BROADCASTING

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume LXVI, 21 December 1933, Page 7

BROADCASTING

CRITICISM OF RECENT CHANGES REPLY BY POSTMASTERGENERAL (By Telegraph—Press Association) WELLINGTON, This Day. In a statement regarding the recent changes in the technique (of broad- <. casting, the Postmaster-General (the Hon. A. Hamilton), said there had been a certain amount of criticism of the changes in the transmitting frequencies allotted to a number of stations in the Dominion, particularly those allotted to stations operated by the Broadcasting Board. Many listeners were disturbed •• because their reception from some particular overseas station had' been prejudiced. “The position is* that my . department is concerned with assisting the Broadcasting Board to provide an ade- „ quate service throughout approximately sixteen hours of the day, and as far as possible over the whole of the Dominion,” the Minister said. “The fact that many enthusiasts delight in the recep- • tion of foreign stations during a few . hours of the day, particularly in the winter months, is appreciated, but it is ... .. obviously impossible to sacrifice the regular national service in order to cater for this spasmodic reception. At the same time it should he remembered that no one centre will be deprived of reasonable reception facilities from-more than a few overseas stations. The same wave band is used in all countries ifor : broadcasting, and the same conditions - -; lead to the necessity for the most power-7 “ ful stations in each country being allott-- ■ - Sj ed waves more or less in the same position, and it therefore follows that in each centre difficulty will be experienced iii receiving particular stations: ; “It has been realised for some time,” the Minister continued, “that the service to outlying districts could be improved during the daylight periods and made' more free of fading and distortion! Z'. during the evening session if-lower fre-, quencies were employed by the New Zealand stations responsible for the national service. It was therefore de-. cided to negotiate with the Australian administration with a view to the reservation of four suitable frequencies' at. " the low frequency end of the broad- ...v casting band. The frequencies which were finally decided on are -at present the only four exclusive channels which _ the Australian administration has been able to leave unoccupied for use in this T. j country. In selecting them an endeavour has been made to keep the separation between the four main New Zealand stations sufficient to enable listen- "' . ers in the four centres readily to receive • broadcasts from the other centres with- ' out suffering interference from their .'- powerful local station. “To the enthusiast in remote overseas reception I would say,” the Minister concluded, “that outside of your two local stations there are oyer ninety broadcasting channels on which you can at times locate distant stations. -Of »- these fewer than thirty are used by New,, Zealand, stations, and there is adequate scope for those to whom overseas reception is a definite hobby. Further special short wave hands have ben allotted for, „ the purpose of overseasbroadcasting, and consistent results can be obtained from , such stations as FYA Paris,, GOD Rugby and 2ME Sydney. ■ “Changes always cause some regrets, and I sympathise with those who find. they can no longer receive some favour-. ;te overseas station, but I can assure listeners in general that the inconvenience litis tfccu minimised consistent with tlie provision of facilities _ for improving the national broadcasting seivice of This country.” . , .