RADIO NOTES

Pahiatua Herald, Volume XLI, Issue 12440, 5 September 1933, Page 7

RADIO NOTES

AUSTRALIAN LICENCES. It is stated that Australia intends to celebrate the passing of the half-million mark in radio licences by a reduction of 3s in the annual licence fee, thus making it one guinea. The latest figures are just on the 470,000 mark IMPORTED VALVES. In the year ending June 30, 1932, Australia imported over a million radio valves valued at over a quarter of a million sterling. On a comparative basis New Zealand must be importing about a quarter of a million, the cost of which will mount to somewhere near £BO,OOO. RADIO TAKES CHARGE. A satisfactory experiment with recorded music has created more unemployment in Europe, on this occasion the choir boys being dispensed with through the equipping of the church with an amplifier and recordings. These have, the advantage of ensuring perfect decorum in the stalls once occupied by restless young lads

RELIEF CAMPS’ RADIOS. .The Mayor of Christchurch recently suggested to the PostmasterGeneral that radio installations in relief camps should be exempt from licence fee. He pointed out that many a listener could manufacture for himself a cheap crystal set, but it was impossible for him to pay the annual 30s required for the using of it. In reply the Hon. A. Hamilton said that exemption from fee will he granted in respect to sets in camps set up by the Public Works or other departments as relief camps. DIPLOMAS NECESSARY. It has been proposed by some members of the Musical Advisory Committee of the B.R.C. that no artist shall be allowed to broadcast unless in the possession of a diploma or other suitable credentials from one of tlie established schools of . music. •» POLITICALISED RADIO. Broadcasting as a political weapon is now being used extensively in Europe. The Soviet apparently started it, and neighbouring nations

found it necessary to retaliate. Now Germany is using it to assail political beliefs and established institutions in Austria. Britain takes no part in this “aerial warfare,” and the policy to which she wisely adheres is strongly opposed to it, but the United States receives a regular bombardment from stations across the Mexican border, transmitting material which the States themselves definitely ban. Political propaganda is forbidden in New Zealand—wisely so, the great majority of listeners agree—yet in Australia there is 2YK advertising itself as “The World’s First .Labour Broadcasting Station,” which has special sessions for “Labour News and Views,” “Political and Industrial Talks,” etc. 2YK is only a 1<X)0watt plant, heard in New Zealand at night under favourable conditions, but an increase in the power of the plant might enable it to exert definite influence upon political thought of a section of the New Zealand populace. It would seem that the time has arrived when some very definite international agreement should be reached for at * least limitation of political and propagandist broadcast to the community which lias sanctioned and tolerates it.