MOST POPULAR BROADCASTS

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume 80, 11 September 1945, Page 4

MOST POPULAR BROADCASTS

PARLIAMENT and wrestling Canberra, Sept. 9. The New Zealand national radio stations attracted their biggest audiences when they broadcast cither Parliamentary debates or wrestling matches, said Mr C. G. Scrlmgcour. former Director of the New Zealand Commercial Broadcasting Service, giving evidence before the Parliamentary standing committee on broadcasting, which is examining a proposal to broadcast Parliamentary debates from Canberra. Describing the increase in listeners to national stations when debates or wrestling are broadcast, Mr Scrimgeour said: “Normally, the commercial stations claim the attention of 75 per cent, of listeners. When Parliamentary debates are broadcast, 50 per cent, of these listeners switch to the national stations. The percentage of listeners to the commercial stations also drops sharply when the national stations arc broadcasting wrestling matches.” The chairman of the Australian Broadcasting Commission, Mr Boyer, who returned yesterday from a week’s tour of New Zealand, said in Sydney that Parliamentary broadcasts in New Zealand had come to stay. They were popular and interesting. Mr Boyer said he would make recommendations on Parliamentary broadcasting in a report he would submit to the Parliamentary committee on broadcasting this month.