THE CHANGE OVER

Evening Post, Volume CXIII, Issue 1, 2 January 1932, Page 12

THE CHANGE OVER

BROADCASTING CONTROL

COMPANY SAYS "ADIEU"

FAREWELL MESSAGE

At midnight on New Year's Eve the Broadcasting Act came into operation, and the control of broadcasting in New Zealand changed over from tho New Zealand -Badio Broadcasting Company to the newly-constituted Broadcasting Board.' In a farewell message to listeners, the company briefly traced the growth of the service in New Zealand, and wished the board every success in the future.

"The time has arrived when the Broadcasting Company has to say adieu to its very many friends scattered throughout New Zealand and further afield," stated Mr. J. Ball, station manager of 2YA. "We are, therefore, taking this convenvient opportunity of addressing a few words to our listeners on behalf of the Badio Broadcasting Company. It is not at any time a happy duty to say farewell, and this is particularly so in the realm of broadcasting. In. broadcasting there is such an intimate touch between those responsible for the service and those who receive it that the occasion of this parting is tinged with, a great deal of regret, not only on the side of the directors of the company, but also on the part of listeners, if one may judge from the amount of correspondence recently received, for our listeners have always taken an, almost personal interest in the welfare of the service, a feeling which the directors have keenly realised and reciprocated. DIFFICULT TASK. '' The YA stations may' have disappointed some of you at times, because, not knowing what mood you would be inon a particular night, the programme organisers, some weeks previously, had arranged an entertainment o£ a certain kind and you had preferred a concert of a different type. You did not know the troubles and difficulties. the programme organisers had had in arranging that programme, and you did not think of how many other listeners approved of if although you did > not. "All such little misunderstandings are by the way. They are inseparable from any service to the public, where there are so many likes and dislikes. On occasions, listeners have written in to say that a certain. programme was the worst ever broadcast—and by the very same mail other listeners have described it as the best yet. They have declared that programmes of that type should be given every evening. "The Broadcasting Company has now reached the end of the charter granted it by the Government, and it has pleasure in handing on the torch which! was •entrusted to it 6} years ago. That the torch burns brightly, is shown by the number of licensed radio listeners now as compared with 6$ years ago. There are 70,000 now; there were about 3000 then. . "Broadcasting was very new in 1925, and the company had no beaten track to follow, not even a blazed trail, but it has done its best to carry out the trust reposed in it. It has steadily organised and developed its service until it has attained its present standard." . PROUD OF ACHIEVEMENTS. Mr. Ball then went on to refer to the difficulties of arranging programmes, and concluded:—, ''The Broadcasting Company is proud of its,achievements, and is grateful to the many listeners who have so generously expressed appreciation of the service given. The company has at all times endeavoured to maintain a high standard, and it has taken meticulous care that what is broadcast should not offend the susceptibilities of anyone, nor be unfit to bo heard by any member of the family. .No one has realised better than the directors of the company the widespread and farreaching power of broadcasting." It is the mightiest power for good in the world to-day. "I desire,- before concluding, to express our sincere appreciation of the co-operation of the many talented artists and the various musical and kindred organisations who have contributed to our broadcast programmes, and especially do I desire to convey our grateful thanks to the ladies and gentlemen who have dono such splendid lyork'in connection with our children's sessions, the honorary- lecturers who have given so freely of their time and knowledge, the members of our honorary advisory committees, our honorary official listeners in all parts of the Dominion,' our loyal, zealous, and efficient staff, and, indeed, all who have been in any way associated with the service. • "With a full realisation of the potentialities of radio, the directors of the Broadcasting Company have every confidence that in the personnel of the Broadcasting Board the future control of the New Zealand service has been placed in safe keeping. In handing over to the board the New Zealand broadcasting service, the directors of the Eadio Broadcasting Company extend to the members of the board their good will and, best wishes for their future success. To the board and to all listeners they wish a very happy New Year." SOCIAL FUNCTIONS. A complimentary concert ■ was tendered to the directors of the company by the artists who had been associated with the station. A particularly bright and attractive programme of an informal character had been organised by Messrs. Syd. Allwright and Victor Lloyd, and, this served to keep the microphone occupied from 8 until 11 p.m., at which hour the station passed over to relay the Watchnight Service from St. Andrew's Presbyterian Church. Upwards of sixty artists attended. Those contributing items to the evening's entertainment (in addition to the choruses in which all took part) were the Lyric Trio, Mrs. Mildred Kenny's Guitar Band, Mr. Frank Bryant, Mr. Will McKeon, Miss Margot Russell, Signor A. P. Truda, Mr. Owen Pritchard, Mr. and Mrs. Victor Lloyd, Mr. and Mrs. S. S. Allwright, Mr. Gordon Short, Mr. Wally Marshall, Misses Jeanette Briggs and Ngaire Coster, Mrs. Amiy and Miss Joyce Woodward. Mr. Billy Hart, Mr. Lcm. Ashton, the Etude Quartet, Mis. Holloway, Mr. Clement May, Mr. Nohi Tahiwi, and the members of 2YA Orchestrina. At 11 o'clock all present—artists, members of advisory•• committees, and staff, some ninety in all—were the guests of the company at supper, Mr. J. Ball presiding in the unavoidable absence of the general manager Mr. A. E. Harris. A very pleasant hour was spent, during which a number of appropriate toasts were enthusiastically honoured. The principal toasts, "The Artists," "The Organisers of the Complimentary Concert," and "Tho Broadcasting Company," were proposed respectively by Messrs.' Ernest Palliser, the chairman, and Mr. Ernest Dawson. BOARD'S OBJECTIVE. In its first official statement over the air the board said that it desired to_ inform listeners that it was fully seized with its responsibilities and tliat it would do its utmost to fulfil its functions in a manner satisfactory to everyone. It would endeavour to proceed along jgqggasjuw - lines ■ sith.

the idea of providing the best possible service, and it would always havo before it tho idea of building up a broadcasting service that would be a credit to tho Dominion.

"It will bo appreciated that the board has not had an opportunity of investigating details, and +hat it is not ptssibls at this juncture to touch on policy matters," the statement said. "The board believes that the organisation taken over from the Radio Broadcasting Company is an efficient one, and it is not proposed to disturb it meanwhile. As far as programmes are concerned, while a few minor changes havo been made, tho board has concentrated on ensuring that a smooth service will be provided throughout January.

"An Advisory Council to the board has been appointed, and until the advice of that body is available, no noteworthy changes will be made. The members of tho board extend to listeners their best wishes for 1932, and express the hope that as time goes on the board's efforts in the interests of broadcasting will meet with the approbation of listeners."