RADIO SERVICES

Hokitika Guardian, 21 December 1933, Page 5

RADIO SERVICES

TECHNIQUE CHANGE!

EXPLANATION BY MINISTER. (Per Press Association—Copyright.) WELLINTGN, December 21. In a statement regarding recent changes in tile technique of broadcasting, the Postmastei'-ueneral (the Hon. Adam Hamilton), said there had bee n a certain amount of criticism or tile changes in the transmitting lrequeneies allotted to. a number of stations in the Dominion, 1 tho-se allotted to stations operated by the Broadcasting Board. Many listeners were disturbed because their reception from some particular overseas station had been prejudiced.

The position is that my Department is concerned with assisting the Broadcasting Board to provide adequate service throughout approximately sixteen hours of the day, and as far as possible over the whole Dominion.” the minister said. “The fact that many enthusiasts delight in the reception of foreign stations during a few hours of the day, particularly in the winter months, is appreciated, but it is obviously impossible, to sacrifice the regular national service in order to cater for this spasmodic reception, (•-

“It . has been realised for §pme time,” the Minister continued, “that the service to outlying districts could be improved during the daylight periods, and' made more free of fading and distortion during the evening session if lower frequencies were employed by the New Zealand stations responsible for tile national service. It was therefore decided to negotiate with the Australian administration with a view to the reservation of four suitable frequencies at the low frequency end of the broadcasting band.

“The frequencies which were finally decided on, are at present the only four exclusive channels which the Australian administration has been able to eave unoccupied for use in this Country. In selecting them ' an endeavour has been made to keep a separation between the four main New Zealand stations, sufficient to enable listeners hi the four centres readily to receive broadcasts from the other centres, without suffering interference from their powerful local station.

“To enthusiasts 'in remote distant reception,--I would say,” the Minister concluded, “cutside of your two local stations, there are over ninety broadcasting channels on which you c&n at times locate distant stations. Of these fewer than thirty ai‘e tised by New Zealand stations,