RECORDS FOR RADIO

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXII, Issue 22260, 7 November 1935, Page 18

RECORDS FOR RADIO

POSITION OF B, STATIONS NEGOTIATIONS FRUITLESS SEARCH FOR SUBSTITUTES A special visit to Australia by tho Rev. C. G. Scrimgeour with tho object of negotiating with tho representatives of the gramophone companies on behalf of the Now Zealand Federation of B Station Owners has proved fruitless. Mr. Scrimgeour returned to Auckland by the Wanganella from Sydney yesterday. Mr. Scrimgeour admitted that the gramophone companies were perfectly within their rights in asking for payment for tho broadcasting of their recordings, and had been quite reasonable in, their attitude. He had made an offer to tho companies on behalf of the federation, but it had been rejected on tlio ground that it was insufficient. Tho stumbling block was tho fact that New Zealand B stations had no means of earning revenue. The position was different in Australia. An Injunction Expected Tho representatives of tho companies had pointed out that tho fact that the New Zealand stat'ons could not earn •revenue was no concern of theirs. "Tho gramophone companies are definitely going to take an injunction against B stations in the Dominion, and, as the companies have a clear patent, there is no 4°ubt that the injunction will be granted," said Mr. Scrimgeour. "However, until that action is taken, we will carry on with recordings." In view of the position that had arisen, ho said, ho had taken the opportunity while in Sydney to make a thorough investigation of substitutes for ordinary recordings. Most of the stations there were becoming independent of the gramophone companies, as they were making their own recordings and exchanging them with other stations. These recordings it would bo possible to obtain in New Zealand.

"What I am particularly interested in, however, is tho multi-recording system on films," Mr. Scrimgeour continued. "It is an Australian patent and consists of eight sound tracks on one piece of film. A length of 1000 ft. will provido a 74-minute programme. This system has not Ibeen used before. I have an option over the^ patent rights for Australia and New Zealand, and we are going to give it full consideration." Film with a singlo sound track had been used in the Commonwealth," but it was not economical. Recordings Made by Stations "If the multi-track film method is not ready when the use of ordinary recordings is prohibited, we will start making our own discs and exchange them with other stations. Wo will also secure the right to use discs made by Australian stations. This is as far as we can go in the meantime." Mr. Scrimgeour predicted that television would be in uso within the next years, which, ho considered, would mean a total reorganisation of radio broadcasting in the Dominion. "Developments in television arc being , watched very closely in Australia," he added. The Friendly Road services from station 2UE, Sydney, which ho had inaugurated about four months ago, were meeting with a very good reception, said Mr. Scrimgeour. When he was in Sydney he had spent five hours on end one day making recordings which would be broadcast. They would provide services for five weeks.