RADIO RECORD

Greymouth Evening Star, 18 February 1937, Page 12

RADIO RECORD

NOTES FOR LISTENERS-IN

(By

“Reception”)

BROADCASTING IN 1936. empire service developments In a brief review of outstandingevents in British broadcasting during the year 1936. the BBC states that aggregate programme transmission time for all transmitters (excluding the Empire station) was 71,608 Hours 21 minutes. The corresponding figure toi last year was 68,795 hours 38 minutes. The breakdown percentage was O.Oai, as compared with 0.026 per cent last year The aggregate programme ti aimmission time of the Empire transmitters was 12,608 hours 33 minutes. Good progress has been made with large-scale extensions to the Empii e Station at Daventry. Three transmitters of considerably higher power than those now in operation have been ordered, and it is hoped that all three will be in,, operation by the early Summer of 1937. Eight additional masts are being erected to support an impioied aerial system, which is the outcome

of experiments carried out at the Empire Station since it was first put into service in 1932. The existing Empire short-wave transmitters at Daventiy have continued to provide reception in. most parts of the Empire and other parts of the world. Correspondence with and reports from listenei s and organisations overseas have been productive of useful information and helpful suggestions. The Empire service has now completed its fourth year of regular working. The daily schedule covers more than seventeen hours of broadcasting, as the sixth period of transmission, designed primarily for listeners in Western Canada, was increased in April last to two hours daily (from 2 a.m. to 4 a.m., G.M.T). The year’s work was marked by two main tendencies viz., a. substantial growth in the number and scope of incoming broadcasts from the. Empire overseas, and steady progress towards a more systematic and varied schedule of programme material outgoing from Daventry, especially in the fields of musib and talks. More than thirty broadcasts from the Empire overseas were arranged and carried out with the co-operation of Post Office technicians and broadcasting authorities in

the Dominions and the Colonies. . As .regards outgoing programmes, the News; has clearly held its place as the most important branch of the Empire. service during a year of exceptional anxiety. With News may be bracketed a series of weekly reviews of world affairs. Other series of talks designed to interest overseas listeners are now a regular part of the programmes. Similarly, in music, drama, and variety, an increased staff has made it possible to consider more closely the special needs of various parts of the Empire, especially in areas where, owing to time. differences, the outstanding programmes broadcast in the home country cannot be heard. ‘ It would be impossible to over-esti-mate the effect produced by the regular transmission from Daventry of the bulletins during the last illness of His late Majesty King George V„ and of the funeral and other ceremonies. These undoubtedly promoted 1 a feeling of unity throughout the Empire. Three broadcasts by the ex-King Edward VIII —his message to the Empire, early in March, his unveiling of the Canadian National War Memorial at Vimy, in July, and his farewell speech following his abdication, in December, were similarly made audible all over the world through the Empire Station.

TELEVISION. During the month of May, new members of the Television programme staff began to join for duty at Alexandra Palace. They were occupied for about three months in studying BBC policy and sound broadcasting technique and organisation. By the first week in August, the whole Television programme staff had started duty at the London Television Station. The planning of the service and of the necessary facilities for handling it had had the continuous attention of the skeleton staff for almost a year. On August 25, special experimental transmissions were carried out to demonstrate Television to the public at Radiolympia. Two transmissions took place daily, from 11 a.m. to 12 noon, and from 3 to 4 p.m., until September S, the Baird and Marconi-E.M.I. systems being used on alternate days. Programmes consisted of a set variety pro-

gramme for the ten days, a film newsreel changed every three days, a documentary film and a specially prepared series of excerpts from outstanding entertainment films of 1936. Transmissions discontinued when Radiolympia closed to enable the BBC engineering staff to ‘take over’ from the Baird and Marconi-E.M.I. organisations, and the programme staff to acquire technique and prepare for the more elaborate experimental transmissions from Octobei 1 to October 28. These were broadcast by the Baird and AiarconiE.M.I. systems in alternate weeks. During- that period, film news-reels, short film subjects, and direct programmes consisting of variety, ballet, and excerpts from stage plays, and ou<side broadcasts in Alexandra Park of items of instructional, sporting, and topical interest, were included. The London Station was officially opened on November 2. by the 1 ost mastci -General. The. programme was transmitted first by the Baird, then repeated on the Marconi-E.M.I. system. A film newsreel and a short variety entertainment followed the opening speeches in each case. A sho -t film, made by the Television programme staff, suggesting the activities ol Television up to the opening of the I service, had been completed in time! tor transmission in the first service I programme on the evening <,f Novem-j her 2.

Following ihe opening eerenioiiv. piogrammcs lasting one hour from 3 l’ m - t<> I P.m. and from !» p.m to In P.m.. were televised regularly on week as before SyHtCln :i,lernalin - weekly SO UN D It ECO 11 DING. Among the manifold general broadcasting activities, grea" r use has been ... ' ' !,i ’' or ; nd recording ■o' ■ i-’Him-.ms install..! at the Maida Vale premises have been supplemented by two mobile recording units using

disc methods. Much attention has been devoted to the design and acoustic treatment of studios. As a result, the arrangement of many studios has been modified, whilst greater accuracy is now possible, in the design of projected studios. Further study of the problems involved in synchronising two or more high-power transmitters on a common wavelength has been reflected in the improved performance of the London, North, and West National transmitters and in the synchronising of the new transmitter at Burghead with the Scottish Regional transmitter. Work along these lines is being continued in the hope that the Corporation may be able to provide an improved service in certain districts. Improvements have been made in methods of recording programmes and a test period with a new system employing film has begun. The Corporation’s checking station at Tatsfield has continued to co-operate with the checking station of the International Broadcasting Union at Brussels in making regular measurements of the wavelengths of European stations. Its activities have been extended to cover measurements of stations in the short wavebands used for longdistance broadcasting. Programmes radiated in America and elsewhere were picked up for re-radiation to Home and Empire listeners.

The Committee, upon which the BBC is represented, set up by the Institution of Electrical Engineers to investigate electrical interference with broadcasting, presented its report in July. In this report, it was recommended that the Electricity Commissioners should be given powers to issue regulations for the suppression of such interference. A preliminary examination of interference with television reception has been made. SCHOOLS. In 1935 the BBC decided to grant the Central Council for School Broadcasting a greater measure of independence, the BBC to retain over-riding power in respect of Corporation policy, finance, and programme production. The necessary reorganisation has been carried out during the year 1936, giving effect to this policy.

Evidence of increasing interest on the part of local education authorities in the work of school broadcasting is furnished by the growth in the number of effective listening schools. In England and Wales the figures have risen between November, 1935, and November, 1936, from 3,621- to 5,296. These figures include secondary schools, of which 433 were listening in 1935 and 642 have been listening in 1936. The programme of courses for England and Wales consists of twenty-five broadcast talks a week, one for infants, seven for juniors, eleven for seniors, and six for secondary school pupils. The Scottish programme consists of twenty-one courses adapted to the needs of pupils in primary schools, advanced divisions, and secondary schools.

On the technical side, the Council is pursuing inquiries in connection with the suggestion made in the Ullswater Report that the BBC or the Council in confutation with manufacturers might design a set (or series of sets) especially for school use.

The Council is seeking the co-opera-tion of University Training Departments and Training Colleges to secure that teachers going out into the schools should have some experience of handling a broadcast lesson with a class. FOREIGN BROADCASTS. In 1936 there was an increase in the number of programmes taken from abroad by land line, by radio channel, and by direct pick-up from foreign short-wage transmitters. Three regular series of programmes were taken': ‘Transatlantic Bulletin’ news commentaries, ‘Five Hours Back’ light variety programmes from the United States, and a series in the summer consisting of light concerts from different European cities. Programmes were taken for the first time from Reykjavik Seville, Hendaye, Garmisch, Vimy, Linz, and Tennessee. The system of engaging speakers to talk from studios abroad on political and topical events for the news bulletins was further developed.

Corresponding- interest was shown by foreign countries in BBC programmes. Amei ica, as usual, was the principal relayer and took during the year sixty programmes ranging from symphony concerts to commentaries on boxing matches. Three programmes practically covered the globe. These were the funeral of King George V and the two broadcasts by King Edward VIII one given on March 1, after his accession and the other as H.R.H. Prince Edward on December 11. after his abdication.

Studios and other necessary facilities were also provided in this country for foreign broadcasting organisations to broadcast in their own countries programmes not transmitted in Great BriTl,q , BB F “ ls ° sranto.l tllose facilities by its foreign colleagues. Corporation delegates attended the two meetings of the International Lioadcasting Union in Paris and Lausanne. The former was preceded by the n-st intercontinental meeting of broadcasting services.

BRIDGING THE ATLANTIC. BEAM WIRELESS ANNIVERSARY. Ten years ago last month the first Empire beam wireless service was established between England Canada Even in that, short time a worldwide system of beam wireless has mir'.’m. aiHi I ? romises still greater muacles in the future.

An ifficial ot Cable and Wireless Dfd., who now operates the beam ser-'H-e, spoke to a representative of (he Observer” of the early days of one ol the most fascinating of modern intentions, and the experiments of the >oung Marconi, and of how, in 1901 Ibe letter S was first flashed across Atlantic, unmisvakablv distinct then m 1923. when long w . fVC wire ] cnnniAi 1. .. . .

I seemed to have reached its limits bej cause the ether was so crowded, the iMarchcs.se Marconi made his second ’■•"■'d'O ionary discovery—the short wave beam system. The Canadian ser- . vice of 1926 was soon followed by I services between South Africa, Aus-

iralia, and India. The control of Imperial overseas telegraphy was vested in Cable and Wireless Ltd., who have transmitted over 11 million words in a week on the beam circuits alone. The operator in London is in complete control of the transmitter, and, as an instance of speed, a message has been despatched to New Y’ork and the reply received in London witlfin 24 seconds for the two. The official requirement of the Canadian stations was that they should be capable of communications at a speed of 500 letters a minute each way during a daily average of IS hours; actually, during tests. 1,250 letters a minute were transmitted for hours on end.

Looking ahead the development of facsimile transmission has been so rapid that it -may not be long before telegrams will be projected through space and reproduced at the other end in the sender’s own handwriting. Already, apart from the many photographs of momentous events, fashion plates, cheques, and architects’ plans are being wirelessed across the world. In one case a chart, with essential information, was transmitted to a cable ship in Melbourne, which was thus enabled to proceed to the repair of a damaged cable in South Africa. For. apart from the beam service, the company operates more’ than half of existing submarine cables, which as with wireless, made a beginning across the Atlantic,