INTERESTING FACTS

Evening Star, Issue 21138, 25 June 1932, Page 4

INTERESTING FACTS

A recent issue of 'the Taranaki Herald ' makes a few comments regarding advertising over tiic air. Al■iliongh advertising is disallowed, the Railway Department, Income Tax Department, and several other Government departments are given free publicity by means of broadcasting day after day.

The members of the Advisory Council co the Broadcasting Board arc to bo justly treated in tuc. matter of payments. This is only ngnt if these gentlemen are to be responsible in a measure for general improvements in the present broadcasting service m New Zealand. It is anticipated that the Advisory Council meetings will bo of great benefit to the board in framing its future policy, so the importance of the services of the members is easily realised. There is a proviso that a councillor shall not be a representative of the trade, and it is to be hoped that a paid performer at any station will also be ineligible for election to the council.

It is reported by a Wellington paper that a curious position has arisen in connection with the questionnaires distributed by the Broadcasting Board tor compilation by listeners. As was mentioned previously. May 31 was tlio final date for sending in the completed forms. Before that date the post bag snowed that listeners were sending along some 400 or 500 forms every day. Just after the closing date there was a slight aduction in returns, but the cascade now shows every indication of returning to normal. The authorities are therefore faced with the fact that while they have officially closed for questionnaires the public have decided to overrule the closing date. As it would be absurd to begin an analysis of these forms until the Hood of 300 or 400 a day abates somewhat, the broadcast authorities arc philosophically waiting for things to moderate before beginning analytical operations.

Judging from notices received by some performers, the board has adopted the policy that the manuscript of all future radio sketches must first be submitted to headquarters for approval (reports a northern paper). This attitude may be advisable to safeguard all matter put over the air, but surely the station director in each centre should be capable of judging both merit and pro priety in what is offered for broadcasting. A pre-view of manuscript for both sketches and lecturettes must be undertaken, but to centralise this seems to be going against the expressed policy of' allowing each YA station its ftill measure of liberty in arranging its own programmes. Further, how about the weekly “ surprise ” ifem ?