OVER THE AERIAL

Auckland Star, Volume LXIII, Issue 178, 29 July 1932, Page 13

OVER THE AERIAL

RADIO NOTES

FROM FAB AND NEAR,

(By PHONOS.)

"The Sea Devil" is the title of the sea story to be given by Lee Fore Brace at 9 p.m. to-morrow, from IYA.

In regard to transmission improvement, 3YA is to take precedence of IYA. The Southern station caters for a much smaller number of listeners, but, judging by the commission's report, its radiating powers compare unfavourably with those of our own station in eo far as local service is concerned, so that Aucklanders will not grudge Christchurch being given prior consideration.

Those listeners who are able to secure a copy of the Coverage Commission's report will find it interesting reading. The compilers have handled many technical matters in an excellent way, making them clearly understandable to the lay mind. The explanatory remarks regarding fading are worthy of note by all listeners. So are the comments upon heterodyning, and the manner in which this nuisance can be lessened.

The board has apparently decided against an alternative station in each cemtre, and is concentrating upon the extension of hours in ite own plants. It is obvious that financial restrictions would prevent both steps being taken at thie juncture, and the decision, under the circumstances, ie a wise one. The time will eoon arrive, however, when it will be neceseary here, as in Sydney, to use two stations, at least on some occasions, if the varied desires of listeners are to be fully supplied.

The new regulations provide that gramophone records may be used at any time. Under the old arrangement with the company, the use of records in the evening programmes was limited to 25 per cent. ■ The popularity of the recorded programme on the air, and the great scope it allows for a programme organiser with initiative, have probably resulted in the dropping of the old restriction. There is a provision that all recorded items must be announced as such, permission being granted to indicate the title, number and make of the record itself. There will now be no opportunity to slip ill an orchestral record in lieu of an actual orchestral performance in the studio, without announcing the change.

Extract from the commission's report: "The transmitter has made great strides during the past five years, and the modern type is capable of furnishing a quality and performance that leave little to bo desired, and that are greatly superior to that of earlier models." This is disquieting newe to listeners, £58,000 of whose money is to go in payment for taken-ovcr assets, the biggest items of which are four transmitters that apparently fail to come up to the commission's definition of "modern."

The items from IYA next week include:—Sunday, relay of the Unitarian Church service and of the Municipal Band concert; Monday, relay of the wrestling bouts; Tuesday, recordings, and a talk on "Dublin" by Mr. A. F. Stewart; Wednesday, a studio concert, ro which Madame 'Margerhita Zelanda and the Moore Sisters will contribute, and a recording of a talk on "Modern N T ovels," by Mr. J. B. Priestley; Thursday, Madame Zelanda (soprano) and Mr. Rejr. Morgan (baritone), the orchestra, and a talk on "Rocket and Life-Saving Apparatus," by Captain H. H. Sergeant; Friday, Mrs. jellard (contralto), Mr. A. E. Wilson (organ' solos), Mr. Ralph Eekrigge (tenor), Miss Mamie Reid (piano), the Regal Saxophone Quartet, and a talk by Mr. Julius Hogben; Saturday, the Lyric Four in concerted and solo numbers, the Zelozo Trio, Norman Dudley's Hawaiian Quartet, Mr. Tom Harris and a company in a songstory.

For the first time we are made aware of the proportion of crystal sets in the Dominion. The drop in a few years from over 50 to under 15 per cent indicates how many modern receivers must have been sold recently.

One peculiar point tliat remains in the mind after perusing the regulations is the number of cases of prohibition or restriction, the effectiveness of which may be nullified by Ministerial permission. There seems to be an undue amount of this.

The most important point to listeners in Mr. Vickery's pronouncement of board policy is the intimation that the hours of the other three national etations are to be extended to conform with those of 2YA. At last we shall have morning broadcasting, and shall bid farewell to the silent, or semi-silent, night.

The after-church programme from IYA on Sunday night was of a moet disappointing nature. On an occasion when more sets are operating than at any other period of the week, listeners are eurely entitled to something brighter and more generally attractive than was the programme as a whole on Sunday night. One of lYA's greatest failures ie its lack of adequate catering for the public on the alternate Sunday evening to that of the Municipal Band programme, and even that programme might be improved by the interpolation of one or two vocal items. It ie little wonder that 2YA proves a far greater draw than our local station between 8.30 and 10 p.m. on Sundaj r s.

For all interested in broadcasting, the week has been a momentous one. First comes a huge budget of Departmental regulations; follows the excellent report of the Coverage Commission; finally the chairman of the board speaks cautiously regarding future policy. The regulations contain some points of particular interest. In future the operator in charge of any broadcasting station, national or private, must be qualified by examination to hold his position. Announcers must be approved by the Department. All stations are required to have a modulation capability of at least, 75 per cent. IYA is declared by the Coverage Commission to be capable of only 50 per cent modulation, so the natural question arises as to what is to be done with our main local station to make it comply with regulations. And when is it to be done?