WIRELESS WAR

NZ Truth, Issue 1189, 13 September 1928, Page 6

WIRELESS WAR

' . ■ ' ♦ Station 3 YA. Adopts Unfair Tactics

There is a very old — and a vwy true— story about a surly dog m a manger, who, whilst he did not want the bone, would allow no other oanine to get it. A SIMILAR situation^ has arisen m Christchurch, m. v connection . with Station 3YA, "owrieti and operated," as the announcer says, "by the Radio Broadcasting Company of New Zealand, Limited." ' ' "'~ ':'■' " 0 For many moons . 3YA came on the air at its appointed < hour c . and' closed down at 10 p.m.. with;, almost indecent haste. y/:i '<%-..-.: Uk: ?.'.-'■■. „'•■ ;/ v '•■>'."' , It seemed that^ : the station ; and its staff belonged* to someauniqn^or other. Then came. 3ZC; a small station/ : 'il.; ; , is true, but one that ; has ; done . great; > things for broadcasting. X v V •" ■ :':^ "For it has iif ted V aertai entertain -(■; rnent above , \ the "werare-now-to^have- - ; '; a-soprano song*', level. ' ~'-' +.■■':■'' .''-. And 3ZC is worked with' due re- v gard for. wireless owners. It gives. V ■ them what they want to hear and '-: % does hot mind going on the air for" • ' • an extra hour: or "two at any tihne: /■:■■; ;■ It first made its impression on the . •; public when it started to broadcast the ;. All Black results ;; 3YA' was not-long ipfollowing suit. ;■'■•' " : :' :■ ; But, until the smaller station led theway, 3YA was mute on Sunday mornings.. ,: ■ -■ .•■;■> ■•:.;. '■ --./■-.■ .',;■ ■■.; ; -'-;::;,Vv ' " ■ It Is bnlyv on account, of SZC's^ work ; : that 3YA has broadcasted the results. Then, on a recent Tuesday , night, another, attempt— -obviously m '.very bad taste— was. nmae to shoo. 3ZC off the air. The Tasman "flight was used as an excuse. . . v' ■ From eight o'clock. on, an announcer repeated m parrot-like f ashiohv that "Smith would not fly to-night." , ./ In between his eff orts ; — which, for all , the world, sounded -like someone' -about six years of age trying to recite "Curfew Shall Not Ring- To-night"— other ■stations m New Zealand and Australia were re -broadcasted. ' -i A STUPID STUNT / ; h ■'>''} ? It .was stressed that the stunt 'was , staged for the benefit of . crystalrset ; users. ■ ; .'• .'■■ '';•■'■'" ■'. '■"■■■ ■'•■ ,■■'■-■'■" But why does 3YA's consideration ."; • for the smaller fry -wait until 3ZC; ia^ ; on the air? „ . . - ; . ■■■?:■■■■■'■■ It. may be coincidence, of course, but that "consideration" talk was received by listeners whose tongues were m their cheeks. ' ' ■ •^During the hours that this performance continued, it was announced .-'■ many . times that the programme was impromptu. , ' ' ; But what of 3ZC's programme that •■ ■ had been carefully rehearsed and planned? : - Jn all the time that it has been going, it is only of very recent- ' months that 3YA has started "considering" the smaller users of \ radio. ■ v • As a result, oh several nights when it was billed to be silent, 3 YA has broadcasted a boxing match, rebroad- . casted Wellington and , generally monopolized the air. • Despite the heartless •. phases of modern life, most of us. have akeen resrnrd for fair play. ■ ; . What would the Radio -Broadcasting Company do if some huge super- • station were to squash their "efforts, many of which, alas., could do with squashing?, .