RADIO PROGRAMMES

Sun (Auckland), Volume III, Issue 772, 19 September 1929, Page 6

RADIO PROGRAMMES

LACK OF VARIETY CRITICISED DISCUSSION IN HOUSE THE SVS'S Partiamentary Reporter WELLINGTON, Wednesday. Criticism of the programmes of the Radio Broadcasting Company of New Zealand, Ltd., for their lack of variety and a request that the Post and Telegraph Department take over the company when its contract, which has been extended for two years, runs out, were the main points of a speech In the House of Representatives this afternoon by the Rev. Clyde Carr (Timaru) when the annual report of the P. and T. Department was being considered. Mr. Carr had asked a guestion of the Postma3ter-General, the Hon. J. B. Donald, as to whether the Government would take over the company on the expiry of Its contract. The Postmaster-General replied that he was not in a position at present to indicate what the policy regarding broadcasting would be in approximately two years’ time. The assurance was given that the interests of the listeners would be safeguarded. Mr. Carr had another bite at the same cherry when the P. and T. report came up. He said that the policy of the company was manifestly to pay as little as possible to its artists, and the result was that programmes were monotonous, and a low standard of performance was given. He himself had almost given up listening in for this reason. The company should get artists of better talent, as good artists would improve the standard of music and musical appreciation among listeners. There were very few people who were willing to listen to a concert every day of the week; it was beyond their powers of musical assimilation. The company could very well vary its programmes wjth debates, lectures, the presentation of suitable plays and such items instead of the same old songs, elocutionary items, musical items, instrumental and orchestral ad nauseam. He asked the Minister to use his influence to have variety infused into the programmes. A Voice: What about broadcasting the debate on the Estimates? Mr. Carr: The debates of this House could not be broadcast. He continued that he could say a good deal about the organisation of the company, the hours the staff had to work and the way it was paid; but he would leave that for a later date. The present arrangement meant that the contract of the company had been extended without the consent of the House, but he did appeal to the Minister to be ready when the company’s time was up to let the Post and Telegraph Department take the service over. Even in the official organ of the company, the “Radio Record,” it was admitted that the best method of broadcasting was to have a Stateowned service.