Editorial Notes

Radio Record, Volume V, Issue 41, 22 April 1932, Page 4

Editorial Notes

l Wellington, Friday, April 22, 1932 |

WHILE prophecies have been made that, because of the economic conditions, a marked reduction in radio licenses would be shown with the first figures of the new radio year, the "Radio Record" has sufficient confidence in the vitality and attractiveness of radio, and the public appreciation of it, to confidently predict that the figures, when they become available, will prove satisfactory. We base this prediction upon overseas experience, People everywhere react in much the same way to the same circumstances. Hard times have prevailed in Britain, Germany and other countries for a much longer period than has been the case here in New Zealand. Experience there has been that, as economic pressure has intensified, so radio has prospered. ‘The explanation simply is that, with yeduced incomes, people have been obliged to curtail their outside pleasures and stay at home more. Under those conditions radio represents the cheapest possible entertainment. Hence, bad times are good times for radio. On that reasoning we predict that the return of the licenses renewed since April 1. when it is published, will be surprisingly good, and will probably show a greater ratio of renewals than in any preceding period. * * & "THIS is important to the Broadcasting Board and the whole cause of radio. With an assured revenue, the Broadcasting Board will be able to prosecute its plans for the development of the service keenly and progressively. With the prospect of advancement the question arises: In what way is the servicé most capable of immediate remunerative development? That the Board is desirous of planniny on a broad scale has been shown hy two major acts which have won for it a definite goodwill. These are, first, its questionnaire to listeners "nquiring their views on programmes: secondly, its appointment of a Coverage Commission to investigate the means by which the whole Dominion can be most effectively supplied with efficient radio transmission. These two acts indicate a desire to plan broadly and comprehensively for the future.

A. DETAILED inquiry was recently submitted to prominent tadio dealers by our new monthly, the "N.Z. Radio Times," for their views as to what they expected from the Board within the next three years. The two major points that emerged from the replies published are, first, longer hours of transmission from the existing YA stations, and secondly, provision for better coverage of the Dominion. In their views the tlealers, to our mind, were corispicuously modest and restrained, indicating a desire to give the Board the time and opportunity necessary for formulating its programme and developing the service. The reply of one dealer, in our opinion, is very much to the point in these days, and is particularly applicable to i:fstitutions such as the Board, which is administering, in trust, public funds. This point was that there should be no undue devotion to the prevailing cry of economania. While times are hard, there is no doubt that they are being made harder than necessary by lack of public confidence and unnecessary restriction of enterprise occasioned by excessive taxation and fear of the future. The Board, with its assurance of reasonable revenue, is not as subject as private enterprise is to the fear of falling profits and hard times. While it is its duty to make its money go as far as possible, it will be fulfilling its own immediate objective and setting a worthy example by conceiving a progressive policy as soon as possible, and capably and ably administering it. We are satisfied that that is the spirit actuating the Board, and once the preliminary ground is cleared in a financial sense, both by final determination of the price to be paid for the assets taken over and by the indication that will be available from license renewals, we believe a vigorous policy of expanding service in line with revenue will be instituted. There never was a time when radio should play a greater part in the service of the community, and we feel assured that the very difficulty of the times and the economic crisis will give the Board a_ special opportunity of establishing itself in public favour.