Broadcasting an Election Campaign

Radio Record, Volume V, Issue 25, 31 December 1931, Page 5

Broadcasting an Election Campaign

Australia Makes an Important Move ee [TN all the important countries of the world, including England, the broadcasting services play a tremendous part at election time. Not only is the service undertaken compatible with that given it by New Zealand stations during an election, but the majority of the campaigning is done over the radio. In the recent Australian elections the national service allowed the tiree parties two forty minutes’ broadcast ech, one for an all-States hook up and the other for a separate broadcast in each State, so that each party had six broadcasts from national stations. One of the most interesting features of these broudeasts is that wherever possible speakers address listeners froia the Australian Broadcasting Company’s studios and not from the crowded political meetings. Special accommodation was granted the parties to bring a limited number of party officials and supporters to create the necessary atmosphere. Through these arrangements it was possible to get the Australian election through in record time, and never before has radio played such a big part in public affairs in Australia. The policy speeches were broadcast from the main stations, but the majority of the campaigning went over the air from the B:stations. Blections are godsends to the advertising departments of these stations, and the political organisations pay large sums for privileges, . There was a humorous interlude early in the campaign, when one party was making overtures to a Sydney B sta-

tion. They were not quick enough and another purty jumped in and signed the contract, which covered the time the former party required. This provided material for a violent article in the following morning’s paper, in which the GB station was cursed for its political prejudice, and this in return drew a terrible answer from the opposing camp. An interesting feature of the B class campaign was that Mr. Lyons, the leader of the Australian Party, chose to deliver his policy speech to a network of B stations, rather than through the A. An inter-State hook-up of B stations broadeast the election results as they came in. Complete arrangements were made with all A stations, which broadcast direct from the tally room of the G.P.O. in each State. , 2