BRITAIN SPEAKS

Evening Star, Issue 23687, 21 September 1940, Page 4

BRITAIN SPEAKS

ACCOUNTS OF ITS ACTIVITY SOME INTERESTING TRANSMISSIONS First-hand and intimate accounts of the ever-increasing activity on Britain’s industrial and agricultural fronts, and a series in which various eminent speakers discuss subjects of their own choosing, are among the talks features recently introduced in 'the 8.8.C.’s world service. Another development affecting the spoken word is the linking of topical talks with the full news bulletins. ‘ Industrial Britain ’ is broadcast fortnightly, and alternates with the farming series, ‘ A Farmer’s Diary.’ Seaton Gray, who finds relaxation from the duties of clerk to an urban district council in writing and broadcasting short stories, is the speaker in ‘ Industrial Britain,’ and to gather material for his talks he has travelled all round the country, visiting shipyards, factories, munition works, and Army camps. His broadcasts take place every other Sunday in transmission 2. On the intervening Sundays listeners hear A. G. Street, farmer, author, and one of best-known broadcasters, dipping into his ‘ Farmer’s Diary ’ for news of the national activity on the land front. In this series Street addresses himself especially to farmers overseas.

‘To Talk of Many Things ’ is the title of the third new series, which brings to listeners personal accounts of events and scenes by men and women who have experienced and seen them. The series is designed to supplement the more general reflections of present-day life given in the topical talks and the series ‘ This Land of Ours.’

The length of the news periods has been extended from 30 to 45 minutes, in order that topical talks, including the series ‘ The Empire at War,’ ‘ Cards on the Table,’ and 1 Background to the News,’ may immediately follow tho news. The series ‘ Matters of Moment ’ and ‘ World Affairs,’ however, maintain their separate identities. The other regular series in the talks schedule is ‘ Britain Speaks,’ broadcast in transmission 5. One of tho regular speakers is J. J 3. Priestley.