’XMAS BROADCAST

Hokitika Guardian, 28 December 1932, Page 4

’XMAS BROADCAST

A GREAT RECEPTION. HIS MAJESTY’S MESSAGE. Listener,s-in enthusiastic enough to sit up until two o’clock on Boxing Day morning were rewarded by hearing one of tlie most interesting broadcasts ever transmitted in the history of wireless, when the British Broadcasting Corporation, through their new station at Da veil try, sent out the first Empire Christmas broadcast ever made.

First and foremost, of course, was the speech of greeting from bis Majesty the King. Almost as interesting were the greetings seut to every section of the Empire and the replies broadcast from Daventry. The broadcast, from t technical point of view, compared favourably with any received be "ore in New Zealand. ,Every word was intelligible, though a little attention was sometimes required to hear clearly, and it is thought that the listener-in to the re-broadcast- must have heard everything clearly.' Nevertheless, the opinion was expressed that the new Empire broadcasting station will be able to do even better in the future. Empire Roll-Call.

Tlie programme began with the National Anthem, which was followed by carols and hymns sung by the B.Bj C. Choir. Then the Empire Roll Call was held. Beginning with Wales, North Ireland and Scotland, the announcer worked his way round the world, calling every British Dominion, colony, protectorate and dependency in turn and speaking a few words to each. In reply each country broadcast greetings and- described briefly what was happening at Home at that particular hour of the clay. These replies were picked up and re-broadcast through) Daventry, so that the whole world was able to hear what each part of the British Emire was doing between tlie bouis of two and three, Greenwich time.

The countries called were,a follows: —Wales, North Ireland, Scotland, the Irish Free States, British ships at sea, Canada British Columbia, New Zealand, Australia (Sydney, Melbourne, and Brisbane), India, South . Africa, Port Said, Bethlehem, and the British Islands (Singapore Fiji, the Solomons, etc.). When British, ships were called a reply was heard from a ship actually at sea. The reply from New Zealand was transmitted from Wellington, the voire being that of the announcer at 2YA. The King’s Voice. v Finally came his Majesty’s message to the Empire, in which the King spoke personally to the listeners, his voice coming through very plainly and clearly.. The whole programme, which lasted more than an hour and a half, was'recorded as it . was transmitted from Daventry by means of the Blattnerphone, and the records were broadcast at hours to suit- the various time zones in which the Empire lies. The transmission to New. Zealand began about 9.30 p.m., and/ lasted until about eleven, the re-broadcast being very successful.

LONDON PRESS INTEREST. (United Press Association- -By Llectrio Telegraph—Copyright.) LONDON, December 27. This morning’s newspapers were the i first since Xmas Day. They naturally I give chief place to the Empire’s recept- ' ion of the King’s broadcast which is displayed in streamer healdines, with maps and photographs, the event being acclaimed as memorable in the history of the world for “never before has any man spoken to so many hearers.” The “Daily Express” says His Majesty was heard throughout Canada as if in the next room, the whole. Canadian press hoping the people would, more often have the privilege of hearing His Majesty’s voice. The paper describes thousands of Australians as sitting up into the small hours to hear the King’s voice. New Zealand is the only part of the Empire where the atmospherics interfered with the reception and where some of the passages were missed.