CONTROL OF RADIO

Hokitika Guardian, 2 September 1931, Page 3

CONTROL OF RADIO

THE PROPOSED BOARD ‘ APPROVAL OF LISTENERS., CHRISTCHURCH, Sept. 1 ■ The attitude of the New Zealand Radio Listeners’ League, toward the ( fin eminent’s utw . policy fof the control of Radio Broadcasting vvasioutlined yesterday by Mr A. R. AHardyce, seerteary to the Canterbury branch of the league. “As the establishment of a Board of Control has always been the main plank in ’the policy of the New Zealand Radio Listeners’ League, it is extremely gratifying to find that this course of action has been taken by the Government,” said Mr AHardyce. “While the League had requested that certain .members of ■ the Board be- appointed to represent rlistenei's; we htmr the'assirmi<JeP*M' the* | Postmaster-General that listeners’ iri- , terests will be the paramount consideration, and with this we are quite content. | “Personally, I' am delighted with the proposal. - Under such a scheme broadcasting will surely attain the standing to which it is entitled, namely, that of a national utility. As such, I have always maintained, it should be nationally controlled.,The constitution of the Board should present no difficulty. The aim should be to constitute the board liii the nature of\an academy, and aim .at the highest standard of national per- 1 formanoe. National culture will come to be judged by the quality of a j nation’s broadcast programmes, and the board must strive along these lines. This is said with no intention of insistj 'ing that the programmes should be I ‘highbrow.’ The programmes must | satisfy all tastes.. It is, of course, impossible to do this completely, butwhatever type of programme is broadcast, it must he of the best quality in that class.”