RADIO YEAR

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXI, Issue 21845, 6 July 1934, Page 13

RADIO YEAR

MANY MORE LICENCES COSTS OF NEW STATIONS PROGRAMME IMPROVEMENTS CHANGES IN WAVE-LENGTHS [BY TELEGRAPH —SPECIAL REPORTER] WELLINGTON, Thursday Detailed figures of the increase in thenumber of radio licences over the past four years, and a comparison of per. . centages with those of other count tries, are contained in the annual re» port of the New Zealand Broadcasting Board, which was laid on the table in the House of Representatives to-day. . The following table shows the totals of licences on December 31 of each year since 1920:—1929, 50,273; 1930, 60,162; 1931, 71,453; 1932, 88,993; », 1933, 113,053. New Zealand now has 7.5 licences.per hundred of population, and is in this respect about equal to Australia. The following is a comparative list based on the last available information: —Denmark, 14.7 licences per hundred of population; Great Britain, 12.3; Sweden, 10.3; New Zealand and Australia, 7.5; Austria, 7.2; Germany, 7.0; Switzerland, 6.3; Norway, 4.7; Belgium, 4.7; Hungary, 3.7; South African Union, 2.9; Japan, 1.6. ; Comparison Between Towns New Zealand towns at November 30, 1933, show the following percentages Blenheim, 16.7 licences per hundred of population; Wellington, 13.6; Masterton, 12.9; Ashburton, 12.6; Oamaru, 12.0; Palmerston North, 11.7; New Plymouth, 10.4; Christchurch, 9.7; Hamilton, 9.0; Nelson, 9.0; Napier, 8.7; Greymouth, 8.6; Hastings, 8.5; Wanganui, 8.4; Whangarei, 8.2; Bluff, 8.0; Dunedin, 8.0; Auckland, 7.9; Gisborne, 7.2; Rotorua, 7.0; Invercargill, 6.6; Timaru, 6.4.

After transferring £38,000 to the accumulated fund toward meeting capital expenditure, and after providing for depreciation of assets, the excess of income over expenditure was £2393, The expenditure on programmes was considerably higher than for the pre,ceding year, and it is stated that the tendency will be for a steady increase in this direction. Licence fees accounted for £124,942 of the board's income, and net interest for the balance of £686, During the year, £SOOO was paid off the' amount owing for assets of the Radio Broadcasting Company of New Zealand, Limited, which were acquired when the board commenced operations, making a total reduction in two years of £10,039. : The expenditure on. the new 3YA transmitting station would . total £23,272, this including the cost of the land, roading, buildings and transmitter equipment. The board's undertakings at Auckland, including the erection of the studio building and the installation of the high-power transmitter, would involve an expenditure of approximately £76,000. More Transmission Hours Hours of transmission had been increased by 117 per cent since the beginning of 1932. On January 1, 1932, transmission hours, computed on an annual basis, totalled 10,612, and on January 1 last the total was 23,036. Efforts to improve the standard of programmes were maintained, and it was beyond doubt that considerable improvement had been effected, more particularly in recent months. Formerly it was necessary in preparing programmes to pay due regard to the fact that most listeners could receive only one station. .To-day, however, the board was able to group items in a more logical and orderly sequence. Except under, unusual circumstances, items broadcast simultaneously from the ... four main transmitters now differ in type, and, as the programmes from the alternative stations were in contrast to those broadcast from the principal stations, listeners possessing modern receivers had a. very wide choice. Ten recorded British programmes were obtained from the British Broadcasting Corporation, and. the broadcasting of these during the year evoked many appreciative letters from listeners. Arrangements were in train to secure regular supplies of similar programmes. Complete grand operas in the form of recordings were now regular features in the programmes, and the enthusiasm with which these broadcasts had been received had encouraged the board to explore every avenue in an endeavour to add to a repertoire that was already extensive. Improvement in Coverage "In December, changes in wavelengths of the board's transmitters took effect, and aroused considerable"' interest and some criticism," continues the report. "These changes were the outcome of conferences between- the board's engineers, the Post ancT Telegraph Department and the Commonwealth authorities, and were made for the purpose of securing the best condition of reception for the majority of listeners in this country. The full beneficial effect of the changes will not be apparent until the completion of the board's coverage programme, but already in many areas there is definite evidence of improved coverage. It is true some listeners are now unable to receive certain distant stations, but it must,be borne in mind that every technical advance in broadcasting, whatever its nature, will adversely affect some listeners."