National Programmes

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume LIX, Issue 17947, 26 November 1932, Page 13

National Programmes

THIS week the Australian Broadcasting Commission commenced to put into operation a scheme of “National” and “State” programmes. Briefly, under this arrangement 2FO (Sydney) and 3LO (Melbourne) will, on every!night of the week, transmit the same programme, whether it originates in Sydney or in Melbourne. 2BL (Sydney) and 3AR (Melbourne) will broadcast “State” programmes which originate in the respective cities. On four nights of the week 4QG (Brisbane) and SCL (Adelaide) will take the 2FC-3LO National programme. The relay stations 2NO (Newcastle), 2CO (G’orowa), 4UK (Rockhampton), and SCK (Crystal Brook) will be tied to 2FG, 3LO, 4QG, and SCL respectively, as is usually the case at present. 6WF (Perth) and 7ZL (Hobart), because of the lack of suitable programme land lines, will have to rely on their own resources.

The arrangement will allow t lie'commission to supply more frequently expensive broadcasts of the type re- ■ ceotly provided by Dame .Sybil Thorndike's company, the Gilbert and Sullivan company, the grand opera com«'”'pany, and similar performances. will, of course, be. ah added responsibility thrown upon the Telephone Department, and the scheme is likely, to affect the surplus which the Postmaster-General has usually managed to have in hand out of his share of the license fees. For the year ended .Tune 30, 1931, the cost of telephone circuits for broadcasting was put down at £13,726, and the surplus was £35,148. In that year relays were only a fraction of what they are now.