LICENCES INCREASE

Hawke's Bay Tribune, Volume XXV, Issue 79, 16 March 1935, Page 12

LICENCES INCREASE

Australian Broadcasting SECOND ANNUAL REPORT The Australian Boardcasting Comnission’g second annual report for the rear ending June 30, 1934, states that he preceding year has seen an increase if 99,5.32 in the number of license-hold-r? in the Commonwealth of Australia, ind the increase for the twelve montlis •overed by the report reached the unvrecedented total of 129,682. The total lumber of licences in force in Australia rn June 30, 19.34, was 599,159. During the year the total transmiting time of the twelve national staions was 51,446 hours 12 minutes, an iverage. of 4287 hours 11 minutes per Nation or 11 hours 40 minutes (approximately) per station per day. Of the total period, 19,066 hours 49 minutes ivere occupied in relays from other stations in the network, so that the actual period fur which separate programmeitems had Io be found during the year was 32,379 hours 23 minutes. The Commission had introduced few notable changes in its programme policy, other than those foreshadowed in its in tial year of office. It had, however, continued to provide featuie i'ems whenever possible, and in doing so to arrange for listeners in every Stale to have the benefit of them, at the same time ensuring that the greater part of its broadcasting time, and, indeed. of all its activities, was devoted to the encouragement and development of local talent. Principal among these features was the visit of Sir Hamilton Harty, the distinguished orchestral conductor, who formerly conducted the Halle Orchestra nt Manchester and who has, from time to time, acted as guest conductor fur almost all* the world's leading orchestras. Captain 11. E. Adkins, Director of the lloyttl Military School of Music, Kneller Hall, England, was also engaged by the Commission, by courtesy of the British YVar Office, to come to Australia at the end of 193.3 and the commencement of 1934. and while there conducted a military band formed for the occasion of leading players front all parts of Australia. A season of grand opera (including several works new io Australian audiences) was presented in Sydney, occupying a period of six months. The Commission maintained its policy of broadcasting lectures particularly designed for reception by schools, and bad in this work the co-operation and ready support of the educational authorities in the majorities of States. The number of schools which have advised that they regularly make use of this service is now in the vicinity of 600. Ifcbroadcasts of short-wave transmissions, especially from the Britisn Broadcasting Corporation's Empire siction at Daventry, England, and also from a number of other stations iu different parts of the world, were carried out wherever practicable. “One of the criteria of public taste available to the Commission,” adds the report, “has been the direct contact maintained with listeners by means of the enormous mail received during the year, which embraced in all 2.18,816 letters. The Commission has welcomed this evidence of the interest of the people in its work.