BROADCAST FOR EMPIRE

Taranaki Daily News, 20 December 1932, Page 4

BROADCAST FOR EMPIRE

OPENING PROGRAMME HELD CONDITIONS APPEAR DIFFICULT. SURGING BIG CAUSE OF TROUBLE. RE-BROADCAST BY N.Z. STATIONS. The first of a regular series of experimental programmes to be broadcast .to the Australian and New Zealand zone from the new Empire short-wave station at Daventry, England, was re-broadcast by New Zealand stations last night Conditions were not the best, the main trouble being surging, and New Zealand stations ceased the re-broadcast at about 11 p.m., though the programme from Daventry lasted until 11-30 p.m. Surging vzas very bad in the earlier part of the programme, but conditions certainly improved a little after the-pro-gramme had been going nearly an. hour. The 9.30 a.m. chimes of Big Ben brought listeners very close to the heart Oi the Empire, but reception conditions for ihe announcements that followed were not sufficiently good for the addresses to be easily intelligible. Whether it was the announcers fault or not the name of the first speaker to be introduced could not be caught. He was followed by Sir J. C. W. Reith, Director-General of the British Broadcasting Corporation, who explained the nature' of the series of test programmes to be broadcast and outlined the progress of broadcasting in Britain. A piano recital' followed, but surging prevented the music being as enjoyable as it might have been. .' The broadcast was a little steadier from about 10.15 onwards, during the commentary entitled “The World and Ourselves,” by Mr. Vernon Bartlett, a regular 8.8. C. speaker on international relations, who last night spoke upon international' trade aspects. ■ The address was difficult to follow understandingly, however. Dance music Was begun at 10.25 p.m. and was still in progress when the New Zealand stations ceased • rebroadcasting about <ll p.m. The rebroadcast would have had to stop at 11.15, when a news bulletin, which, it was «' stated could not be re-broadcast in New i Zealand, was timed to start. / - Of the three New Zealand stations operating 3YA Christchurch was probably the best on account of the three independent pick-ups Which- it Is understood were used. The re-broadcast from IYA Auckland .was. moderately good, but ’ that from 2YA Wellington was poor. None of the New Zealand stations, of course, could transmit any better than they received. Generally, speaking, the New Zealand end of the transmission appeared to be satisfactory. As far as short-wave reception of Daventry was concerned, conditions were average.From the point of view of a novelty in radio transmission the broadcast was very interesting,,, but its entertaiinment value as a . regular service would be small unless better rest ‘ 'can be achieved in the future. Conditions of recep-' tion were not good enough for the programme to be listened to easily and enjoyably. The programme, however, was only in the nature of an experiment and the tests will last several months, during which vastly different results may be obtained. .