Does Broadcasting of Entertainment Affect Attendance?

Radio Record, Volume II, Issue 13, 12 October 1928, Page 6

Does Broadcasting of Entertainment Affect Attendance?

Experience Emphatically Answers "No."

RE the deor takings at entertainments adversely affected by broadeasting? N the face of it there is only one nusiwer, that answer being "Yes," but experience has shown that the auswer is "No." So there is some excuse for anyone who says, without going deeply into the question, that broadcasting keeps people away from an entertainment. The question arose in Auckland just recently in connection with the municipal organ recitals, which have been 1 failure, financially. Their non-suc-cess in this direction was attributed to broadeasting, it being considered that people preferred to remain at home and listen-in to going to the recital. The result which has attended the broadcasting of Sunday evening band concerts in Wellington is a complete auswer to the Auckland people, but it is curious that Auckland itself absolutely disproves that broadcasting militates against attendances at regular entertainments. The experience of the Auckland Operatic Society may be quoted. Permission was granted to 1YA to broadeast the complete performance of the "Belle of New York" on a recent Saturday evening. By all the rules of the eritics of broadcasting, the attendance should have suffered, for all Auckland knew beforehand that the broadcast was to be done. The attendance was excellent. It should be mentioned, as having some bearing on the result, that early in the season the society offered to permit the broadcasting of excerpts from their entertainments. Packed houses during the whole sexson were the rule. Subsequently, the society advised 1YA that it was willing to have the entire production of the "Belle of New York" it -e

broadcast, and to permit of the fact being announced in advance. This was done. And yet the attendance at the theatre was excellent. Broadcasting being comparatively: a new thing, there is a _ psychological effect produced which is not yet fully understood by organisers of public attractions. This objection is, however, being fast lived down, for it is becoming rapidly realised that broadcasting is the best publicity anything can be ~ given. The value of broadcasting to boxing is now recognised. The Otago Boxing Association, which has had _ all its matches broadcast this year, has testified to the value of the publicity thus given owing to the great interest created. A Rugby experience in Christchurch this season can also be recalled. Uncertain whether or not broadcasting affected the gate, the committee put the matter to the test one Saturday. At the very last minute the broadcast was cancelled, and no announcement was made of the cancellation until the sta-. tion went on the air at the time advertised for doing the match. All who were staying away from the match in order to listen-in were therefore eaught at home. What was the attendance like? A record for the season. This line of argument could be pursued further, but on broad lines it may be stated without fear of contradiction that good broadcasts of anything that the public enjoys must be of great benefit to the entertainments broadcast. If listeners enjoy the broadcasts their interest is aroused, and they will prefer the actual performance to listen-ing-in. If they do not enjoy the broaieast they certainly will not go to the next performance-nor even listen-in. . --y ©