Listen In!

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 75, Issue 152, 30 June 1932, Page 10

Listen In!

NOTES AND PROGRAMMES

(By

All Blacks’ First Match. The re-broadcast of the Rugby loutball match, All Blacks v. N.S.W., last Saturday afternoon was not altogether successful. Old Man Static and interference by lightning made conditions terrible. Still we heard a part of the match and the result. Boxing Broadcast. The broadcast of the world’s heavy weight boxing title contest by 2YA on Wednesday afternoon of last week waa much appreciated by listeners. It was unfortunate that the announcer could not give more details, but evidently the static was very bad. The final rounds were Jost altogether. DX Club. The New Zealand DX Club is still growing. To date there are 660 members, the South Canterbury-Otago district leading with 167 members, Auckland is next with 151. DX-ing this year is going to be very difficult on account of heterodynes. Ahead;, it is bad, and it will get worse. Two years

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ago it was not nearly so bad, and stations logged then cannot be heard now on account of heterodynes.

Sponsored Programmes. The new Australian Broadcasting Act contains a clause which may leave a loop-hole for something savouring of sponsored programmes. The clause states that "The Commission shall not broadcast advertisements." but nothing preventing the Commission from broadcasting if it thinks fit, “a programme supplied by any organisation or person if the programme is not, in the opinion of the Commission, being used as an advertisement.” Link With Homeland. What a splendid thing it would be if a 150 or 250 kilowatt station could be established on the Canadian Pacific Coast, to act as a link between here and the 8.8. C., si that New Zealand listeners could hear some of the Homeland’s broadcasts. A Good Innovation. Frank Crowther’s novelty orchestra is one of the best innovations at 2YA yet, states the Radio Record. More of this class of entertainment is wanted if the programmes are to be a real success. Generally one prefers to listen to recorded programmes rather than those by the local artists, but this combination should have a large following.

Reception. Either my set has gone "off colour” or conditions generally, during the past week, have been against DX work, as little has been heard of American stations (or even of B class Australians) at anything like good volume. KFI was audible on two or three evenings but at poor strength. The Australians, too, have not shown up well—at times good but more often very unsteady.

Early Morning Sessions. Recently a couple of New Zealand "B” stations have been turning on early morning sessions. Have not heard their calls, but apparently they are 3ZR, Grey mouth, and 2ZM, Gisborne. I* or those who have fond memories of [Army and "physical jerks" before breakfast and for those who like music as a breakfast accompaniment, the two stations mentioned can be tuned in several mornings a week. Declaration Next Month.

Current report has it that the Broadcasting Board will next month make a public declaration of the general policy it intends to follow. By that time it will have the report of the coverage commission and the details of the questionnaire to guide it, but will it have a permanent official head who will be able to advise soundly on multitudinous points?

2FZ, Palmerston North. Au announcement made from the Manawatu Radio Club’s broadcast station states that 2ZF will be on the air six nights a week. The president, Mr. VV. A. Waters, said arrangements had been made for the club to rebroadcast ‘3YA on Mondays, Wednesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays. On Fridays and •Sundays the station will provide its own programmes, while Tuesday night will be a silent night for the station. Get in Early!

Good radio receivers of the all-elee-trie type, as well as battery-operated ones, have never been cheaper than at present. Now is the time to obtain •i first-class modern instrument—before 'he depression lifts! Enquire at D. A. Morrison and Co. early. * Trans-Tasman Reception.

Tho following table, compiled by our regular Wanganui East, contributor, shows tho relative signal strengths at which the main Australian stations were received at 10 p.m. for tho week ended Tuesday:—

Rebroadc««t Sought. The Now Zealand Olympic. Council has cabled its representative in San Francisco asking him to try and arrange for the broadcasting on short wave, running narratives of events ia

which New Zealand athletes will be competing at the Olympiad. Arrangements have already been made for a. very full account of tho rowing, boxing and athletic events which New Zealand is interested in to be cabled for broadcast daily, but if success attends the endeavour to have the competitions broadcast the YA stations will rebroadcast.

Performing Rights Association. Under license from the Australian Performing Rights Association, stations are permitted to broadcast any music over which t'.ie association holds tho copyright, with the exception of certain prohibited items. T.hey are not authorised to permit the public performance by vocai renditions of num bens from musical plays, whether by artists or mechanical reproductions and permission is necessary from some ither quarter. In tho case of a play performed, or to be performed in Australia, the rights will usually be held by the producer, and app'ication for permission to broadcast should be made to him.

Sunday ProgrammesIf it were only possible for the broadcasting authorities to take a vote of the public without expense or time it would be very interesting to sec just what listeners would have to say about Sunday evening piogrammes. Many people state that as at present constituted this period is the weakest link in the week’s programmes.

A Popular Programme. The recorded nigger-minstrel programme from IYA on Tuesday must have brought gnat joy to thousands who recall the days of the burnt-cork artists. The four records were most enjoyable, and provided brief entertainment of the minstrel type far better than anything we have yet heard over radio. Tho provision of such continuity items as the one here referred to suggests the possibility at gut YA stations of really good vaudeville per records. With the wealth and variety of talent now available on the discs, there could be supplied on the air a high-class typo of entertainment such as was deservedly popular in the past. Vaudeville on the air is a feature of broadcasting in the big centres of the world; it could be just such a feature here, on not too frequent occasions, with a capably-selected lot of records aiming at just that, judicious mixture of grave and gay, light and classical, such as music halls of yore provided.

The New Regulations. A good deal of discussion seems to be taking place among listeners and dealers relative to the new regulations governing the installation of radio. A great deal of adverse criticism comes from a section of the dealers, who do not seem to see why they cannot run wire all over the place indiscriminately to connect their sets. All electrical wiring work has, in the interests of safety, to be carried out by licensed wiremen, and wiring by incompetent people represents no little danger to life and property. In various parts of New Zealand a number of glaring instane.’s of dangerous temporary wiring have been carried out by radio salesmen. Several authorities are fully alive to the danger and intend to protect the public. On the other hand, the more reputable dealers are making every effort to see that the sets are installed in a safe and workmanlike inan-

Signal St rength. Station. (Max. H 10) 21 ? (', Sydney .. , . . 9 2BI., Svdncy .. . .. 8 4QG, Brisbane . . . 7 200, Corowa . . . 7 2NC, Newcastle . 7 2CK, Adelaide . . . 3AT;, Melbourne . f. 2GB, Sydney .. . 3L0, Melbourne . (J 7ZL, Hobart . . . rj 2SM, Sydney . . r. 2C1I. Svdnev . . . r 4KK, Rockhampton 5CL, Adelaide .. .