Subsidising Music

Sun (Auckland), Volume II, Issue 563, 16 January 1929, Page 14

Subsidising Music

LATEST PROJECT DISCUSSED

Readers’ Opinions Invited

The suggestion that radio should come to the aid of the various musical and dramatic societies and help to place them on u sound basis has aroused much interest among listeners. The proposal is that the broadcasting company should contribute to the various societies 2s out of every licence received. If it is intended that the company should do this with the sole object of having a great society of talent to call upon, without the listener being called upon to pay any more, then listeners will not have much to cavil at. But the question arises whether the company would shoulder the extra outlay without asking licence-holders to pay more than they do at present It seems unlikely that it would, and that the. amount would have to be passed

on to licence-holders in the form of an increased fee. Though nothing definite has been announced it seems probable that licences will be dearer from April 1, as it is hardly likely that the Government will pay the whole amount which it is committed to pay to Amalgamated Wireless, Ltd., for patent royalties. If this comes about and an additional 2s a licence is expected from licenceholders they will hardly welcome any proposal to subsidise the societies by a further addition to the cost of licences. An improved broadcasting service would certainly result from the proposal, and without expressing any definite views on the subject I would like correspondents to give The Sun their opinions, and to say whether they would object to an increased licens ; fee if there was a corresponding improvement in broadcasting.