Politics Affect Australian Radio Service

Radio Record, Volume IV, Issue 27, 16 January 1931, Page 2

Politics Affect Australian Radio Service

License Fees Go To Treasury HEN the Federal Government took control of broadéasting in Australia two years ago assurances were given that all the money paid by listeners for license fees would be devoted to the improvement of transmission and programmes, states the "Sydney Morning Herald." An arbitrary division was made, and of the 24/- license fee 12/was allotted to the contracting company for the supply of programmes, inicliding management, office rents, and other expenses. Of the balance the Post Office Department was‘to pay the royalty fees to Amalgamated Wireless, Limited, for patent rights, provide transmission stations, land lines and other facilities, ineluding experimental work for thc improvement of broadcasting in Australia. The Postmaster-General, Mr. J. A. Lyons, in the House of Representatives recently, stated that from July 17,1929, to October 31, 1930, there were issued 422,102 listeners’ licenses. These figures excluded Tasmania, where the contracting company, the Australian Broadcasting Company, Limited, did not assume control until December 14. After the Post Office Department had paid all charges against its proportion of the 24/-' license fee, there was a balance of £70,000. This money had been paid:into the Federal Treasury, LISTENERS are perturbed at this action. The assumption is that the money has gone into the Federal revenue accounts, and-so is lost definitely to broadcasting. ' Different organisations are ‘giving serious consideration to the matter, ‘so as to‘preclude the: possibility of*listeners being taxed for the raismg of revenue for purposes other than the provision of programmes and the development of broadcasting in Australia. . Under the terms of the contract made between the Post Office Department and the Australian Broadcasting Company Limited, 16 relay stations were to be erected during the currency of the contract, which expires in 18 months’ time,. The ‘only relay station yet erected.is that of 2NO, Newcastle, and the date. of its opening is still indefinite, in spite’ of ‘the fact that the engineers: of.- the Post Office Department, who undertook the erection of the station, have had several consultations with the expert whom the contractors sent from London to assist the -official ‘experts., [This st4tion was finally opened in the middle of December.-Ed.. "Radio Record.’] The Postmaster-General now announces that it is expected three more relay stations will be completed within the next nine months. No information is available as to when, or where, the remaining 12 relay stations promised are to be erected.’ Hence, the whole posi-: tion regarding the future of broadcasting in Australia is uncertain and unsatisfactory. Protests are to be made to the Federal Government upon this matter by representatives of listeners and of the radio trades.