BROADCASTING SERVICE

Evening Star, Issue 25894, 11 September 1946, Page 9

BROADCASTING SERVICE

NET PROFIT OF £311,492 NEARLY TWO MILLION AVAILABLE FOR DEVELOPMENT (Special.) WELLINGTON, Sept. 11. The income of flits National’Division of the New Zealand Broadcasting Service for the year ended March 31 last totalled £480,193, compared with £468,359 for the previous year, stated the annual report of the service, which was presented in the House of Representatives to-day. The income included . £441.371 from radio license fees. Sales of station time by. the Commercial Division of the service established a record turnover of £289,879. Other revenue amounted to £6,191, making a total income of £295,570, compared with £280.444 the previous year.

GOST OFiSERVICE, Dealing with the accounts of the National Division, the report stated that expenditure on programmes absorbed £116,177, including £17,541 paid to members of .orchestras, £46,578 on talent, and £6,423 spent on welfare and entertainment of . the fighting forces stationed in New Zealand and overseas, while copyright features and miscellaneous programme charges amounted to £45,635. General administrative and running expenses cost £140,367. The total expenditure, including provision for depreciation of assets (£19,465), amounted to £276,009, leaving a working surplus on the year’s operations of £204;184. Of this surplus £200,000 was invested, making a total of £1,830,000 set aside to provide for future-development and to overtake arrears on construction and replacement of equipment.

Referring to. the accounts of the Commercial Division, the report stated that, in addition to time sales, local and , national community organisations were assisted by free announcements to the value of £6,770. Rate concessions on advertising placed by Government departments and by non-profit-making organisations equalled £12,595. Programme expenditure amounted to £20,893. This figure did -not represent the total cost of programmes used on the commercial stations, as a substantial percentage of advertisers engaged their own talent and supplied .their own features. General administrative and running expenses . amounted to £158,902, and depreciation to £8,467, expenditure for the year totalling £188,262, and leaving a net profit of £107,308, A sum of £82.000 has been provided to meet taxation, and the appropriation account now stands at £109.947. Investments of £120,000 had been set ; aside to meet capital extensions and' major improvements in office and studio Accommodation. EXPANSION PROGRAMME. “ Based on the present cost of building, plant, and equipment, it •' is estimated that the expansion programme to be undertaken by .the service will involve a greater expenditure than can be met by , the present reserve fund,” the re- - port added. “ Broadcasting House .; in Wellington has yet to be completed, and new buildings, are required in other centres,, including a transmitter building in Christchurch. / Practically all the existing plaint is ohsolet! arid requires replacement, while some stations . are to be .provided with more powerful transmitters. ' ; .“’The: plan for improvement in coverage includes proposals for additional stations, which will give a three to four-hour service daily in certain districts and the installation of relay lines for the .rebroadcasting of firstclass programmes in different parts,of the Dominion. It is intended, also,:to provide alternative programmes from transmitters at least equal in power to those at present operating in . the four main centres.” PROGRAMME ANALYSIS.

’ A ’ programme ■ analysis of the tqtal •transmitting time.of the 14 stations of the national . network for ; the week ended March 31 showed that the time was occupied 'as follows: —Serious music, 19.3 per cent.; light music, 46.3 per cent.; modern dance music, 5.7 per cent. ; • plays, sketches, and. dramatic serials,. 6 per cent.; sporting, commentaries, 4.7 per cent.; talks, general and educative, including schools broad* casts, 4.7 per cent;; news 'and. commentaries,. 8,2 per cent. ; church and devotional services, 2.3 per'cent.; children’s sessions, 2.8 per cent. .