RADIO LICENSES

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume LXIX, 28 January 1936, Page 4

RADIO LICENSES

LAST YEAR’S LARGE INCREASE

DOMINION PASSES AUSTRALIAN

RATIO

Official figures relating to radio licenses issued by tho Post Office show that m the year just ended there was an increase of 35.210, the licenses in force on 31st December totalling 185,008. these in* elude 182,490 receivers’, 1,156 dealers’, 939 amateur experimental, 4 research experimental, 5 special, 392 free to the blind, and 22 for broadcasting. Ordinary listeners’ licenses are distributed as foilows : Auckland 56,916 Canterbury , 33,102 Otago 24,912 Wellington 67,560 The popularity of radio broadcasting in New Zealand compared with the Australian Commonwealth can bo gauged by the following comparison, the Australian figures being those of wireless licenses in force on 30th November last: —

The rapid growth of radio-broadcast-ing in New Zealand can be illustrated by some brief quotations from the totals of 31st December in various years. In 1924 the licenses for the whole Dominion totalled 4,457; in 1927 when four national stations were in operation the figure was 38,185; and when the present radio-broadcasting board succeeded the former company the licenses numbered 71,456. Under the present system of control during which the area of effective coverage has been greatly extended, the listener response has been 'remarkable, the number of licenses having increased by 113,652 to the total of 185,008.

Local % ratio to Incenses 100 of population. New South Wales 291,924 10.99 Victoria 249,351 13.56 Queensland 73,785 7.62 South Australia 81,007 13.73 West Australia ... 45.580 10.22 Tasmania 21,951 9.59 Commonwealth ... 763,598 11.35 New Zealand 185,008 11.84