CONTROL OF RADIO

Evening Star, Issue 20610, 9 October 1930, Page 7

CONTROL OF RADIO

P. AND T. DEPARTMENT'S DUALIFI* CATIONS business management and programmes CONSIDERED Speaking on the recent development in the House iu regard to the proposed future policy of broadcasting, Mr J. W. Webb, for many years station director at 4YA, said this morning that lie did not agree with some of the newspaper editorials (especially in the northern Press) that it was a Tuoug policy for the Government to make further inroads into public enterprise. From his knowledge of broadcasting it was quite in the best interests of rat io in the dominion that the Post and Telegraph Department take over technical control, if tho Broadcasting Company was not to have its license renewed. “ The executives'of.the Post and telegraph Department,” he continued, “are thoroughly acquainted with tw la'test developments m radio, and the chief telegraph engineer (Mr A. Gibbs) is probably tho foremost authority on broadcasting in New Zealand. If the department operated broadcasting in conjunction with its ordinary technical work, it would- not have to depart from its usual avenues very much, and as relaying and rebroadcasting from stations in tho smaller towns are contemplated tho work would be largely in the hands of the Post and Telegraph Department in any case; so I agree that the technical side or this important science should be left in the hands of people who best understand “Tho business management and programmes present an altogether different aspect of the question. I. should bo very loth to recommend that the department take over tho control of these branches. A Director-General of Broadcasting would bo needed—a man of similar qualifications and personality to Sir John Ileith, general manager of tho British Broadcasting Corporation. “ The programmes will always present their varied problems, and it is my opinion that the greatest satisfaction would be achieved by placing the. programmes in the hands of competent individual organisers in each or tho four main centres for a term not exceeding twelve months, in each case. The organising of programmes calls for exceptional creative ability, coupled with a wide knowledge and experience of providing entertainment, and this typo of man is to be found in the theatrical world. If £5,000 per annum were devoted to each of the tour centres for providing programmes, and for the maintenance of the staff, the best of artists in New Zealand could be induced to perform, and this money wdulej probably provide for tho importation of popular artists from Australia. “ There is a definite need for B stations, as the class of programme which they are most able to provide—gramophone selections—is highly acceptable to the average listener, and, although I would not like to see advertising introduced into the programmes, financial help should be provided to maintain these smaller stations. It would not be necessary to have A stations on the air all day and until late at night as in Australia'if the B stations, under strict control, were paid to relievo the bigger stations at certain hours. The four B stations in Dunedin, giving_ excellent service, have probably convinced the authorities that they fill a groat need, and are largely responsible for the steady increase in tho license figures in Utago.”