THE C STATIONS

Evening Star, Issue 21090, 30 April 1932, Page 4

THE C STATIONS

Further to the. short article in last week’s notes regarding the establishment of C stations in Australia, tho Postmaster-General (Mr J. Fenton) explained that these stations would broadcast only the highest class ot music and discussions on the most important literary, scientific, and intellectual movements of tfio day. They would, in no way. interfere with existing stations.

Comment has been made recently by musical societies and other learned bodies that little provision has been made for broadcasting matter suited to the most cultivated musical, artistic, and literary tastes. It has been pointed out that the A class programmes must necessarily be designed to meet tfio requirements of all types of listeners, and that, while this was commendable, it gave little scope for the programmes of a character which would have the greatest appeal to the intellectual public. Mr Fenton said that for some months his department had been considering this matter. When the proposed broadcasting commission was functioning smoothly, an effort would bo made to establish one C class station in each capital city. On one day weekly, at. least, a programme would bo rendered without tho distraction of the more “ popular ” forms of entertainment Grand opera, classical concerts, chamber music, lectures by eminent scientists and litterateurs, and other activities of a similar nature would be broadcast. Arrangements were being completed in England for an Empire broadcasting programme which would reach all corners of the Empire. Programmes from the Albert Mall would doubtless he broadcast, and relayed throughout Australia by the C class stations. The Minister said tho designation C class should not bo taken to mean that the programmes would bo thirdrate. This was merely a convenient classification. They would rank in importance at least with tho A class stations.

A suggestion that tho U class stations would broadcast on wave lengths above 1,000 metres, thus necessitating the abandonment of all radical alteration of most of the present receiving sets, was ridiculed by the Director of Postal Services at Melbourne (Mr H P Brown). The wave lengths would he in the 200-600 metre band. It was intended that one of these stations should be employed in each capital city.