BROADCASTING LEGISLATION

Otago Daily Times, Issue 23341, 5 November 1937, Page 15

BROADCASTING LEGISLATION

XO THE EDITOB Sir,—The statement made in the House last evening by Mr F. Jones that " the Government believes that Government control is better than board control," received its greatest condemnation in the debate by Opposition members, which, incidentally, provided the greatest argument for the need of some interference by the listeners. There is not the slightest doubt that broadcasting matters are going from bad to worse; things are happening which an intelligent and carefullyselected board of listeners would not tolerate. Mr Jones's statement in reply to the question " Have any B stations been subsidised? " is another example of political tyranny. His reply, which was "No! there are only four left, and it is hard to say if they will not be glad to sell," does not coincide with his previous statements that, in connection with those stations which did not sell to the Government, subsidies would be considered. Why is it that Mr Jones says: "It is hard to say if they will not be glad to sell"? Does it not look as if the position had been deliberately made intolerable for these remaining stations, and yet Mr Jones persists in his statements that the B stations have sold out of their own free will, and no one had been forced off the air. Mr Hamilton's remarks that "It is pretty near time that we had a censor to see what is going over the air," is not without some justification. I have received quite a number of criticisms of the style of the matter which is going over the commercial stations. If this class of entertainment had been put over the national stations prior to the advent of the commercial stations, there would have been an outburst of indignation all over the country. I myself know personally of homes where there is quite a squabble because father wants to listen to the national station's programme, and the daughter, a school girl, wants to listen to the next instalment of the American sensational police or detective feature. This bears out Mr Hamilton's remarks that the commercial service, as it is being controlled at present, is not exercising a good influence on broadcasting. Already the boys and the girls are adopting the American phrases they hear, and their heads are full of this nonsense.

I would like to hear Mr Jones explain more fully what he means when he says there will be a subsidy- account. Does this indicate that the funds of the national service are being used to finance the commercial service? If so, then I maintain that the listeners are entitled to the profits of the commercial stations by way of reduced licence fees, etc., but judging by the wholesale expenditure which has been allowed to go on in connection with the establishment of commercial stations, the chances of a reduction in licence fees are very remote.

The Opposition has every right to criticise the appointment of Mr Scrimgeour. When Professor Shelley was appointed, advertisement of the appointment was resorted to, and the appointment of the commercial controller without advertising smacks of political preferment. And it seems to everyone who studies the position that the commercial controller has more freedom and power than the national controller, and this Bill makes it more so. The Listeners' League, which is growing in numbers every day, is watching the position very closely, and is in agreement with Mr Broadfoot when he suggests an inquiry before a tribunal or a royal commission. State control of broadcasting, or dictatorship, which is what we are experiencing at present, is not in the best interests of the listeners, who have a right to some say in the matter, and the Listeners* League, which advocates a board or some form of listeners' representation, will continue to grow in numbers and influence, until, when it is strong enough, the things which are happening at present will be impossible. The time is coming when the listeners will demand the right to refuse to have these things thrust upon them. It is recognised now that the commercial stations have usurped all the functions and more of the national service, and what should be a service of which we should be proud is being prostituted in the name of commercialism.—l am, etc., H. Booth, Secretary, Otago Radio Listertcrs' League. Dunedin. November 4.