COMMERCIAL BROADCASTING.

Evening Star, Issue 22804, 12 November 1937, Page 8

COMMERCIAL BROADCASTING.

The National Party was perfectly entitled to ask for a Royal Commission to inquire into various aspects of the Government’s broadcasting policy. Mr Coates’s motion to that end indicated as subjects for inquiry “ all matters of broadcasting policy affecting the national and commercial services and the B stations, with full details of the purchase by the Government of private stations; all matters with regard to the 1 jamming ’ of IZB in November, 1935 ; and all the circumstances leading up to the appointment of the Controller of Commercial Broadcasting and the business associations, agencies, and financial transactions connected with the commercial broadcasting service.” There was ample scope here for an independent inquiry the findings of which would have great interest for the public, and, if they were in favour of the Government, might save it much future embarrassment. The inquiry was not granted, and the public must be content with the Government’s own explanation of the points at issue, which leaves one matter, that of the disposal of advertising rights in Australia, not a little vague, and others in a light which does not conduce to appreciation of the Government’s judgment and “ savoir faire ” in the inauguration of its new radio policy. There was certainly room for questioning and for criticism in the appointment, without calling for applications, at a most generous salary, of a man to be Controller of Commercial Broadcasting who had come chiefly into prominence by his flouting of the regulations made by the previous Government. The broadcasts conducted over IZB at the time of the last election, which were supposed to be nonpolitical, may have had some value for the Labour Party, but there were certain to be questions about this appointment. It was useless for the Prime Minister to protest that to attack someone who was outside the House and who could not reply was hardly playing the game. The Hon. Mr Fraser put that matter in its right perspective when he admitted that the appointment of any public servant was open to fair criticism. Before a Royal Commission, which was the Opposition s request, Mr Scrimgeour would have full opportunity to speak. There was no point in comparing the Controller’s salary with those paid to former general managers of the Railway Department, because there is no comparison between departments concerned. The extreme railways salary, moreover, was paid first to Mr Hiley, who was brought out from England to reorganise and make plans for tho future development of the railways. He would not have come otherwise, and after he had received the enhanced remuneration there was difficulty in not paying it to his successors. Of the private B stations, which, by election-time statements of the Labour Party, recalled by the Prim© Minister himself, were to be allowed to live, only four remain under its new policy, and, apart from proceedings of Parliament, the restrictions on controversial broadcasting are about the same as before. Both those aspects of the system may be justifiable, but not on the score of a consistent policy. The Opposition had most cause to thank the Hon. Mr Jones for his contribution to the debate. The official report from which he quoted on the jamming of IZB was as complete a justification of that incident as could be desired.