OVER THE AERIAL.

Auckland Star, Volume LXX, Issue 128, 2 June 1939, Page 14

OVER THE AERIAL.

RADIO NOTES. FROM FAR AND NEAR. (By TUNK-IX.) Reginald Sharland (the Honourable Archie), who was out of business for nearly a year, has once more teamed with Eddie Holden (Frank Watanabe). and the pair have started to record a fresh series of '•adventures." The first discs are due in Sydney next month.

If an international agreement is enforced, interferance due to morse should he almost eliminated hy the end of the year. Undor the convention, spark transmitters on ships are to he replaced by January 1 by lower-powered ones, which are designed to lie non-interferin". and which are expected to improve intership communication.

After .some months of research, the 8.8.C. staff announces that about :S2.000.(K)0 people listen regularly to its programmes. Of these, 7.500.000 are under 10 years of age. programe features are rated in this order —variety, theatre organs, military bands, musical comedies, dance music, plays, light music, orchestral music, bra.ss bands, talks discussion* and last of all chamber music.

After listening to the recorded version of Puccini's opvra "Madam Butterfly' , from IYA last Sunday night, and to other operas recently presented from other national stations, one realises that such presentations fall far below those •liven in the past. There is far too much continuity which breaks in every minute or so and spoils the beautiful music. Instead of interrupting the music ■-<->

often, it would lie far better if a sync]) -is was -riven prior to the presentation as was formerly done.

For 1038 the income of the 8.8.C. was £:?.NOO.OOO. Programmes absorbed £1.5<12.000, approximately half the revenue. Six short-wave transmitters, two television units and 17 station* supplying entertainment for the British Ules had to be maintained, television being a particularly costly affair compared with the service rendered. The total number of transmitting hours for the year was 1 1 .">.(»."»)), with a, breakdown percentage of 0.023.

Latest world statistics available show thai America, comes first as a radioowning nation, with 20.133 per cent of sets to population. Xext cfinip Denmark 1S.!)O. Croat Britain IS..V>. Xew Zealand 17.41. Sweden 17.0/>. and Australia 14.7.i. <iermanv's percentage is 1;{.;{!). but elaborate arrangements are made there for mass listening in street*, halls, factories. <.tc. Considering the value placed fin radio liv Mussolini, it is strmifje to find Italy as low as 1 .SO. but here mass listening is provided for.

The principal tool in the Nazi propaganda factory i<s the radio transmitter. It gives thi> <ierman people carefully prepared, one-sided views, ami allows them no opportunity of hearing the other side. Radio prepares the atmospheric background for coining events and listeners accept the ollicial statements implicitly. It. is little wonder, therefore, that tin; (■ovcrninent aims to take wireless into every home. Ami once a set is in it stays. t'neinployed and those unable to pay are relieved from the license fee of 4/ per mouth, and the courts have ruled that a receiver is an indispensable part of the minimum of furniture in a (■ernian household and that it cannot he repossessed by a dealer if payments are not kept up. When a speech is to be delivered by Hitler, ma-s listening meetings are organised in the streets, and employers are compelled to stop work in factories and offices so that workers may listen. FROM IYA NEXT WEEK. Sunday- H.o a.m., selected rerordlnjrs; I I.it. riesiivteiiiin service from St. lihvUl's ('.(lurch: 1 .ii p.m., dinner music; -J.n to i..in, selected recordings, I'ciitunupr, at :!.:!", music 11-om "Tlimirs To Come"; r..u. children's soiiir service; T.ii. \iifrliiHH service I'roru St. Marys Cathedral; lt.:in, concert programme. reaturinjr roe.uillliir*. and. at '.!.."■, a studio presenlat lon li.v Mr. .1. W. llailcy and players o|' ■■I'Ciice l/y the l>ei went." Monday—io.tr. a in.. cominentHi'.v on the military ceremonial parade, relayed from the. domain; from noun, niiinlnir cnnitnentaries on the Auckland Hacinjr Clut)'s meeting, relayed from l.llerslie; 7.:tu. farmers' session; s<.n, concert programme, I'l-H tii riiiK "John iiaiiinv lientleniiin." » Ciaik: Ki.o to ll.ii, niiisic, iniriii and melody. Tuesday—l.:io p.m., educational session, relayed Horn the Teachers' Traillinjr College. Kpsoin; s.o. conceit prn>rianime, fi'aliiriiiM- ri'cordinjfs. and. from lu.n hi I I.u, dance music by Sammy I.ee and his Ameiicanadians, relayed riotn the Melropole Cabaret. Wednesday—7.:io p.m.. ftnnk review; S.o. concert piosriainine, le.it uriiiir a «tudio presentation li.v the Auckland Choral Society. or excerpts Horn the opei.i. "Maritana." by Wallace; ln.o to 11.0 music. mil-11l and melody. Thursday- 7.:ii> p.m.. winter course talk; 8.(1, concert profrriiiiinie, realurinp a talk on "'lutanUhamon In All His liiory.' , li.v Mr, K. .M. Mlaiklock. and. at !i.i>n. a studio concert hy the Auckland Artillery Hand: 10.5 "Chick Webb KnteiTiins"—nil hour or modern dance music, wiili interludes by l.ciT.v Moore. Friday—7.:io p.m.. sports talk by Gordon nutter: 7.i:.. new spoitins feature. "Is .New Zealand Huirli.v lictenonuinfr"—Mark .Mcliolls, All Black in Kiifrland. 1 itt* I. and In South Africa. l'.i-JS, discusses the flveelfrtitlis question; s.ti, reading's from the works or Lord bunsiiny. Maurice Baring and 11. v. Morton, with incidental music'.l.'i, Vincent Aspey, violinist; IU.U to 11.0 music, mirth and melody. Saturday—7.l.", p.m. "Made in New Zealand. ' an industrial discussion among- \ew Zealanders: 8.0. concert programme I'eatiii ins- the studio orchestra: F.va sim.;on, soprano; lu.lo to 11.13. dance music