Broadcasting In N.Z.

Thames Star, Volume LXV, Issue 19272, 29 November 1934, Page 3

Broadcasting In N.Z.

“LOW MENTALITY.” EDUCATIVE MUSIC. DR. JAMES LYON’S VIEWS. Not a very high opinion of broadcasting services in New Zealand has been formed by Dr. James Lyon, visiting examiner in and : elocution for Trinity College, London. Dr. Lyon admitted in an interview in Christchurch that lie laid had no very wide experience of . broadcast programmes in the Dominion, and that any, unqualified. ..criticisms would be hardly fair to the-NeAv Zealand Broadcasting Board, but he said that as far as he could judge the Board Avas catering for, rather a 16 ay type of mentality. “If the people of NeAV Zealand Avish to hear programmes such as those I have heard, then I am afraid I don’t agree with them,” said Dr. Lyon. Dr. Lyon outlined a type of programme provided in England, in which the Avorks of a standard composer Avere dealt with serially, extending over a period of perhaps a month. The programmes Avould be accompanied by talks Avhich aimed at bringing listeners to understand the music and to arrive at a real appreciation of it. He asked Avhether any such systematic presentation of the best music Avas attempted in New Zealand. On being told that this Avas not the case, he said that a similar plan might Avell be adopted by the Broadcasting Board. The Avorks of a composer such as Mozart should be presented over a period of a month, with explanatory notes. The aim of providing music over the air had to be educative, and merely to attempt to please Avas entirely the wrong principle. There should be an attempt to convey the meaning of music and the real' art at the back of it all. The public should be given some idea of hoAV to understand the wonderful music which Avas being played to, them. “Broadcasting is a very AvonderCul thing,” said Dr. Lyon, “but some of the uses Avhich are made of it are quite another proposition. It is still more or less in its infancy, and at present the individuality of .manj of the performers is lost Avhen they are broadcast. But during my stay in NeAv Zealand I have been so charged with the hospitality I have received that I have forgotten all about the goodness or. badness of NeAv Zealand broadcasting.”