TF—3

In Serious Mood. —A feature of these programmes was the singing of children's choirs, the reflective talks by padres, hymn sessions, and the broadcasts marking special occasions such as Christmas, Easter, and Anzac Day. Book Reviews.- —The " ZB Book Review," now playing over ten commercial and X stations, continued to attract many listeners. Panels of expert reviewers each dealt with one book, and each session was co-ordinated by a chairman. Fifty-two sessions were broadcast and over 200 books reviewed in detail. Interest in this novel method of handling book reviews has been shown by overseas organizations. Controversial Broadcasts.—These were confined to the " Citizens' Forum," which broadcast independently from the five Commercial stations. They were included in each Sunday night's programme throughout the year, and among the subjects discussed were : " Is Religion Losing Its Influence in the Present-day World ?" "Is Preferential Voting Superior to the First Past the Post System ?" " Are We in Danger of Over-development of Our Secondary Industries ?" " Do New Zealanders Tend to Over-estimate their Contribution to World Social and Material Advancement ?" "Is There Any True New Zealand Culture'." "Should We Have a Staggered Forty-hour Week?" "Is Compulsory Conciliation and Arbitration in the Best Interests of Trade-unionists ?" " Should State Lotteries be Used to Finance Social Facilities?" and " Is Modern Advertising Wasteful and Uneconomic ?" Special Programmes.—Many special programmes were broadcast during the year, including documentaries on Kapiti Island Bird Sanctuary, the history of New Zealand aviation, the work of the R.N.Z.A.F., the activities of the Post and Telegraph Department, and recordings of the combined exercises by Australian and New Zealand naval units off Akaroa. A visit was organized to the island dependencies—first to Niue and the Kermadecs with the Public Works ketch, " Golden Hind," and then by air to Fiji, Makogai, and Norfolk Island. Excellent programmes were recorded for later use in New Zealand. At Christmas, stations broadcast many seasonal programmes, special attention being paid to the requirements of the old folk and the orphans. These included a pantomime produced at the Recording Studios, Auckland, " Carols by Candlelight," featuring Dunedin Hospital nurses, and a Christmas party for old people. FINANCIAL REPORT Progress with the post-war development plan of the Service involving the establishment of new stations, the repowering of some existing transmitters, and the expansion of programmes, together with increases-in salaries and costs of other services, is now bearing heavily on the Broadcasting Account. Accounts for the year under review show an excess of expenditure over income of £25,631 before providing for taxation on the net profit of the Commercial Division. Comparative figures for the past two years are shown below : 1948-49. 1949-50. ; ■. . £ £ National Division .. 29,583 surplus 58,265 deficit. Commercial Division .. .. 52,401 surplus 32,634 surplus. Total .. .. 81,984 surplus 25,631 deficit. Provision for taxation, Commer- 30,680 20,224 l: cial Division £51,304 net surplus, £45,855 net deficit, 1948-49 1949-50

14