SHAKING HANDS

Radio Record, Volume I, Issue 7, 2 September 1927, Page 3

SHAKING HANDS

CRITIC AND COMPANY "RVERYTHING IS CHANGED." ' One of the few critics wlo were not afraid to write direct to the company -and sparks flew from the crossed swords-now writes in the following Strain a very chivalrous appreciation of what the company is dow doing and intends to do:"Congratulations are owing to the directors of the Broadcasting Company upon the new policy so rapidly developed during the past few weeks. "Previously the company appeared to be quite out of touch with listeners, and little or no information was available. This difficulty, it is to be feared, was primarily responsible for most of the dissatisfaction, often expressed rather vehemently "T venture to think that if the public had been taken a little more into the confidence of the directorate, most fully realise that a few individuals alone had made themselves financially responsible, and thus, ‘having paid the piper,’ were, perhaps, justified in ‘calling the tune!’ But the attitude of the | public was, and is, that broadcasting cant only be regarded as a public utility service; they were paying their license fees-more or less-and had a : this would have been avoided. I | | good deal of justification for their de--¢maud for information. The dictum of. the Post Office officials, that everything was quite all right, only made matters worse! If everything was satisfactory, why be secretive about it, was the obyious trenpivy!

"Now, however, evervihing is chang-. ed, and most reasonable-minded listeners are convinced that much brighter prospects are in store for broadcasting generally, as it is now evident that the directors are fully alive to the extreme importance of a satisfactory service, "The manner and extent to which listeners have now been given full particulars as to the general policy of the company, and the evident desire of the directors to generally improve the ser-. vice, will go far to abolish any hostility in the minds of all fair-minded persons. "It is recognised that all persons cannot be pleased with all the programmes. The grumbler who cannot get sufficient jazz, or enough church services, we shall always have with us. ITe Qourishes and grumbles in all countries "lhe new publication, ‘Radio Record,’ is a most excellent idea, and the fair-minded tone of the first two vumbers, and the abundant information civen therein, is worthy of high praise. "T might suggest, perhaps, that the technical amateur is--by far---the greatest ‘booster’ of radio. T think I mav call mvseif by that term, end I have roped in ten reeruits thus far. Technical articles please the technical amateur best, and T am olad that the new paper has starfed well in this respect -tnay it go further! "In common with many other per ple fam not in faveur of the control of broadeastinge passiny into the Tands of a Government Commission. The hureaueracy is too numerous in New Zealand already, and a Government Department in charee of radio would lead only to stagnation and the customarye sheltering behind officialdom. "Ear Letter for the control to tremain in private hands, pow that we know, and appreciate. the forward enliohtened policy aimed at. "Tn conclusion, I would wish to state that, at various times, I, in comunon wiih others, have used hard words cottcerning the directorate, based prineipally upon a feeline of utter immnofence in the face of silence. TI unreservedle admit, as Io am sure will mativ others, that this attitude was hased upon a misapnrehetision and a lack of knowledge of the real state of affairs, which hed been, unfortunately. ent from us. ‘With a spirit of carnine criticism T have no svinpathy. The difliculties of effective managem nt, with the limited financial resources of the company, nist be very great.’