THE OTAGO DAILY TIMES TUESDAY, June 1, 1937. THE B CLASS RADIO STATIONS

Otago Daily Times, Issue 23205, 1 June 1937, Page 8

THE OTAGO DAILY TIMES TUESDAY, June 1, 1937. THE B CLASS RADIO STATIONS

No doubt at the public meeting which, at the request of a recent deputation, the Mayor has called for this evening, a vigorous display of sentiment may be expected in support of the B class radio stations. A demonstration with a view to the formulation in their behalf of representations to the Government will not be peculiar to this centre. So far as the Government may be finding the B stations a thorn in its flesh, in more ways than one, it is scarcely entitled to sympathy, since it has only itself to thank for any embarrassment it may be experiencing. Comparatively recently the B stations were figuring as precious in its sight. According to its election professions, the Labour Party was fully prepared to play the Saint George and rescue them from the clutches of the devouring dragon of the Coalition Government. Even when the present Government introduced its Broadcasting Bill last year it made some show of a determination to stand by the previous contention of its members that the B class stations should be allowed to live. But, by one of those metamorphoses that do sometimes occur in politics and that have been exceptionally frequent of late, the Labour Government has now in its turn become the dragon. Hence the loud voice of protest and the public meetings! It is the Government’s own affair to attempt to justify itself to the B class station supporters, who no doubt helped it into office in anticipation of benefits to come. Apart from that, there is, however, the broader aspect of the whole question. A very considerable section of the public, which is not specially concerned about this particular issue, will probably see

no reason to quarrel with the view that if the broadcasting service is to be a national one, under the Government’s control, adequate provision in a country of a population of this Dominion has been made in the existence of nine State-owned stations maintained by revenue from licensing fees. Where there is a national'service of that kind it is a reasonable conclusion that the existence of private broadcasting stations constitutes an anomaly, no matter what their initial usefulness may have been. The Government’s plan is to buy out the B class stations, at a price—the price being fixed by itself —but it is evidently not anxious to assist them to live by subsidy or other concession. The existence of the grievance, which the owners of the private stations entertain in these circumstances, however it may touch such exiguous conscience as the Government possesses, does not necessarily impeach the logic of the Ministerial policy. Contributors of licensing fees for the support of the national stations expect this revenue to be devoted to the provision of the best national broadcasting service that is possible. They would certainly not agree that portion of it might go to the support of an indefinite number of private stations. It has been suggested that behind the Government’s policy is a fear that privately-owned stations may be used for the dissemination of political propaganda against it. Yet it is not to be supposed that regulations could not, and would not, be applied to prevent the use of these stations in that way. In its control of broadcasting the Government has need to proceed with circumspection, for it has to satisfy the people of the Dominion. It is by no means immune from criticism. There may be viewpoints from which its policy may seem to spell deprivation. But with acceptance of the principle upon which a national system of broadcasting is established it is difficult to combine any really consistent argument for the maintenance as a public necessity of privately-operated radio stations. ’