STUDIO SERVICES

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume LIV, Issue 16826, 13 December 1928, Page 10

STUDIO SERVICES

TO REPLACE CHURCH SERVICES

11. liasbecti.officially announced on behalf of the, New South Males Broadcasting Co. that the directors have under consideration proposals for the consolidation of religious services in such a way as (o cause the discontinuance of transmissions from churches ami to institute instead national religious services from the studios of 2FC and 2BL

'J : b'is is an adaptation of an American system adopter! .by .tlic National Broadcasting Co. of the United States, which has commenced a new series of Sunday transmissions, known as "National Religious Services." I Jr. S. I'arkcs Cadinan, on'e of. the leading .orators in America on religious ami social topic*, has been engaged (o devote his whole time to the .organisation of national religious broadcasts,, which .are. to cover the whole, of ihc Uuiied States through a netwfork, of the more important radio stations. Me is to have associated with him leaders of different. religious faiths. 'bril .they are, under the arrangement, precluded from talking on anything that oven remotely, savors of sectarianism.

American sponsors of national religion contend; that their scheme will not be antagonistic to the Churches, and assert that its operation■ will be a ..powerful stimulus to support, for |he. denominational bodjes. ,'ijhe. N ew representative of the New South, Wales Broadfeasting Co-.has informed his directors that at the present time (he presentation of a series, of religion's dra'mas on Sunday evenings is being much appreciated by American listeners. The scheme is to get leading theatrical dramatists who are .free from official engagements' on Sunday nights to present "dramatised religion" over tne air. Certain portions of the 01d : and New, Te'stamont that lend ibehisejves to dialogue and dramatisation, Kuoh as the conversation of Christ with the woman of Samaria, aire treated, iii a. "popular" fashion by loading theatrical artists. , ,« The official annpuncem'ent issued . in Sydney Vist week states that.. "The National Broadcasting Co. is. sending 12 of theso.-religioiis dramas' to ,the New South Wales Broadcasting Co., Ltd., and it is,hoped at hd late date to present the first of these in Australia." • Listeners will, naturally be intensely interested .in the new proposal, hut. the matter is one, causing serious concern, to the leaders of religious thought as well as,, to ministers of the various churches. Tfcc- question &t issue is whether popular dramatisation wit) .not weaken the serious appeal that the Bible rnakeS, ip religious. iidhererrtS, ..and .whether this secular presentation, of Bible stories will not result- in the, still further depletion of churches throughout New South Wales, more especially at the. evening services on Sundays. BENOMINATiONAL BROADCASTS The new proposal raises in. a definite and acute form the desirability .of ..hayihg purelv dehominatiorial .broadcasts through ."'&" stations on Sundays, and at certain periods during .the week. A. broadcasting station hits been leased by the Roman Catholic. Church for Sundays, aiid /portion of evening sessions during week clays. On Sundays the. services "are, purely religions, 1 ancl |include tfio . music from $i Gary's Cathedral, At the week-day sessions different speakers provide ,religious education arid, denominational hews. The same procedure; to a large extent, is followed, by the Theosophical broadcasting station. If tlie other religious denominations, previously served -through 2FC aiid 2BL, are to he denied their past privileges they will be forced to consider the ad-' visibility of either having a. denominational broadcasting station or of making a business arrangement for denominational broadcasting,station or of making a business arrangement for. denominational broadcasts from different "B" statfious, the, same, as the political prpanisatibns do at present with statidns 2KY (Trades Hall) v ahd 2UW, : .