BRITISH BROADCASTING

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXI, Issue 21755, 21 March 1934, Page 11

BRITISH BROADCASTING

ANSWER TO COMPLAINTS POLITICIANS IMPRESSED ADDRESS BY DIRECTOR By Telegraph—Press Association—Copyright (Received March 20. 5.5 p.m.) LONDON. March 19 The Director-General of the British Broadcasting Corporation, Sir John Reith, attended a meeting of 150 Conservative members of the House of Commons, whom lie favourably impressed with an explanation of the constitution and administration of the corporation. He disclosed that it received 4s 6d of the 10s licence fee, the Government receiving the remainder. Apropos the recent complaints about the working conditions, Sir John submitted a memorial signed by SOO employees expressing disgust at the attacks and reiterating their loyalty to the Director-General. He added that the majority of the enormous number of letters received expressed approval of the service.

Sir John Reith, the pioneer of British broadcasting, until 1913 was on the staff of a London engineering firm. After war service with the Royal Engineers ho went to America in charge of munition contracts for Britain. His absorbing interest in wireless from its earliest phase to the formation of the British Broadcasting Corporation in 1922 brought him as general manager to "the fore in the development of the radio era.

In 1927, when the control of the corporation was taken over by the Government, Sir John was retained as director-general. His skill in building up !so vast an enterprise from practically nothing and in controlling its

varied branches, striking the balance between what is of permanent value and what is merely popular, has been highly praised. To give the public not what it wants, but what it ought to have, has always been his policy. The Daily Herald said that the administration of the corporation was causing unrest. There might be a number of dismissals in a few days, and possibly even more resignations. The complaint was that under Colonel Downay, controller of programmes, and Admiral Sir Charles Carpendale, controller of administration, the methods of the "quarter deck and barrack square" were being imposed on the staffs.