EDITORIAL NOTES.

Radio Record, Volume II, Issue 26, 11 January 1929, Page 6

EDITORIAL NOTES.

, PRESS cablegrams over the holiday period record two outstanding items of news indicative of the growing universality of radio and the audience reached by it. First came the message of the visit hy the Prince of Wales to Savoy Hill to broadcast his own earnest recommendation of the fund instituted by the Lord Mayor of London for. the relief of distress in Britain’s Black Belt. . Than the Prince himself, no stronger advocate of any worthy cause could address a British audience. The use of radio for a charitable appeal was not new. In point of fact, a regular feature of the B.B.C.’s organisation is the broadcasting of appeals for approved charities, and the history of radio contains some records of memorable responses on the’ part of listeners to those appeals. The combination, however, of «the Christmas spirit and the personal appeal by the Prince of Wales himself, make this radio speech on behalf of Britain’s Black Belt'an event outstanding in the history of radio. The practical suggestion of the Prince that no Christmas gathering should break up without some effort being made to gather a contribution to the fund will; when all the receipts are known, prove, we think, to have drawn a response unprecedented in the annals of broadcasting. THE second item of significance recorded the simple fact that although Britain was two days-Christmas Day and Boxing Day -without newspapers, the community suffered no disability through lack of news, because radio filled the breach. The outstanding item of interest at this period was unquestionably the health of the King, and through the broadcasting of the bulletins as they became available, the anxiety of Britain’s population was relieved. Time was when a forty-eight hour abstinence from the news sheet would have left the community at such a time of crisis unsatisfied. Radio, however, met the need, allowed the newspaper world to have its holiday, and satisfied the demands of all for knowledge of the King’s progress. CONTEMPLATION of these two outstanding incidents shows the position attained in the life of Britain by the radio service. That is the position to-day. The position is steadily improving month by month and year by year. With something like two million and a half hicense-holders, it is safe to say ‘that at least one-quarter of Britain's population is in direct touch with the radio news service. That proportion will steadily expand. The time will come when all will

be served, and. in that attainment there will be an immediacy of contact that will contribute wonderfully to the coherency and purpose of the national life. S an echo of the American Presidential campaign comes a news item that is of definite interest to radio listeners. We have already been informed of the extent to which the radio service of America was employed by the political protagonists of that campaign. — Both Democrats and Republicans made extensive use of radio stations to convey their message to the voters. Assessment of the money so expended shows that two million dollars went into the coffers of the owners of the broadcasting stations in payment for time taken by political speakers on the air. That money was diverted from its former use in the daily Press. The Press comment upon this diversion from their columns of a revenue formerly enjoyed by them is interesting. An ordinary daily newspaper is practically forced « to become a political protagonist on one side or the other. Becausdq of this partiality in its news columns, many papers have found in’ the past that their publication of advertisements of parties opposed to themselves led to confusion on the part of their readers. This is well put by one writer in discussing this question. "I think it is just as well for newspapers not to cary political advertisements," said Mr. J. N. Kinmonth. "The fact that Republican papers accepted Democratic advertisements always proved disturbing to our readers. They failed to appreciate that advertising space is bought and paid for as a mnarketable commodity, and that refusal to convey the message of opponents would have been unwarranted. In my opinion, newspapers can do very well without -this political revenue." This position in America has.its interest for us in New Zealand who have recently passed through a political campaign. Use of our radio service was barred to our politicians by the contract and regulations governing the service. Allowing for the difference in the attitude of the New Zealand Press and public from that of America, it is unlikely in the near future that any immediate'change will take place. Ultimately, however, radio will be used-under proper safeguards and conditions-for direct contact between politician and public.