A RECORD BROADCAST.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXVI, Issue 20244, 2 May 1929, Page 20

A RECORD BROADCAST.

' HOOVER INAUGURATION. When President Hoover took his oath of office at Washington he a radio .audience, it is estimated, of p,00u,000 •people in the United States and Canada, besides possibly 500,000 listeners over.seas. Altogether 108 stations were linked up for the broadcast by over 100,000 miles, of telephone wire. Short-wave transmissions were carried out by WGi, Schenectady, and KDKA, Pittsburg. Both the National and Columbia broadcasting systems installed microphones arid provided announcers, so listeners in many places had a choice of two descript tons. At ten o'clock announcers on tne portico of the White House detailed the arrival of the dignitaries who called on President Coolidge in his last hours of office. Others along the route described the progress of Mr. Cool idee and his successor from the White House to the Senate chamber of the Capitol. There 1 lie inauguration of Mr. Charles Curtis as 'Vice-President and the swearing in of 34 newly-elected senators was broadcast.

A 'battery of 14 microphone; had been placed upon the rostrum on iho Capitol ■steps, and the listeners heard the administration of the oath by Chief Justice Tal't ;md Mr. Hoover's inaugural address, which followed. The military parade which the new President renewed from outside the White House was described from aeroplanes as well as from vantagepoints on the ground, and the music of the bands and cheers of the crowds were also put oil the air. Thei whole broadcast occupied more than four hours, and was carried through with only one hitch when the lines to New York failed for a little while. All the stations kept singers and musicians in readiness to entertain listeners if an interruption occurred. The short-wave transmissions were only moderately successful. The British Broadcasting Corporalion, which attempted a partiil rebroadcasf, reported that President Hoover's "I ido" came though distinctly, but the. speeches and descnjjiiSns ijfd hot.