PROGRAMME NOTES.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXV, Issue 19966, 7 June 1928, Page 15

PROGRAMME NOTES.

ANONYMOUS PERFORMERS. The Broadcasting Company and its racing expert, Mr. Allardyce," are to be congratulated on the way" in which the winter racing at Ellerslie was "covered." Mr. Allardyce's descriptions were informative, graphic, pleasant, and altogether such as racegoers, perforce absent in the flesh but present in spirit, must have really enjoyed. The Christchurch jubilee celebrations were very well presented by 3YA, which in the four days was on the air 26? hours. Speeches, entertainments and church services were relayed, and all the more spectacular outdoor events were described in running commentaries. The custom of not announcing per-' formers' names, but only those of the items broadcast, has been adopted at 3YA. Christchurch. It has been in vogue at. 2YA, Wellington, for some time. The Broadcasting Company's reasons for allowing the omission seem to be that some'time is saved and that most listeners have newspapers at hand containing full programmes. These are hardly valid, for the average man or woman takes a certain human interest in broadcast performers; they are riot mere voices borne upon the wind. What is more, listeners in remote places—lighthousekeepers, for example—may very well have no printed programmes at hand. Those in Australia and the Islands certainly do not. The cynical might be tempted to suggest that the real motive is to avoid the repetition of far-too-familiar names. However, as the. Auckland advisory committee on music has recommended that "mystery nights" be held, and that listeners be invited to guess the name of the item or of the performer, as the case may be, it looks as if the change will not be made here for some time. committee will do a service by objecting to any proposal of the sort.