BROADCASTING RIGHTS

Greymouth Evening Star, 15 October 1932, Page 7

BROADCASTING RIGHTS

COPYRIGHT CHARGES SCHEME. [BY CABLE —PRESS ASSN. —COPYRIGHT.] SYDNEY, October 14. At the Performing Rights Inquiry, to-day, a suggestion that the copyright charges should vary according to the merit of the composition was made by Mr. H. Williams, the Manager of the Australian Broadcasting Commission. He poitned out that in England a points system operated. Questioned about the relative func-

tions and merits of the A and the B class stations, Mr. Williams said that the A stations would be unable to give a sufficient service without the B sta-

tions, but if the A class stations were given additional wave lengths in every capital city, an adequate service could be provided without resort to advertising, as B stations did, owing to their not receiving any portion of the listeners’ fees. Mr. George Childers, giving evidence for the B stations, considered that the copyright fees should be charged against the license fees. The B sta-

tions did not dispute the claims of the Performing Rights’ Association to a fair payment, for the copyrights, but some method should be devised for checking them, especially as 85 per cent, of the music performed by the B stations was gramophone records, and was claimed as copyright. The hearing was adjourned.