The B.B.C. from a Different Angle

Radio Record, Volume V, Issue 9, 11 September 1931, Page 1

The B.B.C. from a Different Angle

Visitor Asserts Government Contro! Has Ruined Programmes

While in Wellington recently, Mr.

H. A.

Bloxham

chief wireless operator of the Tainui,

called on the "Radto Record" and m\the course of conversation asserted that Governinent control has spelt ruin to the English programmes, which were practically perfect under private enterprise. Mr. Bloxham has been acquainted with radio for seventeen years, during which time he has visited every country of importance, and has seen the growth of the various systems of broadcasting control. Basing his \observations on this extensive experience, our visitor expressed in no uncertain terms disapproval of any system that is controlled by the Government or in which the Government has a large imterest.

OU have asked me for my opinion of the British Broadcasting Corporation, and in the same breath have assured me that it is

the best system of broadcasting in the world. Maybe. But I think differently. You are surprised at this, but take away competition, and replace it with a corporate body without representation of the listeners and you see the chances there are for a broadcasting system to fail. In the old days it was differentthe traders who controlled the British Broadcasting Company and who were the pioneers of broadcasting in Britain, had a direct motive for improving the service. The more listeners they had, the more wireless apparatus there was old. They harkened to listeners benuse it paid them to, and crude though roadcasting was then, we had a popular service. But the Government changed it all and instituted a Corporation-not a Government body, but next door to it. It was all right for a time-they had capable men at their command and tremendous sums to play with. They could afford to engage the best artists, to pay royalties to the world’s most prominent dramatists; they could erect. transmitting stations that were flawless. And they did. They introduced the Regional system whereby nearly every important district in England and Scotland was to be provided with a first-class service, giving listeners the choice of two contrasted programmes-at least they meant to do this, but somehow it is not quite working out right.

While on the subject of celebrities, I might mention that Sir Harry Lauder was paid £1000 for a single item. Think how far that

money would have gone had a record of the great comedian been broadcast instead. Yet the pubjic have no control over this kind of thing. In my opinion the Corporation has failed. They have given listeners what they should like instead of what they do like-for one thing, too many talks. They say they are educating the masses by these talks and use the same argument to justify an excess of classical music. Personally, I like classical music and care to listen to nothing -else, but tastes differ. Many want something different, but, as I remarked before, they do not get what they want. There is far too great a gap between listener and controller. They have failed in another aspect--perhaps the more important one. They have lost many of their best men; men whose ability built the service until it came to be regarded as the world’s best. It is not for me to discuss why they have gone, but the fact remains that they haye and the service is the worse for their loss. That the B.B.C. has not the popular approval can be borne out by reading the correspondence columns of some of tlie English papers: Complaints are endless, but there is no remedy, for they fall on unheeding ears. There is far too great a gap between the listener and the service. The board is comfortably settle and it seems that (Concluded on page By

(Continued from page 1.) that is all that matters. The Government here, I believe, are intending to follow in the footsteps of the English Government and take over the service. That, I think, will be a fatal mistake. Apart from the general arguments that can be advanced against Government administration of a service such as this, the new Corporation must face the fact that they .must make a little money goa long way. ‘The B.B.C. has huge sums to play with (over a million pounds last year), but in your country this is far from the case. Radio in a small country needs careful attention and fostering. You cannot afford to neglect the listeners, and it seems that the proposals advanced by your Government intend to do this. A most unwise step. ‘Those in HWngland do not have to put up with the programmes as you would have to were the same system to operate. The Continental st«tions, most of which radiate excellent programmes, are within the reach of even the most unambitious set. But yon ‘being, so to speak, isolated are different and have to rely on the programmes ‘provided by your country. It is, then, of paramount importance that your system be elastic enough to cope with all tastes, _ From what I have seen of changes this nature, they have not been par‘ticularly successful. There is always a. temporary improvement-you know,

the new broom idea-but before long matters settle down again and one is lucky if they do not become worse. The service now given by your Broadcasting Company appears to be quite good. I should not like to compare it with others, as it is so hard to get a common basis, but it does seem that the present company has done great pioneering work and built broadeasting to a surprisingly high standard.