BROADCASTING

Evening Post, Volume CXXI, Issue 153, 30 June 1936, Page 10

BROADCASTING

CONTROL BY STATE

OPERATES TOMORROW

SURVEY TO BE MADE

At midnight tonight ,al: broadcasting services will come under the direct control of the State. This is in accordance with the provisions of the Broadcasting Act, which was passed by Parliament just prior to the winter recess and which comes into operation tomorrow. The Broadcasting Board, in whose charge broadcasting was placed under the previous legislation, held its final meeting in Wellington last week, and it ceases to function today. The powers previously held by the board will be vested in the Minister of Broadcasting, whose name is likely to be announced very shortly.

Already applications have been called for the position of Director of Broadcasting, who will be the principal administrative officer under the Minister. A salary of £1500, rising to £2000, has been fixed for the position, and it is expected that the Government will have a wide field from which to selcct the officcr. Inquiries "have already been received by the Government from Australia.

In the meantime, the General Manager (Mr. E. C. Hands) will act as chief administrative officer, but instead of being responsible to a board he will be responsible to the Minister direct.

j In an interview today, the Post-master-General (the Hon. F. Jones), who will remain in charge of broadcasting until a Minister is appointed, said there were many important questions to be decided as a result of the change-over to State control. One important question was the position of existing B stations, and the Government would have to decide its attitude in reference to the granting of subsidies and the taking over of certain stations. It was not intended to rush the matter, and before definite decisions were reached there would be a complete survey of the coverage of New Zealand. There were certain centres which presented difficulties on account of their location, and the provision of a national service for such centres would have to be considered. Much would depend on the powerful j station that was being erected at Titahi Bay. It was hoped that the station would be powerful enough to cover the whole of New Zealand successfully, but it would not be possible to determine that until the station was actually operating.

Mr. Jones said that he had already received a number of requests from B stations lor permission . to Increase their equipment and also to extend their hours, but the requests had been declined in the meantime. It was no use going ahead on such lines until a complete survey had been made.

Mr. Jones was asked if the Government intended to proceed with the appointment of an advisory council, as provided for in the Broadcasting Act. He said that it had not yet been decided whether an advisory council would be necessary. The Act did not make the appointment of such a council mandatory, and whether one would be appointed or not would not be decided until the director had been appointed.