BROADCASTING

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume LXXXII, Issue 19437, 24 October 1925, Page 6

BROADCASTING

NEW ERA FOR NEW ZEALAND RADIO COMPANY’S ARRANGEMENTS. OPERATIONS TO COMMENCE NEXT FEBRUARY. (Special to “Chronicle.” WELLINGTON, Oct. 23. , In his first official statement concern-, ing the operations of the Radio Broadcasting Company of New Zealand Ltd., a company formed under arrangement with the Post and Telegraph Department for the purpose of developing Community broadcasting in Now Zealand, Mr William Goodfellow, a director of the company, stated to-day that, the negotiations with the Government for the Dominion proposal commenced iu Jone of this ycqr, and after the proposals of another company could not bn

finalised, a trustees’ agreement was tn fared into on August 1 last, the deLu.ls of which have already been made public through the press by the Postmaster General. Ou August 26 the present company was incorporated under a memorandum of agreement and articles of association. stipulated by the PostmasterGeneral. The object of the company is solely to provide radio broadcasting in New Zealand. Immediately the agreement was signed arraugements were made for ordering entirely new and up-to-dato plants, and tor the purchase of the four subsidised stations already in operation. In regard to the latter the prices to be paid for the Dunedin, Christchurch and Auckland stations have been amicably settled between the parties, but the Wellington station is still in abeyance, pending the owners’ decision to accept the Broadcasting Company’s price, or the Chief Telegraph Engineer’s valuation. In making arrangements for new and larger stations, four proposals made to the company have been considered, the remodelling of the existing plants, the construction in New Zealand of new equipment, the purchase of outfits from the Amalgamated' Wireless, and the importation of Western Electric equipment from England. As improvements in radio apparatus are of almost daily occurrence, the first two proposals were deferred, pending the possibility of importing under equitable couditions the latest improved equipment. In the Amalgamated wireless proposals the conditions of sale were not acceptable. Neither was the plant considered suitable. Subject to certain conditions, orders for Western Electric equipment were placed, and have now been accepted by the manufacturers. The first two plants are expected to arrive in Auckland and Christchurch in February next. We are alvised that the apparatus to be supplied, although high : n first, cost, is the outcome of experience in more than forty of the best known broadcasting stations overseas, and is considered the most modern and efficient radio equipment in the world today. Furthermore, improved speech eir cuits, the reduction of harmonics, a quieter carrier wave, and better facilities for monitoring and control make it capable of even higher quality transmission than that of the former equipment. »

The plant is designed to deliver 500 watts of radio frequency power to the aerials system, and the electrical power required is approximately piate potential, 1600 volts;, total plate current, .9 ampere; filament potential, 14.3 volts; tale filament current, 29.31 amperes. The station at Auckland will bo installed on Messrs George Court and Son’s big new building iu Karaugahapo Road. The aerial will consist of two lattice steel towers spanning 220 feet, and over 900 ft. above the roof, which in turn is 80 feet above the street, and the operating room also situated on the roof, and direejjy under the aerial will measure 20 feet by 30 feet. Plans are now in hand for building a special studio with efficient acoustic properties so as to obtain the maximum effect from the first-class talent it is the intention of the company to broadcast. Similar arrangements are in hand for Christchurch, and it is expected that both the new stations will commence broadcasting within a few weeks of each other. Wellington and Dunedin conditions are also being investigated, with a view to proceeding with the installation of stations immediately the Auckland and Christchurch plants are in operation. Now that, the matter of delivery of the very latest and most modern broadcasting equipment has been finalised, the company will concentrate on providing the best and latest in studio accommodation, and when that is more advanced the company will turn its attention to the programmes to be broadcasted. In this statement it would take too long to amplify the mass of details that has been considered in the. proposal now coming into effect. The fact remains, however, that the proposals for Dominion broadcasting have been submitted to one of the most prominent authorities in the world, and from, mail ed information just received from England wo are advised that after examination of thesevlprop'-sals it coumdercd that the scheme as defined by the Government is the best solution to the problems of national broadcasting in New Zealand.' In fact no alternative proposition to that submitted was required.’ ’