Legislators Urge Radio Improvements

Manawatu Times, Volume 70, Issue 277, 23 November 1945, Page 5

Legislators Urge Radio Improvements

Minister Defends Retention of Present Fee (Per Press Association.) WELLINGTON, Nov. 22. Speaking to the broadcasting report, in the House of Eepresentatives this afternoon, Mr. A. J. Murdoch (Marsden) made a plea for the establishment of a broadcasting station to serve North Auckland. He urged a reduction in the cost of the radio licence fee. Hon. F. Jones: Ninety-live per cent. oY the people in New Zealand listen in today.

Mr. Murdoch: Then why not go further, reduce the fee and get 100 per cent?

Mr. A. S. Eichards (Boskill) said that listeners in Auckland had‘reported interference with the Parliamentary broadcasts, which sounded like “someone blowing a very powerful whistle,” and asked that an investigation be made. He would support a reduction in the licence fee only when the equipment of the broadcasting service was modernised.

Mr. S. W. Smith (Bay of Islands) hoped the Minister would hasten the day when broadcasting could be used for the discussion of controversial subjects along the lines of Australian broadcasts and in this manner attain further education of the people. He thought the programmes of the national YA stations could be staggered and thus avoid hearing the same sort of programmes at the same times from different stations.

Mr. Clyde Carr (Tlmaru) said it waa staggering to him that the programmes were not staggered, and he urged the necessary alterations and advocated

the use of alternative programmes. One complaint he made was that the wavelengths of the ZB stations were too close to those of the Australian stations. He supported freedom of speech over the air in the broadcasting of controversial matters and asked if the switching of the Parliamentary broadcasts to another station could not ho obviated.

Mr. G. E. Herron (Awarua) pleaded for better radio services for the people of the backblocks, who paid tho samo fees as city listeners.

NEW ZEALAND NEWS. Mr. T. H. McCombs (Lyttotton) urged the inclusion of New Zealand news in the programmes for internal consumption and the use of the radio to propagandise New Zealand overseas as a tourist resort. For this purpose we needed a powerful shortwave station. We should aspire to the 8.8.0. standard in shortwave programmes. For a comparatively small cost we could build a shortwave station to broadcast programmes aimed at America, Australia and other countries.

Mr. H. T. Morton (Waitemata) urged that higher fees should be paid to local and visiting artists to enable the best talent to be obtained for the radio. He would like to Bee the feea at least doubled. Mr. J.’B. Cotterill (Wanganui) said that, on the face of £1,670,00Q in reserve. it did appear that the licence fee could be reduced. He asked the Minister for an estimate of the amount required for the replacement of existing equipment and the modernisation of the service. “PEOPLE WELL OFF.” Mr. Jones said the cost to listeners was less than a penny dally, and when the broadcasting service was compared with what the Press of New Zealand supplied, the people were well off. Bo far as controversial subjects were concerned, the people had the advantage of listening to Parliament and the fact that its proceedings were broadcast was one of the greatest things done to educate the people on the political life of the country. Dealing with the allegation of interference with Parliamentary broadcast!, Mr. Jones said it was quite poeaibM that this was due to power leakages. Mr. W. J. Poison (Stratford) ■ Ol tuning.

Major O. F. Skinner: One off the worst sources of interference axe ths trams.

Mr. Jones said he was quite peep—si to look into the complaint. Mr. E. M. Algle (Eemuera)i Woidd anyone be jamming the radio again? Mr. Jones; Some members of tbs Opposition know something about jamming of the radio, but I do not think the member for Beumera has been jammed yet. Mr. Jones referred to several mattsts which had been brought up when the Estimates were discussed and repeated that every .encouragement would be

given to local talent. He again gave an outline of the broadcasting plans for the fnture. It was estimated that the cost of the new buildings required would be about £743,000, the replacement of plant £166,000, the provision of relay lines would cost £30,000 and the establishment of two short-wave stations £240,000. He had already given instructions to see if the Parliamentary proceedings could be broadcast without break.

“If we are to give decent programmes, then the people will have to pay for them,” he said. He did not think that people were complaining about the cost of the licence and believed that the coat oi broadcasting to New Zealand’s population was just as great as the amount required to give service to 10,000,000.