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1943 NEW ZEALAND

ANNUAL REPORT OF THE NATIONAL BROADCASTING SERVICES (FOR THE TWELVE MONTHS ENDED 31st MARCH, 1943)

Presented to both Houses of the General Assembly pursuant to the Provisions of the Broadcasting Act, 1936

REPORT

Tins report is furnished in two sections, the first dealing with the National Broadcasting Service and the second with the National Commercial Broadcasting Service. SECTION I.—NATIONAL BROADCASTING SERVICE I have the honour to submit the following report on the operations of the National Broadcasting Service for the period Ist April, 1942, to 31st March, 1943. Receiving Licenses.—During the year 368,165 receiving licenses were issued, a decrease in the year of 3,094. This decrease may bo attributed to a number of factors, among which will be the wartime limitations imposed on radio-dealers in regard to materials and man-power, while many men with the forces will not have needed to renew their licenses owing to temporary rearrangement of their home circumstances. Hours of Transmission.—The total transmission time of stations was 52,177 hours. Only 38 hours were lost owing to technical faults and power-failures. Programmes.—The National Broadcasting Service was at 31st March, 1943, supplying programmes to sixteen stations. Technical details are as shown on page 2 of the report for the year ended 31st March, 1941. Two privately-owned stations are subsidized by the Government. Amalgamation of Technical Services.—Primarily to release trained radio technicians for work more directly connected with the war effort, the technical sections of the National Broadcasting Service and the National Commercial Broadcasting Service were amalgamated. The combined technical services are now controlled by the National Broadcasting Sendee, the actual cost of technical services supplied to the Commercial Service being charged against that Service. Broadcasting and the War.—Greatly increased use was made of broadcasting in furthering the war effort, embracing talks by Government and other prominent speakers, special programmes such as " We Work for Victory," " It is War," and intensive campaigns in connection with a variety of war matters, such as war loans, national savings, patriotic fund appeals, recruiting, civil defence. Broadcasts from certain foreign stations were monitored, .and the information received, including information about New Zealand prisoners of war, was communicated to the appropriate authorities. Frequent broadcasts of news and commentaries kept the public in touch with the progress of the war, while increased rebroadcasts of personal messages and talks from New-Zealanders overseas provided a constant link with our forces overseas. Apart from time devoted to these wartime activities, the normal broadcasting programmes of music, entertainment, and information remained available, thus providing a valuable aid in the maintenance of public morale. News an,d Commentaries.—By the courtesy of the British Broadcasting Corporation news broadcasts from London have been rebroadcast eight times daily, together with commentaries and war talks. Additional rebroadcasts of overseas news were made when news flashes of importance were received.