Football Broadcasts

Radio Record, Volume II, Issue 53, 19 July 1929, Page 11

Football Broadcasts

Motion Rescinded . "THE monthly general meeting of the . Amiateur Radio Society of Wellington was held on the evening of July 9 at the Cambridge Terrace Congregational Chureh schoolroom. Mr. Byron Brown,.- president, occupied the chair, and there were about two dozen present. . : A resolution was carried at the annual’ meeting of the society, held in May, asking. the: Broadcasting. Company to discontinue relays by 2YA, Wellington, of descriptions of football matches on Saturday afternoons, other than international,, intercolonial, interprovincial and cup final matches. A reply was received from the Broadcasting Company as follows:-"As a result of . the general interest which is associated ‘; with sporting events, and owing to the fact that Saturday afternoon is practically universally set aside for the play: | ing of sporting fixtures in New Zea: land, the company has laid down as i general principle that sporting events. when available, will’ be broadcast on Saturday afternoons from each of its stations, in place of the customary gramophone concerts. Various sports are held in each centre, but it is impracticable to broadcast them all ‘at the one-time, and attention is therefore given to Rugby football unless some other special sporting fixture is available and- warrants prior ‘consideration. Our. experience is that these sporting broadcasts are of great interest to the majority of our listeners, and we do not propose to curtail them at the present time." . At the June meeting of the society, ' prior to the-above letter. having -been received from the Broadcasting Com-

pany, Mr. I. M, Levy gave. notice of motion as follows:-That: this meet-~ ing ‘rescinds the motion regarding the ' proadeasting of football matches on Saturday afternoons, and in: the event of this motion being carried the Broad-. casting Company be notified aceordingly." . At this month’s general meeting the above motion was brought up for con-. sideration; being moved.by Mr. Levy, seconded by Mrs. Ponman. In moving the resolution Mr. Levy said that it had been the established policy of the society since its inception. to prevent that body being used as. a ecatspaw .by any "person or persons .in forwarding their own likes or -dis-. likes if they were calculated to interfere with the pleasure of a substantial proportion’ of the; general body of: listeners, although, in: this instance, he @id not doubt. the good faith of those behind the original motion, — The original, motion should not have been accepted, seeing it was contrary ‘to the policy of the society,-whose correct attitude should be neutrality. Still, the position was not irretrievable, and =

the rescinding motion, if. earried, would correct an error ‘committed at the. general meeting. The relaying of football matches every Saturday afternoon, no doubt, had a large number of advocates, and the society had-no right to assume the right to ask’ for any change in such an arrangement, seeing that owing to its limited membership it was anything ‘but representative of the general ‘body of listener's. "The society had adopted an unwarranted attitude in this ° matter... Those who sought to restrict’ the football relays claimed that: they were supported by the majority of listeners. This was a-rather bold claim, as: the true wishes’ of the general body of listeners could not be ascertained: without a plebiscite. -Personally, the: speaker knew that several male patients, including returned soldiers, looked forward eagerly to the Saturday football relays. . Supposing, showever, that the majority of listeners were in favour of restricting the .football redays, had the minority no rights? Those who desired musical programmes had five afternoon: musical: ‘sessions, _--

not to mention the: six evening Ses: sions, Was it.not fair, then, that one afternoon be devoted to football relays, ~ especially as Rugby was New. Zea- . land’s national game, and had spread: the country’s fame far and.wide? .- The. speaker admitted. that-he had: not: witnessed.one football match during his twenty-six years’ residence in’ New Zealand, and he.would much prefer musical items to, the football re- | lays, but it would be decidedly ‘selfish on: his -part. to advécate the reduction of football relays: ‘There must bea rea-.. sonable amount..of give and take, with regard to broadcast: programmes. The whole matter could not be decided. by. so. unrepresentative a body as the. society.. Yet the society: had done:splendid. work in: the past, and a-number ‘of: its recommendations :-had been adopted © .by the Broadcasting. Company. Some ‘mention had been madé of the futility of the speaker ‘rescinding the -motion seeing that-the original motion. had already been ‘forwarded to the ° Broadcasting Company,’ but it: should . be remembered that the speaker’ gave’ (Concluded. on page iv. ) — oor LO --

Radio Society (Concluded from page 11.) ? notice of his rescinding motion before a reply had been receiyed from the company. The best relations existed between the society and the Broadcasting Company, and if the society. desired to retain the respect of the company it was only fit and proper that the rescinding motion be curried and forwarded to the company to disclose the more considered attitude of the society with regard to the football relays. The chairman (Mr. Byron Brown) briefly endorsed Mr. Levy’s views, and asked whether anyone had.anything to say on the matter. As there was no response he said all that remained was to put the motion to the meeting, The motion was then put, and was earried unanimously, A somewhat dramatic incident occurred after the motion was curried. A lady asked the chairman whether she could say a few words. On permission being granted she stated that her husband, who was bed-ridden and blind, looked forward eagerly to the Saturday afternoon football relays. The chairman remarked that there were without doubt many scores of other stricken men who shared the sick man’s fondness for the football relays. ~ IN reply to a letter from the society urging that the Sunday afternoon sessions of 2YA, Wellington, be extended till 5 pm, the Broadcasting Company stated in a letter: "We will be very pleased to bear the suggestion in mind that the Sunday afternoon session at 2YA be extended to 5 p,m., although at the present moment circumstances will not permit of this being carried out. At the same time, you will appreciate that the service given by 2YA has recently been extended above that given by our other stations by the introduction of a dinner music session, and in the circumstances any further increase in the service must first be considered in respect to our other stations. We will, however, bear your suggestion in mind for further consideration." Members pointed out that the dinner music sessions had resulted through representations by the society. The remainder of the evening was devoted toa lecture by Mr. L, H. Wright on moving-coil loudspeakers. This was listened to with the greatest interest, and an account of it appears elsewhere.