APPEAL FOR B STATIONS.

Taranaki Daily News, 8 March 1935, Page 7

APPEAL FOR B STATIONS.

Mr. A. S. Richards (Lab., Roskill) also appealed for consideration for the B stations. He said he thought there was a danger once competition was removed that the type of programme from the YA stations would become mediocre. He contended that in’ the past the service had not been economically administered.

Mr. W. A. Veitch (Ind., Wanganui) said broadcasting should not be a monopoly. If broadcasting were left to a few stations the listeners would not receive the programmes they desired. The minor stations would give listeners a greater choice of programmes. Reducing broadcasting to a few centres in New Zealand meant that local talent could not be used. It did not encourage art among the people. The constant danger in public administration was aggregation, a power which men regarded as better than money, and even as important as life. That should be guarded against. He mentioned a number of positions held by the chairman of the board, who received £650 per annum as chairman. He submitted a man could not earn that sum if he paid proper attention to the other tasks he had in hand.

Mr. W. E. Barnard (Lab., Napier) said the most satisfactory part of the Minister’s speech was that he was willing to hear representations from interested people, which apparently meant the last word was not written into the Bill. He •believed, without discrediting the A stations, that there was room for the B stations, but they could not expect to receive the same treatment as the A stations. He said the revenue from listeners was over £200,000, and probably nr~ than half the people in the Dominion were listeners.

GENERAL MANAGER SUGGESTED.

Mr, Barnard contended that some measure of control should remain in the hands of Parliament. He thought a prominent general manager should be appointed to control broadcasting, and that he should be made directly responsible to the House. He asked for an assurance that the Government would retain the power to frame the policy and to see that that policy was carried out. He also urged that so long as there was room on the air the number of B stations should not be limited. Regarding the broadcasting of controversial subjects, he asked if the Minister would have the power- to override the decisions of the board.

Mr. R. McKeen (Lab., Wellington South) maintained that B stations were serving a very useful purpose alongside A stations, and if the board thought it could give an equal service without them it should buy them out and compensate them.

Mr. A. E. Ansell (Co., Chalmers) said B stations would, under the Bill, be placed under control of their competitors, the A stations. He was satisfied if the public was to receive high grade programmes the competition of the B stations was necessary. Mr. J. A. Lee (Grey Lynn) urged that local artists should be given greater consideration and encouragement. There was room for a cultural board, provided it catered for all classes of the com-

munity. He urged that at no time should all national stations be broadcasting a similar thing at the same time. There should be the utmost variety and a sufficient number of powerful stations to cover all listeners. He was in favour of a powerful station being established provided the aim was to make the service the best in the Pacific. He thought they should make the voice of New Zealand heard all over the Pacific. New Zealand had been too timid in making herself known. He was, however, still uneasy about the board which would control the service. Mr. Lee contended that the Minister should he the person who decided what was controversial. The Minister could be criticised in Parliament; the board could not. “A GREAT DISSERVICE.” Mr. A. Harris (Co., Waitemata) said that if there was any intention to force B stations off the air it would be a great disservice to the country. That was the general suspicion regarding the Bill. He urged the Minister to make a frank and definite statement that there was no intention to eliminate B stations. Any station should be allowed to transmit 24 hours a day if it wished. Mr, F. Jones (Lab., Dunedin South) agreed with Mr. Barnard that a general manager should be appointed to carry out the policy of the Government. Mr. H. Atmore (Ind., Nelson) said the Government was still pursuing its nondemocratic policy and the people who paid fees had no representation on the board. He thought the time was not far distant when the proceedings of tire House would be broadcast. Mr. D. W. Coleman (Lab., Gisborne) opposed the setting up of another board to administer the Government’s policy. It gave the Government the opportunity to shelter behind the board instead of accepting responsibility itself. Considerable discontent would be caused if a board of seven were appointed without a representative of the listeners. He believed tens of thousands of listeners preferred to tune in to the B stations rather than the national stations. He hoped the Government would heed the representations made by the listeners regarding the B stations. Mr. H. S. S. Kyle (Co., Riccarton) said a hoard of five should suffice. Of the present board of three he knew one was appointed for his knowledge of agriculture. He thought five suitable men could be found who would give general satisfaction. He considered some subsidy should be given the B stations; they should not be allowed to go out of existence. He saw nothing wrong with sponsored programmes, provided the advertising was limited. Mr. D. G. Sullivan (Lab., Avon) said New Zealand had been made almost a laughing stock through its policy regarding controversial matter. He did not think it was the wish of the House or the country that the B stations should be closed down, yet once the Bill was passed there was nothing to prevent the board closing down those stations. '

Mr. Savage agreed with other members that broadcasting provided the greatest means of publicity, and he agreed, too, that that publicity should be controlled, but the control should be reasonable. If controversial matter could go into newspapers or pamphlets there was no reason why it should not also go over the air. He saw no reason for the board, and thought the Government should administer broadcasting without fear or favour for anybody. If they were going to have a board, however, he thought listeners should be given representation.

SHOULD NOT SURRENDER POWER.

Persons engaged in the radio business might also be given representation, but the Government should not surrender its power to a board which was not responsible to the public. He contended that broadcasting should be controlled by the Post and Telegraph Department under the supervision of the Minister. It was part and parcel of the department’s business. The Government should not part with the- right to say what was controversial and who should speak over the air, especially at election times. He would sooner depend upon the Minister than upon a board. For years the newspapers had been the greatest means of publicity, but now radio had come along and it should not be muzzled. Mr. Hamilton in reply said he thought the majority of the people who provided the money would just as soon leave it to a board to say what should go over the air as leave it to the Minister. Parliament had the right at any time to amend the Act if the board was not doing its job. There was much objection to the present method of determining what was controversial matter. That was done by regulation, but the board could do it in a much freer manner. The Government could still be criticised for the actions of the board when its annual report was before the House.

New Zealand had 34 stations, while Britain had five to serve 46,000,000 people. He did not think B stations should be encouraged to extend their services when they did not have a source of revenue. There was no authority or direction in the Bill for the board to subsidise B stations. Putting matter over the air was different from publishing it in a newspaper or pamphlet. The speaker could not be attacked. But there was nothing in the Bill to say who should or should not speak over the air. He did not think a good representative board could be obtained by election, but if there were an easy way of electing one or two listeners’ representatives as suggested he would consider it.

The Bill was read a second time.