NEW STATIONS

Gisborne Herald, Volume LXXIV, Issue 22440, 22 September 1947, Page 4

NEW STATIONS

RADIO COVERAGE CLEARER RECEPTION 200 FT. MAST AT GISBORNE An indication that Gisborne will have in the near future a two kilowatt radio station with a 200 ft. mast is given in the latest issue of the New Zealand Listener. Plans of the New Zealand Broadcasting Service to give the Dominion better radio coverage with a view to providing clearer reception in areas where it is not now at its best, and to establish subsidiary local-coverage stations in cities and some of the larger towns, are discussed in the article. ‘'Up to now broadcasting in this country has been treated from the national viewpoint—giving the best programmes available without much regard to the locality of performers or stations,” states the Listener. •‘The new idea is that radio should be used more as a local institution, for developing cultural life, artistic endeavour and civic consciousness in towns and districts. Development Scheme ‘The development scheme provides for a chain of low-powered local stations throughout New Zealand outside the main centres. These will depend for their appeal on local interest in the performers and their work, and on the local significance of talks and relayed ceremonies. “Local talent drawn on for broadcasts over these stations need not be of as high a standard as is expected from the more powerful stations, so that a wider range of artists may have a chance to be heard.”

A great deal of new equipment will be installed throughout New Zealand within the next few years. A new 00 k-w. transmitter has been ordered for station 2YA and a 10 k.w. transmitter for station 2ZB. This will involve the building of a .400 ft. mast alongside the present 710 ft. one at Titahi Bay. Auckland’s installation will be the next largest. Three 10 k.w- transmitters, one to replace that at IYA and the other two for IZB and IYX. and a new mast will be erected in the northern city. Both 3YA and 3ZB will have 10 k.w. transmitters at Christchurch, whore a new 400 ft. mast is to be erected. Big Expansion Programme Dunedin’s national and commercial stations also will have 10 k.w. transmitters and 4ZB is to have a new 400 ft. mast. The other 10 k.w. station in the South Island will be at Kumara. on the West Coast, four miles south of Greymouth. This station, 3ZR, will have a 500 ft. mast. In order to serve the Bay of Plenty district a 10 k.w. station is to be established at Paengaroa. The site will be on the junction of the roads leading from Tauranga and Whakatane to Rotorua. A big expansion programme for 2 k.w. stations will include one at Whangarei, one at Gisborne, where inquiries are now being made for premises to install the transmitter and erect the 200 ft. mast, one at Hamilton, one at New Plymouth and one at WanganuiThe low-powered commercial station 2ZA Palmerston North will be increased to 2 k.w., and the Nelson station will be stepped up to the same strength. Timaru is also to have its own station with a 2 k.w. transmitter near Washdyke.