THE PROVISION OF RELAY STATIONS.

Radio Record, Volume II, Issue 25, 4 January 1929, Page 6

THE PROVISION OF RELAY STATIONS.

" IN another column we give publicity to the letter of a correspondent upon our treatment of the efforts being made by certain "B" class stations to agitate and organise a demand for subsidy from the funds of listeners. At the moment, this may be regarded as not being a vital point, for the contract of the Broadcasting Company is a watertight one, and provides no place for the diversion.of funds to the purpose desired. That contract has yet three years to run. In spite of the fact, however, we consider that it is important to listeners to fully inform themselves of the situation and understand just what is the principle at the root of the New Zealand Broadcasting service. That principle is co-ordination and unified control. The Government of New Zealand, on the inception of broadcasting, rightly adopted a catitious attitude and investigated the systems prevalent in other countries before launching on our New Zealand venture. For that cautious and wise attitude, the responsible officials of the Post and Telegraph Department are wholly to be commended. Because of it, they were finally able to produce a scheme which provided for stations at the four main centres, with an eye on the establishment of relay stations in suitable provincial areas, and for the maintenance of this system by a system of license fees from those enjoying the service. This system has worked out most satisfactorily, and through it has placed broadcasting fully in the public mind as a needed utility. FOR reasons of their own, certain business houses, both in the main centres which are already served by YA stations, and provincial points where no such stations exist, have within recent months installed transmitting stations of their own. Their purpose in so doing is obviously to secure publicity for their own radio goods and associated wares. After some months of operation, a movement has been initiated amongst these business houses to combine with a view to securing a subsidy from the Government in mitigation of the cost of operating their stations. We published their preliminary letter and set out to listeners the principles that are at stake. The main principle is the efficiency of the service itself, Only a limited sum is available for the development of radio broadcasting, and the best results will be secured only by the central administration of those funds. For it to be allowable for independent business houses to s cmpuieueunmcene ern —

establish transmitting stations for their own purpose, to operate them for a few months, and then endeavour to relieve their burden by unloading that station on to the funds of listeners, either through receipt of a subsidy or possibly later, a sale to the central authority, is to our mind illogical and ridiculous. HE main point raised by our correspondent has reference to the ‘disability of radio enthusiasts in large provincial areas, isolated from satisfactory reception from the main stations. With that problem we have every sympathy. Its solution, however, will not be found in the indiscriminate provision of "B" class stations or otherwise, but with the logical tackling of the problem of the erection of satisfactory relay stations at strategic points. We believe that the advance hitherto made in radio has been of such a solid character that the time is now ripe for facing this further expansion. In due course, we expect to see a comprehensive and satisfactory scheme adduced and ultimately put into operation.