TO-DAY’S WIRELESS PROGRAMME

Manawatu Times, Volume LV, Issue 7145, 17 February 1930, Page 5

TO-DAY’S WIRELESS PROGRAMME

2YA, WELLINGTON, (720 Kilocycles). 3.0, selected items; 3.30 and 4.30, sports results; 5.0, children’s session; 6.0, dinner music session; 7.0, news session, market reports and sports results; 7.40, lecturetto, Mr. H. C. South, ‘Books—Grave and Gay’; 8.0, overture, 2YA orchestrion, ‘Overture Solcnnelle’; 8.9, soprano, (a) ‘Ave Maria’; (bj ‘Cradle Song’; 8.16, baritone, a group of Sea Shanties, (a) ‘Billy Boy’; (b) ‘Bolling Down to Bio’; (c) ‘‘Shenandoah’; 8.26, instrumental, ‘Symphony Militaire in G Major’ ;8.34, contralto, (a) ‘O Lovely Night’ ;(bj ‘My Love is Like a Bed, Bed Bose’; 8.41, tenor, Mr. Trevor Fennickle, (a) ‘Bird Songs at Eventide’; (b) ‘For You Alone’; 8.48, relay of organ recital by Mr. H. Temple White, (a) ‘ldyll’; (b) ‘Evensong’; (c) ‘Chorus of Shepherds’; 9.3, special studio presentation of the farce ‘Good Morning, Bill’; 10.2, instrumental, (a) ‘Serenade’; (b) ‘Non ever. ’

2YA, CHRISTCHURCH, (980 Kilocycles). 3.0, gramophone Tecital; 4.25, sports results; 5.0, children’s hour; 6.0, dinner session; 7.0, news session; 7.15, talk, by Mr. E. J. Bell, ‘Book Review’; 8.0, special relay of 4YA, Dunedin, being from New Town Hall, Dunedin.

4YA, DUNEDIN, (650 Kilocycles).

3.0, gramophone items; 4.25, sporting results; 5.0, children’s hour; 6.0, dinner session music; 7.0, news session; 8.0, special opening Celebration programme; relay from New Town Hall, Dunedin, of programme of music rendered by the musical societies of Dunedin.

PROGRAMME REVIEW.

The usual fortnightly review of books will be broadcast by Mr. H. C. South from 2YA this evening. The concert programme .will be of a varied nature. The first half will consist of a brief studio concert by the 2YA orehestrina and assisting artists; Miss Ailsa Nicol (soprano), Mr. S. E. Eodger (baritone singing sea shanties), Miss Hilda Chudley and Mr. Trevor Eennicke (tenor). The lastnamed artist is at present in Wellington prior to commencing another tour with the Puller circuit. He will sing "Bird Songs at Eventide” and "For You Alone.” Mr. H. Temple White will give a brief organ recital. The latter half of the programme will consist mainly of a special studio presentation of Wodehouse’s play, "Good Morning Bill/'’ produced by Mr. Victor S. Lloyd and party. It is a play full of clever dialogue.

From 3YA at 7.15 Mr. E. J. Bell will roview the latest books. This will be Mr. Bell’s last broadcast talk as pressure on his time has compelled him to relinquish the duty. 3YA will relay from 4YA the concert to bo held to celebrate the opening of new Town Hall. The Dunedin (Boyal Male Choir, Returned Soldiers’ Choir and Commercial Travellers’ Association Choir) and the Dunedin Orchestral- Society, all of which will contribute to the evening’s entertainment. It will be a programme of rare excellence. Silent day at IYA .

2FC SYDNEY.

The evening presentation—B to 11.30 p.h. Station 2FC presents a Musical Comedy, written by May Hewes Dodge and John Wilson Dodge, ‘Miss Cherryblossom.’ The setting is laid in Kokemo’s Tea Garden in Tokyo, Japan. Picture to yourself the Tea House entrance, latticed and overgrown with cherryblossoms.) It is here the three acts of the play take place. The Lyrics possess all the charm of the East, and "whjwi Cherry and Jack sing ‘l’ve Dreamed of Such a Place as This’ our listeners will wish that the dream would come true. The latter half of the programme, from 9,15 until, 10 o’clock, will be contributed by the Studio orchestra, playing popular selections, vocal numbers, a humorous sketch, and an unusual comedy duet, sung by Maurice Chenoweth and Walter Martin.

8.0, 'Miss Cherryblossom,’ or 'A Maid of Tokyo.’ 9.30 to 10.20, instrumental and vocal items.

2BY SYDNEY. To-night's presentation—B to 10.30. Band music and community singing interspersed with vocal solos broadcast from Ashfield Park by courtesy of the Ashfield Council, under the direction of S. Lutton, the capable secretary of the Ashfield District Band, forms the first half of our presentation to-night. We return to the Studio at 9.15 where the Two Magpies conduct an animated and entertaining conversation before the microphone. Arthur Prince has brought his ukulele along, and with it a joke or two; and the Noreen Duo have joined forces in bright piano and violin novelties. Wilfred Blacket, ICC., will provide a wealth of humour in "Reminiscenes of the Bar" for his many listeners. 8.0, from Ashfield Park, Ashfield District Community concert; 9.15, from the Studio —the two Magpies perch on the microphone and air their views; 9.22, the Noreen Duo in instrumental numbers; 9.29, weather information for the man on the land; 9.31, Arthur Prince and his ukulele; 9.37, Wilfrid Blacket, K.C., will give some “Reminiscenes of the Bar’; 9.52, The Noreen Duo, instrumentalists; 9.59, the two Magpies chatter; 10.6, Arthur Prince tells a' funny one; 10.13, a recital of reproduced pianoforte songs; 10.25, late news from the 'Evening News.’

POOR PROGRAMMES SAID TO MENACE FUTURE OF RADIO,

NEW YORK. Critic-ism of the present commercialised status of radio was voiced by Dr. Lee De Forest, known as the "father of radio-casting," in his inaugural address as president of the Institute of Radio Engineers, just delivered here. "The insidious influence of the avaricious advertiser and his stupid insistence on direct advertising," he declared, "has become increasingly effective and devastating." This tendency, he said, "will destroy the greatest usefulness of this magnificent new means of oontact which engineers have ee laboriously toiled to upbuild and perfect.

"In all seriousness I attribute a part of the present undeniable slackening in radio sales as actually due to this pernicious advertising. The radio public is, I believe, becoming nauseated by the quality of many of the present programmes. ’ When international exchange of radio programmes becomes more common, he said, foreign programmes will be preferred to local ones and the situation will generally embarrass American interests. In fact, Dr De Forest said, radio has already established itself as an international factor. "The sterling work of radio communication engineers the world over in the fascinating field of short-wave transmission is rapidly bringing it to pass,” he said. "This development will eventually mean acquaintance among peoples, international amity, and end of war, and finally the blessings of one common tongue.’ Colonel A. G. Lee, radio engineer attached to the British post-office in London, was elected vice-president of the association. Dr A. Hoyt Taylor is the retiring president. Miss Martha Williamson, contralto, a popular singer at IYA.

TIME SIGNALS FROM 2YA.

Commencing from Friday, February 14, 2YA will broadcast scientific time signals twice daily from the Dominion Observatory, Wellington. The times at which the signals will be broadcast will be 4, 4.1, 4.2; 7, 7.1, and 7.2. The signals will be of three seconds’ duration. It is, of course, the practice of 2YA to relay the striking of the clock in the Wellington Post Office, and while this time is correct for ail ordinary purposes, there is a certain section of listeners, particularly those scientifically inclined, who require fho time to within a second’s error.

The signals to bo broadcast from 2YA will be superimposed on t/ho ordinary broadcast, but will hardly be noticed by listeners unless specially on the lookout. The new signals will in no way interfere with the present system, followed by 2YA of broadcasting the G.P.O. chimes, which is a particularly pleasing way of opening a broadcast programme. The new signals will, however, be scientifically correct, and as such will be very much valued by those listeners who require the extreme accuracy. For the last eight years the Observatory has been sending out time signals through the Wellington Radio Station on a wave-length of 600 metres, the sending key at the radio station being automatically operated by the Observatory clock. This service has been greatly valued by shipmasters.

GENTLEMEN THE KING!

Recently the whole world was thrilled at the sound of the voice of his Majesty the King. At the opening of the Naval Disarmament Conference in London, his Majesty spoke to the world per medium of the microphone. That a King can speak to his Dominions from the pivot city of the world, London, his voice encircling the globe, I gathering those about him with the

magnetic wonder of his personality, then little more can be achieved in this world of scientific wonder. Just think of it—thousands of New Zealanders sat in their homes and listened to the voice of Britain’s monarch 16,000 miles away, listened to the voice that thrilled the world by one of the most powerful speeches ever heard in England. The whole world, taken into the confidence of this Naval Disarmament conference were onlookers through wireless, at a great historic occasion. One by one came the speeches over the air, first the" King, then Britain’s Prime Minister —Mr Ramsay MacDonald, France’s delegate Monsieur Tardieu, followed successively by delegates from other countries, and wireless alone made this possible. Wireless is becoming such a necessity that those people who have not the means to travel, need not worry overmuch because of this, for if they cannot go to the world, the world will come to them, if they own a wireless set. Short-wave enthusiasts can get outsido countries on their sets, and when conditions are favourable the best the world has to offer in radio entertainment, can be relayed by the broadcasting stations. The relaying of the King’s speech was in itself an epoch of significance in broadcasting in Australia and New Zealand. Never before has the King’s voice been captured by the air, and relayed to outlying Dominions. That this was possible through the magic of short wave must inevitably bring the time closer at hand when these epochal events will occur with greater frequency, when

seated in our homes listening to all that broadcasting has to offer, we will hear our local announcers say: "We are now crossing over to London to hear the speech of his Majesty the King. ’ ’ Can wireless go further than that?

COMMERCE BY MICROPHONE.

Broadcasting is now so firmly established in Europe that it is not surprising to learn that the radio industry is in a very flourishing state. The total number of licence holders in Great Britain is rapidly approaching the three million mark, and the British Broadcasting Corporation which is now a national institution, is developing and expanding every day. All the British stations are linked with telephone cables to each other and to the chief cities of Europe, enabling them to broadcast to their listeners, concerts from all over the continent. These “land-line” relays have hitherto only been adopted by the various broadcasting stations, but recently a British radio company utilised the Post Office telephone lines for a novel and effective relay to inaugurate their sales campaign for the coming season. The occasion was the trado luncheon given by the Mullard Wireless Service Company, Limited, to the leading wholesalers throughout the British Isles. In order to permit as many factors as possible to take part, luncheons : were given simultaneously in London, Manchester, Birmingham, Leeds, Glasgow, Newcastle and Bristol. Unknown to their guests, the Mullard Wireless Service Company, in cooperation with the Post Offico engin- 1 eers, installed a microphone and the necessary amplifying equipment ■ in London, where the main luncheon was to take place, and linked up with the six provincial cities by telephone cable. In each of the remaining cities loudspeaker equipment was installed, and the luncheons were so timed that all the guests reached the coffee stage together. The chairman in London rose and proposed the toast to the King, and simultaneously his guests all over the country rose with him and drank with him and drank to his Majesty’s health. The speeches followed, and by means of the loudspeakers the provincial guests wore able to hear of the company’s policy for the new season, as outlined by the chairman in London. The speeches had to be sent over nearly 2,000 miles of telephone line, and through a network of telephone exchanges and repeater stations. In spite of all these complications, the speeches were heard with perfect clarity- . . , It is interesting to note that the designing of the amplifiers, their ereci tion, installation,- and test-out with , London was carried out in less than ■ four days before the luncheon took , place. This is probably a record in in- , stalling a relay system of such size, i and reflects great credit on the en-

gineers of the Mullard Company; and of the General Post Office. NEWS AND NOTES. On a Long Island estate (in New York) houses are being built round aerials to avoid the erection of poles. Insulated wire, covered by mouldings, is/ extended round the cornice of the roof and led-in down one corner of the house. The outlets are plugs one foot from the floor, these plugs also giving connection to mains current. In America, where nothing under five valves is tolerated, this type of aerial may be suitable, but it probably would not find much favour with set-owners in New Zealand.

A great radio manufacturing concern in Germany has conceived the ingenious notion of producing concerts of good music especially for wireless listeners, with the aim of enabling them, by a comparison with the original, to estimate better the quality of their own broadcast reception. The concerts are given at popular prices each Sunday, at Berlin’s largest theatre, and are said to have had considerable success. The idea is another reminder that wireless promotes the cause of quality. People nowadays hear, via ether, concerts by first-class orchestras.

* * * * In a certain cabaret near the home of an Acting County Judge of Texas, U.S.A., there was an outdoor loudspeaker which caused the judge considerable annoyance. Ho complained that it was disturbing him and his children, who were ill. However, his complaints fell on deaf ears, and nothing was done about it. Nothing daunted, the judge picked up his rifle and made holes in the loud-speaker with three good shots. The loud-speaker collapsed and never moaned again. The judge, however has been well rewarded. Not only has he achieved silence, but he has received congratulations from all over Texas. One message read: ‘Congratulations on your heroism. We, think a long-suffering public should give you a hearty vote of thanks. Come to us and duplicate your noble deed.”

THE BOOM OF WIRELESS. During 1929 figures made available show that 21,093 new wireless licences were taken out by set owners in Australia. This is a remarkable number when one considers the severe depression that prevailed over the whole Commonwealth last year. Notwithstanding industrial troubles and otheT set backs, wireless has. been steadily on the increase, and when local conditions improve, a still further satisfactory increase will undoubtedly follow, for' wireless is such a recent and modern invention that, as the months go by, more and more discoveries will be made about it. Already it has proved to be one of the boons of modern science. Country is linked with country, the Antarctic keeps in touch with civilisation and so on. Wireless telephony with England and Australia will soon bo an accomplished fact, and wo may sit at our telephone at home and talk to someone 16,000 miles away. At first it will be a novelty and. may be a trifle expensive, but later like all other novelties, and all other expenses, time will brush the newness away and the novelty will become a necessity, and the expense will gradually get lower and lower until perhaps a call to London will not he any dearer than a trunk line call from Auckland to Christchurch.. A whole world, a new vista of life is at your door if you own a wireless set.