A Plan For Getting Closer To The Listener

Radio Record, 24 June 1938, Page 6

A Plan For Getting Closer To The Listener

How can the station tell when a broadcast item "flops"? There’s no real wey. But a panel system such as that recently instituted by the Australien Broadcasting Commission, may get a eross-section of listener opinion.

iVER since its infancy, radio has laboured under ~~. the seemingly insuperable disadvantage of complete severance from its audience. There is no cer-~

tain way of determining whether or not a type radio entertainment is ‘going over’ with the public. An artist may have 15 listeners or 15,000-the studio has no certain.indication which. Public reaction may be gauged only by the uncertain media of ‘‘fan’" mail, letters of complaint, Press criticism, and word-of-mouth praise. All this is not to say that, in the main, the public does not get what it wants. Programme organisers are chosen for their knowledge of the public taste and for their long experience of catering for it; but one remembers that men, better qualified to judge the public taste than any programme organiser ever appointed have lost fortunes backing stage and film shows that "‘flop."* Much that gets on the air, and is highly paid for, ‘‘flops’’ in exactly the same way. The radio station responsible has only the vaguest indication of it. Latest trend in radio is frankly to seek the cooperation of the listener by means of the ‘‘Panel System.’ Last month-following a well-established BBC plan-the Australian Broadcasting Commission began the organisation of a drama panel by which it hopes to get much closer to a real approximation of the preferences of the listening public. The sponsor of the scheme explains that his objective is a panel of listeners specially interested in

radio drama, who will be willing to report on plays broadcast week by week from the National stations, and to answer an ‘occasional questionnaire. This experiment, . he

points out, follows frankly the methods recently adopted in Britain by the BBC. It aims to enlist the help of all types of listeners in the cities, provincial towns and outback districts, including the non-liter-ary minded as well as those consciously interested in the written and spoken word. The plan is to have as many different approaches to the subject of radio drama as listeners can supply, but it is emphasised that co-operation is sought only from those prepared to bring an intelligent and regular interest to radio drama. The Commission invites opinions from all volunteers, though it cannot guarantee that all offers of assistance will be accepted. The size of the listening -panel must be kept within reasonable limits. As soon as the members of the panel are chosen, all letters from them dealing with broadcast plays will be acknowledged and classified. It is hoped that by studying the views of so many diverse-minded listeners, the play department will be assisted materially in forming conclusions as to the likes and dislikes of the play-listening public. Such a plan as this is surely worthy of imitation in New Zealand. ‘The day may come when nearly every class of radio programme is directed by the cooperation of a "‘listening panel.’’ There can be little doubt that under such a system radio entertainment would be vastly improved in scope of appeal, if not in standard.