GROWTH OF RADIO

Press, Volume LXIII, Issue 18916, 3 February 1927, Page 11

GROWTH OF RADIO

PHENOMENAL FIGURES. NEWSPAPERS NOT AFFECTED. [THE fKESS Special Service.] WELLINGTON, February Sir William Noble, a member of ilic London Directorate of tho British General Electric Company, and until recently a director of tlio British Broadcasting Company, arrived in Wellington to-day by the Makura. fair William, wlio was formerly engi-necr-in-ehief to the G.P.0., London, is a firm believer in tlio possibilities of wireless. Ho gavo a brief outline of the remarkable development which has taken place in broadcasting in England iu the space of four years. "I was chairman of the committee which inaugurated broadcasting in England," lie said. "That committee commenced operations in 11)22, and in the four years in which it functioned, the number of licenses issued increased from nought to-2.J millions, u number which far exceeded the most sanguine expectations" of the most optimistic members of tlio comrrfittee.'' Questioned regarding the dissemination of news, Sir William said tlmt the company made an arrangement with all the leading news agencies to supply daily an epitome of the world's news. "What effect' does tho broadcasting of news have on newspapers?" he was asked. ''None at All,' was tho reply. Sir William added that only a resume of news was broadcasted, and if there was an important item people who did not buy newspapers iu the ordinary courne purchased copies iu order to obtain a fuller account. The same think upplied to tho stage. If people enjoyed u play, or portion of a play over the air, they were anxious to go to the theatre to see the complete thing.' Really, the wireless was an excellent advertising medium for tho stage. In regard to beam wireless. Sir William Noble said that great results lmd already been neTiievod at Home, and he believed it was going to be the means of binding tho Mother Country and tho Colonies by even closer ties, if that- were possible. Personally, he believed tho Colonics admired the Mother Country just as much ns the Mother Country udmired tho Colonies. He had lipen particularly struck by the patriotism of the people of Australia and New Zealand.