NO GRAMOPHONE RECORDS

Hokitika Guardian, 5 February 1932, Page 7

NO GRAMOPHONE RECORDS

BANNED FOR BROADCAST. RADIO STATIONS FACED WITH CRISIS, CHRISTCHURCH, Feb. 4. Radio stations, both A and B class, in New Zealand and Australia, are faced with a serious problem following the decision of the His JR aster’s Voice, Columbia and Parlopbone organisations to demand a royalty of 2s 6d on each one of their records broadcast, with a limitation on the number of times a record may be used. The gramophone companies decided in December last that broadcasting stations should be forbidden to use records except under direct permit from themselves. In defiance of this decision the radio stations have continued to use the banned records and no solution of the disagreement has yet been reached. As far as New Ze tland is concerned no action has been taken, as it is realised that the final decision in Australia will give the lead to the Dominion. His Master’s Voice agents in New Zealand have, however been informed that they must not sup- - ply radio stations with records at other than retail prices. UNABLE TO PAY. Radio stations claim that the royalty demanded .is .exorbitant and, at the lowest estimate, would cost each station £3O a week. This, it is said, is entirely beyond the capacity of the stations to pay, and an appeal to the Government has been made in Australia. it is probable that, when the situation demands it, a similar course will be followed in New Zealand, In Melbourne last week a deputation presented to the Postmaster-General the claim of broadcasting stations for consideration. The deputation set out that, in addition to the royalty, the gramophone companies sought the right to restrict the number of times an individual record could be broadcast, In its turn the Australian Performing Rights Association opposed any reduction in the existing charges for the use of copyright, as it was claimed they were fair. The Ministers promised that full consideration would be given, and that in all probability a nearly announcement would be made of their viewpoint. NEW RADIO BOARD. So fiir as New Zealand is concerned it is anticipated that the question will speedily become one of definite interest as the new Radio Board is likely to be confronted immediately with a demand from the gramophone companies concerned. Since early in December, till new records coming to the country have had a label on the paper cover announcing that they were not to be used for broadcasting purposes. In actual fact, no station in New Zealand has complied so far with the requirements of the gramophone authorities to refrain from broadcasting records altogether.