The Claims of Provincial Areas

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

The Claims of Provincial Areas

E are glad to publish in our columns, on the next page, a letter from a listener criticising our article in connection with the effort being made by the owners of certain "B" class stations to agitate and organise with a view to securing a subsidy from the funds contributed by listeners for the maintenance of the broadcasting service.. We are quite glad to receive and publish this letter, although it is critical of our own views, in order that listeners may be induced to : study this question from all angles. It is a very important question, striking at the whole root of the efficiency: of the present broadcasting service. We are not in the least concerned with the interests of any individuals or firms in this discussion. . We are concerned wholly and solely with the . general good of the broadcasting service as it affects listeners themselves, and therefore are quite prepared to give full publicity to capably-expressed views on the question from whatever angle they be advanced. .

22 Ta a EET | HE writer of this letter writes po strongly from his point of view. He is suffering from a disability which he desires to see rectified. He is a keen radio enthusiast, and enjoying radio as he does, desires to secure better reception for himself, and, to see the number of listeners in his locality increased. His point of view is one with which we can all sympathise. He may be taken as typical and representative of a definite class of people. Their plight constitutes a problem which certainly requires to be , tackled. The time is coming when it will have to be tackled, and the quesiion is just what is the best way of facing the | problem. | ' UR correspondent assumes that we are ’ antagonistic to all "B" class stations, wherever they are situated. In that, he is in error. That is not our attitude at all. We have no antagonism or opposition at all towards "P" class stations. Wwe -ppose them only when they enter upon a demand for subsidy from the funds provided by listeners for the maintenunce cf the broadcasting service. That opposition on our part would be the same whether the broadeasting service is maintained by a company under contract from the Goveru- , ment, as at present is the case, or by the Government, or any other central interest. Our attitude is dictated by realisation of the fact that in the existing stations of ‘New, Zealand, a service satisfactory to listeners and the public in general can be ' provided only by centra) control. and

adequate organisation and administration of the funds available. That system would not prove possible by the provision of 2 number of isoluted, independent = «and scattered "B" class stations nibbling at the stability of the central fund through demands for subsidies. Relay Stations Required. "THE problem presented by our Huwke's Bay correspondent is, in reality, that of the provision of relay stations for the major centres of population outside the principal cities. It is an open secret to those familiar with the conception and plans of the original broadcasting service of New Zealand that the provision of relay stations at suitable provincial centres was contemplated as an integral part of the original scheme. It will be agreed, hovwever, that the original scheme has had to evolve as means permitted. The major centres of population from the business point of view obviously required first consideration. Stations, therefore. have been established at Auckland, Wellington. Christchurch, and Dunedin, au" their ser-, vice has been improved as funds have advanced. The capital put into the venture has been, as all listeners kno,*, vastly inereased over that originally contemplated. and by that expansion a better service has been given the community than originally aimed at. HE need for growth within the point of business stability will be recognised. The progress made in respect of numbers

of listeners has been fairly satisfactory, but there is still a gap to be bridged before fullest stability and expansion can be assured. This gap is due in part to the number of pirates who are avoiding their obligations, and thereby reducing the ineome of the broadcasting service and preventing the provision of those extra facilities for provincial centres. Must Be Complete Scheme. ITH our correspondent, we realise the problem of the provincial listener, and desire attention to be given to those needs. That problem, however, must be tackled on a consistent, comprehensive, and business-like basis. The points for the provision of relay stations must be carefully selected in relation to the greatest good of the greatest number. Economy of administration and avoidance of clashing with existing stations must be preserved by the relay stations co-ordinating with existing main stations. By such co-ordina-tion and co-operation with the Postal service and existing stations, economy in the provision of transmitting plants will be attained as well as efficiency in administration. Programmes from relay stations will be more cheaply available than original programmes provided by independent "B" stations. The "B’ stations that are at present operating have probably not been faced with a demand for copyright fees, but so soon as they become possessed of revenue, either by subsidy from the funds of listeners or advertising, that deContinued on page 2.

Claims of Provincial Areas

(Continued from front pige.)

atid iS almost certain to be miade. ‘that will, therefore, be an addéd expensé to that of operating. This little item: in copyright fees, considerably moré, than is realised on the sutface by the outsider, is wholly to the advantuge of the. relay station as against the independent station. Multiplicity Not Good. S was mentioned in our original article, experience elsewhere is wholly against the provision of a multiplicity of stations. Co-ordination and

amalgamation for maximum efficiency are the modern principles. New Zealand, with its limited population and scattered area, provides a tniqué problem in broadcasting. That problem will be faced and conquered best by a single comprehensive scheme rather than the diffusion of strength at a number of independent points. We are fully sympathetic with the disabilities of centres such as Palmerston North, New Plymouth, Hastings, and Napier, and. recog: nise the eluims of their population for improvement. Our whole point, however, is that the improvement which they desire-and which is de sired by others interested in the ex+ pansion of radio on their behalfwill be best attained by co-opération with the existing organisation, than by the provision of independent stations seek ing a subsidy from listener's’ funds. A beginning to such co-operation is being éffected in New Plymouth, where, as has been announced, a relay station

will be provided by the Broadcasting } Gompany in conjunction with the local Radio Society. This may be a be} ginning of similar schemes for other} towns, If the Post and Telegraph, . Department, following on the recent! sucressful relay from Wanganui, cu) provide similar trunk linés between: other strategie points, a big advanve: may be possible. aS Maximum Good Desirable. f° EB appreciate the letter of o. }. correspondent and gladly give ,

publicity to his views and disabilit*!? As mentioned earlier, our concer! }* + with the general body of listeners. % tt is their money that is being adminis}ered, and in their own interests it: is essential that its expenditure be s}chas to provide the maximum service jfor the maximum numbet of people. It is our view that those Yesults will) he uttained best by co-dperation and }coordination and exparision as tevenu's is available, thin by diffusion and tlie seattering of strength. It is necessaty for any new organisation to walk before it can run, and that rule ‘as been followed in New Zealand bro.idcasting. The result to-day is as satssfactory, we believe, as can be expec’ ed, having regard to the circtimstanct:s. It certainly is not perfect. There is much progress yet to be made, but as emphasised earliér, that progress can bé attained better by cohesion than diffusion. If there are any arguments to the contraty, we are quite prepared to place them before listeners.