Fiji Broadcasting Commission in Control

The new service of the Fiji Broadcast ing Commission, transmitting from the new Broadcasting House in Suva, com menced on July 1. It was the first time that broadcasting had been done in a British Colony under the control of an independent Commission.

About 120 peonle were present in the main studio to hear the special opening programme, which was provided mainly by local artists, interspersed with good will messages from overseas and within the Colony. (See lower photo, above).

Opening the new service, the Governor (Sir Ronald Garvey) said: “In placing full responsibility for broadcasting in the hands of an independent Commission, with the specific provision that the chair man and a majority of its members should not be Government servants, we are breaking quite new ground.

“I should like to correct any im pression that the Commission is to be Government controlled or directed. It is not.

It will be its own master, in its own house.

“The Government of Fiji has handed over to the Com mission, without any strings attached, the physical possession and full control of this building and its contents, and of the transmitters and re ceivers and other equipment bought for the new service.

It is now the duty of the Commission and its staff to use them in the best interests of all the peoples of Fiji,”

He expressed thanks for help given by the New Zealand Broadcasting Com mission, and Amalgamated Wireless (Aus tralasia), Ltd., which had operated the colony’s broadcasting service for the past 19 years. AWA had advised on the design of the new Broadcasting House, and pro vided and installed the equipment for the expanded service.

Members of the Commission are (top photo), Mr. K. L. Munro (Chairman), Mr.

K. G. Collins (manager of VRH), Hon.

Vishnu Deo, Mr. L. G. Usher (Public Relations Officer). Hon. J. N. Falvey (Deputy Chairman), Mr. W. W. Lewis-Jones (Director of Education), Mrs. I. B.

Chalmers and Livai Volavola. Mr. M. G.

Knapman, not shown, is also a member.

The modern design of Broadcasting House can be seen in lower photograph. —Photos by Fiji Public Relations Office.