ON THE AIR

Otago Daily Times, Issue 26197, 6 July 1946, Page 3

ON THE AIR

BROADCASTING REVIEW By Coda The latest issue of the New Zealand Listener, the official journal of the N. 8.5., features a reference to this column, calling into doubt certain statements made some-weeks ago about the financing of the Listener. As the official journal of the N.B.S. did not see fit to support its claims with any evidence, I shall gladly supply the necessary facts for its information. The official journal states that it is “ not subsidised directly or indirectly. It. lost money for a year or two. but it has long since repaid those early deficits.” Here are the facts:— For the year ended March 31, 1939. before the official journal of the N.B.S. was even established, the public accounts feature already under “ expenditure for the Listener ” the sum of £B6l. For 1939-40, the expenditure on this journal, taken from wireless licence fees, rose to £30,437. while revenue from the journal amounted to £18.069. a deficit of over £12,000. In 1940-41, a grant amounting to £28,537 was made, whereas revenue brought in only £23,169. The position became better in 1941-42. with £30.956 expenditure from our licence fees on the journal, and a revenue of £28.248 coming in. After these four years, and not after “ a year or two,” the official journal of the N.B.S. showed a profit for the first time when a subsidy of £25,000 was balanced by a revenue of £30.366. During 1943-44, the expenditure, as listed in the public accounts, amounted to £27.319 and revenue went up to £34,544. The complete figures for the next financial year are not yet available in the Appendices to the Journals of the House of Representatives, sections B. 1., part IV. and F. 3. A substantial sum therefore still awaited repayment since the last available accounts were published. “We Hold These Truths . .

For four years, then, the official journal of the N.B.S. was directly subsidised by our licence fees. I accept the journal’s statement that the subsidies have since been repaid in full. This does not alter the fact, however, that subsidies were received for four years, and the journal’s statement is therefore misleading. Moreover, other publications cannot receive money grants from the public purse, and the Listener was therefore throughout in a favoured position. The published accounts do not show either whether such items as “ newsprint stock and storage charges for the Listener ” amounting to nearly £IO.OOO in the yearly Budgets, are included in the general accounts. Further sums of several thousand pounds listed in the Budgets under such headings as “Prizes for and expenses of competitions ” can also not be traced. In its statement, the official journal of the N.B.S. further claims that it does not receive “ any 'concessions from the Post Office.” I accept its assurance that postage is paid, as well as a commission on the subscriptions “ collected over the counter.’! The journal did not mention, however, that like facilities are not granted to other publications which cannot use the Post Office as its agents:, Further, the Listener has been advertised in Dunedin at least over the national stations, a fact which was commented on some time ago. Can the national stations accept commercial advertising? Was any payment made for these advertisements? This is another instance of an indirect subsidy. Finally, shortly after the official journal of the N.B.S. began publication, it was amalgamated with the privately-owned Radio Record. Whose money bought out the Radio Record if not the taxpayer’s? In conclusion, I would like to mention that this little passage-at-arms was hot sought by me. I advocated the publication of fuller programme time tables in the official journal, as discriminating listening depends on selection from detailed programme schedules. As the official journal of the N.B.S. has received and is still receiving public facilities noUavailable to other publications, it should serve the listening public by devoting more space to its primary function, and that is a fully set out programme time table, if the official journal of the N.B.S. attempts, however, to side-step the issue by specious statements, it becomes necessary to reiterate the facts. Information, Please

This afternoon is as barren as ever for the music lover. It must be very comforting to notice that 4YO is advertised to play 4YA’s programme between 3-4.30. Unfortunately, we are not told what 4YA’s programme is supposed to be. The evening brings some morsels of comfort between 7 30-9 from 4YA, and one wonders how much better Saturday night programmes might not be if our local singers showed more discrimination in their choice of songs. 4YO takes over at 9, the Bach Preludes and Fugues, 13-16. Book I, being followed as a crashing anti-climax by Wagner. Surely this shows poor musical appreciation on the part of the programme organisation. FOB THE WEEK Monday.—7.ls, 4YA: Talk by Mr R. H. Thomson on P.O.W. experiences. 7.42, 4YA: Bertha Rawlinson in recital of Schumann songs, followed at 8.2 by Professor Galway discussing Chopin s First Piano Concerto. 8.20, 2YA: “Rebecca.” 9.30, 3YA: Studio re- - cital of Mozart's Piano Sonata No. 9, K. 282, followed by Beethoven's Trio in E flat, Op. 70, No. 2. Tuesday.—7.ls and 9.33, 4YA: Two talks on modern science, Dr Focken and Dr Billing speaking on Atomic Energy, and Dr Harris, of Sydney, on “Beyond the Stratosphere.’’ 7.38, 4 YA: “ Saxo-Rhapsody ” by Eric Coates. 8.1. 4YA: “Musical Comedy " from the “ English Theatre ” series. 8-10, 4YO, Chamber music from Beethoven to Dohnanyi. It would have been ‘ wiser to break up the hour of Beethoven sonatas as it tends to make the programme too heavy even for the most appreciative Beethoven lover. 7.30-10, 2YA: Half an hour of Bach, followed by an excellent light musical programme. Wednesday.—B-9.30, 4YO: A well-arranged hour of modern English composers, followed by a half-hour of Berlioz. This programme shows planning, and it is a pity that the same planning could not be extended to the rest of the evening, the 9.30-10.30 programmes hiding again under meaningless general titles. 8-9, 2YA: An interesting programme of light music. Thursday.—7.3o-9, 4YA: The programme of a life-time for the Mozart lover. Mozart recording, Lili Kraus playing the C Minor Fantasy and Sonata by Mozart, and New Zealand’s prima donna, Marguerita Zelanda, presumably in arias from Mozart’s operas. 9.54. 2YA: Modern American choral music. Friday.—7, 4YA: “Mountaineer’s Holiday ” —talk on the Wilkin Valley summer camp exploits. 7.40. 4YA: 8.8. C thriller featuring Professor Burnside. 9.23, 4YA: Professor T. D. Ad3ms in readings from the Iliad. 8-9, 4YO: Reputedly " For the Connoisseur.’ 7.30-10, 3YA: A thoughtfully-arranged evening of light music. Charivaria

A very pleasant new voice has been heard for the last few days from 4YO in the evenings. This new announcer has a very good microphone manner, his voice is well suited to broadcasting, and he appears to have the makings of a first-class announcer.

The concert by the Royal Male Choir on Monday was very pleasant. The programme was well chosen, and the supporting artists scored highly by their discriminating choice of presentations.

fortunate in not being fully conversant with microphone technique. Wireless has a disconcerting habit of over-em-phasising sudden changes in sound volume, and experienced radio singers are generally on their guard against distortions through the microphone by using more subtle means to express dramatic changes.

Two reminders for the week: Professor Galway will be' heard on Monday evening from 4YA in one of his excellent discussions of musical masterpieces, and Lili Kraus, the great pianist, goes on the air for the first time in Dunedin on Thursday night at 8 o’clock from 4YA. This is the high-light of the week.