EMPIRE SERVICE

Evening Post, Volume CXXIV, Issue 133, 2 December 1937, Page 36

EMPIRE SERVICE

DIRECTOR WELL FLEASEDi

The Director of the 8.8.C. Empire Service, Mr. J. B. Clark, has arrived back in England after his world tour to investigate 'matters in connection with the Empire short-wave service.

In an interview, Mr. Clark expressed his pleasure at the wholehearted co-operation offered by radio officials, traders, and the listening public. In . most of the countries he visited he found1 committees, already established to prepare the ground for his inquiries, and so hs was able to make the most of the limited time at bis disposal. . ■"'

Broadcasting frtm the Singapore station of . the British' Malaya Broadcasting Corporati6n, Mr. Clark appealed to listeners to assist the 8.8.C. in the operation of the Empire Service by .making • frequent .reports .on both reception and .programmes. "We want to'know how our .broadcasts are i'being received by. the ■■various-; parts,, of the Empire." Mr.'.Cl^rk/saidi,:"Constructive criticism is welcomed".by the BJ3.C. ■ It -is >,only .when; we ..rec.eive a large .quantity of such material that we are able to. guide development info the- right-channels. We -want-ther-full-est reports possible, on .reception at i different times. of the. day. and dif-; ferpnt times of the year.. ■; J '. j|

"It must be realised that" much is still to be learned about broadcasting. The Empire Short-wave Service is only four and a half years :old. All sorts of difficulties:of a technical nature, as well as. those of broadcasting technique, have to be surmounted."

Mr. Clark was much impressed bjr the growth of broadcasting throughout the Empire, and praised the w.ork; of . the Australian Broadcasting Commission in bringing out great, artists' tn perform,. •to such a sparsely-popu-' lated country. He thought the", pro-' portion- of listeners to population in' Australia (900,000 licences .to 6,500,000 people).\and in New Zealand (250,000 licences, to-1,250,000 people) was remarkable.". '•'-■;'■ ■ ■ ■ • ' In a talk- from 'the Hong Kong, station, Mr. Clark said that one of the main objects of the -Empire Service from the outset had been to act as an Empire exchange,, to < make : .the Empire more aware of itself aiuLits. problems by the free-interchange;;of..ex-perience, which might often, provide entertainment', as well as. infor'rna-i tion. ... . ■■ ' ' ' ■ i

In bringing programmes;from OV.er-C seas to listeners in the United King-! dom, and in giving them also to other) overseas listeners, the 8.8.C. had the ready co-operation of broadcasting -or 4 ganisations throughout the .Empire} without which those reciprocal; pro* grammes would be-.impossible. There' was much evidence, Mr. Clark said] to show that the Empire; as a whole would rely upon broadcasting to make widely available^to. listeners ■ every-;, where maijy. of; England's . brilliantj events. It*' was-ajsp wish ;>of ;',the 8.8.C. to develop■JiTeqiprpcal-''..pro-j grammes in collaboration^with! overseas organisations. ■•<.'• ; ->v Whenever possible, Mr. Clark'"spent an hour each evening listening to ; the Empire programmes.