BROADCASTING POLICY

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume LX, Issue 18242, 10 November 1933, Page 8

BROADCASTING POLICY

FEWER B STATIONS BAN ON ADVERTISING MINISTER! Alr STATEM ENT (Per Press Association.) WELLINGTON, this day. The Government’s intentions as to the future of radio broadcasting, especially as far as B stations are concerned, were outlined in a st.nl.emenv. to the House of Representative?, !>v the Postmaster-General, the lion. H. Hamilton, this morning. Air. Hamilton traced the growth of 11 stations to meet the demand for service over a lengthier range of hours and wider area than were covered by the four main stations, and pointed out that the increasing expense incurred in conducting the service, which had been extended from time to time, had resulted in “sponsored programmes" as a means of recouping the operators’ stations.

The Minister said the regulations governing “sponsored programmes had been exceeded continually, with resultant annoyances to many who objected to the introduction of advertising, which has been so destructive of pleasure in broadcast reception in other countries. The Government had now decided itliat the use of “sponsored programmes" would not be permitted after March hi, 1 081, when the present licenses expired. Continuing, the Minister said that for many years “patent rights’’ had been covered by an agreement between Amalgamated ’wireless (Australasia) Limited and the Post anil Telegraph Department without cost to private broadcasting stations. d'liis agreement. would terminate on April ill, I!i:.!4, when B station owners might have to make their own payments for patent rights. There was also a claim against 11 station owners for copyright on music, which might add considerably to owners’ expenses. The latest stipulation was from certain gramophone record companies which had forbidden B station owners to broadcast any of their records issued after .11)31, or thereabouts. COST OF B STATIONS.

‘‘These claims are relatively new," the Minister added, “but it cannot be said that they are unjust." The Minister stated that the price.-, paid for the three B stations it had acquired hal been as follows: IZR, Auckland, £2200; 2ZW, Wellington, £2300; and 3ZC, Christchurch, £OOO. He explained that in the case of the Christchurch station, no furniture, musical instruments, or gramophone records had been purchased.

“A decision has now been reached regarding the ultimate control of the Wellington and Auckland stations recently purchased," Mr. Hamilton said: “These will be taken over by the Broadcasting Board at an early date and will be operated to provide alternative services to those of the existing A stations. 0Z C, Christchurch, has been purchased by the Post and Telegraph Department as from December 31, on which date it will be handed over to the Broadcasting Board, which will decide its future policy. “Parliament decided on the retention of broadcasting as a national utility service," the Minister continued. “It is, therefore, desired to keep it free from the errors into which some countries have drilled. It. is intended to be used for information, educational, and entertainment purposes. Every effort wttl be made to avoid using it- as an advertising medium, or as a means of propaganda for the benefit of any section. It is considered wiser to obtain the necessary -revenue from listeners’ fees rather than from advertising, as is 1 lif* practice in many countries. In broadcasting, we are following a safe guide in pursuing a similar policy to llmt of the British Broadcasting Corporation, which is looked upon as the best svstem in the world."