3YA Committee

Radio Record, Volume II, Issue 3, 3 August 1928, Page 60

3YA Committee

[HE efforts of the Broadcasting Company to. seek the co-operation of prominent and independent representatives of all organisations interested in radio programnies for the pur‘pose of ascertaining the requirements of listeners will not, of course, provide an'immediate solution of all the difficulties surrounding public entertainment. A definite’ step, however, bas assuredly been taken towards a complete solution of the problem and, above all, indicates the good intention of the management towards the general public and those listeners whose patronage is worth soliciting. Any movement in this direction requirese a special knowledge of. human nature and organising skill, and reveals at ounce the wisdom of endeavouring to convince every doubting Thomas that faith is being kept not only with the requirements of the governing officials, but also with the distinctive tastes of a discriminating public. This is not ‘an easy role to fill. Some of us are very critical of many of the items that are broadcast from the studios. It is impossible to please all listeners during any particular session, and because of the great variety of preferences that exist and have to be catered for, the present system of as- certaining the views of responsible people and seeking their assistance is to be very highly commended. [TZ is quite: certain that this is mot ‘done by the management for the purpose of shirking its obligations, and has the appearance of being the most effective method of securing the necessary. information, An impression has got abroad at some time or other, and has even’ been mentioned in the correspondence columns of certain newspapers that the Broadcasting Company does not exert itself in lthe direction of catering for crystal

-_--- users. This erroneous idea 1S very effectively answered by pointing to the cost of erecting and maintaining separate stations at the four chief centres, which, from a radio point of view, are spaced comparatively short distances apart, Such an apparently extravagant arrangement could only be justified by the company’s determination to reach the most remote crystal-set in the Dominion. These sets supply the means by which ‘the children’s sessions can be made available to the vast majority of homes in New Zealand. P'HE- real value of the Public. Relations Committees lies in the fact that listehers enjoy the virtual guarantee of continuous and uniform services and programmes of unvarying good quality. . Every honest critic must admit that failure to maintain this standard must react on the com pany itself, and the management is no more likely to risk losing the goodwill of its.advisers, after including them in its organisation, than it is tu allow the. programmes to deteriorate. Despite the outcry against monoplies in high-power broadcasting, this very question of quality and uniformity has made it ‘possible for the company to engage the services of the most qualified ‘officials available, and to extend :its organisation sufficiently to enable advisory committees to be appointed. It is not generally realised that. instead of possessing objection- ". shle ‘features, . this factor -has.a :cone

siderable bearing on the standard aimed at by the management in which quality is now acknowledged to be a matter of scientific development. The * controlling factors and "the -potential " possibilities of co-operation-as applied to the juvenile educational sessions* form the basic ‘principle. of present-day radio services. . "THE ‘direction in which the Public Relations Committe can best assist these services from every point of view is mainly that of attempting to confine developments to well-defined channels rather than along lines of least resistance. My comparatively: brief experienec as chairman of the 3YA Children’s Session Advisory Committee has convinced me that the cooperation’ desired by the company is_ being most generously practised by « the members over whom I preside. The & opinions and ability of such sympathisers are of inestimable value. No: apologies are offered for the expression of personal views on all aspects of radio programmes, and criticism is invariably of a constructive character. NOTHER question that has receiv-: ed some attention from members. of the committee is what is known. in} modern times as the psychology of the child mind, It has been fully real ised’ that some knowledge of this phase of juvenlie life is essential 1f the management is: to succeed in reaching the children who most require entertainment of an educational value. This path, and this path alone, leads to a solution of the problems as to the form and seope-.of the programmes provided for the company’s young listeners, The proposed amount of variation in the items to ensure continued interest and the limitations attending extension work are other aspects of the matter requiring the closest attention. It ean therefore be said that’ the value of an advisory medium be-

tween the management and the genera! public lies in the extension of high grade programmes for the children, and in the realisation of the fact that successful. development must be based on the general use of crystal sets. Insufficient time hus elapsed since the formation of the committee for me to express u definite opinion as to the possible sueecess of its deliberations, A continuance of the interest that is being shown at present is. all that is required to fulfil the highest hopes of those responsible for the innovation. The discussions that have already taken ‘place have been along the line of considering the programmes from the standpoint of these interested parties, viz., the Broadcasting Company,. the artists. and-the listening children. Individual members bave made themselves acquainted with the conditions under which. the first-named has to carry out its programmes with a view to combating any cross currents that might arise and to submitting’ practical suggestions where improvements may,be made. The aim has been to give New Zealand children as, much pleasure as possible by the most economical means and without interfering with their rightful’ rest and ‘ schog\work. me Fs

D. E.

PARTON

Chairman,

38YA Children’s Session Advisory