot really believe that ho means that. As though the Minister would go to the trouble of interfering in any way with

the actual programmes, or taking part in the official actions of the system. I hope nobody, imagines anything of the kind. Does the Minister of Railways fix the.timetables? Mr. Hamilton: That is ridiculous. Mr, Fraser: I am glad you realise it is ridiculous, but that is what you said. Mr. Hamilton: AVho will control? The Minister: The Minister will be finally in control, as in Great Britain, but obviously he will not arrange the programmes, Mr. AV. J. Bolson (Opposition, Stratford): The Prime Minister has said that lie is going to broadcast political propaganda. Mr. Fraser:. There will he Statements of the Government's policy balanced by statements from the Opposition as'far as they can balance the Government’s policy. Continuing, the Minister said there seemed to be an extraordinary fear of advertising over the air, but in tlie British system the opinion was held that sponsored items need not be entirely excluded. There could be no greater flight of lurid imagination than the idea that the Government was going to use broadcasting to crush its opponents. Tlie Government intended that the Bill should put broadcasting on a tetter footing than before—to allow fair impartial informative broadcasts of controversial subjects and to give listeners-iu the greatest possible advantage for the least possible cost. The House adjourned at 1015 p.m. until 10.30 this morning.