STATE CONTROL

Evening Post, Volume CXI, Issue 72, 26 March 1931, Page 20

STATE CONTROL

WIDE INQUIRY NEEDED

Last week an article in this column expressed doubt whether, at this date and. in the circumstances now existing, it is possible for the Government to carry out the proposal to take over control of the New 'Zealand broadcasting system next January. It was pointed out that apparently nothing has yet been done in preparation for such a change, and that if a hasty arrangement is made repentance will follow. It was suggested that the proper course to pursue is to postpone the change for a year or so and to institute, at the earliest possible time, an exhaustive inquiry into the whole broadcasting position.

The whole extent of the problem is far greater than is commonly realised: far larger, probably, than the Post-master-Genera] thought when he made his surprise announcement. The technical experts of the P. and T. Department include highly qualified radio engineers. But they do not—they cannot—know all the conditions that will have to be dealt with in a thoroughly satisfactory broadcasting service. The whole country needs to be thoroughly surveyed on the basis of special reports to ascertain (a) how far the present stations aro or are not providing satisfactory "coverage," and what additional stations, if any, are needed; (b) to obtain a dependable estimate of the real requirements of the community in regard .to broadcasting hoars and the character of programmes; (c) to ascertain the full extent to which the talent of the country can be drawn upon for broadcasting purposes. Neither of these questions can be dealt with except with the expenditure of a good deal of time and care. There is already plenty of evidence that the four existing broadcasting stations arc far from capable of meeting the requirements of the whole country, and do not even moot the requirements of their own localities. The satisfactory working range of a broadcasting staV/n is far more limited than used 'to be supposed-; and New Zealand has learned from the painful example of 2YA that high power does not extend the mileage of service. The failure of the stations to provide for the needs of their own localities is due partly to restriction of programme hours; partly (and mainly) to poverty of programme quality. An extraordinary amount of interest was taken in the so-far-unfulfilled rumours that a B class station was to bo started in Wellington. Tlio station would have boon warmly welcomed, because it promised both an extension of programme hours and a taste of better broadcasting, and no doubt it would have fulfilled both promises. A satisfactory broadcasting system must provide a service for practically all the inhabited parts of the country, and it should also provide over as large an area as possible at least two avail- | able programmes. The present system provides normally four programmes, of which all may be .well received in some localities, but which fail to provide Ihe whole country with, even one good broadcast. To extend the range for good reception is impossible; more stations arc essential. To multiply the number of performances, with c limited amount of talent available, is hardly practicable, and the remedy is a system of stations, all of relatively low power, connected by land-lines and utilising programmes in common. Supnose, for example, that Wellington's programme was relayed to Waiiganm, Napier, and Hamilton, and Auckland s to Gisbornc, New Plymouth, and Palmcrston North, there would be a reasonable prospect oii most parts of the North Island being able to listen at choice to either programme. (This statement is not to be taken as an assertion that the localities named are suitable for the purpose. The distribution of relay stations is a matter for investigation.) It will probably be found that, it the Post Office assumes technical control of broadcasting, it will not, in the end, fike over the actual running o± the system in general. It would certainly be ill-advised to do so. let to endeavour to establish a separate organisation to provide the entertainment which the P. and T. engineers arc to distribute looks like seeking a shortcut to trouble. An inquiry into the position should look into the idea of establishing a new body on the lines of the original British Broadcasting Company whose work was beyond question brilliantly successful. It embodied the invaluable stimulus of trade interest without trade domination (for it was composed of radio traders), and it developed a spirit of service tor winch it would be hard to find a parallel. The BBC organisation was a happy conception, and a thoroughly logical one.