Much Organisation Necessary to Serve the Listener

Radio Record, Volume II, Issue 3, 3 August 1928, Page 10

Much Organisation Necessary to Serve the Listener

AFOST people, even those unfamiliar with its mechanical technique, are interested in the scientific side of radio broadeasting; but the side with which it is proposed to deal here is that which. translates the potential power of transmission into an organised service. To this end a highly-specialised system of organisation is necessary. The purpose of this article is to afford listeners an insight into the widespread ramifications of the system needed to take care of the many sides of an eflicient broarcasting service, In the year 1924-1925, the Right Honourable J. G. Coates, Postmaster-Gen-eral and Minister of Telegraphs, and later Prime Minister of New Zealand. introduced and sponsored legislation covering rigid control of radio broadcasting in New Zealand, empowering the Government to enter into an agreement for the development of Dominion broadcasting under private enterprise and G vernment regulation. The Act also introduced the principle of licensing listeners by payment of a fee for ‘the support of the service. On July 18, 1925, Sir James Varr, Postmaster-General and Minister of Telegraphs, in exer cise of the authority conferred . under ‘the above Post and Telegraph. Amendment Act, 1924, entered into an agreement with William Goodfellow and Ambrose Reeves Harris for the formation of a company to undertake a radio telephone broadcasting service for the Dominion of New Zealand.

N August 22, 1925, the Radio Broadcasting Company of New Zealand Limited,. was.incorporated to inaugurate the service. On the one part, in terms of the ugreement, the company was required to purchase the existing stations: at Auckland, Wellington, Christchureh, and Dunedin, and to es‘tablish, maintain, and operate: up-to-‘date stations at these centres in accordance with the Act and the Broadcasting Regulations, 1925. On the other "part, the Minister of Telegraphs undertook that the Post and Telegraph Department would collect certain fees, which under the original Act and its subsequent amendments are fixed as follow :- Dealers’ Licenses. (a) Class 1 license, £10 per annum. (b) Class 2 license, £5 per annum. (c) Class 3 license, £2 per’ annum. (d) Class 4 license, £2 per annum. Receiving Station Licenses. (a) 1. Ordinary license, £1 10s. per annum. . Special license, £5 per annum. 3. Temporary license, 10s. per week, (b) Amateur transmitting and receiving station license, £2 2s. per annum. {c} Experimental station license, £2 2s, per annum. to "7°

Of the license fees so collected to pay to the company 20s. for every ordinary receiving license fee collected and 90 per cent. of every other license fee collected. [Pon incorporation, the existing stations ut Auckland, Wellington, Christchurch, and Dunedin were taken over by the company, and operated unltil such time as the proposed new stations were completed. On August 7, 1926, an entirely new and up-to-date station, equipped with Western Electric apparatus, having an antenna rating if 500 watts, was officially opened at France Street, Auckland, by the Hon. William Nosworthy, Postmaster-Gen-erg: and Minister of Telegraphs. On September 1, 1926, SYA, a similar plant, was put into operation at 55 Iereford Street, Christchurch, while wu new building for the station was being erected. On February 11, 1927, this ne station was officially opened in its permanent home at 200-202 Gloucester Street, Christchurch, by the Hon. William Nosworthy, Postmaster-General and Minister of Telegraphs. N July 16, 1927, 2Y A, a new and up-to-date station equipped with a 5000-watt Standard Telephones and Cables, Limited plant, having its transmitting station situated at Mount Victoria, Wellington, und its studios at 124 Featherston Street, was officially opened by the Right Hon. J. G. Coates. Prime Minister of New Zealand. On September 17, 1925, the old station 4YA having been remodelled and

brought up to date, was opened up in the Dunedin Exhibition grounds under the call sign VLDN. At the close of the exhibition the station was dismantled and reopened on the original site under the old nume, VA; on May o, 1026. All of the four stations have their respective quota of officers, who work under the direction of the station manager. The four station managers control their respective stations in accordance with the policy of the company, as expressed through the administration office. pach station broadcasts primarily for the benefit of the province in whieh it is located. The schedules of transmission are laid down by the company, and it is the duty of the station managers to see that they ure strictly adhered to. In so far us the progrannnes are concerned, however, the stations are given a free hand to prepare these in accordance with local requirements, With a proviso that they must as far as practicable With local conditions, comply with the company’s scheme of providing definite types of entertainment on different nights. It will thus be seen that the Broadcasting Company makes every endeayour to arrange its programmes so that they will be of particular interest to {he erystal users able to receive only the station in their neighbourhood, and at the same time varied to the extent that the listeners with valve sets have the choice of four different ‘types of

programmes when all stations are operating simultaneously. Administration Offices. ‘N order that station managers and oflicers can concentrate their greatest attention on the preparation and broadcasting of programmes, and obtuin the maximum efficiency with economy, all stations are relieved as far as is practicable of general routine. This work is directed and undertaken by a competent staff at head office. Apart from the organisation of it programmes, correspondence is by far the largest factor in the company's routine. If there is any one special ageney through which a better nuitual understanding is promoted between the listeners and the company, it is the enormous correspondence which the company conducts. Careful consideration is given to every letter received » by the company, and it is the invariable practice to .acknowledge every communication. The work involved is prodigious, «and during the year an average of 8000 letters incoming aud outgoing are handled crery month. All correspondence, with the excep{ion of reports, is filed alphabetically and numerically, under names and sub-7 jects, in Y and B Vertical filing cabinets. This equipment is: steel and fireproof throughout, and makes provision. not only for current filing, but for past work in transfer cabinets and future work in follow-up drawers. It is made up of units comprising foolscap

, and quarto drawers respectively, and / is of such a design that it can be supi. cae at any time with additional nae: : N regard to listeners’ reports, these are filed geographically, being indexed primarily under the correspondents’ geographical location and subindexed alphabetically in accordance with correspondents’ names. The system offers special facilities for the investigation of reception at any particular point. Since the opening of its new stations the company has received 15,000 reports, 98 % of which are good, and 2 % either unfavcurable or indefinite, the latter referring to correspondence dealing with other phases of the company’s trans‘missions, and not necessarily critical. Library of Music. A FURTHER extension of the filing system provides specially for the filing of music. In its desire to increase its repertoire the company has established a musical library, which, although being augmented daily, includes at the present time some 2000 full orchestral selections, 600 orchestral trio works, and 1500 vocal works, iicluding scores for solo voices and yoeal combinations. The music is lodged in specially designed steel cabinets with large drawers, under two miain divisions, instrumental and vocal, in each of which it is filed alphabetically under its various classifications. These classifications are cross-indexed

alphabetically under titles and composers. THE nature of the company’s service demands that the utmost attention be given to every detail, and this essential is prompted by the use of a very complete system of standard printed forms, each designed to facilitate a particular phase of the work. Ninety-one standard forms are utilised in all, and several coming within the scope of this article will be mentioned. as occasion arises. A system is in use whereby any station manager or officer can requisition head office for material or facilities which will aid them in carrying out their duties. Requisitions must state clearly the nature of the requirements, must be approved by the manager concerned in regard to necessity and expenditure involved, and if finally approved by the general manager they are then passed for action by the authorising official. In this connection it is worthy of note that the responsibility of fully and clearly defining the material requisitioned for and the purpose for which it is required, rests with the requisitioning officer. In the case of actual purchases of material, ihese are made on the company’s official purchase dockets, and in turn are made out in accordance with the requisitions, including instructions to the vendor in respect to delivery and duplicate invoices. On receipt of the material at the station a "goods received’ dockét is made out and returned to Head Office, where it facilitates the completion of the transaction when the invoices come under consideration.

Record of Matter Broadcast. HE company is bound to keep an accurate record of all .matter proadeast. This information is recorded at the station on a special. printed form during every broadcast, checked by the station manager, and submitted to Head Office. Here it is perused by a responsible officer, checked with a view to ascertaining that’ the company’s instructions have ‘been adhered to, and filed as a record for reference purposes and as a source of detail from which various returns are compiled. Discipline is insisted upon in every: phase of the company’s work, and each member of the staff personally signs a daily attendance form indicating the actual time of arrival and departure for the office. In this way 4 sense. of discipline so essential for efficiency is promoted, Control of Expenditure. So far reference has been made only to general office routine. Another important branch of the company’s work, however, is handled by the accountancy department, which comprises the accountant and his staff, who are concerned with the payment of salaries, wages, and artists’ fees and accounts, as well as the maintenance of property records and other acecountancy work. ‘This department is located in an office apart from the main office. An idea of the work handled will be conveyed by the fact that upwards of 1000 cheques are is: sued per month. In addition to the above a record is maintained of all plant, office and studio equipment, and loose tools, which can be referred to

at any time as 2 complete inventory, of the company’s assets, Cheek on. Programmes. A FURTHER department of the Head Office is that which -supervises and directs the preparation of the station programmes. These are submitted by the station six weeks in advance, and having been approved by the general manager in regard to expenditure, they come before the director of music. The details are carefully perused in conjunction with the prosrammes from the other stations, in order to determine whether any undesirable repetition of items is present, and, further, to ensure that the ‘programmes are maintained at a specified standard. , District Offices. HE station and studio equipment ‘and accommodation have- been made the subject of a separate article by the company’s chief engineer. BHaeh station. operates ‘primarily .- for the benefit of the province in which .it is located, and its organisation is divided into. three departments-the managerial, programme organising, and. technical. . | ey The programme organising department is divided further into three subdepartments concerned with the preparation of the’ entertainment, news and instruction, and children’s. sérvices. en The managerial department. . resembles the secretarial side’ as. te ferred to in the case of the Head Office. The station is directly under the control of the station manager, who is kept fully instructed as to the com-

pany’s requirements from; Head. Office. The station manager fur thermore: ‘CX. ercises the strictest supervision of the’ station’s operations, with the object of obtaining the highest efficien¢y and: maintaining the service within the’ reguiations under which the company’s license is granted. The station routine, as has been previously mentioned, is reduced to a minimum, but such routine-as is essential is conducted under the supervision po ene a

of the manager. Full details and ‘summaries of all expenditure are submitted by the manager to Head Office, where, on checking and approval, the accountancy department arranges for ‘the cheques to be made out and posted direct to claimant or returned to the station, whichever is the most convenient. Bach station manager is allowed an amount in the nature of a fixed imprest for which he must at all times

account; this is for the purpose of payment for- incidentals such as minor office requisites, stamps and telegrams. As in the case of other expenditure the station manager is required, to submit a return showing all transactions in respect "to this imprest, and from week to week reimbursement is made of the actual expenditure by the accountancy department. In connection with staff discipline, a daily attendance diary is kepi, and although one standard period of attendance time cannot be designed for all officers, 2 schedule is drawn up according to the nature of the duties each is called upon to-perform, and generally a mutually satisfactory arrangement 1s observed. JyYERY possible source of talent is continually investigated by the company, and particularly by the station programme organisers. In the ease of new artists, applications for engagement are made on forms provided for the purpose, on which .provision is made for recording particulars as to name, address, availability, fees and repertoire, along with particulars of accomplishments. These forms are available at the station and may be ob‘tained on request. Before final acceptance all artists that have not broadcast previously are required to pass an audition test conducted at the

company’s nearest studio. In this way _the exact technical requirements for, ..every programme are definitely ascer, tained and full details recorded on cards indexed under name of ,#erformer and cross-indexed undex@™ype of programme. On these cards is retained a record of the artist’s performance at the station, and comment as to the quality of the performance on each occasion. To guard against any misunderstanding occurring in connection with an engagement to broadcast, either on the part of the programme organiser or the artist, full details of the contract made by both parties are entered on a session agreement, which is signed by the artist on the one hand, the programme organiser on the other, and countersigned by the station manager, The agreements are made out in triplicate, one copy being handed to the artist, one retrined at the station, and the third and original forwarded to Tlead Office for reference and safe cus-

tody. On the back of each session agreement is printed a schedule of directions to the artist, guiding him or her as to t’ procedure to be adopted on the night of performance, and as to the requirements of the regulations in respect to the prohibition of controversial matter, propaganda, and such like. Special arrangements are made for artists of high repute and capability, whereby they contract to give their services over a long period by signing a term contract similar to a session agreement, but modified to cover the special requirements of such an = ar rangement. TNWE programmes themselves are prepared on a "proposed programme", form, which the programme organiser hands to the station manager. Waving satisfied himself that they are in order, the station munager signs them and submits them in duplicate each week to Head Office for entering and checking. On approval publication is arranged and the duplicate returned to the station concerned. . Immediately following performance the station manager draws up a claim for performers fees on the form provided, and forwards to the accounte ancy department of Head Office. The claim is checked by the accountancy department with the authorisationa,

and on being certified as correct a cheque payable to order and drawn on a local bank is issued to each individual artist. A receipt for every cheque so issued must be obtained, s&s well as the claimant’s endorsement on the cheque. Work of the Announcer. ITE station announcer is, of course, familiar to all. As his name implies, his duty is to introduce to the listeners the yarious items which are broadcast. In this connection he is required to keep a record of all matter broadeast, including. his announcements, aud the exact time of each announcement or item, which it is his duty to fill in ca a form designated as "announcers daily log.’ These logs serye three distinct purposes. TVirstly, they provide a complete record of all matter which is broadcast, and for this reason are invaluable for record purposes. Secondly, they give particulars of the composer and publisher of all musical works broadcast, as these ure required for copyright returns. Thirdly, they proyide a convenient form upon which the announcer can write out word for word his xnnouncements prior to delivering them over the air, and by adopting this method of procedure the announcer takes every precaution «to deliver his announcements correctly and to enable him to say exactly what he has to suv without the hesitation which frequently character: ises an impromptu statement. In addition to the above, however, the announcer is called upon to mune age the studio during the course of 2% programme. He must see that the artists: are in their proper places ready for broadcast as soon as his intreductory announcement is made, He is also engaged during the day time in preparing matter to broadcast during the news session in the evening, and in arranging for outside lecturers to uttesl the station and deliver addresses on topical matters. Technical Operations. HE technical operation of the station is entrusted to the chief operator, the assistant operator, and the relay operators. ‘They ure directly responsible to the station manager for the efficient operation of the transmitter. the maintenance, anid xvod repair of all technical apparatus. They are instructed as to the schedule of operation of the station, and mak». it their duty to see that no delays o:

BO last-moment hitches are caused by Jack of precaution and preliminary testing. . . ed The chief operator and his assistant attend to the technical requirements. at the station end, whilst the relay operators. are concerned with the installation of the broadcasting gguip‘ment at distant points in th e of relay transmissions. Although it is not possible to: give here every detail of the company’s organisation, from what has been said abeve some impression will be given to listeners of the work which is undertaken by the company. It is worthy of special mention, however, that the entire system on which = the work is co-ordinated and discharged in the various departments was personally planned and detailed by the general manager prior ito the inauguration.