BROADCAST PROGRAMMES.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 19844, 17 July 1926, Page 13

BROADCAST PROGRAMMES.

ASSISTANCE FOU FEW. ZEALAND, FROM AUSTRALtAN STATIONS. .VIEWS <MT MANMffiMSKYii qj’so* Oca Ows CoßassForosstil SYDNEY. July 8. New Zealand wireless “listeners-in” being comparatively poorly catered for in regard to broadcast programmes, the question has been mooted of Sydney and Melbourne stations providing the Dominion with programmes. A Sydney newspaper canvassed the managements of several stations in regard to this, but while all seemed to welcome the idea, it was pointed out that as business concerns, they could not specially cater for New Zealand listeners-m, who paid no fees for licenses to the Commonwealth, to the detriment of Australian enthusiasts who did. . ... The Sydney Sun put it in this way t “New Zealanders are not well catered for by their own country in the matter of broadcasting programmes. Should Australia help them, even though they pay no license fee for the services? The popular pastime among listeners in the Dominion is tuning in to Australian, and particular v to Sydney, stations. It has been suggested that Australian stations should provide special programmes one night a week tor the benefit of New Zealanders, and that these should be put on early to compensate for the fact that Now Zealand is an hour and a-half ahead of Sydney time When a suggestion was put before the managing director of Broadcasters, Ltd. SMr Maclardy, he said that were ’be no objection to arranging a New Zealand night/’ as many of 2BL s artists came from the Dominion, and there was a certain fund of New Zealand musical composition to draw upon. But the idea, of a special time did not appeal to Mr Maclardy. He said that the primary object of his station was to provide a service for listeners in New South Wales. New Zealanders paid no license fees to the and a dislocation of the programmes would interfere with the popular bedtime Mr Justly Rawlings, a director of this station, said that no doubt a “New Zealand” programme could be arranged, but he did not think that they could, very well change the hours of broadcasting. He even intimated that New Zealanders had thanked them for the bedtime stones and the interference with this popular iteni would probably cause disappointment m New Zealand. _ , The studio manager of the other byaney A class station, 2FC, Farmer s, said it would be unfair to listeners in this State to disarrange the programmes to, suit listeners in New Zealand. Reports from New Zealand showed that listeners did not object to the evening sessions of the Sydney stations commencing at 9.30 p.m.. New Zealand time. Mr George Wright, a director of Farmers, said: “We cannot increase the cost of our programmes simply to please New Zealand. The first consideration for stations in this State is to give New South Wales a firstclass service." Inquiries in Melbourne showed a more favourable opinion. The Broadcasting Company of Australia (3LO) is prepared to put on a special programme for the Dominion. The manager (Major Condor) says he will announce a programme within a few days, and if the trial proves successful will probably make it a weekly feature. Official commendation came from tfhe Director of Postal Services (Mr H. P. Brown). The attitude of his department, he said, was one of encouragement of any broadcasting that would help to strengthen the bonds of Empire. While the department had to safeguard the interests of subscribers to the broadcasting stations by seeing that the programmes submitted were to their satisfaction, there did not appear to be any reason why several items of Empire interest should not with advantage be included in the programmes. , ... The matter, was particularly topical, owing to the arrival of the All Blacks. A public reception to them in the Sydney Town Hall on Wednesday night was broadcasted by 2FC, and no doubt many listeners in the Dominion were able to follow the proceedings. Special arrangements are being made to broadcast the results of the team’s first test match against New South Wales two days hence, so that New Zealand enthusiasts can know the result as quickly as possible. A running description of the match ns also to be attempted by one station.