BROADCASTING POLICY

Press, Volume LXXI, Issue 21417, 8 March 1935, Page 12

BROADCASTING POLICY

SECOND READING DEBATE PERSONNEL OF BOARD \ «.Kinl - VIEWS ON AMENDMENT HI LI. i . ij. : Parliamentary Reporter.] ■.'."ELLINGTON. March 7. ._.. . :]] .__ problems occupied the ;,: •.!-.._• iii.vise of Represen- • .■ . • . .■; v, mo ■ ccor.d reading de- ,- ;;..-.■ i/maucastmg Amendment ■ ' r. embers a long-awaited ■ ■:■;■.■•..-:.•!'.: -he Government :..,• ~,-.'!.v of B and -.., •• ~..•<.:(> being treated: some abol.tio:; ui the board., and : . ■.-.,■. m the board .- pro- ;. .. ~i i-j the Government to ; •.,:..•..• consideration to B sta- ■ ... v.-a. m.ade by Mr J. A. Nash (C, J -\....v...-.L'i. l . Mr Nash said that no •■.:..•.-. i- emu action might be taken by '..•• ..c.v >:■ ■;;;•(!. unlc-.-s mere sympa- ■.:■_'.'■ 1 was accorded the B :,:.,. ;.:• :•■.■ would be a s<orm of ~..,- • • :■■:,;:: < .ic end of tile Country : ;.,- m.j. : ■-{<• inought the country • ;,: : ;■•.■(■.-,•.,• ;hc Guvesumeat's : •. i i!-- ■ :>■.in-A down the bill. • ■ ■ i • • •■■ maw. iir.nro ■semefls '■'..'• .■;■■■, f-:--,~: !tiu service.' With the ■ . -.ova;'. 1.1 revenue the board ".- :'-reiving from listeners, it ! i\ ,>■■ oos.colo to arrange for bet-w-owewmes. and in making the ; ' .';' Si !-.:■ \'.as not complaining .-■■, ■ : . .- '{;-.':!■•• "f the programmes v.- (-.■:;;:;■.'.;;! i■; i'i' the board from •■j . if:; members would be a < .;■■■• ; ■<.[ ■.:<:■' a go. said Mr Nash, but . ■ . •■ .--...- would depend upon :::••:: ;.. <j: ited. He thought it -. ;.- i ■ •■!;.• 11 a.-owibio that the listeners, •- '. <) provided tiie revenue, should be .1 r. .-'..me representation. If they • v.: ;.: ]■ ast ciic representative on the L a". 1 , they would feel that they had a. : .me; :• jI m the concern. • A Public Service" ;.m (",-■:'.•• Can- (Lab., Timaru,) said :■■■: im •adcastmg was a public ser- ' cm and as such should be controlled 1 •■• :■■•■ Government rather than by 'O'.i-r.- m.-"ii! the Government abdit ■■'•.■ to a boa : 'd.'' he said, "and hands < m.;• the aoi'.-iniitration of a national (.'■ :'s >'.!',,;;csted that the control ;-;• ■; •■> 'a.:;:;•.•.', might well be dealt V: by i < ommiiiee of the House — : •.\ i'. l .' had been elected to deal >■ '.'. ■;■.•;!'•. v.- of that kind—and lie ' -i-'.'rd 'oat this was specially ' '■■'.-.:-.;■;.•. v.-h.-u regard was taken of ' - - ■ ■:■ ■■<>■-■. increase in the number • ".-' ■ : m Nwv Zealand. '.'.■■■■•'■ "is" to the restrictions on B ■ ' :■.-, M" Carr said this country : . ''■ : ■ ■■!!' o:i having free speech • o '.• pros-, and he wanted to ■ '■•: .;..;■• the air sliould not be free "':.-• Hon. A. Hamilton < Postmaster- <■ ■:■■■■.'<: Wi'u'd you give unlimited •■• :'■!' b\ o;:dcasting? '" '-' ' : \Vit!'!!i reason. Th.at is a '■ " ■' '■'■'" ■'■'-■ .'md.'',irient would have _ '■'■ :'' i': ■: i J -:. Mi- Car;- said that the "'' •*■;' i'"d stated in his opening ■■-•■■■-■■''. *'; at !(' the United States and ' a':a could beiiin again, they ■ i! ■ ism iii"')- broadcasting on the ( ' i yomfo'i. V V Stations Criticised '.<'■ ! *amiiton: r hat is your own r r •- ion'' ." i■■ Cwr: 1 would sooner listen in ' An cr;ca;i or Australian t.lalions •■.. -n to any r.-f the YA stations. They ' ■ about the most, soulless I have ■'■■';■ heard. Alt personality, variety, m.ii charm have been cut out of them. 1 though? there would have been an •■:prov<.mi.r.t when the Government '■■■ jr. the m over, but there has been ■■ re F\cn the announcers are soul- '• Tt'.ev must not be human or in- '■•'■-■' ■•"■■■ tou'.-hes of personality into ;;';■ amejiincing, and they must not .-'low ae.y lino; emeditatcd bits of art '•• -'j;p in. In fact, they have to be .'■■i*''ir.;:tcns. 1 sometimes wonder why *':.:■ don't have a gramophone to say, 'TV- i- station :IYA, Wellington."' M- Can- complained of the "gruff '■: cultured voice.-' of the announcers. '■■•me of them talk as though they had ■■•rjivtual cold m the nose or no ''■" hi their mouth." he said, "and idd like to remind them that ]■'.-.'. 'otry is net culture." (On titutioii of Board ( "•;'■■ '•■■ A. Wright and.. Wellington '-.-'- ' miiici.-cd the proposal that ' -e board was to be composed of . r _, membes. A great deal of r ::cy wi uld be taken up by their ' '.Vi. Jim-; ..■xpenses. he said, and it alrno-. certain that they would m mm y.m.h two or three other jobs. ■!•• v. o: ■'' vrfrl sometimes whether the '•'■ a w: :• ?o ceatc political patronage. "'"■■■ •"<.'.''■ ■.:'•'! tied some time ago the i; vr , ■,-,.,,,...( ;. |;if j purchased, by agree- " ■"■ wi-h a private concern, a large ■ i "cup- , : Icoadcasting plant, some of " • <'h ■<■ ;•■ cb.-olete and "the remainder :: •''.-.■. ■ mi that the whole had had ■ be • fifccd shortly afterwards by ':• V.';:.:';'. suggested that the pcr- \ ■] ''■ '■'<■■■■ board should be reduced '"■/■"■ ■".'■'•! members to three, one of '■■ m u.-.dfrst.Kjd the technical side one who was quali- '' ;■ "'■' could become oualified in : ';- -u.table entertainment for ' : ' ■ '' : ' d a third who would be a ~.■■' ' '' ''"■ ''" '" dative of the listeners. _-" '■-.'■•.- ibiis saved, he suggested. ; ' ■'' ■■;'_ ' --' ed to encourage local '' ':■:•;•. at nresent was mere dis- ■ -'A •:-■::- ( therv.-ise. (''■imiT-nt on Main Stations .. ' : - '•''■ 'i'liikatcne ilnd.. Southern " ' ; ' : "■ 'd that B stations shouJd o i' _t..Hc red with, but that their ■ ''■■■',/'."•' ''t'-'tdd be developed. If mallm- stations were to be de- '■■''. u:a; ; y listeners would be dis- ! *"e lie thought that the A '■■-" .■ci-eaiod their programmes the R ■ "etions offered a greater '■ ■' r ';•' ' i music. , ' : ; T - : H'jlis.nd (C. Christchurch :--.i •'' o supported the B stations. '■' "-■:'? their programmes were '' ' •"•;;;", ' ■. 'diose of the national sta- }'■ ' heard and the Government ' '', -"tpviy v.-hat the public re- ■"'',"■ ' JU ' L was not being done ,'■■'• A 'ta-.ions. The board might " tli;.; '!;e closing down of the B / ■'• ■■■ v.-eu'd 1:;J1 tiie goose that laid .'_ '-'>■<•■<■■■■•■ | egg. A Christchurch B -•' ' :i I't'd ''.ibscribers as far south \ ./.., v ' /r r ar - ;; and as far north as -•-■ ■■-■;:,a>.d, and iis programmes were ' :; -_ L —;'':•' popular. A large station ". •,^-V'- stc -' !lu: ' ch . however, often dom-■r'-ten tne air. and completely spoiled broadcast.:;. i Mr | Holland thought he, as a listener, i r.ou,a oe entitled to representation. He -a:d ;ha. tne B stations should have ccmrol of their own programmes, that they iinould not be crippled, and that they should be encouraged. A strom' defence cf B stations and warm (.dvocaey ~r u 1(; principle of fcmpetit'on were features of the .-peccj! ,A Mr A. E. Ansell <C, Chal-

mors). Mr Ansell said it was definitely the duty of the House to protect B stations, which were rendering valuable service to the public. He thought the bill would definitely place B stations under the control of their competitors. the A stations. He made a strong plea for the encouragement of local talent. Broadcasting, he said, had a power to help musical societies and such organisations to an unusual degree. and he thought that the services of New Zealand musicians might be engaged by the Broadcasting Board in much greater measure than had been the case in the past. Mr Ansell said that the removal of the advisory council would definitely break a link between the board and the listeners. ''The ideal control of broadcasting, provided controversy were allowed, is by the Minister," said Mr J. A. Lee (Lab.. Grey Lynn). "The Minister can be criticised in Parliament, and can answer there for himself; but the board is in a different position. If we must have a board, let it be selected in such a way that there will

be certainty that it will cater for the diverse tastes of listeners. He said he looked with grave suspicion on any attempt to confer a monopoly, as was proposed by the bill. ' The listeners, who paid for the service, should be allowed to have the type of service they liked. They were not going to stand for the elimination of small stations, which, he feared, would be the result if the bill were passed. Number of Transmitters Mr A. Harris (C., Waitemata) protested against the proposal to limit the number of stations to the number existing at the passing of the legislation. Mr F. W. Schramm •'Lab., Auckland East): Would you put up the same arguments about hotel licenses? Mr Harris: I am dealing with broadcasting, which is quite a different thing. Mr Schramm: The same principle. Mr H. S. S. Kyle (C.. Riccarton) :.;lso praised the programmes and organisation of the B stations, and said he hoped that nothing would be done to curtail their activities. Young people in particular enjoyed these programmes. He urged the Minister to protect the secondary stations, and to give them representation on the Broadcasting Board. Mr D. G. Sullivan 'Lab., Avon) said there would very nearly be riots in Christchurch if the B station was interfered with. The station was not a private organisation, but it was a direct interest of the listeners-in. Mr Sullivan did not want to see radio commercialised, nor did he want to see the American system of advertising introduced to New Zealand, but he" thought organisations such as that in Christchurch should be encouraged to the full. Visit of Krishnamurti The Government's action in refusing permission to Krishnamurti to broadcast when he was in New Zealand last vrar was criticised by Mr W. E. Barnard (Lab.. Napier). Mr Barnard said that raanv thousands of people had wished to hear Krishnamurti, but that he had been not allowed to speak from either A or B stations. . The Postmaster-General said that there were some things which could be heard better in a public hall, than over the air. Many listeners might have objected to a Krishnamurti broadcast. Mr Barnard: But thousands wanted to hear him. Mr Hamilton: They could have heard him speak from the platform. Mr Barnard: But very few could afford to travel to Auckland for that purpose. I want to ask the Minister if under the new bill, the Minister will have power to override the decision of the board on a controversial matter such as that? Mr Hamilton: If we place that power in the hands of the board, it stays there. Does the hon. member think it wise to have controversial subjects referred to a Minister? Mr Barnard: I should much rather refer it to a Minister than to a board. Mr Hamilton: Is that the public's point of view? Mr Barnard: Yes. The public likes boards even less than we do. The control of broadcasting would be better in the hands of the Minister and a general manager than in tho hands of a board. It would be the lesser of two evils.