Wireless News

Press, Volume LXIX, Issue 20920, 29 July 1933, Page 17

Wireless News

jf;y AWIEJi.] Why all this bother and fuss about cur radio programmes ? The radio which we switch on when we want amusement is quite like the electric stove which we switch on when we want food, or the electric light which we switch on when we want illumination. We buy a radio set. and we pay so much for a license to use it, and we pay so much for the current to run it. And when we switch it on we get music or a talk. Why. then, all this bother and fuss about our radio programmes ? The answer is that we e:;pcct rather more from our radio than from our stove or our light. Fen- electric current is a commodity, and electric radio is rather more than a commodity. Radio music is an art. Radio talk is an art. This is very hard to believe when we listen to our programmes, but nevertheless it is true. The arts exist to Hive u» pleasure and joy. Radio programmes should exist to give us pleasure and joy. And if our radio programmes were chosen by artists, then the radio programmes would give us pleasure and joy. Perhaps this also is hard to believe. Hut suppose for a moment that a wealthy man dies and leaves a sum of money for the purpose of founding an art gallery. The building of this gallery will be entrusted to an architect, and shortly afterwards the gallery is erected. The gallery is not designed by an undertaker, or by a farm labourer, or even by a puolic accountant. And when the "certain amount of money is expended in the purchase of paintings those paintings are not chosen—or rather, should not be chosen--by dentists, or by engine-drivers, or by lawvers. No ; the pictures are chosen —or rather, should bo chosen—by artists. In exactly the same way. our radi > programmes should bo chosen by artists. Thev should not be chosen by people whose sole claim to their choice is that they are excellent technicians, or excellent typists, or excellent accountants. They should be chosen by people who need not necessarily have a great knowledge of radio, but who must have a great knowledge of music. Let us carry the argument a step further. A Latin tag comes to my mind. (Tlease do not think I have a great knowledge of Latin because I mention this. On the contrary, I know only about six short sentences of similar calibre). Quis custodict ipsos custodes? Who w'iW watch the watchers themselves'/ This Latin tag might be paraphrased into: Who will choose the choosers themselves? Who will organise the programme organisers ? The Board. I can only suppose that the programme organisers of the New /.ealand Broadcasting Board are chosen bv the New Zealand Broadcasting Board. What is the New Zealand Broadcasting Board? Let me tell y °The New Zealand Broadcasting Board consists of a Wellington public accountant, a former member of th«. Post and Telegraph Serv.ce. a Canteibun- sheep farmer, and a gentleman from Auckland who has been chairman of the Tramways Commission Now if it were decided suddenly t » stop all broadcasting in New Zealand to turn the studios into shearing sheds to convert all the properties acquired by the board into homes for lost ram-cars, then the above four member™ of the New Zealand Broadcasting Board would obviously be among the best men. in New Zealand for those particular jobs. Now I may be wrong, but I find it hard to believe that these very able men are also men of of the kind particularly " f g in their present function Public accountants are hard-headed, shrewd men A public accountant is expected todeal in figures and in facts. And he is not expected to deal in visions. I may be wrong, but I find it hard to believe that a chairman of the Tramways Commission is a man of vision The quintessence of a tramway system is that each individual tram should return each night to the spot from whence it started its daily journey. And a chairman of a Tramways Commission is not expected to deal in visions. If he did deal in visions, the trams would be off their lines in no time. In fact, I find it hard to believe that any member of the Broadcasting Board is a man of such vision as is here essential. Radio minus Vision. And so long as our Broadcasting Board is not a board actuated by the vision of at least one man, trained and apt to this service, just so long will our programmes be dull, and matter-of-fact, and safe. What can be done? You must understand that the matter is quite simple. We entrust the Broadcasting Board with the sum of approximately £117,000 each year. The Broadcasting Board may safely be trusted to deal with this sum in a manner that becomes men of integrity. Out of this vast sum, the board will acquire radio apparatus, and will acquire new studios, and will acquire admirable systems of accounting for the sums thus spent. But if we say to the Broadcasting Board: "Please give us programmes that a sensitive listener can listen to without pain," the board will look blank. The board will reply: "But you are already getting wonderful programmes. We heard one ourselves the other week, and it was excellent. And we are assured by our programme organisers and by our station directors that the programmes are excellent. We cannot understand you." Radio Lithography. When we go into the art gallery that has been founded by the wealthy man, we know instinctively that inside it we will not find reproductions of pictures from the Christmas Annuals, or cheap lithographs. And the only reason we know instinctively that we will not find these things inside the art gallery is because the pictures have been selected by artists, and not by dentists, or by engine-drivers, or by lawyers. But when we turn on our radio, we know instinctively that our programmes have been chosen by programme organisers. And behind these programme organisers are public accountants, and members of Tramways Commissions, and other admirable members of the community. Admirable members of the community who, nevertheless, appear to possess about as much knowledge of this particular job as has a sea-lion of playing the harp. This is all wrong. We must have on the Broadcasting Board men ior women) with a knowledge of music and a knowledge of literature, and a knowledge of radio in other parts of the world. And if the Broadcasting Board is not elastic, let it be made elastic. Let these men 'or women) be : dded to the boad. And then, but not until then, will our programmes improve.

NOTES FROM FAR AND NEAR

BROADCASTING.

TODAY'S PROGRAMMES. 3YA. CHRISTCHTJK.CH (ftr>o Kilocycles.) |].;;h a.m.: Selected recording. !'!'"' ; licliiv from Kiccartoti Kac-eourso, Ihris.chord. Hunt Club's mooting. 3.0: Selected rccorrtin-K. V..:iD and l.::0: Sports )"- ~,H- ;..n: "children's hour, conducted by Aunt Pat. G.o: Dinner Music. 7.": .New ■ and reports. .".0: Concert programme■ ~ 1,-.-.- of Concert programme Iron) m..i., ■' IYA, Duncdin. 1".": Sport-, Eiimmary. M.i ij 11.10: Dance, music. :>,zc. « i-Oii kilocycles:. |.i „ u, ■ l.isht ree.ordins-. 7 p.m.: V ':V' M'ortin:; results, .-.elected record! .IRS. <■■">■ Station notices. f.O-11.0: nnd da.,.', programme. 2YA, WELLINGTON ,7-.: m Kihi-.rlos.i 1,, a „,. : S.iv|.t.| jcrnrdiii;:-. H'.:'." ■ Devotional service. I'.! noon: J.unoll "'"';"; •.: p.m.: Selected r rdin.,-s. -Mo: lei:.., of Ruirl.v football match from AtbloUc Par): " ;0': Children's hour conducted bj An,it M-'ll.v and Cndo Junior. (1.0: 1 'in'."'' ~,,,,1... 7.i1: N-" : m«l report,. •. [ :'' ° Mr 11. 11. '.Miller. M.A.. Librarian \,,t,r>:v rnher.-ity (.dice. ''A \..-v '• (• s S .-America Tn.rl.iy." *." : ' ""<'""' programme. iK.lny to 'J/.D. Muslcrtoii >. Ju.rturc 'JVA Concert Orchestra, Mo'.v dui-lor Mr 1.-on de .Maunyi. ''U .1 y ninnd (Th-mias) ■- 7: Record, n . ( baritone*. Artbur Vivian. .a) "• ome to the Hall (Mm.ekton): <b> "The Shade ... the lalm Stuart). -U:!: Kecrdin:; (~„ pc-nnn. ;.ms), Florence Desmond. "A llolDunod Part>. >■ 10 Interim/vo. -V \ Concert Orchestra, "Paltering Keel" (Droir). r.'JI: llf t -«.r.l-i„g i„g iducttists). Mellow and K,,;h, A Hunch of the, Brightest and He-t. »■■[<•>■ Selection °Y\ Concert Orcho'tra, UO Wanted 'Adventure" l.ecturette. Mr J. T. Grose, general Mn.iar.er Va.ical Mi.nl, ■■( Nov Zealand. "The Attributes Essential to Success in 1,110. '-COWeather re],ort and notice. o.'J: '•'""J l^' j„~ .descriptive ballad i, Dehroy Mu.nos ll„nd v ,th Norman Allin and CL'tux • ■"- old Unhide" (Wcathcrhi. 0.1": Kh:.thmie Paraphrase. ■_'Y A < one rt Orchestra. .■,.■;,„.-,. r.ivolities" larr. I'.lad:,. (>.,.,: Keeordiii" i vocal OAiartctl, The Hig lour, (a) ••Smile Dam Y... Smile" (Kid,); <b> •■V„„ We,,- My Salvation" (Gilbert'. 0 '-' : Recording (organ). Sydney (,n*,:ir.l, !'■■ Matd, Parade" MVohlc. Recording ~ m,.,|v . 1.-slic Holmes. "There's Ano'hT Trun'.pe; Plawng in the Sky" fi,e Ci.-r.p. ;, -_'T ■ Yalse. 'JYA ('oncer, Orchcs-r:,, "A |.'-A,.,...l du I'la.sir" (Mariei !■"..: • ■ ,„r,!in- (duetsl. Cayto,, and Johnstone 'a •\ I ,t!le Street "hero did Kn-n.K . D-i i Wood- i- i'.i "Ni.-lit after Nijr'nt Ulol'tnuim, i ')",')■ P.eenrdinjr (descriptive duel.' '. Charles Penrose and Kayo Connor '...) "Toe l.uiKhinj,- Wif- and the. Clarinet ,>.<'£">>'■ (1,, '•UuKl.inK I.ovo and the n!d I roml„,„e" (Cr./V) . D.J.i: Sn:te. o"i A f.ot.e.-t Orchestra. ''Sylvan Scenes": (1) ,n lienut>'s Boxer": ('_' t "Syhm Dances ; (Z) "The Pool of NarcDH.is"; (i) Cupi'l' l ('■irnivnl" (Fletcherl. 10.0: Sportm.' summary. in. lr.-l 1.D.: Dance pro S rann.i. DAVENTRT, ENGLAND. .( :;„ a.m.: Time Sicnal from I'.i? 1'.e... Dvorak's New World Symphony (gramophone records] ;,.hi: Dunce .Music fcraino|>)i« i' records,. (Time Signal from Green;.', ich :c .-, :i(... n.io-n.:','>: News Hulletu. e-.d Vunouurements. 11.0 a.m. 1.0 p.m.: Tr....--mission on i:ii oninidirectioii.il aerial. ll.'. ~,„ ■ \ Coio'ert. 11.4."i Mtisbal Comedy p'roe'rnnime ' -ri.mo,. hone rec.rtl: ~ I'J.LV I.ii I..TH. : Orchestral Concert. SUNDAY. 3TA, CHEISTCHURCH. 0.H,, Kilocycles'). 0 a.m.: S, leeted recordinss. I.u ji.c.: l)inner music. -V': SeU- ted i e c ordin>: s . .-,..'i.i: < i.ildreu'. Son- Service by (hildtee of the Trinity Con Kr»-ic:»tionn 1 Sunday School, il. 1.*.: Chimes from the studio. fi.-'iO: Kelay (ii Kveniug Service from Trinity ('nncreirational Church. Preacher. Kev. D. tiardnev .Miller. Organist, Mr r.et. Hoot. 7.1".: Selected rerordinzi.. S.O: Concert pro jramni". Grnmophono I.e. turo Iteeital. "A Musienl Uolidcy in Sunny Italy." arrnntfd o. v Mr Karl Atkinson. 3ZC. , Kilocycles i. !) a.m.: helucted recordinifs. O.'IO p.m.: T'ropframme of String and Orchestral Selections. 7.5.7: Station notices. P.O: Selections from Operas and Classi,■«. 2TA, WELLINGTON. f7L'O Kilocycles.) 0 a.m.: Chimes. Snlectcil 1.0 ]>. m.: Dinner music. 2.0: Selected recordings. 3.0: Recorded talk, Walter Kipn.un, M.A., "Good Speech." ii.TB: Srtb'cted record inijs. (i.O: Children's tSoritf .Service, conducted by Uncle Geortcc, assisted by the Children's Choir from St. .lamos's Presbyterian Church. 7.0: Relay of Evening Service from St. Gerard's Kedemptorist Church, Hawker Street, Wellington. t*.l ."5 fajiprox.) : Concert programme. (Relay to 2ZD, Mnnterton.) "Work." An Atmospheric Presentation in Sonc and Verse, by Mr L. E. Strachan and Miss Mary Cooley. DAVENTBT, ENGLAND. 5.35 a.m.: Time Signal from Big lien. A Roinnn Catholic service from a studio. (Time fiignol from Oreenv.ich at fl.30:) ♦i.O: of Chamber music, ((iramophona records). 7.0-7.15: A Btimmary of th.) week's news. 11.30 n.m.-1.0 p.m.: Transmission on an omni-diroctiona! aerial: Studio concert of light music.