League Meeting

Radio Record, Volume I, Issue 51, 6 July 1928, Page 5

League Meeting

AUCKLAND LISTENERS A SMALL ATTENDANCE.

The annual mecting of the Auckland | Jisteners’ League was held on June 25, Mr. A. ©. Jacob presiding over an attendance of about 50, The annual report stated the membership had been 1540. The year had been an active one. In the course of the year the committee drafted a scheme of co-operation by means of compact Dominion and district committees, representing the Post and Telegraph Department, the company, and the listeners. The financial statement showed a eredit balance of £25, The following cdicers were elected :- President, Mr. A. ©, Jacob; vice-presi-dent, Mr. A, A, Hintz; hon. treasurer, Mr, FE. LT. Drayton; hon, secretary, Mr.. G. MeB. Salt; committee, Messrs, G.. Jones, C. Brandon, H. Tiarks, G. W.Bell, C. Mahony, H, B. Arthur, and H.. W. Tidman. The following letter from the Secretary of the Post and Telegraph Department, Mr. G. McNamara, in reply to an invitation to attend the meeting, was read; "There is nothing that I wish to place before members of your league at present. Apparentiy, ffom the frequent reports in the Press of New Zealand. the service given by the Broadcasting Company is satisfactory to listeners, and the steady improvement that has taken place during the past 12 months will no doubt be maintained if circumstances permit. "Your league will, however, no doubt renlise that the drop in the number of listeners who have paid their fees is disturbing, particularly in view of the fact that there hus been such a marked improvement in the service. It is somewhat diffe? te appreciate why the falling-off should haye taken place, or ’ yealise’ what factors govern the action of listeners. Stability of income must be of grave importance to a broadcasting company, and the very satisfactory position as at March 31 last would have assured a continuance of the very good service then being given. I have been closely watching the gradual increase in the number of licenses since April 1, but up to date the financial position is such as to give the company considerable thought. If your league is aware of any factor which may be responsible, even in part, for t. falling-off of interest, it would be rendering a service to broadcasting if

it discussed the point at the annual f meeting." Mr. A, A. Hintz moved: "That in the; opinion of this meeting the Auckland } p-vgrammes are not commensurate with the financial support given to the company by listeners in the Auckland Province." He said he listened regularly to the Wellington programmes, which were better and also more capably presented than the Auckland ones. Auckland had always been the company’s mainstay, and should have better entertainment, Mr. H. B, Arthur said good musical items were repeatedly spoiled through wrong placing of the microphone. | Mr. Tidman complained that the ‘programmes had got into the hands of a coterie of artists, who divided the wW.ok among them, with monotonous results. Te agreed about the transmission. The motion was carried, | It was also decided to instruct the committee to request the Government to publish the Broadcasting Company’s balance-sheet, and to set up an advisory poard, A further motion was carried, authorising the committee to request Mr. McNamara to visit Auckland, in order to hear the opinions of listeners at a public meeting called for the purpose; woot ie , : Another report states the attendance of iInembers was 38, «although excellent . 2 publicity to the meeting was given over the air from station IYA bv the Broadcasting Company. The treasurer's report disclosed that 72 members were financial for the current year. A committee of six was requireu, but five only could be secured. A feature of the meeting .s the arrival of a Mr, Purtell (secretary of a number of Lai ar unions in Auckland). In a speech 1 made what political capital he could out of broadeasting, and had a lot to Ss.» about "our rotten Government." He declaimed that the Government should take over the Broadcasting Com-pauy--that the Government should fix the price of receiving sets-that the Government should fix the price of spare parts-and that the Government should establish local control, He said 2. meeting was too small to move the motions he had in mind, and: he would reserye them until a larger meeting. He also suggested that each member of the league should pay one shilling per month, and then they would be‘ able to have a permanent staff and do something, especially as this year was election year.