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Hokitika Guardian, 16 December 1932, Page 4

Dirkct Empire broadcasting, on short waves for the new Daventry station is to start no December 19th. The Empire has been divided into five zones for the purpose of th e direct programmes, and the scheme is to give service for two hours daily to each zone, the hours of 9.30 a.m. and 11.30 a.m being devoted to Australia, h»eu Zealand, and the Pacific Inlands. No cn e in England will be able to hear these Empire broadcasts, as they are sent out on a special short-wave length whioh is inaudible inside a radius of about 500 miles. The wavelengths chosen vary between 10 metres and 50 metres, but at the moment all these are experimental. They will vary according 'to the season of the year. According to a London correspondent, Mr Cecil Graves, the Empire service director at the 8.8. C., said recently that for the last six years it had been the desire of the 8.8. C. to institute an Empire programme. After tests and trials, they are able to adivance proposals, hut financial support was not Forthcoming. They felt, ho wove i, that the prestige of British broadcasting wa- at rod consequently decided that out of their own fundsi they would brdd a station for tin* ■Purpose. T'' o: ' 1,10 P res, ' nt » acMi;,(l ,yr Graves, it was fe.lt that it would lie no use emharking on am ambitious programme scheme; for the first f ew months it was obvious they must wait and see what results wire attained. They were most anxious to know everything possible about the service in the fir.it months of its operation. They wanted to know all al mt the reception, conditions, if programmes wc e popular. Indeed, any suggestions and criticisms made by New Zealanders o-’d other people overseas wouid he most welcome 8.11. C

headquarters. Mr Noel Ash-bridge, the chief engineer of the 8.8. C., dealt with the subject from the technical side, anticipating much. mor e yatisfactory results from the Daw entry station than the original Chelmsford station, which had been set up for experimental purposes. Daren try is situated about oCOft. above sea level.