BROADCASTING.

Auckland Star, Volume LXIV, Issue 125, 30 May 1933, Page 9

BROADCASTING.

EMPIRE SERVICE. 8.8.C.'S VAST ORGANISATION. TELEVISION EXPERIMENTS. (By Telegraph.—Own Correspondent.) - WELLINGTON, this day. A frank admission that the Empire radio service has . been most unsuccessful in relation to Now Zealand was given by Mr. Malcolm Frost, of the British Broadcasting Corporation, in an interview with the " Star" correspondent. Mr. Frost also gave some remarkable facts showing the enormous development of radio broadcasting in Britain during recent years. "The 8.8.C. effects a complete coverage of the British Isles by what is known as the ' regional' scheme," explained Mr. Frost. "Twin transmitters, situated at strategic points of the country, ensure that every listener, oven with a crystal set, is able to obtain at least two different programmes. One transmitter in each group broadcasts what is known as tiie national programme, originating usually in Broad-. casting House, London, and of interest to all listeners throughout the islands. The other transmitter broadcasts a ' regional' programme from local studios of interest usually only to those listeners in the service area or province covered by the local station. All regional transmitters broadcast with a power of 70 kilowatts in the aerial. British listeners with valve receivers are, therefore, able to pick up the national programme on several channels, and at the same time may tune in a number of regional • stations broadcasting different local programmes. Immense Radio Centre.

"Broadcasting House, London, is the largest of its kind in the world," continued the 8.8.C. oflk'ial. "it contains 22 studios, one capable of seating 750 persons as well as a full orchestra. There are over one mile of corridors in the building, 1250 stairs, and over 00 miles of wiring. Forty-three thousand tons of material was excavated to make room for the foundations.

"The 8.8.C. maintains at Broad' , casting House the National Symphony Orchestra of 115 players, the Wireless Military Band, Henry Hall and his dance orchestra, and the 8.8.C. Theatre Orchestra. Permanent orchestras are also stationed at the regional centres in Edinburgh, Belfast, Manchester, Birmingham, and Cardiff. Members of the 8.8.C. staff working in Broadcasting, House number over 700.

"Tile new long-wave transmitter which is to be opened by the 8.8.C. at Droitwich next year will be one of the most powerful in the world, and will operate with a power of 100 kilowatts in the aerial. It will he heard by crystal set owners all over the British Isles. There are now nearly six million wireless licenses issued to listeners in Great Britain. "Of special interest to overseas visitors is the television studio, whence programmes, are broadcast regularly four times a< week. While, there is no doubt that television is still only in the experimental stage, and yet not of entertainment value to the ordinary listener, the 8.8.C. is anxious to further experiments in this direction in every possible way, and has therefore arranged these transmissions for the benefit of experimenters, both professional and amateur." Empire Service Experiments. Speaking of the Empire service, Mr. Frost said that while reception from Daventrv had been most unsuccessful in New Zealand, Australia, and the Pacific Islands, results attained in other parts of the Empire had shown that the service was well 1 worth while. He wished to reassure New Zealand listener* that every effort was being made in London to improve the service to the Antipodes at the earliest possible moment. The Post and Telegraph Department and the New Zealand Radio Board were co-opera-ting with the 8.8.C. in every possible way, and as soon as further experiments had been conducted and the relative data obtained in London, he had no doubt that improvement would result. . Recorded Programmes., Meanwhile, the series of Britieh programmes which had been recorded specially in London had been purchased by the New Zealand Radio Board, and would be heard by listeners throughout the Dominion in the very near future. These, programmes were all of different types, and both the New Zealand Radio Board and the 8.8.C. were most anxious to know which' were most appreciated by listeners. A synopsis. of New Zealand criticism received by the. Radio Board would be sxibmitted in due course to the 8.8.C. authorities in London. The first of these recorded programmes is to be heard from I.YA (Auckland), and 2iA (Wellington) on Sunday next, June 4. Mr. Frost, who is going, to Auckland at the end of the will talk to New Zealand listeners from ;the four main YA stations at the conclusion of this programme.'Samples of the recorded programmes already prepared were reproduced by Mr. Frost. It was evident that the radio artistes are. collected to give a special series of their most successful items for overseas reproduction .' through the medium of gramophone records. Thus it is possible adequately to introduce them to unfamiliar audiences, and to explain any special features of the prooramme from the viewpoint of the overseas listener. The quality of the re* cordin" seemed excellent, and the arrangement well planned to give a brisk and bright programme.