Interesting Letter Now Circulating

Radio Record, Volume II, Issue 23, 21 December 1928, Page 3

Interesting Letter Now Circulating

To the Stations Directors of ; 1ZB, 1ZQ, 2ZM, 2ZK, 3ZC, 4ZL, 4ZM and 4Z0. Dear Sir,There are now eight class "B" broadcasting stations in New Zealand. These stations are owned and operated by various business firms, and in addition, there are two smaller stations owned by radio societies. . Considering the restrictions imposed on them by the ‘Post and Telegraph Department, these stations are giving as good, if not better, service as the four YA stations, and we consider that the time is now ripe when all the eight company-owned stations should form an association and make an effort to get some monetary return for their time and trouble incurred in the running of their stations. There are several ways in which this could be accomplished :- (a) Obtain from the Government a grant to cover working expenses. We understand that this is done in Australia, and all the "B" stations over there are subsidised in this manner. (b) Approach the Government and obtain permission to devote, say 10 per cent. (which equals 6 minutes in every hour) of the time that the stations are on the air to paid advertising. N.B.--The R.B. Co., are evidently after this right themselves, as they broached the matter in a leader in the "Radio Record" some few months ago. (e) Obtain a combination of a smaller grant and more advertising time. Here in Dunedin we have not yet had much trouble over the question of hours of operation, and two stations being on the air at once. No doubt, sooner or later the R.B. Co., will endeavour to get a monopoly of all the evening hours. We understand that 3ZC has already had trouble in this direction. In any case, why not combine now and get the question of hours settled before it is too late? The R.B. Co., contract with the Government has only got about a year to run, and no doubt they will try to soft-soap the new House and get the best possible deal for themselves when the time comes for renewal. Yt appears that there are six (if not more) comparatively high powered stations on the air at once each evening in Sydney, so why should New Zealand listeners-in be restricted to one local station per evening in each centre? Besides the above matters there are many other questions, such as the high price of land-lines, ete., that could be overcome if the owners of the eight stations, class "B", get together and pull in harmony, but for one station to attempt.to do tihs is like a flea biting an elephant. (Sed.) WILLIAM L. SHIEL, for 421. (Sed.) J. D. McKEWEN, for 42M. (Sgd.) T. BARNETT, for 4Z0. RADIO SERVICH, LTD., 248 Macandrew Road, Dunedin.