BROADCASTING BOARD

Evening Post, Volume CXIII, Issue 29, 4 February 1932, Page 17

BROADCASTING BOARD

A STATEMENT DESIRED

The Broadcasting Board is sitting again this week, but no information is available at present as to the nature of the business actually before it. So far this is its second meeting. In view of the recognised' magnitude and comIplexity of its undertaking, many interested people are expressing concern as to the rate of progress possible for a board made up of men living in wide-ly-separated places if its meetings are so widely spaced. The ttoard disposed for a time of the staffing problem by re-engaging the company's staff temporarily, and the service which it took over as a going concern" has simply gone on, with a few small changes in regard to programmes. It has not so far given any statement of its intentions, and its silence in this respect is liable to create the impression that it has not yet reached any. The board was certainly expected by listeners in general to formulate and announce some policy with the least possible delay. The public expect the board to improve the broadcasting service. This can be done in either or both of two ways: by giving better programmes, and by giving better distribution of the programmes. Both can be attained, in !a sense, and at no great cost, by extension of hours and by the abolition of j silent nights. On the question of programmes, the board may be awaiting the advice of- the advisory council, which so far shows no sign of coinling into existence. But it need not wait for this council to deal with techjnical matters. There has been dissatis- ! faction for years in the country districts over the unsatisfactory service rendered by the YA stations; and had not been for the work of the B stations, the country listeners would h^ave been far fewer and far more dissatisfied than they are. The board might reasonably state its views in regard to this matter and its attitude towards the B stations. This is not intended to mean that it should announce a finished plan; obviously, it cannot yet do that; but it should endeavour to indicate whether it is dealing with the subject or not, and not allow its attitude to be misconstrued, through silence, as one of indifference. The success of the board will depend entirely upon the goodwill of the listeners, and that can be fostered in a large measure by taking them as far as possible into its confidence. The board has very largo powers under the Broadcasting Act, and public curiosity as to how it intends to exercise them is natural and justifiable.

There is in progress "behind tlio scenes" the process of valuing tlio broadcasting equipment taken over from the Broadcasting Company. This is not the concern of the Broadcasting Board directly, though it is indirectly, since the result will have an effect on the finances of the service. The Government acts aa the intermediary; that is, the equipment is being taken over by the Postmaster-General at valuation, and will be disposed of by him to the board.