COMING NEARER

Otago Daily Times, Issue 27523, 18 October 1950, Page 6

COMING NEARER

Television In Dominion

BROADCASTING MINISTER IMPRESSED Resident Correspondent LONDON, Oct. 8

Television in New Zealand may be translated from a far-off dream into actuality much sooner than most people have imagined. This is the opinion formed by the Minister of Broadcasting, Mr Doidge, after talking with British experts during the last fortnight. “Television in New Zealand is not as remote as I had thought,” he said today. “ Wrongly, I was under the impression that in a country with a small population like ours, costs and technical difficulties would provide almost unsurmountable obstacles. “The experts I have consulted, however, assure me that this is not so; that on the contrary we are to be envied in that we could televise in a modest way—something Britain was unable to do.”

Mr Doidge had a set installed in his suite at the Savoy, and whenever he could spare the time he was a most interested viewer. His opinion reflects closely that of technical experts of two leading companies with whom I discussed the position some months ago. They considered that a population of 250,000 within a radius of 50 miles —such as Auckland. Wellington, and Christchurch—was an economic and technically feasible unit in which to operate. Recent developments, including the use of repeater stations, may make it possible to extend the coverage still further. Live programmes would be costly to produce in New Zealand, and could not be on the lavish scale of some given by the BBC service. On the other hand, it should be possible to arrange for the retransmission of British and American telefilms in the same way that the National Broadcasting Service rebroadcasts transcripted radio programmes from these two countries. Telefilms, which are moving pictures made of the image as it appears on the televison screen, are now so perfect that it is almost impossible to distinguish between them and the original “ live ” broadcast. They are extensively used in Britain to repeat some programme or event that took place out of popular viewing hours. In addition to studio programmes, it should be possible to televise a large number of New Zealand sporting and outside events. In Britain and America these are some of the most popular of all television broadcasts. Plans are still too tentative to say when and .how television will reach New Zealand. In view of Mr Doidge’s optimism, however, it is reasonable to expect more definite announcements before so very long.