RADIO POLICY

Evening Post, Volume CXI, Issue 83, 9 April 1931, Page 18

RADIO POLICY

"CERTAIN ALTERATIONS"

A MINISTERIAL STATEMENT

The only Ministerial statement regarding broadcasting made since the announcement of the Government's intention to take over the whole system next January was evoked yesterday by a deputation which sought a widening of tho allowed scope of broadcast debates. In view of the great range and importance of the whole broadcasting system it is rather ironical that the only influential deputation which waitod on a Postmaster-General for years in regard to the public aspect of broadcasting should bo one dealing with a question of very minor interest. This is said without any intention to offend tho debating societies and other bodies represented in tho deputation; they aro all earnest and active bodies which very properly regard their activities as important and in one way or another influential. Nevertheless, broadcast debates are a very small part of broadcast fare, and cannot be regarded as popular items. Nobody has yet been inspired to go to the Postmaster-General and ask him what he proposes to do about broadcasting in general. However, he threw out, in his reply to the deputation, a vague hint. "The broadcasting regulations were at present being revised," he said, "and, although the new scheme would not be available for the present session, it would probably be available before the next session came round. A good deal of money was required for the earthquake, and the Department might have to modify its scheme, but certain alterations would be made in the broadcasting service from the beginning of next year. It was his desire to make the service as pleasant as possible for the listener, ana at the same time make it educational." This is about as vague as his original announcements, in that nobody can. deduce what is in the Minister's mind in this matter. The question is whether, as yet, there is anything definite at all. The bringing in of tho need of money for "the earthquake" is a curious side wind, though, of course, the rehabilitation of Hawkes Bay colours, .to some extent, all l£e_ Government's financial undertakings. It should be fairly obvious by now that the P. and T. Department not only "might" have to modify its scheme; it must, and partly because things have been allowed to drift so long, even before the earthquake, that there was not time to carry out plans that could accord with the Postmaster-General's nebulously stated policy. How long the broadcasting regulations (part of the general wireless regulations) have been in the oven is a matter that has escaped recollection; but it is so long that they aro either burnt to a cinder or the fire has long gone out. The regulations were certainly expected by interested parties to be issued at the New Tear, but they appear to be just as far off as ever, and in the meantime their non-appear-ance and the knowledge that the old rules are liable to be scrapped (they are in some respects absurd and worthless) is a source of possible difficulty. The Minister admitted the .possibility that the Broadcasting Company might have sheltered behind tho regulations when it was up against a disputed point. It is to be hoped that ho will take the speediest way of ensuring that the regulations that afford such shelter are at least suitable to the circumstances. Tho foliage should not be too thick.

By "Grid bias"