THE "B" BROADCASTING STATIONS

Hawke's Bay Herald-Tribune, Issue 114, 31 May 1937, Page 6

THE "B" BROADCASTING STATIONS

It is very evident that onr Government has stirred up something of a hornet's nest by its proposal to virtually confiscate the "B" broadcasting stations that under existing management have, in general rendered such acceptable service to the public. From all quarters of tho country loud and vigorouB protest has been made, such, indced? as can scarcely but call for practical recognition. That the attitude now being adopted is entirely contrary to the promises given in the course of the election campaign cannot possiblj^ be questioned. Further than this, however, we have the Postmaster-General practically reaffirming these promises when introdncing his Broadcasting Bill to the House. On that occasion the Hansard report shows him as saying ; — "I would point out that prior to and during the election, and? in faet, ever since I have been a member of this House, members of the Labour Party have always stressed the importance of assisting B class stations. We contend that they should be allowed to live. . . . Some of the B class stations have attained a popularity even greater . than. the national A class stations; and when one thinks that the pioneering of broadcasting in this country was done by B class stations, one realises that they are entitled to all the consideration the Governmen can give. Objeetion may be raised to the use of a portion of the recoipts from licence fees being handed over to these stations by way of subsidy, but I would like to poiut out that this is in line with the policy of the British Government in respect of the British Broadcasting Corporation. " xt is in the face of such declarations as this that the Government now seeks to expropriate the B stations on its own terms. There are many ways of killing a dog besides hanging him, and starvation would appear to be the plan which our otherwise so generous Government proposos to adopt. What, on the atrength of such promises as above quoted, we are entitled to expect is, not compulsory forfeiture of these stations, but some definite intimation as to what the Government is prepared to do in the way of helping to maintain and improve them.