RADIO SERVICES.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXVI, Issue 20249, 8 May 1929, Page 14

RADIO SERVICES.

AUSTRALIAN BROADCASTING.

FEDERAL GOVERNMENT'S PLAN

NETWORK OF 24 STATIONS

[FROM OUR OWN CORRESPONDENT.]

SYDNEY. May 2,

Any development in broadcasting in Australia is of vital interest to owners of receiving sets in New Zealand, for so many of them are able'to listen-in to Australian programmes long after their own local stations havo closed for the night. In assuming the control of broadcasting throughout the Commonwealth the Government plans to improve the existing services and to this end has laid down very strict conditions to be observed by the company which is successful in securing the contract to provide programmes. The programmes will be subject to censorship by an officer appointed by the Postmaster-General, and it is also required that they should set a high standard, with due thought to those who expect education over the air,. The Government proposes to establish within the next four years a complete network of 24 stations, linked by land lines, so as to enable a particular programme, or any part of it, to be broadcast throughout the Commonwealth at a given time. The postal, director, Mr. Brown, explained that the eight existing "A" class stations would be retained and their call signs would bo unaltered. There would be no immediate interference with the wave lengths, but ultimately the department would have to consider this matter and would probably arrange a reallotment.

In addition to tlie existing stations, 16 subsidiary stations, says Mr. Brown, would be established at important country centres. The tentative construction programme provided for the construction of three of these by the end of the programme contractor's first year—about tho middle 'of July nest year. Six more would be provided by the end of tha second year, and seven by the end of the third year. Mr. Brown pointed out that the subsidiary stations would not merely be relay stations. When not being used for relay purposes they would be transmitting independent programmes, part of which would bo provided locally and part by the general contractor. At any one time, however, it would be possible to broadcast a single programme over the whole network of stations. This would mean that a speaker standing before a microphone in, say, Sydney, could be heard by listeners throughout the Commonwealth.

To achieve this linking up a great extension of tl>e existing trunk line telephone equipment would be necessary. The cost of such extensions would be borne by the Government. Tasmania would have its own station, and in addition would be linked to the main network over a special channel, to be provided in the wireless telephony installation between the mainland and the island, for which tenders have been called.

It lias been explained that under the new system 2BL and 2FC, in Sydney, and 3AR and 3LO in Melbourne, will still be operated as separate stations. Every effort would be made to avoid duplication of programmes which were broadcast. Programmes would be so arranged that they would cater for a variety of tastes. Local consultative committees would have the power to suggest alterations in the programmes. Quality rather than quantity will be the aim of the department.. There seems to be no prospect of a reduction of fees.