BROADCASTING HOURS

Press, Volume LXXXIII, Issue 25306, 4 October 1947, Page 10

BROADCASTING HOURS

EXTENSION FROM MONDAY

EXTRA HOUR AND HALF EACH WEEK DAY - (P.A.) WELLINGTON. October 3. From next Monday all broadcasting stations will close down for three halfhour periods each week-day instead of as at present for three' hours each week-day. Until further notice, stations will close down from 8.10 a.m. to 8.40 a.m.. from 11.30 a.m. to noon, and from 5.30 p.m. to 6 p.m. on Mondays to Fridays each week. Announcing this to-day, the Minister in charge of Broadcasting (Mr F. Jcnes) and the Minister in charge of the State Hydroelectric Department (Mr R. Semple) said that while the conservation of electricity still remained of paramount importance, some relaxation in the restrictions on broadcasting was now warranted.

In the North Island, the use of electricity was still too high, but it was considered that the small economies which were necessary could be made by consumers without undue effort, particularly if the use of power for water-heating was more carefully watched. South Island consumers, on the other hand, were using less power than was allocated to them.

The Ministers said there was little doubt that the drastic reductions in broadcasting hours introduced this winter were severely felt by listeners, particularly by persons in country areas, by hospital patients, and by the infirm and sick. The Government expressed thanks to all who had cooperated in saving power by switching off receiving sets when broadcasting stations were off the air.