BROADCASTING STATION 1YZ HAS IMPORTANT ROLE.

Bay of Plenty Beacon, Volume 15, Issue 71, 19 July 1950, Page 3

BROADCASTING STATION IYZ HAS IMPORTANT ROLE.

Local artists and composers had been given every opportunity to display their talents during the past year since the station had been established just over 12 months, ago said the manager of the Bay of Plenty broadcasting station IYZ. Mr K. G. Collins, in an address. During that time 250 individual performers from the Bay of Plenty had given broadcasts. However, because the station had such a wide range of listeners, a higher standard of individual performances would be demanded in the future. New features which would commence soon included the broadcasting of weather reports from all over the Bay of Plenty area and a session for children in hospital. Mr Collins said that 'although IYZ had no more power than other stations in New Zealand, for technical reasons listeners in the Pacific and parts of America had excellent reception. As Rotorua was the tourist centre of the Dominion, the station not o'nly provided entertainment to local' listeners, but also performed a service in publicising New Zealand in other parts of the world.

"Since the station was established just over a year ago, we have had a remarkable response from listeners, not only locally but from other parts of the world." Mr Collins added.

Many letters were critical, suggesting improvements in the programmes. Every effort was made to comply with suggestions worthy of consideration but Mr Collins emphasised the impossibility of pleasing everyone all the time. Although improvements had been made, he realised that more were needed. Mr Collins also gave a brief outline of the functioning of radio stations under war-time conditions and the methods used for obtaining news flashes without delay. He said that since the Korean war had broken out all stations had apparatus ready to give this service again. Watches were maintained in Wellington for the latest news.