PLANS FOR 1938

Evening Post, Volume CXXV, Issue 28, 3 February 1938, Page 28

PLANS FOR 1938

THE EMPIRE SERVICE

A fortnight ago the 8.8.C. completed five years of Empire broadcasting, in an article in -'8.8.C. Empire Broadcasting," an official journal of >tlie 8.8.C., the Empire Programme Director, Mr. J. C, S. MacGregor, discusses plans for 1938. What ot the sixth year? he asks. How . will' it differ from its predecessors? How can we at. Broadcasting House improve the service? And how can you, in Auckland or Vancouver, in Lagos or Bombay, Port Stanley or Port Elizabeth, help in this further improvement? REAL SECRET OF PROGRESS. Perhaps my last, question itself suggests the answer, lor we are convinced that closer co-operation between listeners and broadcasters is the real secret ol progress. In all the changes we make inthe lay-out of the programmes we are trying to meet the convenience of some "at least of our audience—which is to say, of you. And so it is vital that you should let us know what changes you want. Of course it may happen—it often does—that what is seuce for the goose is anything but sauce for the gander, because habits and tastes vary enormously. At thu same time, the study we are always making of your needs and wishes sometimes reveals things which would certainly make for general satisfaction. The problem then arises whether the change is; practicable. If it is, it is put into effect. If 1 have perhaps laboured this point of collaboration, I am frankly unrepentant, because it really is of the utmost importance. A very good case in point arises now—in the closing of the gap between Transmissions 2 and 3. This is the biggest change we are making at the opening of the New Year, For a long time it has been recognised as desirable; it could not give^'offence to any section of our audience. But it is only now that it has become possible to bring it about. We ourselves share the satisfaction ■which will surely be felt in the Far East when Daventry is no longer forced to go off the air during those twenty minutes of popular listening time. On and after January 2 Transmission 2 will end, as at present, at 1.55 p.m. (G.M.T.). after the news, but Transmission 3 will follow without a break. A second change to take effect is in the .timing of the news in Transmission 1. For some time past'the bulletin has been placed so as to leave twentyfive minutes or half an hour of programme time after the end of the news. We are now reverting to 1 the old plan of keeping the news till the because in that way we have greater flexibility of programme building and can make fuller use of longer features. In the spring and summer, when propagation conditions make earlier timing of Transmission 1 essential, we believe it will be found an advantage to have the news as late as possible. NEXT WEEK'S PROGRAMMES. Another innovation is an item on Friday in all transmissions, shown as "Next • Week's Programmes." Friday has always been our day for telling listeners about the coming week's plans, but these announcements have been tacked on to the end of the news, and have sometimes had to be hurried through or curtailed. Now that they are to have a recognised period, independent of other programme commitments, they should be more consistently useful. In particular, we are thinking of those listeners who have no access to published programmes. For them, the longer period now to be made available for programme announcements will be a real boon. As for: programme features,-the New Year will continue many established favourites, such as "Music Hall," "In Town Tonight," "At the Black Dog," and—in a different sphere—"World Affairs," "Empire Exchange," and "Food for Thought." "The Old Folks at Home" will still be heard every four weeks, and the series of recitals of classical music will still come week by week in Transmissions, 1, 2, and 5. A newcomer to the Daventry programmes will be a serial feature to be called "Take Your Choice,", incorporating comedy, light music, and thrills; and we are arranging a>fortnightly programme of popular _ music, to be presented in a framework of dialogue. In the sphere of talks, the outstanding new series in the coming months, is called "The Way of Peace." In it, distinguished authorities are to discuss ways out of the world's present difficulties, and we feel that the arguments must be of interest to the Englishspeaking peoples of the world. And that leads me to the next , point to mention, a series of broadcasts by Professor A. Lloyd James on the English language. Is it true now to speak of the English language, or is that language in fact breaking up into a number of similar but distinct languages' in the Dominions and America? That is one of the points to be examined. Then again, we propose to broadcast in Transmission 1 discussions between an Englishman and an Australian, and between an Englishman and a New Zealander. on matters of common concern, along the same sort of lines as the Anglo-Canadian discussions which have been heard in Transmission 5- (and which'are to bo continued). The musical programmes will be wide in scope, with regular use of the Empire Orchestra in concerts light and serious, and of fine artists and combinations as opportunity offers. We have taken due note of widespread requests for more military band music and for music from various parts of the British Isles, and are doing what we can to meet them. This matter, of interest in particular areas, is one we have very much in mind, and we are hoping that "Actuality" programmes such as "Made in Great Britain" and "The Microphone at Large" will help to give a picture of the Old Country and its activities. At the same lime, ■ the 8.8.C. is in touch with broadcasting organisations overseas, with the object of reflecting life in the Dominions and colonies in programmes to be rebroadcast to the Empire as a whole. If plans mature as we hope, a special programme of this kind will be coming every month, in addition to miscellaneous contributions of the kinds which have been heard from Daventry in past years. _ Light entertainment, serious, music, reflections of life in allparts'of this great Commonwealth, news and comment on current events—the Empire service is going ahead in all its aspects, and it will be our constant aim to serve you, the listeners of the Empire. \ t