SWEATING THE MICROPHONE MEN!

NZ Truth, Issue 1195, 25 October 1928, Page 3

SWEATING THE MICROPHONE MEN!

How Radio Broadcasting Company Is Exploiting Its Staff, Performers and Dominion Wireless Fans

DOG-IN-THE-MANGER ATTITUDE OF Y:A. MONOPOLY

.MiMmiiiiiiimmimimitimiimimiimniiiiiiMiMiimiiimimiuimmHiMmiimiiMnuiiiitmmiimmimMiimm^ mmmiiiimiiiiiiiiimimiiiiimiHiiiimimimiiummiiiiiiiimiuiir /£ S ji<<,liiilt[([t!iit[;:iririiiiirll[>i>tir>l>illi!riil>>>riiiliiririiiliilliliiigiil)iii)ltl)tiuiuiiliililiiiitlilntiiiiliMitiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii]itiil<niiMiiiuii uiitttiiiitiiiritiMiiiiiiitiuiititiinii iiiiiiiiiiiiiiKiiiiiniiiiitiiii iiiiiiiiiiiiiiitiiitiiitimiiiiiiimiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiimiiiiiiimiiiiiiiniiiiiiiii ' i s |1 (From "N.Z. Truth's" Special Commissioner.) | I! DOES THE GOVERNMENT'S failure to enact legislation designed to effect an improvement m the |j |l broadcasting service at present inflicted on listeners mean that it is satisfied wifri the service given by that || ! | State-backed monopoly rejoicing under the name of the Radio Broadcasting Company ? , H If so, " N.Z. Truth " would presume to enlighten the Postmaster-General and his department governing jj if the company's activities, that they are giving their support to an organization which is vigorously pursuing a || II policy of exploitation of its staff, its performers and the public who pay listeners' fees.

UTPRUTH" would point out that the I worst forms. of 'sweating are per- • mitted m this State-backed concern, whose methods reek of attempted Yankee efficiency, while the courtesies and amenities appreciated by the average Britisher are conspicuous by their absence. , When legislation was first enacted, broadcasting was nothing more than the Cinderella of New Zealand's home life, and the laws .made to govern it were merely an improvisation for the time being. ' ' ' „, • '1 -, „ A Those laws do not suffice to-day ana a change is urgently needed— a change demanded by the .totally inadequate and inefficient service at present foisted on to listeners-in. In marked comparison with the older countries, New Zealand has not yet reached a "congestion of the ether." In fact, the very reverse is the case and the. onus is on the Government to see that most use is made of the air up to reasonable limits. Broadcasting can only be viewed from one point— that of service to the listener. And so long as State-backed YA stations fair m this respect, the Government must provide facilities for the competition of privately-owned stations which are prepared to give ettielfinfc sGi*viCG» ■ The only purpose of existing legislation is to 'maintain a protective wall around the Radio Broadcasting; Company's stations-r-to harass and stultify the progress of private companies.' In America, the Federal Radio Commission is being faced with the same proposition, for it is found that the laws which were, enacted to govern broadcasting m its infancy are obsolete and\unwdrkab,le to-day. The Government of New Zealand must face the growth of private companies which actually are ; needed to keep the R.B.C. stations. up, to scratch. It is not suggested that small-fry stations should be allowed to spring up anywhere, as that would have an injurious effect on broadcasting, but those who are prepared to come on the air each day and render efficient service to listeners as a whole, should be encouraged rather than impeded by legal obstacles. The experience of the private stations so far established has been most, unsatisfactory. Their functions are being usurped and their reserves trespassed upon at every possible opporr tunity by the R.B.C. on the flimsiest possible excuse.

the extra work, for the obvious reason that it would cost more. In the case of one' of the YA sta-. tions, Saturday afternoon work was introduced, without warning. The announcer was called upon merely to open the station, switch across for the sporting relay and hang around throughout the afternoon for the pleasure of saying: "Studio time is n0w' 4.45 p.m. We are now closing down till the evening session." Then, on top of this, came the Sunday sessions, with , no' recompense for the extra time involved.' A glaring instance of ,the cheeseparing methods of the company arises from the New Year celebrations. Last Christmas Eve one of the staff was kept on till 1-.45 *'■ a.m. and then had, to cycle eight miles home, no provision being made for his transport. The same thing happened on the morning of New Year's Day and instructions were issued that he was to make arrangements to stay m town. When he suggested to another member who was working late that they should bring a rug and sleep on the premises, they were informed by the station director that such a practice could hot be permitted. But perhaps the most priceless instance 'of the company's financial methods is found m the case of an officer who was iorced by circumstances to have his tea m town. He had closed the station after a football relay at 4.45 p.m. and had to be back at 5.15 p.m. to clip the evening papers for the 7 p.m. news session,, as the children's session was from 6 p.m. till 7 /p.m.

He claimed the meagre sum of eighteenpenee for his tea and collected it, but on the Monday he was approached by the station director and asked for a refund, as head office declined to recognize the claim ! .These are the pin-pricking methods adopted by the desk ornaments, reputed to receive considerable salaries — more than commensurate with their services to the' company — while those who are doing the work remain on a minimum- salary basis. Though the company makes much of the fact that its staff is amply rewarded and compensated for extra work by time ; off on silent days, ,it frequently occurs — on occasions such as racing carnivals and all . important sporting occasions — that the station is opened. This is very much the case m places where privately-ow"*^ stations aft*. operating, whe re the company 'is only- too glad to chip m, with the major motive of dealing a body , blow to com- • ■ petition, rather than any desire to oblige listeners, who would be equally well served by the private' station. Yet no provision is made by the R.B.C. to relieve the ordinary staff — nor is any extra remuneration .granted when it becomes necessary to open on silent days. Should any servant of the company have the impertinence to complain of long hours, they are invariably told that there are wonderful prospects irt broadcasting and that there is no telling what the future way hold. . But if they point out. that one cannot live on prospects alone, they are told that : the decision whether they, remain m the company's employ, remains entirely with themselves. On the other hand, these "wonderful prospects" might easily mean^ dismissal at short notice with no reasons given! : The divided control- between the station director and the musical director, who exercises supervision over all the programmes, is another matter which, tends to disintegrate, the smooth running of the service, for half the time the staff are m a quandary as to whe-

Ignorance Is Bliss

The Personal Touch

ther they should accept instructions from one or the other. As an indication of the princely salaries paid to the members of the staff, it can be stated that an engineering student, anxious to gain experience, took on a position as relay operator at the munificent rate of £1 per week. He proved an able mechanic, but his application for increased pay-e arned the offer of 2/6, which he declined . m disgust. .'.■,' It is obvious to those with even a superficial knowledge of the internal control of the organization that the management is m most cases crude, with merely a thin veneer of culture. • Apart from the announcers, those m control -have a Very limited knowledge of- the arts; too frequently do they assert themselves and their ignorance at the expense of those members of the staff — and even " performers — who have a real knowledge of such matters. The company has had m its employservants of unqualified talent, but no effort has been made to keep them.. A. H. Harris, general manager of the. R.B.C, apparently has not yet heard that "the laborer is worthy of his hire." In one case where a highly-skilled officer was requesting an increase on account of his qualifications, he was bluntly informed that it was questionable whether a man with fewer qualifications could not do the job just as well. • This, however,' gives a good line on the policy of and his colleagues. Performers are treated m the same manner. The sooner the company conies out

into the open and declares itself a 100 per cent, cheapjack show, the sooner will the listener be able to arrive at his own conclusions. It is continually impressed upon anr nbuncers that if they are upset m any way, listeners will be sure to feel it or will be aware of it, yet the announcer — m one station, at least— has been subjected by those m authority to quibbling criticisms and pin.-piuck-ing iridignites durng the course of a sesson. On one occasion, an announcer, feeling the stress of a heavy day and night, made a slight, slip by stating that station 3FC, Sydney, instead of 2FC, woulcl make some announcement. The following day he was chided for his mistake, because the small son of one of the hig-hly-paid officers had drawn his father's attention, to the announcers' oversight. In another case, the announcer was told, while he was conducting a session, just where he [could, stand so that' his .breathing i woulcl hot be heard over the air. , ; >■ This is the treatment meted out to efficient" officers by men who cannot put two words together when they get m front" or the microphone. On the YA stations, announcers are deprived of any originality, personality or style by definite instructions as to what they are td say. The personal touch, , such a feature^of the private stations' . broadcast, is entirely eliminated. One "Y.A. announcer, who had. ' the temerity to add "sleep well" to his nightly, closing greeting, was severely reprimanded for his familiarity. The cutting-gut of certain types of entertainment which do not appeal to the "bosses" and 'their listener friendsi. is another matter which has caused untold .inconvenience and discord m the efficient running of the stations— ' j instructions obviously inflicted on the staff so that. some "big noise" or other might assert a little 'of the brief authority with which he is clothed.

' The position has become generally so intolerable that the genuine artists are leaving the paid service of the YA stations to perform gratis before the microphqne of privately- operated stations.

. "Truth" would ask the R.B.C. why some of the most noted talent of Christchurch has left 3YA to appear gratuitously for station 3ZC; also, is it a fact that any performer .appearing for the latter company. is automatically disqualified from appearing again at 3YA?

This monopoly is receiving from the Government 25/- from every listeners' license of 30/-.. It would indeed furnish interesting and illuminating figures to know just how many sets are lying idle to-day because of the R.B.C.'s failure to deliver the goods. The threats of going out of business showed the real worth of the R.B.C.'s interests m listeners, yet private companies ready to give service to listeners are having their very existence stifled. ' The .YA stations are slipping because they will not pay for talent and entrust the welfare of the stations to competent, well-paid hands. ■/ • { A good artist will either perform for nothing— the joy of giving pleasure to others — or. demand a reasonable fee. An acceptance of the few shillings the R.B.C. offers is merely an insult to his ability and reputation. Building a concert programme on itinerant artists is a and doubtful matter, as the programmes have to be arranged so far ahead, but the R.B.C. has a big field of high-class New Zealand talent to work upon if it will only display sufficient to secure it. The fact that, good artists are appearing- at smaller, privately- owned stations for no fee whatever should be sufficient to remind. Harris that his house is not m order. "Truth" would also ask Harris: Is it ■ not a fact that station 3YA is exceeding by a considerable extent the proportion of gramophone . ' items allowed by the Act? It is 'admitted that; good gramophone records are preferred to 'weak artists, but themain point' at issue is this: If- the. R.B.C. is now paying" fewer artists by reason of the increase m gramophone numbers, they are merely giving 'listeners a service they could have had before the ., days of broadcasting. And the listeners should accordingly pay less for their license. ,

The position at. 3YA.. would appear to be worse than elsewhere, yet this sta-