A REQUEST FOR VAUDEVILLE

Southland Times, Issue 23024, 19 October 1936, Page 6

A REQUEST FOR VAUDEVILLE

PROFESSOR SHELLEY NOT IMPRESSED

ADVICE ON CONDUCT OF RADIO SYSTEM

Since he was appointed Director of Professor James Shelley’s mail has doubled itself, for he has; received vast numbers of letters front! listeners who consider themselves truly representative of the listeners through-, out the Dominion. Serious, amusing' and strange suggestions have been] made to him. He has considered them! all, some seriously, but he told theNorth Canterbury branch of the New; Zealand Educational Institute on Fri-’ day night of one letter which did not' receive very serious consideration. It was signed “New Zealand Public” and was one of the many which Pro-! fessor Shelley has received “telling me exactly how to run the broadcasting, system.” The letter was not a long! one, and said: “We want vaudeville. Ifl we want education we shall not go to| our radio sets. No more dramatic! bunk. We want vaudeville.” The last; three words were written in red ink 1 and underlined. “Although I have to listen to all the listeners in the Dominion,” Professor Shelley said, “if the New Zealand public really wants vaudeville then it is not the slightest use appointing me. Director of Broadcasting. I am not; thinking of what the casual listener, wants to hear in 1936. I am thinking of what they will be having in 1945. If I cannot plan some big ideas for the broadcasting system then I will not be doing my job. “By broadcasting you can put ideas into the minds of the whole of the people in one day, but put it in the papers and comparatively few will read it unless it is about Jean Batten or sporting events. Many would listen to things that they would never dream of reading because serious reading is a difficult business. “Are we going to use such a tremendous instrument merely to fill in the gaps or as a background for the noises we make when we eat our soup?” he asked. “Any one who uses it in that manner is a traitor to his country. I am looking forward to the time when people will go to their radios at certain regular hours of the day as being just as much their duty as to fill in their income tax returns. Is the attitude of mind of the person who wants to use the radio for vaudeville the right attitude of a citizen? II it is then we might as well shut up shop. “I should not like people to think that broadcasting is going to. be usea only for educational and political put - poses,” he added. “There is no reason why people should not get as mucn enjoyment out of *heir radios as they get at present. r -|iey can b ave they want, but they must have the best, so that, in time they will be wanting something they did not want yesterday.” -