Australian Control Board

Year ended 30 June 1956 here

 9th Report ended 30 June 1957 here

1957/58 here

1958-59 here

1961-62 here 

30 June 1967 here

1957-58

primarily financial, in the production and presentation of live drama programmes: the cost of producing such a programme is, at present, far in excess of the amount which is likely to be met by an Australian sponsor, and, at this stage, it does not seem reasonable to expect stations to carry any substantial amount of such programmes as a “ station feature ” or “ sustaining programme ”. The Board would be disturbed if stations failed to keep the possibility of this type of production in mind, and it was pleased to note that, at the end of the period under review, some stations had plans for the presentation of Australian dramatic productions.

1958-59

 Some success has been attained in the presentation of dramatic productions of local origin, particularly with longer plays. However, one series of dramatic programmes failed to retain popularity and was discontinued after a number of episodes had been presented. Stations are confronted with the problem of competing, in production standards, with imported programmes the production of which would cost much more than is available under the present economic limits for an Australian production. Several commendable attempts to promote the use of the services of Australians have met with rather disappointing results, and it appears that there is some evidence that the earlier estimates of the extent of Australian talent which would be available for television programmes have not been realized. There is, in particular, a very real need for competent television writers and it is to be hoped that Australians with the natural ability to write will realise the need to acquire the special technique required for this medium, which, as overseas experience has shown, makes unusual demands on all who work in it.