RADIO HISTORY.

Press, Volume LXVII, Issue 20274, 27 June 1931, Page 10

RADIO HISTORY.

BROADCASTING IN NEW ZEALAND. STEADY PROGRESS MAINTAINED. (Contributed.) The greatest visionary among radio enthusiasts a few years ago would nowadays confess to surprise at the development of broadcasting. It seems -and it really is—but a few years ago since broadcasting was but the plaything of young electricians. Nowadays it is not a novelty or a luxury, but a necessity for a great section of the population who have not the remotest knowledge about the technical side of radio. Six years ago very few people were in any way interested in radio. This I is demonstrated by the fact that when ( the Badio Broadcasting Company was formed, there were only 2300 licensed listeners. The total is now about thirty times that number. When the Broadcasting Company was formed, it proceeded systematically with the task of supplying a service to the people of New Zealand. It carefully laid tho foundations. Tho first essential was, of course, efficient plant and equipment. Tho equipment of the existing amateur stations taken over by the company was replaced by the most up-to-date transmitting apparatus procurable, and installed in new stations, tho appointments of which were in accordance with tho best practice in tho New and Old Worlds. Profiting by the advice of expert consultants overseas, and personal visits abroad by officials of the Broadcasting Company, the YA stations have been maintained at the highest pitch of efficiency. The company has not been backward in acting on any recommendation or in introducing or testing any new piece of apparatus.

Six Years Reviewed. With the erection and equipping of the stations, the Broadcasting Company proceeded with the selection of its officers and the organisation of its staff. As it is stated that at the four stations and at the administrative offico, Christchurch, the staff totals nearly 100, some idea of the extent of the company's organisation can be gleaned. When tho charter was granted the Broadcasting Company, the Government imposed conditions as to tho extent and quality of the service to be given. AIJ requirements in this respect have been more than fulfilled. As an instance, within a very short time the broadcast hours had been increased to three times, the minimum required by the Government. Throughout the whole of the" air years, steady development and extension have marked all phases of the service. This development has kept pace with tho ever-in<yeasing revenue, which has been returned in service to listeners. Very many outstanding events have marked the programmes from the YA stations during the past six years. The company has never been backward in seizing the opportunity for "stunts." At times, as in the case of the'transTasman flights, the stations have remained on tho air for 24 hours. Broadcasts outside of the ordinary scheduled hours have been too numerous to mention. They have covered all manner of occasions—two-way conversations with New York on the occasion of Rear-Admiral Byrd's arrival in Dunedin (this was the first successful effort at radio telephony attemptod "from New Zealand); rebroadcasts of historic happenings in Britain and America, sucli as tho speech of the King when opening a Peace Conference: the Prince of Wales opening the British Exhibition in the Argentine; the first broadcast by the Pope from the Vatican City; the Oxford-Cambridge boat races, and a great variety of other overseas events £ts broadcasts by tho British shortwavestation SSW. Locally, all events that can be broadcasted and that are worth broadcasting are covered whenever possible. Stations are frequently linked up and simultaneous broadcasts take place. On occasions, relay lines totalling miles have been in u^c. . New Zealand -Talent. The organi&ing of concert programmes, which are the backbone of the service, is a most exacting task. New Zealand, it should be; remembered, has a limited supply of talent —not as toquality .so much as in quantity, and it is well distributed. While tin New Zealand the talent available in the four cities represents the talent" of only half a million people, tho population of Sydney, from whom artists are available for broadcasting, is almost equal to the population of the whole of New Zealand. It is concentrated in one city, not distributed among four. The amount of revenue derived by" the Broadcasting Company also provides' an informative comparison. For economic reasons it is not practicable to import overseas artists, but when. overseas artists visit Now Zealand every effort is made io engage them for broadcasting. Almost . invariably, however, their contracts specifically debar them from going on the air. It is the practice of the company, however, to "tour" outstanding New Zealand artists. Christcharch talent has been heard from IYA, Auckland, 2YA. Wellington, and 4YA, Dunedin. Only recently, Margherita a Dunedin coloratura soprano of outstanding merit, completed a series of engagements at all tho YA stations. The company has plans in train for the regular touring of other prominent radio performers. While the world's most famous artists are not available in person for the YA listeners, their voices are, by means of electrical recordings. The development of radio was responsible for the vast improvement made in the process of recordings, which is nbw at a stage of excellence which cannot be surpassed. Electrical recordings now run the whole gamut of the frequencies of vocal and instrumental music which can be heard by the human ear. By means of the latest electrical equipment thsee recordings are faithfully reproduced and put on the air. The quality of the reception in the home then depends on the capability of the receiving set. ' Recorded Programmes. Recorded programmes, or "electrical transcriptions," enjoy a great vogue >n America, where it is not practicable for the leading artists to. perform :n peraon, and where the difference in clock time is a serious handicap to the carrying out of relays. Recorded programmes solve these problems, and it was with a view to introducing variety

into the New Zealand programmes that the Broadcasting Company investigated the possibility of securing' a supply of these recordings for New Zealand. The result of the company's investigations is to be seen in the popular international programmes, composed of selected features'from overseas entertainments.. The contributing artists are all of international reputation, for artists from all parts of the world flock to America, where they know they can command high fees. These programmes cost the Broadcasting Company £IOO or more for a series. For Country Listeners. The importance of catering for the countryman has always been a matter of prime consideration with- the Broadcasting Company, and the interests and: convenience of the farmer were carefully, taken into account at ihe outset, when the timetable:' of sessions was prepared. Since then it is only after studying the interests of farmers that

any alterations in the timetable of sessions Is made. The news session from 7 to 8 p.m. was primarily introduced for the fanning community, and the dinner music session was also introduced largely for the benefit of farmers who cannot listen-in t s o the whole of the evening's concert. The hours set aside for these different sessions have been arranged so as to coincide with the most suitable time fctr the people on the land to listen-in. and .obtain some measure of enjoyment from the service. Such a seemingly small thing as the broadcasting of the time, for instance,, which is now accepted as part &£ the service, was introduced for the benefit of the country people. Apart ,from frequent announcements" of tfce. time broadcast at stated intervals, theehimes of the Post Office clocks' in th.e. ichief cities, are relayed to the various stations and broadcast; -v , The 9 p.m.-weather report; is'primarily for the farming community,' *nd , in order to render thecouhtry people as much help as possible with the^-crops.

special sessions aro arraogtd v&enhy weather reports are broadaait .= ■■'■! day during certain periods farming operations. As an bsoSwit • the immense value of then-matter '• reports to the farmers, daring winter,, .the approach of &- Vwckt St«n> " r was foretold by the Go vernmeatUtiero. ological Office, W ; graphed io each atatioa, announced and to make' preparations «n_-- jflj instituted with the idea " the interests of "J and' race | race results are ■ • on the air thre The children 's jg i equally for. those l M | tlje past yj»v^laxge" | for country children. * ] I committees, whose duty | for suitable broadcast lectures is arranged aail The Broadcasting 'that thfr outstanding-asefl.ot Zealand, service at the so that listeners in eorofe^WHM^| lnay. obtain a service already being enjoyed the four: main centres, aM4sjs&^f4|Mngn the existing stations. PvopojWb^jWpH company to provide, e^BsiMiS'3ftt?TO|^H character , were' embodied'ia prepared and submitted ta ment early ixt 1329.. This stiUBmSMH vided for the 7 inatallatio&of planned system of relay stoav^WvP^H in the more prominent proTiawgPml|i| These stations, linked up-by MmBMmH to: the zaaiu stations, available in the country dutwH|l£HH more efficient service than St is^WHW|»n to .give from the existiag affected as they .are by conditions beyond ' the A further major reqoiltwa^t^^j^^H , man-made interference J9mhH|9H of highest standard andJhMm@s!fflß®B| in this way. The sompto^^»J^o|^™* made as investigation .of .raa^jjl3®|||g® ference with a view^to,, proposals for' dealing had the Government. called' company to renew its wntta^i^E^^M