BROADCASTING BOARD

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 79, Issue 200, 27 August 1935, Page 7

BROADCASTING BOARD

POSITION OF B STATIONS REV. SCBIMGEOUE’S VIEWS £ Per Press Association. ] AUCKLAND, Aug. 26. Tho Town Hall and Concert Chamber were both filled to overflowing yesterday when followers of the “Friendly Road” welcomed back tht Rev. C. G. Scrimgeour from Australia The proceedings were broadcast until Mr. Scrimgeour said he had an important announcement to make and asked to be taken off the air. He then made a statement about B stations and their future. He said that the Broadcasting Board could at once, if it wished, save the B stations any further worry about the copyright of gramophone records. Tho copyright companies were reasonable and should be paid some thing. The B stations, which were ap proved by the Broadcasting Board, were absolved from any responsibility but those which did not were going to be forced off the air, because no broadcasting station could exist without music. Here was an opportunity for the Broadcasting Board to prove that it really represented the listeners. He hoped that listeners would watch the board’s action in the matter carefully, and then they would now whether the board really represented the listeners or whether it was an authority that desired to abolish B stations.

Air. Scrimgeour strongly criticised tho Postmaster-General for his re ported statement that B stations “are in tho anomalous position of having no revenue and no rights.” He said that he had been accused of adopting political action. He was tired beyond endurance of the pin-pricking regulations of the board, and Unless the broadcasting policy of New Zealand were changed before or immediately after the election and advertising revenue was allowed for B stations the “Friendly Road’s” station would go off tho air. and he would leave New Zealand. He proposed to give the political parties an opportunity of defining their policy towards the B stations.