MAY CLOSE DOWN.

Star (Christchurch), Volume LXVI, Issue 20625, 28 May 1935, Page 9

MAY CLOSE DOWN.

3ZR Greymouth in Financial Difficulties. (Special to the “Star.** HOKITIKA, This Day. The possibility that he mißht be forced to request the Broadcasting Board to close radio station 3ZR was mentioned by the station director, Mr M Spiers, here last evening. He said that the station had received a “ sul> sidy" from the Government, but it was really a straight-out grant, as it subsidised nothing exsept his pocl.et There was a considerable amount of expense incurred in operating the station, such as the salaries of the announcer and his assistant, the purchase of records, overhead expenses and other costs. These had to be met, and the Government subsidy was insufficient. He had not received one penny for himself, but was constantly paying out of his own pocket. “ and it’s no joke.” he :;aid. “ I’ve got to make a living as well as anybody else.” He said that the Government now no longer allowed an appeal for funds over the air. A public appeal by canvass could be made, but support from the public in Greymouth, where the station was situated, was poor. He mentioned the difficulty in meeting the expenses of broadcasting representative football matches in centres outside Greymouth and expressed appreciation of the support received from the Hokitika and Westland district.