Editorial Notes

Radio Record, Volume V, Issue 47, 3 June 1932, Page 4

Editorial Notes

AL A . |_ Weitington, Friday, June 3, 1932 J

AS we predicted last week, the re- -. newals of licenses to the end of April totalled 63,224, including dealers’ and transmitting licenses. This is a record percentage of renewals, the decline on the month preceding being only 15.5 per cent. compared with 26.6 per cent. in the preceding year, and of 26.7 per cent. the year before that. Only in the good year of 1929 was the percentage in any way approached, when the drop was only 19 per cent. While we do not imagine that the Board will claim the whole of the credit for this favourable showing, in that it is recognised that "Hard times are good times" for radio, we do think it is entitled to some credit for the favourable response on the part of listeners. With that response the Board will feel encouraged to face its task for the future, realising that as enterprise is shown the public will respond by greater support. | + s s JN this connection we observe a tendency in some quarters to press for action. It is very easy and popular to urge action regardless of cost. In fact, New Zealand at the present time may be said to be paying the penalty for irresponsible pressure for action and advance in the sphere of public enterprise. Becausé of the demand of taxpayers for luxuries of one sort and another, the Government for many years past has steadily entered one field after another of social service, local bodies have expanded their service to ratepayers, and other phases of public utility have sprung up. The net result to-day is that New Zealand is carrying an unrivalled burden of public servants. Our population of one and a half millions-approximately that of the city of Glasgow-has the pleasure of being governed by two Houses of Parliament, with 646 local bodies of one kind and another. We have a national debt of something like two hundred and seventy-five millions, on which we ‘have to pay an annual

, lil interest bill of approximately ten millions. We have the pleasure of maintaining on the public pay-roll not less than one man in seven of the total male population. On any broad consideration it must be admitted that this country is overgoverned and over-serviced in practically every direction. * * * THESE remarks have some point in relation to radio because the same tendency to urge expansion, regardless of cost, is apparent in this field. We are as keen as anyone to see radio expand, because our own success hingés entirely upon the size. of the radio audience. We do not, however, wish to see the expansion of radio purchased at too high a cost. Everything comes back to finance in the finish, and if the future is mortgaged for the present, then the bill must be paid with interest later. The Board fortunately is composed of hard-headed business men, and it is no secret that they intend to administer radio as a business. The capital position as it obtains between the Board and the Government has not yet attained finality in relation to terms, and until that is clarified the Board must necessarily proceed cautiously. Progress, however, is being made on foundation lines by the preparation. of the report of the Coverage Com: mission, which is doing its work most thoroughly and comprehensively. It will be some weeks before the report is available, but its report. when presented, we believe will provide an effective programme for future expansion. It will be. the task of the Board then to translate that programme into reality at a pace governed by financial resources. Whatever may be the exact terms of the arrangement between the Board and the Government as finally arrived at, it must be recognised that interest upon ‘the money borrowed will be included, and it will be sound business to eliminate that charge by repayment of capital as rapidly as possible. These words are written, not with any view of damping hopes for future expansion, but to warn listeners that progress must be conditional upon sound business methods, and by a strict regard for living within our means. It is satisfactory that the radio revenue is ex-

panding, but it must still be borne in mind that the revénue available to the Board is required to cover a particularly straggly and scattered territory; it is required to service four or five stations (and maybe more if subsidies are to be extended to B class stations) with the revenue available in Australia for inrae

dividual stations. It is very nice td: have fine services, but the task of paying for them is not so pleasant, While speedy action is spectacular and popular, the times and circumstanices dictate an element of caution, the need for which must be recognised in a changing and troublous time. ON ee -EEEEEOEOEOEeEeEeEeeeeee