RADIO GROWTH

Hawke's Bay Herald-Tribune, Issue 179, 16 August 1937, Page 11

RADIO GROWTH

New Zealand Licences OVER QUARTER OF A MILLION Radio broadcasting is a comparatively new deveJopment which New Zealanders liave adopted with great readiness, tbe figures of growtk in licences during tbe last 10 years being reinarkable and comparing favourably witli thnsc oi ii'fin'r mo:' i hi -l.-fv popuJat- d countiics. Radio licences in ■ iorce uii u i.m- ou last j l ti- jh. v. luu iccord ligure of 258,324, which ineiudes 255,434 receivers (listeners), 1,212 dealers. 97.5 experimental (amateur an'd researcb) and 683 free licences granted to blind persons. How tbe totals bave grown in 10 years is shown by the following details of the receiving licences in lorce as at Juue 30 in succeeding. years: — 1928 34,4.34 1929 - 42,453 1930 50,095 1931 57,513 1932 73,218 1933 94,813 1934 129,116 1935 163,108 1936 206,562 1937 256,117 The latest total shows that the growth of the past year amounts to 49,555 liecnces. The distribution of the receivers (listeners') licences at present is as follows : — Wellington district ...../ 91,932 Auckland district 82,173 Canterbury district ...... 46,999 Otago district 35,013 Tt is estiinated tbat 72 per cent. of New Zealand hOuseliolds are now equipped with radio receivers. An accelerated rate of growtb is demonstrated . by the latesr figures tho increase in licences during the first six months of last year having been 23,675, while during, the first six months of this year licences have risen in numbers by 25,731.