BROADCASTING.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 18642, 20 December 1928, Page 8

BROADCASTING.

To the Editor. Dear Sir,—According to a report that appeared in the “ Star ” last week, there were 43,058 wireless licenses in existence in New Zealand on December 7. Of this number, 42,044 were for receiving sets. As, so I understand, the N.Z.B.C. gets 25s out of every thirty shilling license fee, the company has, this year, the sum of £52,555 with which to pay interest on capital, repairs, renewals, maintenance, services of staff and artists, etc. Some of the 42.044 licenses .were for less than the full term of twelve months; some were free (blind listeners), but these should be offset by the proportion of fees paid by the 1614 transmitters and dealers, whose licenses run from about £2 2s to £lO each. It should not require £52,555 to give us the type of service we are now receiving from the four stations. The question for listeners is: *‘ What are we going to do about it?” I take the liberty of showing the way. Now, I have been a broadcast listener—both on the long and the short waves—for over seven years and, for more than four of them, have owned receivers enabling me to listen to concerts from many parts of the world. I also consider that my musical education was not neglected. It should suffice if I remark that I am able to read at sight (and play well enough to please myself, at any rate) five different types of stringed instruments. Lastly, I have, until recently, cordially detested “ canned ” music—gramophone stuff. And I am as fond of good music—classical and popular—as the next man.

Having thus blown my own trumpet in what I hope will be a successful imitation of Joshua when he led the hosts of the Lord before the walls of Jericho, let me proceed to the grand assault on the entrenchments of the N.Z.B.C. My first line of attack is on Jericho’s musicians. Some of them are good. Others are a woe and tribulation to their listeners. No use to tell us, “ They did their best.” That mav do for their tombstones. Even if, for our sins, we must hear them, it should only be in the course of a rela}'. never from a station studio, where only the ne plus ultra in music and musicians should be able to obtain a hearing. And that same ne plus ultra can be given us—that’s where it hurts! To-day, the gramophone and the records are so good that only blind (and musically deaf) partisans of the local artists (not all of them, of course) would dream of comparing one with the other. lam open to wager that, given a suitable instrument and records, 3YA or any of the other stations could* so put the recorded artist on the air that the listener is not vet born who would be able to tell that it was a record without some clue being given by the announcer. Since then we have had the electric pick-up a wonderful advance in gramophone reproduction. Let us, then, demand more records—records of the world’s best in music—and less, very much less of the local arjist. With first-class records and suitable relays, the entertainment side of broadcasting would be fully covered*.

My next line of attack is directed against this modern Jericho’s treasury. The receiver license fee is excessive and is no longer! justifiable. Every listener will agree w'ith this statement. It is fairly safe to say that, with 43,658 licenses in existence, the saturation point in New Zealand has just about been reached—that is, on a 30s license. Radio dealers will tell you they fear this statement is true. For many of them, the future holds little but tuppence-ha'penny repairs or renewals.

Another point: Wireless should be for the many, not for the few. Every person who can afford a receiver should be free to instal one. If not quite free, then at as low a fee as can be devised. And here is where the company comes in. Let them follow my suggestion about records and agree to a reduction of the license fee to, at least, half the present amount. The license fee must be reduced. And as from April 1 next.

Here am I, then, Joshua Redvivus, offering to the van in the assault on the Great Monopolv. My slogan is Better , Music- and a Ten Shilling License. Have I anv backers > I am > ® tc, » JOSHUA 11.