CONTROL OF RADIO.

Manawatu Standard, Volume LV, Issue 91, 15 March 1935, Page 9

CONTROL OF RADIO.

AMENDMENTS TO BILL. B STATIONS SUPPORTED. Per Press Association. WELLINGTON, March 14. The House of Representatives this afternoon proceeded with the Committee stage of the Broadcasting Amendment Bill. Amendments circulated by the Minister provided that two members of the Broadcasting Board should be appointed from persons nominated by organisations recognised by the Minister as being representative of holders of receiving licenses in New Zealand. Another amendment dealt with the control of programmes. Mr M. J. Savage, Leader of the Opposition, said the amendments meant nothing. He criticised the Government for handing over its responsibilities to the board, which, be sad ; would consist of men of certain political colour who would do ns they were told by the Government. The Post and Telegraph Department had men who could do all that was required; the board could not do it. He also opposed restrictions on the B stations, for which, he said, the people were crying out. Mr A. E. Ansell said the B stations were satisfied with the regulations that existed in the past, except finance, but he sought an assurance from the Minister that their rights would be no further interfered with. He thought the B stations should be assisted, and would agree to a proportion of the listeners’ fees being handed over to accredited B stations. After the tea adjournment, Mr W. E. Barnard said the fact that the Minister had amended the Bill fairly substantially showed that lie had listened to the representations which had been made to him, and it was evident that the last word had not yet been written into the Bill. He appealed to the Minister to make still further alterations and make the measure, which was a non-party one, suitable to all sides of the House. He and other members appealed to the Minister to give the listeners the right to elect two representatives, instead of leaving it to the Minister to appoint them. LOOSENING CONTROL. Hon. A. Hamilton said he had said he would take suggestions into consideration and that any reasonable requests would be heard. Several deputations were heard and only one suggested that the listeners’ representatives should be elected. That would bo difficulty, but could be done. The clause covering programmes had been loosened in response to representations. The main purpose of the amendments was to loosen up on controversial matters, and the right was given to the board, as reasonable men, to say what should or should not go over the air. The present regulation dealing with controversial matter would be withdrawn. A new board was not being set up; the board was established three or four years ago. The Minister and the department could run the policy, but it would still have a board to advise it. That was all file Bill was doing—setting up a board under Government control. All the board would have to do with the B stations would be supervision of their programmes. The Bill did not say it was setting out to kill the B stations, the Minister added, and it was wonderful how so much assumption and suspicion had arisen. He believed the consensus of opinion in the House was that a good national service under a Government monopoly was the best. They had to guard against commercialising broadcasting, and they did not want to encourage the spending of money by 13 stations when they did not have a source of revenue; but there was no intention to suppress them. A great difficulty had been experienced in allowing sponsored programmes. and if they were not very careful the Australian or American | system would creep in. He had every respect for the B stations, which had given good service and had no doubt been responsible for the sale of many licenses, but now the board had subsidiary stations in the four chief cities and several subsidised B stations. Mr Hamilton added that there was nothing to stop a listeners’ club running a 13 station, and if the boaid deemed it advisable, to subsidise a B station it could do so. There weie 34 stations in New Zealand at the present time. 26 being J 3 stations, and he thought that was enough. There was nothing in the Bill to stop the transfer of station licenses. His idea was that anything that was educative or entertaining, but not propaganda, should be allowed. Ho did not consider, political matter propaganda. The Leader of the Opposition had said the hoard would know nothing about broadcasting. Mr Savage: I was judging the Government on its past record. Mr Hamilton said it might be possible to secure men who knew more about broadcasting than Parliament. Mr A. J. Stallworthy: You’ve got an inferiority complex. Mr J. A. Lee: No; he’s got some constituents. USE OF RECORDS. Mr Hamilton said that for a long time the Government had protected all licensees from patent rights, but that

arrangement had now been cancelled and the Government had cast on to the trade their right to purchase patent rights. It was not right for the Government to interfere between the gramophone record manufacturers and the B stations. Mr Ansell: What if the manufacturers refuse to allow records to be usedt Mr Hamilton: We have never experienced that. Mr W. Nash again suggested that arrangements should bo made for broadcasting tho proceedings of Parliament, but only under conditions that the people could listen if they wished. Mr Nash asked what sums the .board paid for the right of broadcasting sports and.similar activities. Mr A. Harris said he thought tho board that was to come in should control the A stations; that would give them plenty to do. The Bill was delivering the 13 stations into the hands of their competitors and there was a grave fear that the wide powers given to the hoard would not be exercised in the interests of the 13 stations. Mr W. A. Bodkin suggested that 25 per cent of the listeners’ fees should be devoted to a 13 station in each province, as the 13 stations were undoubtedly the most popular. Mr Hamilton said the House seemed to be very much concerned about the B stations, and he thought some of them should be assisted, but the B stations would not be interferred with, as there were some giving good service. He would suggest to the board that It should consider assisting them; he thought that was going a long way to meet the,desires of members. He did not know what sums were paid for broadcasting sports events, but it was a business arrangement between the board and the body concerned. Mr Savage said the Minister’s words bad proved that lie could only make representations to the board. He was, therefore, going to ask the House to vote against the short title. Progress was reported and the House rose at midnight till 11.30 a.m. tomorrow.