THE BROADCASTING SITUATION

Otago Daily Times, Issue 23222, 21 June 1937, Page 6

THE BROADCASTING SITUATION

TO THE EDITOR Sir,—One of the cryptic slogans of the Labour Party in Great Britain and here is, " Each for all and all for each." The Listeners' League knows no politics, but we have a slogan, "The air, free, for all" (subject to reasonable "policing"). The official letter paper bears the inscription. "A non-political body promoted to safeguard the interests of radio listeners." Prior to the annual meeting of the league last year, through your columns, I pointed out to listeners the untenable position in which, as listeners, we found ourselves even then, and predicted the possibility of a more serious position. Listeners know what has happened in the meantime—l do not refer to the purchasing of B stations—and in consequence or the definite apathy of large numbers of listeners. We are still unable to " speak " to the authon ties effectively. The position is farcical, surely, when we remember that during the past four years we have paid into an institution which is the people's the sum of £BOO,OOO, and we can barely " knock " at the front door of the managing director—our director. I here refer to other matters more particularly at Tuesday's meeting. It is satisfactory to know that at least a few hundreds have recently been aroused from their lethargy and have become members of the league but, as I have said, publicly, we need at least half (say, 4000) of the licencees in and around Dunedin to .loin up. I urge that the league must have a " loud-speaker voice," so that it may effectively deal with the many important matters which are sure to arise in the future in connection with radio affairs.

I urge that those who are not members (the fee is only one shilling—it is not money we grasp after but members) should immediately communicate with the secretary, so that thej may be registered before Tuesday's meeting, or, failing this, to be good enough to lend us their support by attending the meeting—they can be enrolled then—and taking part in the proceedings.—T am, etc., W. J. Bardslcy, President. Otago Radio Listeners' League. June 120.