PROGRESS OF RADIO.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXIII, Issue 19383, 19 July 1926, Page 12

PROGRESS OF RADIO.

BROADCAST IMPROVEMENTS. AN EXPERT'S OBSERVATIONS. VAST POSSIBILITIES AHEAD. The time has passed when radio was regarded as a novelty but the greatest advances it has made in the opinion of experts aro but stages of its infancy. "No one has more than a small conception of the vast possibilities that lie ahead of radio research," declared Mr. P. A. La Brie, travelling representative of United States newspapers and member of a largo radio firm, who in the course of 'eight trips round the globe has blazed the trail for radio in many quarters. His present trip, to last 500 days and include practically every country, has brought him to Auckland for the second time in six years.

Mr. La Brie, who arrived from Sydney by tho Ulimaroa, considers that radio has made good progress in the Commonwealth, and that in another year it will be in line with tho United States, where, he contends, the science is at its hightest state of perfection. "You can take it from mo that radio in Europe has advanced no further than radio in Australia," he said. Not having been long enough in New Zealand ho could not offer any opinion about the state of New Zealand radio.

Explaining that broadcasting conditions were similar to those in the production of moving pictures, Mr. La Brie spoke in an interesting way of the great importance of studio technique. Just as lighting and colour had its part in the success of the film, so the arrangement of the artists and tho disposition of the broadcasting room influenced radio reception. Value ol Studio Technique.

"Studio technique is now regarded as an essential of radio/' ho remarked. "When you realise the success cf a band item requires that the instruments should be arranged in just the reverse way of ordinary concert presentation, you can understand what is meant. Many studios have padded walls, which help materially in cutting out foreign sounds. It is in the development of studio tecnnique that the future of concert broadcasting mainly lies. It is impossible to cut oat atmospherics. It seems like a hopeless task. Bu* you have gone a long way when you eliminate unnecessary disturbances at the transmitting centre." He talked of the jfreat progress that had been made in this respect in the United States. "We do not have any more 'canned' music or player-piano selections," he said. "It is straight talent, and the best of it." There are now about 300 factories making radio sets in the United States, Mr. La Brie added, as compared with about 4000 some years ago. He regarded that as a process that re l echoed the evolution of automobile manufacture. As the standard improved the number of factories decreased. License System Criticised. The system of requiring receivers to take out licenses he criticised strongly. The Government could derive a better revenue, he said, if it ran broadcasting on proper lines. He instanced the practice in America, where interspersed with the items were advertising novelties. "Firms paid as much as £IOO for a brief period "on the air." And no speech was allowed to last more than ten minutes. "There is only one exception," said Mr. La Brie, "and that is made in favour of the President of the United States. He is allowed twelve minutes. If anyone takes longer than that, you can wager there is a bank behind the company, guaranteeing the time."

Mr. La Brie has fitted up at his hotel a set which he carries about with him in his tours. During the conversation he "tuned in" while some items were being broadcasted from New Zealand stations, and he had something to say about "fading" that is such an annoying feature of listening-in. "We have none of that in the United States now," he said. "It fe all part of the studio technique. That is caused either by interference with the modulator or "the overheating of the valves. Cut that out and you get good broadcasting. But a studio manager versed in technique is hard to find. It is a rare art, and a man with that knowledge would be of incalculable benefit."

Mr. La Brie will make an extended tour of New Zealand and will return to Auckland in a few weeks.