No Broadcast of Wellington Races

Sun (Auckland), Volume I, Issue 255, 18 January 1928, Page 10

No Broadcast of Wellington Races

The following is taken from this week’s issue of the “New Zealand Radio Record”: “Listeners in general will, we think, learn with regret that permissiion for the Broadcasting Company to broadcast the forthcoming meeting of the Wellington Racing Club on January 21, 23 and 25 has been refused. “The Broadcasting: Company’s position in this matter is that it stands ready to render the service of broadcasting the events, but does not desire to intrude into the business of the racing clubs concerned. The public has in the past been given this service and nothing but praise exists for the manner in which it has been given. In fact, the present refusal is understood to be related to the complaint that the service given is so good that it is possible for the desire to back certain horses in subsequent races to be created. Whether this is so or not is in our opinion beside the point, which is that it rests with the public

to express its desires in the matter to the authority concerned. “Every facility is always given the Press fo.r recording events and in our opinion it is a little regrettable that a barrier should be erected against the broadcasting of news simultaneously with its occurrence. There is no question in our mind but that the publicity given by broadcasting to sport's events acts as a popularising agent and this is recognised by the willingness of the Lawn Tennis Association to have the play of the French stars broadcast and of the Auckland motor-cyclists who have requested the company to broadcast its events.

“As stated, it is not our place or that of the Broadcasting Company to intrude into the racing club’s business. The patrons of racing have the matter in their own hands. If a sufficient public demand is made we have every confldence that the authorities will recognise the desires of 'sports' and accord the necessary permission if not for this, then for later meetings.”