AUCKLAND BROADCASTING.

Auckland Star, Volume LXI, Issue 101, 1 May 1930, Page 6

AUCKLAND BROADCASTING.

I would like to know when the Auckland broadcasting station is going to overhaul its plant and bring it up to date. In the country this station is not worth listening to, and from inquiries made it appears it has the original cone speakers (which are now obsolete) still doing duty, therefore it is impossible for it to detect defects in reproduction. Now that better types of receivers and speakers are being sold (reproduction and tone being the main features to-day in place of noise as in the past), it is .essential that the Broadcasting Company procure the latest type of speakers to enable them to detect faults in reproduction. I also give the following suggestions that would, I think, be advantageous to both listeners and dealers. If the Listeners' League and Dealers' Association move as a whole, I think we would get these improvements, and now is the time to act. (1) To try to get the 500-watt stations increased to at least 1000 watts so that they will over-ride static, this, in my opinion, being the only way to make wireless really successful. (2) To request the Broadcasting Company to be on the air during the mornings, say, from ten o'clock. This would not only be' appreciated by listeners, but would allow dealers to demonstrate in clients' homes during the morning instead of having to wait until 3 p.m., as at present. This would benefit country dealers who have to go out anything up to fifty miles to clients who are interested. (3) To get the silent night' abolished. .We were promised; great things when listeners reached 40,000; they now stand at about 52,000. I, for one, would like to know where the improvements have been made; so far I have not noticed an y- COUNTRY DEALER.

[Mr. Barnes, director of IYA radio broadcasting station, when shown the above letter, stated that it was his opinion that bad receiving sets were the cause of the trouble. The IYA broadcasting set was the most up-to-date in New Zealand and it was continually being overhauled to remedy any faults. Official listeners-in were posted at various centres and their, duty was to report faults—a task which they carried out most faithfully. As regards the silent day, Mr. Barnes stated that it was an advantage to the owners of weak sets, who could only get Wellington on the air when Auckland was silent.—Ed.]