NEW RADIO HOURS

Otago Daily Times, Issue 26416, 21 March 1947, Page 4

NEW RADIO HOURS

Regarded as Unnecessary in South DECISION STRONGLY RESENTED The Government’s decision that the South Island must share in the drastic reduction of broadcasting hoqxs which was announced yesterday has already aroused resentment among listeners and concern among radio traders. Broadcasting will now be restricted to the following hours daily, from Mbnday to Friday each week until the restrictions . are lifted:—9 a.m. to 11 a.m.; 1.30 p.m. to 2.30 p.m.; 6.30 p.m. to 10 p.m. The views of traders were expressed last week in a public announcement in which they stressed the restrictive effect of the reduction of hours on servicing operations. They have made it clear that they would be prepared to meet a loss of business' if it were warranted by a shortage of power in the South Island, but they are equally emphatic in their contention that the extension of the restrictions to the south is unnecessary. In support of this they put forward a plan under which the. South Island could be allowed continuous programmes from the lower powered stations, which could not be picked up in the North Island.

Traders met yesterday morning to consider what action should be taken to protest against the restrictions which had been imposed up to that stage. They decided to ask for the support of all members of Parliament in the Otago district and to approach the Dunedin Chamber of Commerce, the Otago Expansion League and other public bodies with a request that they should associate themselves with representations for the protection of South Island interests. After the announcement of the further reduction in hours yesterday, it was stated that traders would meet again to decide on a stronger form of protest. Pandering to North.

So satisfied are radio interests that continuous broadcasts in the South Island present no technical difficulty, that they have come to the conclusion that the extension of the restrictions to the south is due merely to the Government’s previously expressed view that the South Island should not be allowed facilities which the North Island is denied. It is this aspect of the situation which has aroused most resentment locally, and one trader stated yesterday that the authorities responsible for the decision “ lacked the imagination to cope with the situation and the stomach to stand up to any possible protests from the North Island.”

One. point which is being stressed is that tlie decision to limit broadcasting to certain hours does not mean that listening will be restricted to those hours. So long as power is available nothing can prevent a listener tuning in to a short-wave station. As the winter approaches, these stations will be picked up more clearly during the day than at night, and after a couple of hours of darkness have passed, reception of Australian broadcast stations will be sufficiently clear to satisfy most listeners. In these circumstances almost continuous entertainment will be available for those who desire it. It is suggested, therefore, that, while this situation exists, it is absurd to deny southern listeners the services of stations whose range would not be beyond the South Island. Restrictions Too Drastic Without exception, listeners whose views were sought yesterday expressed resentment of 'the extension of the restricted broadcasting hours to the South Island. “ I can’t See any reason why the South Island should suffer while the power is available,” said one listener who has had a prominent association with radio activities in Dunedin. He pointed out that few South Island stations were well received in the North Island, and any danger of their being picked up could be eliminated by reducing their power. The same point was made by another listener, who said that the public had been perfectly satisfied when the YA stations had been operating at half their present power, and it would be a simple matter to return to their former range. He doubted whether the Government would be able to save much of the power that was at present going through receiving sets. In any case, the restrictions were too drastic. It was both unfair and unnecessary that the South Island should, for instance, be denied the early morning sessions upon which many working people and farmers depended for the correct time and other services. It should not be overlooked that the restrictions would nullify during a considerable period of the day the great value of the radio in emergencies.