CO129-487 - Others & Individuals - 1924 — Page 299

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communiqué of that date of which copies have been supplied to

you certain restrictions which had caused difficulty were

removed and the withdrawal of others in January 1925 was

foreshadowed, In September 1923 there were about 180,000

receiving licences, and this number has now risen to over

820,000. Generally speaking, the Postmaster General is of

opinion that if local conditions permit a simple scheme

such as that recommended by the Broadcasting Committee in their

Report of the 23rd August 1923 is most likely to be successful.

In the present proposals apparently several broadcasting

stations are contemplated; but it seems doubtful whether at

such a place as Hong Kong there would be room for more than

one station. 1only one station were provided, it would seem

desirable to take steps to prevent the establishment of a

monopoly, e.g. by the formation of a separate Company somewhat

of the type of the British Broadcasting Company representing

trade

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all the interests concerned.

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As regards the suggested addition to the Telegraphic

Messages Ordinance of Hong Kong so as to secure copyright for

all news transmitted by wireless, I am to say that no special

statutory enactment on this point is in force in this country,

and any question of copyright in regard to news forwarded by

wireless would fall to be dealt with under the general law as

to copyright. I am, however, to draw attention to the

Agreement with the British Broadcasting Company concerning the

broadcasting of news and general information, which is appended

to the original Licence to that Company (Command Paper 1822 of

1923), and to say that an, Agreement somewhat on these lines with

any Company licensed to undertake broadcasting would go far to

secure the object underlying the Regulation suggested by

Reuter's correspondent at Hong Kong.

it should perhaps be mentioned that the British Broadcasting

Company are not satisfied with the existing copyright legislation

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Bo far as it affects broadcasting, and that the Comptroller, Industrial Property Department, Board of Trade, is in

communication with the Company and other interests concerned as regards various proposals for extending the copyright laws to cover the new conditions created by the establishment

of wireless broadcasting services. The Postmaster

General understands that there are many other copyright

problems involved and that it is doubtful whether any fresh

legislation on the subject will be introduced in the near

future.

With regard to the other question referred to in

Despatch No. 138, I am to observe that there would not appear

to be any objection to the Colonial Government entering into

an Agreement with Reuter's for the distribution of news

received by wireless in the Colony. The only news messages

at present broadcast from this country are the British

Official wireless messages which are transmitted við

Leafield on behalf of the Foreign Office. It is doubtful

whether the Leafield station is sufficiently powerful to

admit of the regular reception of those messages in the

Colony; but this deficiency will be remedied on the

completion of the new super-powor Government station in

course of erection at Rugby.

Reuter's correspondent seems to be under the impression

that it would be necessary to await the completion of the

high power wireless station contemplated at Hong Kong before it would be possible to arrange for the reception of

European news. Probably, however, there would be little

difficulty in arranging for the reception of news messages broadcast from the Rugby Station (when completed) by means of an existing roceiving station at Hong Kong. acknowledgment of their receipt would be required.

I am, Sir,

Your obedient Servant,

7. Bonn

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