ANNUAL REPORT OF THE NEW ZEALAND BROADCASTING SERVICE FOR THE TWELVE MONTHS ENDING 31st MARCH, 1949

Appendix to the Journals of the House of Representatives, 1949 Session I, F-03

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1949 NEW ZEALAND

ANNUAL REPORT OF THE NEW ZEALAND BROADCASTING SERVICE FOR THE TWELVE MONTHS ENDING 31st MARCH, 1949

Presented to Both Houses of the General Assembly Pursuant to the Provisions of the Broadcasting Act, 1936

I have the honour to submit the annual report on the operations of the New Zealand Broadcasting Service for the year ending 31st March, 1949, in accordance with the provisions of section 18 (1) of the Broadcasting Act, 1936. The year was marked by expansion in all fields. The Service has successfully reabsorbed the large numbers of its staff who were on active service during the war ; and the staff position, linked with development policies introduced after the war, enabled the Service to make some important innovations. One outstanding development was the entry of New Zealand into the field of short-wave broadcasting on Dominion Day, 1948, when the first regular short-wave programmes were transmitted to the eastern coast of Australia and the islands of the Western Pacific. Another was the opening of Station 3XC Timaru, the first of the composite stations which will broadcast both commercial and non-commerical programmes. In the technical field an increasing use was made of equipment designed, tested, and manufactured in the workshops of the Service. During the year the Service co-operated with musical societies in the four main centres in the production of the opera "Carmen." The resulting stimulus to local musical activity, and to public interest in opera, encouraged the Service to co-operate later with Messrs. J. C. Williamson, Ltd., in arranging a Dominion-wide tour by the Internationa] Opera Company. This tour, which is still in progress, has been an outstanding musical and artistic success. The popularity of broadcasting was again reflected in an increase in licence figures. There were 434,014 licences held on 31st March, 1949, an increase of 11,323 over the figures for the previous year.

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PROGRAMMES Allocation of Programme Time The following analysis of programmes for the week ending 27th February, 1949, illustrates on a percentage basis the amount of time allocated to various types of programmes: — . Per Cent. Serious music .. .. .. .. ..19-90 Light music .. .. .. • - .. 48 •35 Modern dance music .. .. .. .. 5• 80 Plays, sketches, and dramatic serials ... .. 6-82 Sporting commentaries .. .. •• ..2-28 Talks: General, educative .. .. ..3-90 News and commentaries .. .. •• 8'37 Church and devotional .. .. . - 2• 28 Children's sessions .. .. •• .. 2*30 This analysis would differ only very slightly from that for any other week of the year: Serious Music There has been an increased interest in serious music during the past few years. This continued during 1948, and there was a steady growth in the musical activities of the Service throughout the Dominion. Both the number and the quality of broadcasts of serious music reflected this increased activity. There were relays of public concerts by the National Orchestra, the engagement of overseas artists to tour New Zealand under the auspices of the Service, and broadcasts by visiting groups, such as the Queensland State String Quartet and the Musica Viva Players. Selections from the works of the world's greatest artists and composers were broadcast, and studio, relayed, and recorded presentations offered listeners a wide choice of programmes. Outstanding programmes were the relays of the opera " Carmen," and later of the productions staged by the International Opera Company. Besides the relayed broadcasts of stage productions, there were sixty broadcasts of recorded operas. Two not previously broadcast were Verdi's " Aida " and Britten's " The Rape of Lucretia." The Service also presented a recorded 8.8.C. adaptation of Offenbach's " Orpheus in the Underworld." The New Zealand Listener published two series of illustrated articles under the title " Know Your Classics," designed to help the student and the interested listener towards a more complete appreciation of serious music. Each week a classical work featured in the programmes of a National station was discussed in detail and the main themes illustrated. This method, the illustrated analysis, was used to publicize broadcasts of the " Trio for Two Violins and Flute," a new work by the New Zealand composer H. J. Finlay. There were many relays of choral and competitions festivals, and orchestral, instrumental, and vocal concerts. Artists whose performances were relayed from the concert platform included the English pianist Moura Tympany, the English soprano Isobel Baillie, the Hungarian tenor Miklos Gafni, the clarinettist Henry Barber, the negro baritone Aubrey Pankey, the English singers Anne Zeigler and Webster Booth, and the Australian contralto Etta Bernard. Studio lecture-recitals by Dr. Edgar Bainton and the New Zealander Guy Marriner were also broadcast. Two series of 8.8.C. programmes, " British Concert Hall," were heard. These programmes introduced leading British orchestras, and well-known conductors who gave spoken commentaries on the works performed.

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Other programmes of serious music included the relay of " The Beggar's Opera,' presented by the Christchurch Civic Music Council, the Palestrina " Missa Papae .Marcelli," presented by the Schola Cantorum at Wellington, and a special evening programme marking the opening of the Edinburgh Festival of Music. Light Music, Variety, and Bands Light music maintained its place in popular favour, and overseas and local sources .again provided many programmes. More local artists and groups were included in variety and light musical programmes, and during the year two Auckland novelty combinations toured the southern stations. Special sessions of light entertainment using local talent were inaugurated in Auckland and Wellington. Others of the same type were " Around the Town," " The Musical Friends," and " Hometown Variety." Provided sufficient local talent of broadcast standard is available, the Service hopes to extend the scope of light programmes of this kind. Regular weekly sessions of dance music by local bands were presented from the four main National stations, and additional dance programmes were compiled from the best overseas recordings. Light opera and musical comedy programmes obtained from overseas were broadcast during the year. By special arrangement with the copyright-holders, recorded Gilbert and Sullivan operas were broadcast, and, in addition, the 8.8.C. recorded programme " Gilbert and Sullivan " was presented from several stations. . Among the variety programmes heard during the year were the Cicely Courtneidge programme, arranged during the visit of this artist to New Zealand and presented on a link of the main National and Commercial stations ; the Wilfred Pickles audience participation show " Have a Go," and the 8.8.C. comedy " Much-Binding-in-the-Marsh," which has replaced the " Itma " programme. An all-New-Zealand variety programme, " Christmas Crackers," was broadcast during the Christmas season. During the winter there were broadcasts of community singisg and programmes by brass and pipe bands. Special radio coverage was provided for the New Zealand Brass Band Contest which was held in Auckland in February. News and Commentaries The daily overseas and New Zealand news broadcast at 9.04 p.m. was continued throughout the year. The overseas portion of this bulletin is .compiled by the Service from several sources, including Press Association cablegrams ; the New Zealand news comes mainly from the Information Section of the Prime Minister's Department. When the importance of the news warrants, special broadcasts are made during the day. For instance, listeners were kept posted of the progress of the Balclutha floods and of the searches for two missing airliners. The tornado that struck Hamilton in August was reported in a series of bulletins which included spoken reports from broadcast observers on the spot. Similar reports from flood protection workers were included in the relays from Balclutha. All stations broadcast progress returns of the results of the Licensing and Off-course Betting Polls. Weekly news features which followed the overseas and New Zealand news for the greater part of the year included the News in Maori, " Australian Commentary," and " United Nations Background." A weekly New Zealand commentary on the international news, " Lookout," was introduced towards the end of the year, and a new international feature " Unesco World Review " replaced " United Nations Background." The 8.8.C " World Affairs " commentary was again rebroadcast each week. News bulletins from the 8.8.C. were rebroadcast from the main National stations five times each day. ;c Home News from Britain " was included in the 6 a.m. and 7 a.m. xebroadcasts, and a news analysis from the 8.8.C. was rebroadcast daily at 11.10 p.m.

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A listening watch was maintained for first news of notable events overseas, and the substance of these rebroadcast in New Zealand at the earliest opportunity. While the Seventh Pacific Science Congress was in session the Service broadcast a daily Congress newsreel. Talks The scope and volume of talks and talks programmes have increased considerably. Decentralization of staff has enabled officers dealing solely with talks and kindred programmes to be stationed at all four YA stations. In consequence, over two thousand 'talks, talks programmes, and spoken features have been presented during the yearMost of the' speakers were New Zealanders. A regular pattern of farm sessions, book reviews, health and home science talks,, and gardening talks has been maintained from the main National stations. Special series were prepared for the Pacific Science Congress, the American elections, the Golden Jubilee of Victoria University College, and the tour of the Old Vic Company. Talks designed to portray New Zealand to overseas listeners were broadcast regularly in the Service's short-wave transmissions. Main National and all Commercial stations were again linked each Sunday evening at 8.45 o'clock to broadcast a talk on a topical subject of wide interest. Nearly onethird of these Sunday evening speakers were New Zealanders : They included the Right Hon. Walter Nash ; Mr. A. R. Entrican, Director of Forestry ; the Right Rev. F. A. Bennett, Bishop of Aotearoa ; Dr. R. A. Falla, Director of the Dominion Museum ; Mr. Rewi Alley (whose talk had been recorded in Central China) ; Mr. C. G. White, past Dominion "President of the New Zealand Red Cross Society ; Mr. L. J. Wild, Pro-Chan-cellor of the University of New Zealand ; and Mr. Hugh Williams, from the Secretariat of the United Nations. Australia was represented by her High Commissioner in New Zealand, Mr. A. R. Cutler, Y.C. Among distinguished visitors who spoke in this session were : Lord Beveridge ; Lord Rowallan (Empire Chief Scout) ; the Cardinal Archbishop of New York (Cardinal Spellman) ; the Right Hon. Anthony Eden, M.P. ; Sir Harold Hartley ; Sir John Milne-Barbour ; Sir Frederick Tymms ; the Rev. Dr. Sir George McLeod ; the late Sir Clifford Paterson ; Professor Sir Hugh Cairns ; the Right Hon. Sir Frederick Sykes ; the Yerv Rev. Dr. John Baillie ; and Professor W. E. Petersen. Special talks marked some of the more important events and anniversaries of the year. These included the opening of the Olympic Games ; the abdication of Queen Wilhelmina of the Netherlands, and the succession of Queen Juliana ; St. George's Day ; Australia Day ; the tercentenary of the death of King Charles I ; the bicentenary of the death of Dr. Isaac Watts ; and the centenary of the birth of Dr. W. G. Grace. Two then unpublished manuscripts dealing with New Zealand history were adapted for radio in the two programmes, " Queen of the Tasman " and " Harpoons and Hardtack." It is hoped to extend this type of programme in the future. Special features were produced for United Nations Week, for Christmas and New Year programmes, for Anzac Day, and for the Appeal for Lepers in the Pacific. "Two Dominion-wide contests were broadcast—the All New Zealand Quiz and the Young Farmers Leadership Contest. Four farm sessions are produced every week. These include news, interviews, and discussions, reports from scientific institutions, talks from Massey and Lincoln Agricultural Colleges, District Pig Councils, and the Department of Agriculture. Talks for this session have also come from the 8.8.C., well-known agricultural visitors, and delegates to the Pacific Science Congress. A wider use of portable equipment is making it possible to include in these broadcasts an increasing proportion of material recorded on the farm.

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Discussions were presented from the four National stations at regular times, generally weekly, during the greater part of the year. Among the subjects discussed have been : worker participation in management, the drift to the cities, tourist traffic in New Zealand, New Zealand's defence, trends in music, education, the use of leisure, cancer, the United Nations, films, New Zealand writers, New Zealand architecture, advertising, art, sport, displaced persons, national fitness, lodgings, household deliveries, the Public Service, trades unionism, and radio. Most of the speakers were New Zealanders. During the year " Brains Trust " programmes originated in New Zealand were broadcast from five National stations. General questions of opinion (sent in by listeners) were submitted to a panel of speakers for impromptu answer. These programmes have demonstrated the art of conversation at its best, and have been most popular with listeners. Close liaison has been maintained with sister broadcasting organizations in the Commonwealth—the British Broadcasting Corporation, the Australian Broadcasting Commission, the Broadcasting Corporation, and the South African Broadcasting Corporation—and with the Radio Division of the United Nations. New Zealand programmes were recorded for Great Britain and the other Dominions, and programmes recorded there broadcast in New Zealand. The voices of New Zealand delegates to meetings of the United Nations and its specialized agencies were recorded abroad, flown to New Zealand, and broadcast here. In other cases, when reception was good, these talks were recorded from the regular United Nations transmissions of the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation's Short-wave Service. The Service is deeply indebted to these sister organizations for their constant readiness to help in using radio as a means of closer Commonwealth and International understanding. Parliamentary Broadcasts The proceedings of the House of Representatives continued to be relayed to listeners by Station 2YA. The presentation of the Budget by the Minister of Finance, the Right Hon. Walter Nash, and, later, the opening of the Budget debate by the Leader of the •Opposition, Mr. S. G. Holland, were rebroadcast by the main' National stations. Despite the fact that New Zealand is no longer alone in this field, the Service continues to receive inquiries about parliamentary broadcasting from overseas visitors. One visitor who displayed interest in the New Zealand system was Sir Gilbert Campion, a former Clerk of the House of Commons at Westminster. Plays and Feature Programmes Major local productions broadcast totalled 334, compared with 281 during the previous year. Of this number, the National stations broadcast 312, the Commercial stations 25, and the short-wave station 22. In addition, 141 short stories were presented, 114 from the National stations and 27 from the Short-wave station. Thirty-three plays were produced during the year. This is less than the 53 recorded ■ during the previous year, but for a considerable part of 1948 the Supervisor of Productions was absent from the studios producing the opera " Carmen." Plays by the New Zealand author John Gundry, the English authors Eden Phillpots, John Dickson Carr, and the late John Galsworthy, and the Australian author G. Murray Milne were among those recorded during the year. Nineteen short stories and 30 episodes of serials were recorded, including work by the late H. G. Wells, the English detective novelist J. Jefferson Farjeon, the American: -author Trudy Bliss, the Australian author Ethel Fielding, and the New Zealand writer Ruth Park.

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Seventeen feature programmes were written, recorded, and broadcast during the year. This was a considerable increase on the number presented during the previous twelve months. Four of these programmes were written to celebrate the twenty-fifth anniversary of the establishment of organized broadcasting in New Zealand, and were entitled " Marconi's Child Grows Up." Another programme, " Big Hill Farm," was sent to the 8.8.C., while a third programme, " New Zealand Survey," was sent to the South African Broadcasting Corporation. " New Zealand To-day," " Frozen Harvest," and " Training Ship H.M.N.Z.S. ' Tamaki' " were three of the longer features which were well received, while shorter programmes such as " Ernest the Leper " and " The Nurses " were broadcast as appeals. These two were written by authors not on the staff of the Service, Another series of programmes, "At School To-day," illustrated and explained recent changes in the schools' curricula ; and special programmes commemorated events such, as national days, the anniversary of the arrival of the first New Zealand troops in Japan, and the Gunpowder Plot on sth November. D. G. Bridson, a senior producer on the staff of the British Broadcasting Corporation,, toured New Zealand during the year collecting material for a programme entitled " This is New Zealand." Mr. Bridson produced this programme in the Wellington Production Studios with a New Zealand cast, and it has since been broadcast by the 8.8.C. During his visit he also produced one of his verse plays, " Aaron's Field," which has since been broadcast from several stations. Another verse play which attracted attention was the United Nations programme " The Edge of Peace," which was sent from the United Nations headquarters, and broadcast on a network of the National and Commercial stations. During the year 957 scripts were submitted. This was a decrease of 99 on last year's submissions, but again included plays of all lengths, serials, short stories, continuity scripts, poems, novels, and children's books. Of the 957 scripts submitted, 270 were by New Zealand authors, a considerably larger proportion than in the previous twelve months, when the number of New Zealand scripts was 235 out of a total of 1,056 submissions. Of the 215 scripts of all types accepted during the year, 56 were by New Zealand authors. This is also a considerable advance on last year's figures, when 41 out of a total of 312 scripts accepted were written by New Zealanders. The Auckland Production Studios recorded 83 episodes of serials, 4 long feature programmes, and 20 short programmes. The Mobile Recording Unit included visits to Rotorua and Otago in its activities during the year. At Rotorua the Unit recorded material for the Australian Broadcasting Commission and the British Broadcasting Corporation. The recordings, which were intended to be broadcast overseas during the Royal Tour of New Zealand, included interviews covering many facets of Maori life, and in particular the land-development and industrial training schemes. In Otago the Unit collected and recorded material relating to the early settlement of the province and the gold-mining days. The unit was fortunate in making its tour during the Otago Centennial Year, when research into local history had been carried out in almost every centre. The material collected will be used in thirty-one half-hour programmes on Otago towns, which will be broadcast by the Dunedin Stations 4YA and 4ZB. In addition, material was collected for two programmes for the 8.8.C. and twelve single programmes about Otago's past and present. A series entitled " Round About New Zealand," compiled from musical items recorded by the Mobile Unit during the last two years, was presented from one of the main National stations. Other programmes which incorporated material collected by the Unit were " Here and There in Taranaki" and " History and Harmony in New Zealand Towns." Programmes with the latter title dealt with an individual town, or a group of towns, and introduced musical and spoken items recorded in the field.

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Overseas Rebroadcasts Rebroadcasting again brought New Zealand listeners many talks, actuality broadcasts, and commentaries on overseas events.. These included the Christmas message from His Majesty the King and the 8.8.C. programme which preceded it. Listeners also heard His Majesty's speech at the unveiling of the Roosevelt Memorial in London, the State drive and Service at St. Paul's Cathedral on the occasion of the Silver Wedding of Their Majesties, and the 8.8.C. reports on the progress of the Olympic Games. Outside Relays of Local Events As in past years, the use of outside relays during 1948 enabled the Service to extend the scope and interest of its programmes and inform listeners of events of national and local significance. These included State or civic receptions to the World Chief Guide, Lady Baden-Powell; Cardinal Spellman ; Sir Laurence and Lady Olivier ; the Right Hon. Anthony Eden ; and Sir Peter Buck. Broadcast commentaries heard during the year covered, among other events, the State opening of Parliament; the proceedings of the Seventh Pacific Science Congress ; the bellringing from Christchurch Cathedral to celebrate the birth of His Royal Highness Prince Charles, the visit of H.M.S. " Bellona " to the Bluff, a recorded eye-witness picture of the Wairarapa floods, and New Year's Eve celebrations in cities and towns throughout the country. Other relays brought to listeners the opening by His Excellency the Governor-General of the Annual Exhibition of the Auckland Society of Arts, the ceremony at which Timaru was proclaimed a city, the North Island Baconer Championship prizegiving ceremony at Westfield, the opening of the New Zealand Industries Fair in Christchurch, and local events such as wool sales, Arbor Day functions, and Agricultural and Pastoral shows. Sporting Broadcasts During the year there were 707 sporting broadcasts, an increase on last year's total of 678. Of this number nearly one-half were commentaries on Rugby, league, and association football matches. The number of football commentaries was increased by the radio coverage given to the trial matches which preceded the selection of the 1949 " All Blacks." The proportion reflected New Zealand's great interest in Rugby football as a winter sport. The Service also provided for the followers of other sports. There were broadcast commentaries on racing, wrestling, boxing, tennis, yachting, golf, hockey, rowing, bowls, shooting, soft ball, polo, and motor-car racing. In addition to these commentaries, the National and Commercial stations broadcast frequent summaries of Dominion-wide sporting results. Overseas sporting events which were rebroadcast by New Zealand stations included the test matches played by the touring Australian Cricket Team in England, the Olympic Games, the Melbourne Cup, the Oxford-Cambridge Boat Race, and the New Zealand Rugby League Team's matches in Australia. An edited version of the Louis-Walcott fight for the World Heavyweight Boxing Championship, and the Murphy-Turpin and fights for the British Middleweight title, were also broadcast. Other overseas sporting events were covered by results. Special coverage was given to the New Zealand Rugby Union trial matches. In addition to a commentary on each match, summaries on the play and the form of the players were heard from the National and Commercial stations in the evenings. Commentaries on other prominent sporting events within the Dominion included the tennis matches played by the visiting professionals Kramer, Riggs, Segura, and Pails; matches played by visiting Australian tennis, hockey, and soccer teams ; the tour by the Australian golfer, von Nida, and by the' Olympic athletes, Herbert McKenley and

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Lloyd La Beach. Broadcast coverage was also provided for the Provincial and Dominion Tennis Championships, the Wilding Shield and Nunneley Casket matches, and the New Zealand Amateur Athletic Championships. Miscellaneous sporting broadcasts enabled listeners to hear the farewell to the New Zealand Cricket Team, and interviews with prominent sportsmen who visited New Zealand during the period. Religious Broadcasts National policy governing religious broadcasts is determined by the Central Religious Advisory Committee, which represents the national bodies of all churches broadcasting regular services. In the four main centres there are, in addition, local church committees whose main function is to decide how national policy can best be adapted to meet local requirements. The service acknowledges with appreciation the work of these committees and the co-operation received from them during the past year. Relays of church services every Sunday morning and evening, broadcast devotional services each weekday morning, and the observance of a period of silent prayer during the chiming of Big Ben at 9 o'clock each Sunday evening were continued. The regular services were supplemented by a number of special broadcasts. These included Anzac Day and Battle of Britain commemoration services, the Christmas Services of the Nonconformist churches in Auckland and combined churches in Dunedin, " Carols by Candlelight " ceremonies in several centres, the relay of a sacred operetta, " While Shepherds Watched," a United Nations Day service in Christchurch, and a College Foundation Day service in Nelson. Religious services broadcast in Maori during the year included one from St. Joseph's Girls' College Chapel, Greenmeadows, and a Maori welcome and service tendered at Omahau Pa to the Bishop of Aotearoa, the Right Rev. F. A. Bennett. Broadcasts to Schools The general policy for the Broadcasts to Schools is determined by an Advisory Committee representing the Education Department, the New Zealand Education Institute, and the Service. The programmes, two and three-quarter hours each week, are worked out in detail by officers of the Service. They are graded to cover a wide range in age and attainment, for the needs of country schools, where many ages and grades are assembled under one teacher, must always be kept in mind. Programmes presented during 1948 were related to such topics as musical appreciation, social studies, book reviews, the news, literary appreciation, nature study, and French and singing lessons. The major social study programme for the year was entitled " New Zealand in the Making." Part of this programme was prepared by officers within the Service and part by outside writers and consultants. Other social study programmes were entitled " What is the Law " This is our Town," and " What shall I be ? " Special talks commemorating Anzac Day and Arbor Day were added to the programmes. From the results of a questionnaire issued in October it appears that both teachers and pupils prefer dramatized programmes which present material in a way that is not possible in the class-room. As a result, the programmes for 1949 will be written in dramatic form wherever possible. Four booklets, to be used in conjunction with the programmes, were issued during the year —a General Booklet for Teachers, a Music Booklet containing the songs used in the singing lessons, a Pupils' Booklet, and a French Booklet for Post-primary Pupils. The Pupils' Booklet was twice the size of that issued in 1947 and included notes on music appreciation which had been previously published in a Post-primary bulletin issued by the Education Department. This booklet was available in class sets for pupils in Forms I and II in the ratio of one to every two pupils.

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A time-table containing the programmes to be broadcast during the year was published as a leaflet in the February edition of the Education Gazette. The Gazette, which is distributed each month to teachers, also contained notes on the broadcasts. The New Zealand Listener continued to print the weekly programmes in a special panel, and the arrangement by which the programmes were linked where possible with stories and articles in the Education Department's School Journal was maintained. It is difficult to assess the number of schools that listen to the programmes. Schools receiving booklets on 31st March, 1949, numbered 1,993, an increase of 141 on last year's figures. This is not a completely reliable index, but it is estimated that about 75 per cent, of the schools in New Zealand listen to some programme. The Service is grateful for the co-operation it has received from the National Film Library, which has prepared films and film strips for use in the schools as " follow up " material. The National Library Service, too, co-operated by preparing and making available to country schools lists of books which provided additional material to that covered in the broadcasts. During the year officers of the Broadcasts to Schools Section visited schools in both town and country, gave talks and demonstrations, and checked the programme for reception, content, and general interest. Towards the end of the year Miss .Jean Combs, Officer in Charge of the Section, was awarded a bursary by the Imperial Relations Trust to enable her to study the latest developments in schools broadcasting: at the "British Broadcasting Corporation. Miss Combs is at present on special leave for this purpose. The Education Department's Correspondence School continued its bi-weekly broadcasts. These half-hour programmes, arranged and conducted by Correspondence School teachers, included talks on physical education, music and travel and also talks for supervisors. Women's Sessions Regular women's sessions are now established at the four main National stations. Their spoken contents include news of women and their organizations; film, art, and book reviews ; short stories and readings ; cooking and gardening notes ; interviews ; and talks on a wide variety of subjects, among them careers for girls, dress and its origin, early girls' schools in New Zealand, citizenship, handicrafts, women in sport, women authors, and stagecraft. In these sessions distinguished women, both New Zealanders and from overseas, were brought to the microphone. The daily sessions also included the programme " For My Lady," for which over two hundred scripts, ranging in subject from Grand Opera to comedy, were written during the year. Children's Sessions Entertainment for children has an established place in the late afternoon programmes of the main National stations. In addition to radio adaptations of old classics and popular serials and stories, these sessions included a number of specially-arranged quizzes, musical and spoken programmes chosen and conducted by children, and travel and general talks. During Children's Book Week one station broadcast a children's debate on the motion, " That non-fiction is preferable to fiction." Among the children's programmes received from the British Broadcasting Corporation was an unusual Scottish programme " Tammy Troot," which during its first week of presentation from one station drew many letters of appreciation from listeners. On Sunday evenings special children's song services were broadcast in collaboration with the clergy of the various churches. The Service again wishes to thank those people who throughout the year have given voluntary assistance to programme organizers in the presentation of children's sessions.

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Recorded Programmes The best programme material available from the London Transcription Service of the 8.8.C. was heard by New Zealand listeners during the year. Again there was an increase in all types of such programmes —music, plays, variety, talks, children's programmes, and documentaries. The maximum use of these 8.8.C. programmes-is made as soon after their arrival as possible. Eight National stations receive regular weekly supplies of programmes of various types, and special programmes are made available to them as they desire. The Commercial stations also use a number of 8.8.C. features as sustaining programmes. A steady supply of feature programmes was received from Australian producers. Towards the end of the year there was a noticeable decline in the number of highly sensational features offered to the Service, and an equally noticeable increase in literary adaptations and factual programmes. In all, eighty features under the following headings were purchased during the year : Serious .musical .. .. 5 features comprising 118 episodes. Light musical .. .. .. 4 „ 117 „ Variety musical .. .. 3 „ 129 „ Dramatic musical .. 2 „ 65 „ Self-contained programmes .. 17 „ 835 „ Dramatic serials .. .... 26 ~ 2,720 „ Novel adaptations .. 11 „ 332 „ Hour plays .. .. 2 „ 49 „ Half-hour plays .. .. .. 3 ~ 91 „ Historical .. . ■ .. 2 „ 104 „ Children's .. .. .. 4 ~ 99 „ Hymn library .. .. .. 1 „ 52 „ 80 features 4,711 episodes. Special orders for approximately 60,000 records have been placed with the English record companies to provide libraries for new stations which are being opened. During the year large quantities of records in fulfilment of these orders arrived in New Zealand. SHORT-WAVE DIVISION Radio New Zealand, the Short-wave Division of the Service, began regular transmissions on Dominion Day, 27th September, 1948. The programmes are on the air daily from 7 to 9 p.m., New Zealand standard time. Although intended to serve listeners in Australia and the Pacific Islands (and more particularly the New Zealand Dependencies and Trust Territory in the Pacific), the two 7-5 kW. transmitters operating in the 19 and 25 metre bands have reached much further afield. Reception reports have been received from Austria, Belgium, Canada, China, Denmark, Egypt, France, French Indo-China, Germany, Greece, Holland, India, Iraq, Japan, Indonesia, Norway, the Philippines, Portugal, Spain, South America, Sweden, Switzerland, the U.S.A., and the United Kingdom. The programmes of Radio New Zealand were planned to give three-quarters of the time on the air to musical sessions, and the remaining quarter to talks, news, and other spoken matter. Overseas listeners have appreciated this programme balance. Talks are divided into four series—" Background to New Zealand,' dealing with a wide field of background information ; " Through New Zealand," commenting on the countryside, the coast-line, outlying islands, and the country people ; " Farm Topics " ; and " Sporting Commentary." " New Zealand —Pacific Playground " is a dramatized feature containing travel information for intending visitors to New Zealand. The

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weekly magazine The Listeners' Digest highlights items of topical interest, and every evening there is a five-minute bulletin of New Zealand news. In addition to sessions incorporating gramophone records, New Zealand artists and the National Orchestra are also broadcast. Listener reaction to the programme " Song and Story of the Maori ' r has demonstrated the great interest of overseas listeners in Maori music. Listeners are invited to forward any questions they may have about New Zealand,, and these are answered in. a session entitled " Mail Box." A play and a short story recorded in the Production Studios of the New Zealand Broadcasting Service are broadcast each week, and, where possible, productions written by New Zealanders are used. Radio New Zealand has served to publicize important events which have taken place within the Dominion. When the Seventh Pacific Science Congress met in Auckland and Christchurch during February, a daily fifteen-minute newsreel told the outside world about its deliberations. Other programmes dealt with the rediscovery of the takahe, the National Yearling Sales at Trentham, the arrival of various groups of immigrants, the National Rifle Championship (in which an Australian team competed), the Ngauruhoe eruption, the tour by two Australian parties of farmers, the Australia v. New Zealand Athletic Competitions, and the visit of the Rarotongan Goodwill Party. Some three thousand letters have been received since Radio New Zealand's transmitters came on the air. The comments have indicated that Radio New Zealand is performing a definite service, and New Zealanders have written from many parts of the world to say that they have found the transmissions a very welcome link with their homeland. DEVELOPMENT OF NEW ZEALAND TALENT The Service again acknowledged its responsibility to provide a stimulus and an outlet for New Zealand musical, literary, and dramatic ability of broadcast standard. During the year main National and Commercial stations broadcast local bands and orchestras, vocal and choral groups, plays and short stories, and talks by local speakers ; and the New Zealand Listener continued to encourage and support the development of a New Zealand literary tradition. New Zealand actors took part in 33 plays and 113 episodes of radio serials. New Zealand authors submitted 132 dramatic scripts, of which 20 were accepted ; 130 short stories, of which 33 were accepted ; and 5 continuity scripts, of which 2 were accepted. The Short-wave Division adopted the policy of alternating in its regular play session a play by a New Zealander with one by an author from overseas until the supply of New Zealand plays was exhausted. The Service continued its policy of giving broadcasting engagements to local artists, societies, and musical combinations. There were 2,522 broadcasts by local artists, and 962 recitals by local musical societies and bands. These included relays and concerts, competitions and choral festivals, band championships, and studio broadcasts by instrumental and vocal soloists and groups. Special light musical programmes featuring local artists were broadcast each week by the main National stations, and special sessions of light entertainment were inaugurated in Auckland and Wellington. A light programme " Curtain Call," was an example of a locally-produced programme with a studio audience. "Accent on Youth " introduced youthful artists too old for the children's sessions and yet not sufficiently advanced for recital programmes. Tours of the New Zealand stations were arranged for artists and combinations whose work had reached a sufficiently high standard. Among those who toured during the year were Rena Edwards, Wellington soprano ; Maurice Till, Christchurch pianist; Yvonne Hill, Dunedin contralto ; Gwyneth Turtley, Auckland soprano ; Ashley Aitchison, Dunedin baritone ; William Clothier, Wellington baritone ; Ritchie Hanna, Dunedin violinist; Shirley Carter, Wellington pianist; Valerie Peppier, Christchurch soprano ;

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'Cecilia Parry, Auckland soprano ; Mona Ross, Dunedin contralto; Cara Hall, Wellington pianist; Bryan Drake, Dunedin baritone ; Ramon Opie, Auckland tenor ; •Gerald Christeller, Christchurch baritone ; " The Knaves," an Auckland novelty group ; and Geoffrey Moore, a New Zealand tenor who had been studying in Australia on a rehabilitation bursary. Other New Zealanders who toured the National stations were Hubert Carta, the New Zealand tenor, and the pianist and accompanist, Wainwright Morgan. A number of relayed and studio broadcasts contained works by New Zealand ■composers. One was a performance of the song-cycle, " The Desolate Star," composed by Dorothea Franchi to words by the late Robin Hyde. The composer took part in the broadcast performance of this song-cycle. A relayed concert^by the Auckland Lyric Harmonists enabled listeners to hear works by Dr. Y. E. Galway, Thomas Rive, Ernest Jenner, Douglas Lilburn, Dorothea Franchi, Henry Shirley, and Ronald Dellow. A recording of H. J. Finlay's " Trio for Two Violins and Flute " was broadcast from several stations. The service continued to give practical assistance to local musical societies. This •assistance included the loan of music from the Service's library, and, on occasions, of the Service's orchestras, in this way assuring a better standard of public and broadcast performances. A good example was the performance in Christchurch Cathedral of the Bach " Mass in B Minor " with Isobel Baillie, soprano ; Mary Pratt, contralto ; Thomas E. West, tenor ; Bryan Drake, baritone ; the Christchurch Harmonic Society, and the National Orchestra conducted by Andersen Tyrer. The services of the National Orchestra .and of the soprano Isobel Baillie were loaned for this performance. The production of the opera " Carmen " resulted from the co-operation of the Service with musical societies in the four main centres. For this production the Service released the Supervisor of Productions, Mr. B. V. Beeby, to produce the opera, and made available the National •Orchestra and singers for the leading roles. There was an increase in the number of talks and discussions, and 2,654 local speakers broadcast during the year. The All New Zealand Quiz, in which contestants from all ■over the Dominion competed, and the International Radio Quiz, in which New Zealand was defeated narrowly by an Australian team, gave further opportunities to New .Zealanders interested in this type of programme. The Mobile Recording Unit continued to record New Zealand speakers, bands, and musical groups, which might otherwise have been inaccessible. On the Otago tour, for instance, the Unit recorded the historical reminiscences of 118 " old identities," 41 choirs, 19 brass and pipe bands, 2 vocal quartets, and 2 Maori waiata. In Rotorua, too, the Unit recorded the following Maori songs, action dances, and spoken* matter : 1 powhiri, 2 waiata, 4 hakas, 2 canoe-songs, 1 patere, and 2 pois. THE NATIONAL ORCHESTRA AND CELEBRITY CONCERTS The 1948 season, the second since its establishment, was noteworthy for the variety •of work performed by the National Orchestra under the conductorship of Andersen Tyrer. In March the Orchestra was associated with the Otago Centennial Committee in concerts given by the English soprano, Isobel Baillie, and in choral concerts with male voice and combined choirs. These concerts formed part of the Otago Centennial festivities and were well supported by the Dunedin public. Similar concerts followed in Invercargill, the choir in that centre being augmented by members of the Dunedin choirs. In addition to her work with the orchestra, Miss Baillie gave six solo recitals, a half-hour broadcast recital at .each of the four University colleges, and a recital at the Teachers' Training College, Dunedin. Studio broadcasts were also given -from Stations 2YA, 4YA, and 4YZ.

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Early in the year preparations were made to produce the opera " Carmen.'' Although, originally intended as an attraction during the Dunedin Centennial celebrations, it was decided to present the opera in the four main centres. Local societies in each centre managed the opera and provided minor principals, chorus, and ballet. The Service made available an opera orchestra comprising forty-five members of the National Orchestra, with Andersen Tyrer as Musical Director, Bernard Beeby as Producer, Janet Howe, English mezzo-soprano, in the title role of Carmen, and Arthur Servent, English tenor, in the role of Don Jose. Two New Zealanders, Dora Drake and Bryan Drake, were also included in the cast of principals. Thirty-three performances in all were given in Dunedin, Christchurch, Wellington, and Auckland, and a number of these performances were broadcast. Each of the local societies received a considerable financial benefit from their association with the Service in this production, and amateur theatrical activity generally was stimulated by the opportunity given amateur players in each centre to perform with professional principals and an adequate orchestra. The young New Zealand pianist, Richard Farrell, made a Dominion-wide concert tour under the auspices of the Service. This was the first New Zealand concert tour by this young pianist, who has spent some years overseas. During his tour he visited all the main centres, as well as Invercargill, Hastings, Napier, and Nelson, giving twelve broadcast recitals. _As he was able to extend his stay in New Zealand, he was engaged to give two concerto performances with the National Orchestra in Auckland. Both performances were enthusiastically received by large audiences. Richard Farrell played a number of modern compositions in his concert programme, and these works were popular with his audiences. The National Orchestra reassembled in Auckland after the " Carmen " season. Its opening concert featured the " Carmen " principals, Janet Howe and Arthur Servent, and was followed by the orchestral concerts with Richard Farrell and concerts for schools. Later two orchestral concerts were presented in Wellington with Dr. Edgar Bainton as Guest Conductor. Although the " Carmen " season reduced the time available for public performances, the orchestra gave 23 symphony concerts, 16 schools concerts, and 5 lunch-hour concerts in the various centres. In October the National Orchestra dispersed to group activities in each centre, assisting the existing studio orchestras in local broadcasts and also giving broadcast performances as National Orchestra groups. The Auckland group, in addition to normal studio work, assisted the Auckland Choral Society in a performance of the " Messiah," and took part in a studio broadcast of a. pianoforte concerto with the pianist Haagen Holenbergh. In February, 1949, the group also accompanied Madame Zealanda in studio broadcasts. The Christchurch group combined with the Christchurch Harmonic Society in a " Messiah " performance in December, in addition to regular studio work. The Wellington group, the largest of these units, began a series of studio broadcasts on Tuesdays and Saturdays of each week, which continued until mid-December. The Tuesday broadcasts were symphonic, and included eight of the Beethoven symphonies. The Saturday night broadcasts were of a varied classical nature. During this period the Wellington group of the orchestra visited Wanganui and combined with the Wanganui Male Voice Choir to perform the choral work " The Desert," by Felicien David. On this occasion the orchestra was transported for the first time by buses, accompanied by an equipment truck. The arrangement resulted in a saving of time and expense. Members of the Wellington group, in conjunction with the 2YA Studio Orchestra, also assisted the Royal Wellington Choral Union in a presentation of Elgar's " Music Makers," and later in a performance of the " Messiah." An arrangement made in the latter part of 1948 between the New Zealand Broadcasting Service and Messrs. tf. C. Williamson, Ltd., brought the International Opera Company to New Zealand and gave added experience to the members of the National

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Orchestra who formed the opera orchestra. The Opera Company, which was in Australia, could not have come to New Zealand without the support of the Service, particularly in the provision of a suitable orchestra. The tour, which is still in progress at the date of this report, opened in Auckland in February, after the forty-six members of the National Orchestra engaged for the tour had spent a concentrated period of rehearsal under the conductor ship of Maestro Ghione and his two associate conductors, Signor Wolf-Ferrari and Signor Vedovelli. The company, which with orchestra and ballet totals two hundred people, is presenting the following operas : La Boheme, Rigoletto, Aida, La Tosca, Manon, Madame Butterfly, II Trovatore, Cavalleria Rusticana, Faust, I Pagliacci, and The Barber of Seville. A whole generation had neither seen nor heard Grand Opera presented on a professional scale in this country, and a season of marked success in Auckland was followed by short seasons in Hamilton, Palmerston North, Hastings, and Napier. By the end of March the first four performances of the Wellington season had been given. A feature of the opera seasons in each centre has been a broadcast of each opera in the repertoire. These broadcasts have aroused a great deal of interest, and the management of the company believes that they have added to box-office interest. So far the tour has been a decided success, and is continuing to create and sustain enthusiasm. In the South Island the company will visit Christchurch, Timaru, Dunedin, and Invercargill. On the first of. March Gladys Ripley, the English contralto, commenced a studio and public recital tour of the country, followed on the 15th March by the English tenor, Walter Midgeley, who, for a period, combined with Miss Ripley in joint public recitals. Individual concerts were also given by these artists in a number of smaller centres where the Broadcasting Service is not normally able to present artists of this calibre. A recital to students given by Gladys Ripley at Canterbury University College was also broadcast. SPECIAL SERVICES AND CO-OPERATION WITH OTHER GOVERNMENT DEPARTMENTS The Service continued its policy of supporting national campaigns, such as Aid for Britain, National Savings, Power Conservation, and the United Nations' Appeal for Children with a considerable amount of radio publicity from all stations. The work of Government Departments and charitable appeals by outside organizations were also assisted in this way. Announcements of public interest were broadcast for the Electoral Department, the Post and" Telegraph Department, the Railways and Transport Departments, and the Department of Labour and Employment; and 933 announcements about missing people and vehicles were broadcast at the request of the Police Department. Other bodies whose work was assisted with radio publicity included the State Forest Service, the Federated Mountain Clubs of New Zealand, the National Committee of Swimming and Life-saving, the Plunket Society, the St. John Ambulance Association, and the New Zealand Red Cross Society. In the field of community service, stations broadcast national and local weather reports, notices of school jubilees, reports of wool and stock market sales, marine and flood warnings, automobile association reports, slogans to encourage civic tidiness, and talks to assist the Anti-Cancer Campaign, and the recruitment of nurses. Commercial and service aircraft made frequent use of broadcasting stations as navigational aids. At the request of Air Department, arrangements were made for certain transmitters to be put into service for this purpose at times when they would otherwise be shut down.

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THE NEW ZEALAND LISTENER Although the Listener now has readers in many other parts of the world —Australia, Canada, the United States, India, South Africa, the United Kingdom, and even Iceland — it exists to serve New Zealand first, and during the year did a good deal to help New Zealand to find its own voice. Among the developments of the year for which readers have shown special appreciation have been the regular appearance of a " Letter From London ", a marked increase in the amount of space given to book reviews, articles written to help listeners to appreciate good music, and a constant flow of original contributions of good quality written by New Zealanders for New Zealand readers. Circulation, advertising revenue, and public interest in the Listener increased during -the year. The paper supply and a staff shortage were the chief problems. Although paper was easier to obtain in 1948 than in the previous year, the cost was higher than it had ever been, and the supply was never good enough to allow a reserve to be built up for the future. As a result there was not quite enough paper in sight to accept, without anxiety, the increase in size made necessary by the opening of new stations. The staff shortage was even more acute than the shortage in the supply of paper. However, temporary assistance was obtained on contract, and there was an appreciable increase in the volume of contributed material. By these means standards were maintained in all departments. COMMEKCIAL ACTIVITIESAdvertising The year's operations produced a new record in advertising revenue, despite the loss, through power cuts, of one hour and a half of revenue each day during the winter months. The Service was unable to place all the advertising offering, and the waitinglist of firms wishing to sponsor radio sessions is steadily increasing. Preference on the waiting-list is given to New Zealand firms which have commenced operations since the war, or whose activities have been retarded during the war years, and have had to rely -on intensive advertising for general marketing purposes. The Service continued its policy of giving local advertisers every opportunity to use the air, and approximately 50 per cent, of air time was allocated to local sponsors. A strong liaison between the advertising and programme departments developed from the appointment of a Sales Supervisor. A careful watch was kept over the type of programme sold to advertisers, and every effort made to maintain standards. During the year certain advertising and commercial procedures were overhauled and brought into line with current advertising practice. Nearly two thousand varying rate-card charges were reduced to 205, a reduction which simplified the procedure for handling contracts, and at the same time lessened internal administration. The relationship between rate-card charges and sessions was consolidated, and decentralisation was carried to the point at which stations now handle their local commissionbearing contracts. These moves, which normally might have been carried out over the last few years, had to be postponed until the staff position was stabilized after the war. Station 3XC, Timaru.—During the year the first composite station, part National and part Commercial, was opened in Timaru. Within a few days all the feature time available in the commercial band was sold and nearly all the spot advertising schedules were filled. Programmes Feature Programmes.—-All feature time on the Commercial stations is taken up by sponsors, and on occasions the Service has found it difficult to maintain the supply of •certain types of feature programme. Dollar shortages have restricted .the choice of markets, and Australian producers have been the main source of feature programmes.

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It was hoped that commercial features produced in the British Isles would be available in New Zealand, but, although a few have been imported, the costs have been comparatively high. To maintain the supply of feature programmes, members of the station staffs prepared 2,357 sponsored sessions and 1,346 sustaining (non-advertising) programmes. Studio Presentations. —Studio presentations and audience participation shows were again a feature of the Commercial station programmes. Overseas artists, including Cicely Courtneidge, Janet Howe, Arthur Servent, and Gladys Ripley, were heard from the ZB stations during the year, and a considerable number of local performers took part in broadcasts. As in previous years, a very large number of people took part in audienceparticipation programmes. Over three thousand contestants competed in quiz and competition programmes, and more than three thousand people were included in other studio programmes. These figures do not include the ordinary children's sessions, for which a considerable number of children gathered in the studio. In a southern centre over thirteen thousand children came to the station to take part in children's sessions. Studio Interviews. —Studio interviews heard from the Commercial stations were divided into two groups : those with people who had personal experiences to describe, and those who presented material of an instructional or educational nature. Those whose interviews came into the first category included Richard Farrell (New Zealand pianist),, Ernest Llewellyn (Leader of the Queensland State String Quartet), Sir James Bissett (a former Commander of the " Queen Mary" ), and Donald McCullough (a former question-master of the 8.8.C. Brains Trust). In the second category Commercial stations arranged for broadcasts by officials of the Aid for Britain and National Savings Campaigns, the Otago Historical Association, Sir George and Lady McLeod, leaders of the lona Community, and many others. New Zealand Artists on Tour.—As in previous years, New Zealand artists have toured the Commercial stations. Arrangements were made for two Auckland novelty combinations, " The Duplicats " and " The Knaves," to present programmes in the four main cities. In each case the public reaction to the programmes was excellent, and the Service received very favourable comments from the advertisers who sponsored the artists. Sports Sessions.—Considerable time was made available to the various sporting codes, and during the year there were regular broadcasts of sports results, and rebroadcasts of major sporting events overseas. Among the latter were the Melbourne Cup, the Louis-Walcott fight for the World Heavyweight Boxing Championship, the MurphyTurpin 'and Murphy-Hart fights for the British Middleweight title, and special broadcasts to cover the Australian-England Cricket series, and the New Zealand Plunket Shield Cricket matches. A number of local relays of sporting events were also carried out, and special coverage was given to the New Zealand Swimming and Golf Championships. Community Service.—The Commercial Division continued its policy of assisting campaigns associated with community welfare. The value of air time given for appeals and similar purposes totalled £1,588. Air facilities were placed at the disposal of such organizations as the Red Cross Society, Y.M.C.A., Y.W.C.A., Boy Scouts and Girl Guides, the Boys' Brigade, the Crippled Children's Society, the Heritage Movement, the British Sailors' Society, the Makogai Leper Appeal, and various civic campaigns. Assistance was also given to appeals for missing persons and motor-cars, and sessions were devoted to the work of young farmers' clubs and returned servicemen. The Service is gratified to know that its efforts in the field of community welfarehave been just as successful as the radio advertising campaigns which have been conducted for sponsors. Oil one occasion, for instance, listener response to a radio appeal for small ointment containers for a hospital was immediate and overwhelming.

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Special Campaigns.—A. number of special campaigns were handled during the year, but emphasis was placed upon the United Nations Appeal for Children, Aid for Britain, and Electricity Conservation. The Commercial Division handled all written material broadcast in connection with the United Nations Appeal, and members of the staff were active in the local campaigns, one member, indeed, being appointed the South Island Organizer. Every effort was made to promote the campaign, and at a southern station a penny bank erected in the lounge raised over £l,OOO for this purpose. At the conclusion of the campaign the organizer attributed the excellent results in no small measure to the part played by the Service. The Aid for Britain Campaign was also featured prominently by the Commercial stations. A considerable amount of publicity was given to various sections of the campaign, and a series of documentary programmes describing the various fields of primary production were broadcast from the main National and Commercial stations. The Service must record its appreciation of the ready assistance given by other Government Departments in the preparation of these programmes. Special Programmes.—These included the Inter-Dominion Quiz, in which Australia defeated a New Zealand team, and the farewell broadcast by Sir Laurence and. Lady Olivier. A special series of programmes about Norfolk Island, with the title " The Isle of the Singing Pines," was presented. The material used in these programmes was recorded on the island earlier in the year. Commemorative programmes dealt with United Nations' Day, Hallowe'en, the origin of All Fools', Day, the twentieth anniversary of the first flight across the Tasman Sea, and the achievements of Lord Rutherford. Material in the Turnbull Library in Wellington provided a series of historical programmes entitled " Our Fathers Have Told Us." Special efforts were made to provide unusual programmes during the Christmas and New Year period. The major seasonal programmes were created by members of the staff, and each station handled special assignments in addition to the programmes provided by Head Office. There was a special Returned Services programme, and a one-hour documentary on New Zealand life, " Fernland, Forest, and Farm." Special request sessions were broadcast for children in hospitals, and members of station staffs visited the wards. In Auckland a drive, which was initiated in association with the Junior Chamber of Commerce, equipped a health camp with sports gear. An ambitious programme was presented in a southern centre on New Year's Eve, when an estimated crowd of four thousand people took part in a barbecue arranged by the station. Controversial Broadcasts.—" Citizens' Forum," designed to present interesting and controversial subjects, was continued during the year. Programmes were handled on a local basis by each station, which utilized the services of local speakers. The subjects discussed included the following : " Can We Avoid a Slump ? " " Should Unionism be Compulsory ? " " What is the Cause of Industrial Unrest ? " "Is Advertising Wasteful and Uneconomic ? " " What Can We Do to Reduce Divorce ? " and " Does the Radio Serial Have an Adverse Effect on Children ? " Outside Broadcasts.—Stations have always been encouraged to associate themselves with community life, and as a part of this policy many outside relays of local events were carried out during the year. The majority of these were of purely local interest, such as University capping processions, back-stage relays from travelling companies, ploughing competitions between young farmers, A.T.C. training, and other events. Women's Sessions.—Special attention was given to improving the women's sessions. The two existing afternoon sessions were amalgamated to form a special session " Women's Hour." The new programme developed considerably during the year. Sections were

2—F 3

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devoted to home economics, overseas news, film and theatre news, book reviews, fashion guides, home-makers' quiz, health and beauty information, and nutrition. The programme is supervised by a woman announcer attached to each station. The Plunket Society provided a series of talks on mothercraft, and there were interviews with prominent visitors, and special broadcasts. The Service is grateful for material received for this programme from the High Commissioner for the United Kingdom, the High Commissioner for Australia, the United States Legation, from film exchanges, and from the British Council. FINANCIAL REPORT The accounts for the year under review show an excess of income over expenditure 0f'*£29,583 (£126,903) for the National Division and £52,140 (£29,470) for the Commercial Division. Figures for the previous year are shown in parentheses for comparison. Income from licence fees exceeded last year's figure by £20,356 and totalled £498,630, while revenue from the sale of time on the air recovered by £57,157 to £305,549 through an easing in the restrictions of broadcasting hours for electricityconservation purposes. The total income of the two Divisions from all sources was £853,953, as compared with £762,091 for the previous year. The total expenditure, excluding capital but including depreciation, for the two Divisions of the Service was £771,969 (£605,718). The item " Land and buildings " appears in the Balance-sheet at £231,773, compared with £165,567 for 1947-48. " Machinery and plant" are shown at £234,177 (£70,193), and "Office and studio equipment" stands at £81,501 (£55,420). Expenditure for the year under the main headings and reasons for the increases were: — (a) National Division— Programme Expenditure, £125,720. This figure shows an increase _of £18,677 over the previous year's expenditure, due to extended use being made of New Zealand talent in recorded productions and studio broadcasts. National Orchestra and Concert Presentation : The amount of £78,673 under this heading is in excess of last year's expenditure by £25,032. This was principally due to increased rates of remuneration payable to members of the Orchestra, and the heavy travelling-expenses involved in visits to towns throughout New Zealand. General Administrative and Running Expenses : Expenditure of £266,256 under this heading shows an increase of £77,394. The expansion of the Service and the development of new stations, together with higher prices for goods and services, caused a general increase in nearly all items of expenditure. The main causes for this additional expenditure, however, were increased rates of pay to staff and the appointment of additional staff for the short-wave and new stations. (b) Commercial Division —- Programme Expenditure, £47,172. This expenditure represents an increase of £15,407, which wa§ due partly to the development of programmes using live talent, the extended use of audience-participation programmes, and to greater expenditure on sustaining programmes in non-advertising time. General Administrative and Running Expenses: The expenditure of £214,828 under this heading was greater by £27,782 over the previous year's figure. This was mainly due to commission on increased sales and increased salary rates.

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in view of the continuing cost of the greatly expanded services now being given to listeners, and the further service to be given when the development plan is completed, there will not be in future years the substantial annual surplus of revenue over expenditure which has hitherto been shown by the Broadcasting Account. In years, funds have been built up from the annual surplus to meet the cost of replacing equipment and providing for new stations. The accounts reflect a substantial increase in the capital expenditure on this programme, while investments, which totalled £1,950,000 as at the 31st March, 1948, are shown in this year's Balance-sheets as £1,850,000, a drop of £lOO,OOO. The audited accounts for the year are appended to this report. Accounts for the year ended 31st March, 1948, will* be published in parliamentary paper B-l [Pt. IV]. In order that a comparison may be made, abridged Income and Expenditure Accounts and Balance-sheets in columnar form for the two years are printed at the end of this report. ENGINEERING SECTION Development There was steady progress with the development programme which was introduced in 1946-47. Of the transmitting-equipment ordered since 1946, all but 'the 60 kW. transmitter for 2YA, the 10 kW. transmitter, for 3YA, and the 2 kW. transmitters for Gisborne and New Plymouth, have been received from the manufacturers, The 10 kW. transmitter for Station 3YZ Greymouth, located at Kumara Junction, was installed by the manufacturers and accepted by the Service on 12th November. The erection of the mast radiating system for this station has been held up by the shortage of steel in Australia, and the transmitter is operating on a temporary aerial system. The results with this temporary arrangement have been satisfactory, and coverage of the west coast of the South Island has been greatly improved. The station can also be received clearly in the North Island. The first of the new stations to come into operation, 3XC Timaru, was opened on 18th January, 1949. The equipment for this station was installed by the engineering staff'of the Service, and the temporary aerial system will be replaced by a 175 ft. steel mast radiator. The transmitter at Washdyke is unattended and is switched on and off by remote control from the control-room in the Timaru studio. This remote-control unit, which was designed by the Head Office Engineering Section, has been very successful, and similar units will be used at each of the proposed 2 kW. stations. They will effect a considerable saving in staff. The 10 kW. transmitter at Paengaroa, taking programmes from the Rotorua studios and serving the Bay of Plenty, has been installed and is being tested. A 500 ft. steel mast has been erected for the radiating system, and the station is expected to come into operation towards the end of April, 1949. The studio building in Rotorua, a temporary structure using surplus timber from wartime camps, has been completed and the technical equipment installed. Offices and studios for new stations at Hamilton and Whangarei have also been completed, and the conversion of the available accommodation at Wanganui and Gisborne to studios and offices for the new 2 kW. stations in these centres is under way. Plans have been prepared for new studios at Palmerston North and are in preparation for studios at Nelson and New Plymouth. Transmitter buildings have been erected in Hamilton, Palmerston North, Wanganui, and Nelson, and plans have been completed for similar buildings at Gisborne, Whangarei, and New Plymouth. Power-conservation During the winter months daily cuts in broadcasting hours were imposed by the Electricity Controller. These cuts were designed to conserve electrical power, the principal saving being effected by listeners switching off their radio receivers.

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In order to make power available for the operation of the new 2 kW. station at Timaru, Stations 3YA Christchurch and 4YA Dunedin have been operating on their auxiliary power supplies for one hour each day, from Mondays to Fridays. By reducing the power output from the two transmitters in this way a total amount of power equivalent to that used by the Timaru station has been made available in the South Island. In the same way the Service intends making power available for operating the proposed new stations in the North Island. Changes in Frequency and Call-signs op Stations On Ist 1948, the operating frequencies of most of the broadcastingstations in the country were changed. This was the outcome of a conference, attended by the Chief Engineer of the Service, which took place in Melbourne earlier in the year. A re-arrangement of frequencies in Australia and New Zealand was necessary as a matter of urgency to reduce mutual interference between stations and to make possible the planned development and expansion of broadcasting in both countries. The new frequencies were chosen to give the optimum coverage possible for the radiated power and service requirements of each station. At the same time the call-signs of New Zealand stations were altered to conform to a system by which the type of statioD could be readily identified from the sign. Short-wave Service The regular Short-wave Service for overseas listeners was inaugurated on Dominion Day, the 27th September. The transmitters have a radiated power of 7-5 kW., and the frequencies of transmissions are 9-54, 11-78, and 15-28 megacycles. The transmissions have been directed by beam aerial to Australia and the Western Pacific. Satisfactory reports on reception have been received from these areas, but reception in the Eastern Pacific has not been good. To improve the service an additional set of aerials directed to the mid and eastern Pacific areas will be erected. Work on this project will go forward as soon as the present development programme has reached the stage at which staff can be released to design and direct the new aerial system. The allocation of frequencies to various short-wave broadcasting services was decided at the International High-frequency Broadcasting Conference which opened late in 1948 at Mexico City. The Service was represented at this Conference. Recording Division The recording facilities at the main centres are being extended. Recording-studios at Christchurch and Dunedin are under construction, and suitable studios have been planned for Auckland. Twelve disk-recording machines are being manufactured in the Service workshops, two of which will be used in a second mobile recording-van now being assembled for service in the South Island. A high-grade magnetic-tape recordingmachine has been received from England and is undergoing extensive tests to prove its acceptability for regular service. During the year two portable magnetic-tape recorders were modified for the use of the rugby commentator travelling with the " All Blacks "in South Africa. Recordings will be sent back immediately after each match for broadcasting in this country. Samoa The Service continued to operate Station 2AP Apia, Western Samoa, for the Administration, and a Senior Technician of the Service supervises the technical work. A feature of the installation is a high-frequency transmitter-studio link using frequency modulation in place of the usual land-line. This unit has been most successful and its performance superior to that of land-lines. It was designed and built by the Service, and its success has encouraged further development work on the production of similar units for use in this country.

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Stations in Operation

The following stations were in operation on 31st March, 1949 :

* Privately-owned, but subsidized by New Zealand Broadcasting Service. t Owned by New Zealand Broadcasting Service and operated under contract. t Composite station. § Commercial Division stations. || Operated by the New Zealand Broadcasting Service for the Administration, Western Samoa. Station 2XG Gisborne, which was previously operated under contract, has since September been operated by the Service. Hours of Transmission The aggregate programme transmission of all stations, both national and commercial, during the year to 83,641 hours. . Of the scheduled programme time, 27 hours were lost through defects in equipment and 29 hours through the failure of power-supplies. This does not include time lost through close downs for conserving electricity. Apart from the new stations, there has been very little change in scheduled programme times. The increase of 11,203 hours on last year's total of 72,438 hours is almost entirely due to the reduction in the number of power-conservation " close-downs" during the year. William Yates, Director of Broadcasting.

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Station Call Sign. Location of Studio. Location of Transmitter. Frequency. Radiated Power. Mediumw-ave Stations Kilocycles/sec. kW. 1YA Auckland Henderson 750 10-0 2YA Wellington Titahi Bay 570 60-0 3YA Christchurch Gebbies Pass 690 10-0 4YA Dunedin Highcliff 780 10-0 1YC Auckland Auckland 880 0-15 2YC Wellington Titahi Bay 650 5-0 3YC Christchurch Christchurch 960 0-3 4YC Dunedin .. Dunedin 900 0-15 1YD Auckland Henderson 1,250 0-75 2 YD Wellington Wellington 1,130 0-5 2YZ Napier Opapa 860 5-0 3YZ Greymouth Kumara 920 10-0 4YZ Invercargili Dacre 720 5-0 2XG Gisborne Gisborne 1,010 0-25 2XM* Gisborne Gisborne 1,180 0-09 2XN Nelson Nelson 1,340 0-03 2XPf New Plymouth. New Plymouth 1,370 0-10 3XC$ Timaru Washdyke 1,160 2-0 4XD* Dunedin Dunedin 1,430 0-06 2ZA§ Palmerston North .. Palmerston North .. 940 0-25 1ZB§ Auckland Henderson 1,070 1-0 2ZB§ Wellington Titahi Bay 980 1-0 3ZB§ Christchurch Christchurch 1,10Q 1-0 4ZB§ Dunedin Dunedin 1,040 1-0 2AP|| Apia, Western Samoa Afiamalu 1,420 2-0 Short-wave Stations ZL2 Wellington 1 Titahi Bay 9,540 7-5 ZL3 Wellington Titahi Bay 11,780 7-5 ZL4 Wellington Titahi Bay 15,280 7-5

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STATEMENTS ABRIDGED FROM ANNUAL ACCOUNTS FOR YEARS ENDED 31ST MARCH, 1948 and 1949 NATIONAL DIVISION Statement of Revenue and Expenditure Expenditure | Revenue . 1947-48. 1948-49. | 1947-48. 1948-49. Programmes 107, 043 125,720 j Licence fees 478,274 498,630 National Orchestra and concert presentation, less Interest ... .. .. .. •• f't", o'qoo proceeds of concerts 53,641 78,673 Rents 2,241 2,322 Cerieral .. •• •• 188,862 266,256 Miscellaneous .. .. .. •• 817 845 Depreciation " •• 26.747 28,303 N.Z. Listener : Excess of income .. .. 3,938 4,790 Other .. " ' 4,124 2,560 Balance carried down .. .. •• 126,903 29,583 £507,320 £531,095 £507,320 £531,095 £ £ £ £ Balance forward . •• •• 2,443,713 2,473,296 Balance, previous year .. .. .. 2,316,810 2,443,713 fiance forward Balance brought down 126,903 29,583 £2,443,713 £2,473,296 £2,443,713 £2,473,296 Statement of Assets and Liabilities Liabilities Assets 1947-48. 1948-49. 1947-48. 1948-49. Creditors •• • 32,070 23,152 Cash in bank .. .. .. .. 180,933 38,979 Appropriation Account 2,443,713 2,473,296 Imprests outstanding .. 465 Debtors and prepayments .. .. .. 68,271 00,01b Works in progress and stores .. .. .. 107,003 133,228 Newsprint stocks .. .. .. .. 6,615 16,221 Unplayed features .. .. .. •• 22,016 43,795 Investments .. .. •• •• 1,830,000 1,740,000 Land and buildings .. .. .. .. 162,026 222,008 Machinery and plant .. .. .. 62,958 179,601 Office and studio equipment .. .. .. 34,976 53,150 " B" station purchases .. .. . • 985 985 £2,475,783 £2,496,448 ' £2,475,783 £2,496,448

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COMMERCIAL DIVISION Statement of Revenue and Expenditure Expenditure Revenue 1947-48. 1948-49. 1047-48. 1948-49. t> £ £ £ £ Programmes .. .. .. 31,765 47,172 Sales of station time .. .. .. 248,392 305 549 •General .. .. .. .. .. 187,046 214,828 Other .. .. .. .. .. 6,379 17'309 Depreciation .. .. .. .. 6,490 8,457 Net profit carried down .. .. .. 29,470 52,401 £254,771 £322,858 £254,771 £322,858 Provision for taxation .. .. .. 17,269 30,680 Balance previous year .. .. .. 167,148 179 349 Balance forward .. .. .. .. 179,349 201,070 Balance brought down .. .. .. 29,470 52^401 £196,618 £231,750 £196,618 £231,750 Statement op Assets and Liabilities Liabilities i Assets 1947-48. 1948-49. [ 1947-48. 1948-49. j-i £ £ £ £ •Creditors 14,557 12,377 Cash in bank 27 396 9 096 Deposit Account .. .. .. .. 251 505 Cash on deposit .. .. .. .. 251 '505 Revenue in advance .. .. .. 831 591 Imprests outstanding .. .. .. .. 3 Provision for taxation .. .. .. 17,300 30,700 Debtors and prepayments .. .. .. 33,421 32,947 Writings off .. .. .. .. 73 76 Investments .. .. .. .. 120,000 llo'oOO Appropriation Account .. .. .. 179,349 201,070 Land and buildings .. .. .. .. 3,541 9^765 Machinery and plant .. .. .. 7,235 54,576 Office and studio equipment .. .. .. 20,444 28,351 Assets in suspense .. .. .. .. 73 76 £212,361 £245,319 £212,361 £245,319

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NEW ZEALAND BROADCASTING SERVICE NATIONAL DIVISION Income and Expenditure Account for the Year Ended 31st March, 1949 Expenditure, £ Income £ Expenditure on programmes, including payments to artists, Radio licence fees .. .. .. .. . - 498, 630 broadcasting rights, copyright fees, recorded programmes, Interest on investments .. .. .. .. 24,508 relay lines, and sundry miscellaneous items .. .. 125,720 Rents .. .. .. .. .. 2,322 Expenditure on National Orchestra and concert £ Miscellaneous receipts .. .. .. .. .. 845 presentation .. .. .. .. 86,282 New Zealand Listener: Excess of income over expenditure .. 4,790 Less net concert proceeds . . . . .. 7,609 78,673 "General administrative and running expenses, including rents, rates and insurance, lighting and heating, legal and audit, printing and stationery, salaries and wages, telephone services, repairs and maintenance of buildings and office and studio fittings, operation and maintenance of transmitting equipment, fees for technical trainees, and sundry miscellaneous items .. .. .. .. .. 266,256 Payments to stations operated under contract and subsidies to " B " stations . . .. .. .. .. 1 > 121 Expenses in connection with the Broadcasting Unit in Japan 939 Contribution to Radio Research Committee .. .. 500 Depreciation provision ~ .. .. .. .. 28,303 Balance carried down .. .. .. .. .. 29,583 £531,095 £531,095 £ T~ Balance forward to next year .. .. .. .. 2,473,296 Balance brought forward from previous year .. .. 2,443,713 Balance brought down .. .. .. .. .. 29,583 £2,473,296 £2,473,296

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Balance-sheet as at 31st March, 1949 Liabilities £ Assets £ Creditors .. .. .. .. .. .. 23,152 Cash in bank .. .. .. .. .. .. 38,979 Appropriation Account .. .. .. ..2,473,296 Imprests outstanding .. .. .. .. .. 465 Debtors and prepayments .. .. .. . . 68,016 Works in progress, stock of technical equipment, disks, and needles .. .. .. .. .. .. 133,228 Newsprint stocks .. .. .. .. .. 16,221 Unplayed episodes of features .. .. .. .. 43,795 Investments in New Zealand Government securities .. 1,740,000 Land and buildings .. .. .. .. .. 222,008 Machinery and plant .. .. .. .. .. 179,601 Office and studio equipment .. .. . . .. 53,150 " B" station purchases .. .. .. .. 985 £2,496,448 £2,496,448 I hereby certify that the Income and Expenditure Account and* Balance-sheet have been duly examined and compared with the relative books and documents submitted for audit, and correctly state the position as disclosed thereby.— J. P. Rutherford, Controller and Auditor- General. Wm. Yates, Director of Broadcasting. W. J. Crowther, A.R.A.N.Z., Accountant,

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NEW ZEALAND BROADCASTING SERVICE— continued• COMMERCIAL DIVISION Income and Expenditure Account for the Year Ended, 31st March, 1949 Expenditure £ _ , Income Expenditure on programmes, including payments to artists, Sales of station time .. .. .. •• •• , o4U broadcasting rights, copyright fees, recorded programmes, Accreditation fees ...... • • • • qqk relay lines, and sundry miscellaneous items .. .. 47,172 Programme fees .. .. .. .. •• •• o'ono General administrative and running expenses, including rents, Interest on investments .. .. .. .. f~ 7 rates and insurance, lighting and heating, legal and audit, Miscellaneous receipts . . .. . . .. • • J printing and stationery, salaries and wages, telephone services, repairs and maintenance of buildings and office and studio fittings, operation and maintenance of transmitting equipment, advertising, commission, and sundry miscellaneous items .. 214,828 Depreciation provision . . .. • • • • • • 8,457 Balance carried down: Net profit for year .. .. .. 52,401 £322,858 £322,858 £ Provision for taxation 30,700 £ Balance brought forward from previous year .. .. 179,349 Less excess provided in previous year .. .. 20 Balance brought down &Z,4UI 1 30,680 Balance forward to next year .. .. • • • • 201, 070 £231,750 £2^' 7^

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Balance-sheet as at 31st March, 1949 Liabilities £ Assets £ Creditors .. .. . . .. .. .. 12,377 Cash in bank .. .. .. .. .. .. 9,096 Deposit Account .. .. .. .. .. 505 Cash on deposit .. .. .. .. .. ... 'sos Revenue received in advance .. .. .. .. 591 Imprests outstanding .. .. .. .. .. 3 Provision for taxation .. .. .. .. .. 30,700 £ Writings-off provision .. .. .. .. .. 76 Debtors and prepayments .. .. .. 33,406 Appropriation Account .. .. .. .. .. 201,070 Less provision for bad debts .. .. .. 459 32,947 Investments in New Zealand Government securities .. .. 110,000 Land and buildings .. .. .. .. .. 9,765 Machinery and plant .. .. .. .. .. 54,576 Office and studio equipment .. .. .. .. 28,351 Assets in Suspense .. .. .. .. .. 76 £245,319 £245,319 I hereby certify that the Income and Expenditure Account and Balance-sheet have been duly examined and compared with the relative books and documents submitted for audit, and correctly state the position as disclosed thereby.— J. P. Rutherford, Controller and Auditor-General. Wm. Yates, Director of Broadcasting. W. J. Crowther, A.R.A.N.Z., Accountant.

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Approximate Cost of Paper.—Preparation, not given ; printing (789 copies), £4S. By Authority: E. E. Owen, Government Printer, Wellington.— 1949. Price 9d .]

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