CHURCH BROADCASTING

Otago Daily Times, Issue 20710, 7 May 1929, Page 17

CHURCH BROADCASTING

9 ADVISORY COMMITTEE FOR 4YA. In furtherance of its public relations scheme the Radio Broadcasting Company of New Zealand inaugurated the first of the Public Relations Committees in Dunedin, at a meeting of church delegates yesterday. The following representatives attended and unanimously decided to form a 4YA church service advisory committee. Present; Archdeacon Fitchett (Anglican), the Revs. E. S. Tuckwell (Baptist), H. E. Bellhouse (Methodist), A, Mead (Congregational), W, D. More (Church of Christ), George Miller (Presbyterian), Captain Chandler (Salvation Army), J. Ball (editor-announcer R.8.C., N.Z., Ltd.), and S. J. Hayden (station director, 4YA). For the purposes of the conference Mr J. Ball, who attended as the company’s representative, was elected to the chair, and stated that it was the opinion o£ the Broadcasting Company that the question of church broadcasting and attendant matters required the advice and consideration of a specially qualified nature which only a committee of church representatives was in a position to give. The operations of the committees in Auckland, Wellington, and Christchurch were also outlined, and after discussion it was decided, on the motion of Archdeacon Fitchett, that the company’s proposals should be adopted, and that the conference should form itself into a committee. The Rev. E. S. Tuckwell was elected to the chair for the ensuing 12 months. After discussion it was decided that the following number of services per annuni for the respective demonstrations be recommended to the company:— Anglican 10, Presbyterian IQ, Methodist 8. Baptist. Congregational, Church of Christ, and Salvation Army G each. The decision of the committee will result in the Salvation Army broadcasting its services for the first time in New Zealand. The Rev. Dir Tuckwell said he considered that broadcasting was filling a very great function in providing the churches with an opportunity for reaching those people who were either unable to or did not attend the actual service. He expressed the opinion that the committee, in conjunction with the Radio Broadcasting Company, would materially react to the benefit of listeners in so far as the handling of church matters on the air was concerned.