U.S.A. APPRECIATION

Radio Record, Volume I, Issue 34, 9 March 1928, Page 5

U.S.A. APPRECIATION

-_EOUR SYSTEM ADMIRED Using as a text an article, published in an American radio: journal, a radio writer in an Auckland paper goes to considerable trouble to — ridicule broadcasting in New Zealand. ‘The American writer had had a chat with Mr. J. M. Bingham, the Broadcasting Company’s radio expert who has been on a visit to America, and, as American journalists sometimes do, he had taken a few liberties in writing his article. He was, however, impressed, and rightly so, with the excellence of the way in which broadcasting is conducted in New Zealand, and he went so far as to say: ‘As a matter of fact, the entire broadcasting industry of the United States might profitably visit New ZeaJand in order to learn how to run radio broadcasting successfully, No country has more efficient regulation."? This high praise by an American journal is held up to scorn by the Auckland writer, whose effusion is a typical sampl2 of this type of Auckland criticisin, but can fittingly be ignored. The American comment is as follows: "The writer has had the privilege of talking to Mr. J. M. Bingham, the chief engineer of the New Zealand hroadcasting system; who is visiting the United States in order to learn the latest in> broadcasting practice from. American engineers. As a matter of fact; the entire broadcasting’ industry of the United States might profitably visit New Zealand in order to learn how to run radio broadcasting syecessfully. No country has more efficient regulation. "Broadcasting has heén’ placed in the liands of a single company bv the authority of the New Zealand_ Parliament. This company is supported by an annual tax upon broadcast listeners. The purchase of every receiving .set . and every part which goes into a receiving set, down to the last binding post, is recorded by dealers. Government agents have access to their books at all times. No listener. can escape the vigilant eyes of Government inspectors. ‘The revenue thus gained is divided between the broadcasting stations and the Government. No radio advertising or commercial goodwill broadcasting is allowed or necessary. "One would conclude that, under such an efficient system, with _ its magic wand to overcome aly serious problems and vicissitudes, broadcasting

would thrive and grow. Its growth has been steady, but not — startling. The number of licenses, in a population of one and a quarter million, is about twenty thousand. Four highpower broadcasting stations cover the four hundred mile length of the conntry. Interconnecting wire circuits are being developed, but as yet, there is virtually no chain broadcasting. Naturally, with but four stations, there are no frequency allocation difficulties. ‘There is no economic problem in meéting station maintenance cost. There is little or no evasion of listener tax. Altogether, it is the most efficient broadcasting system in the world."