MINOR BROADCASTING

Evening Star, Issue 21510, 7 September 1933, Page 5

MINOR BROADCASTING

TAKING OVER OF PRIVATE STATIONS LISTENERS CURIOUS [Special to the ‘ Stak.’] AUCKLAND, September 6. The announcemeut yesterday by the Hon, A. Hamilton that, as Minister of Telegraphs, he bad taken over from Lewis, Eady Ltd. the Auckland station IZR, and from 2ZW Broadcasting Service, Wellington, station 2ZW, came as a surprise to the local listening public. Neither in the issued statement nor in any previous one was there any official hint of the reason. for this, dramatic step, and the public are naturally asking “ Why?” The general opinion among listeners is that an alternative service, such as is provided in Sydney and Melbourne, is contemplated for Auckland and Wellington, and that the alternative service will be supplied by IZR and 2ZW in their respective cities. Other listeners point out that Wellington already has its standby plant providing such a service in conjunction with 2YA, and that when the new IYA commences operations the present plant could be used for a similar purpose for Auckland. It is anticipated that IZR will continue on the present schedule, and with its present type of entertainment for the next three months, but what will then occur is matter for conjecture. Listeners are naturally anxious to know whether the station will then operate from its present location, what its times of broadcasting will be, and (still more important) what special duties will bo assigned to it. Generally speaking, they foresee a further step towards following the system of broadcasting in Britain—complete elimination of private entertainment services over the air. Unless the Government makes an early announcement of its policy (since there must bo some policy underlying the steps it lias taken) listeners will become restive, and there will be further agitations such as have marked periodically various pli/iscs of broadcasting development during the past ten years.