RADIO BROADCASTING

Otago Daily Times, Issue 23340, 4 November 1937, Page 12

RADIO BROADCASTING

PRINCIPLE OF STATE CONTROL V DEFENDED BY MINISTER PROSPECTS OF COMMERCIAL I SERVICE 5 _____ (From Oub PARtiAMEPtTAR-y Reporter) WELLINGTON. Nov. 3. State control of the radio broadcasting system was defended by the Postmaster-general (Mr F. Jones) in moving the second reading of the Broadcasting Amendment Bill in the House of Representatives to-day The Minister said that last year the Leader of the Opposition (Mr A Hamilton) had predicted that the increase in receiving licences would not be so great because of the establishment of the commercial stations. New Zealand, however was second in the British Empire and fourth in the world for the number of licences per head of population. Those figures showed the popularity of the broadcasting service.

"The Government believes that Government control is better than board control," the Minister said "The fact that licences are increas ihg by nearly 1000 a week shows that we are giving service to the "people It also proves that the people are more prosperous and can afford to purchase radio sets and pay the licence fees."

The opinion that the parliamentary broadcasts were appreciated was expressed by Mr Jones, who said he considered that the increase in the number of licence-holders was largely due to the fact that the House of Representatives was on the air. He did not think that members of the Opposition or the Independents could complain of any unfairness in that respect. He thought the Government had been .generous in allowing them to state their case. Purchase of B Stations Discussing the purchase of the B stations by the State, Mr Jones said the Government had carried out its promise to these stations, A number of the B stations had thought they were going to be given advertising rights, but the Government considered that it would have been dangerous to allow nrivately-owned stations to do that. Out of 22 stations, 18 had agreed to sell to the Government. „>Mr S. G. Holland (Opposition, Christchurch North): Have any B stations been subsidised? Mr Jones: No. There are only ftur left, and it is hard to say if they will not be glad to sell. * "No one, the Minister added, had fceen forced off the air and the owners had sold the stations of their own free will. They had been protected right up to the present so far as the gramophone and performing rights were concerned, and probably that protection would be carried on with the four stations not prepared to sell."

,; The Commercial Service «<"Four commercial stations have been established and there is a keen demand by firms and manufacturers for time," Mr Jones continued. "So long as the Government owns, con- * trbls and regulates the commercial service there is no reason why it should not provide this additional service for traders. The advertising is well put over and the programmes are certainly not obnoxious. I know that the type of programme is different from that of the national stations. "An Opposition member: Hear, hear!

Mr Jones: The national stations are giving good service. Indeed, the two services give listeners an excellent choice of programmes. Mr Holland: Have you any idea of the earnings of the commercial service? Mr Jones said he thought he would be able to give that information on the Estimates. The two services were dissimilar and that was why the Government was separating them.

Mr J. Hargest (Opposition, Awarua): Is there to be a fresh department? Mr Jones: The commercial service will be an independent department? except so far as finance is concerned There will be' a subsidy account which will become part and parcel of the national broadcasting service account. .