RADIO AND SATURATION

Sun (Auckland), Volume I, Issue 297, 7 March 1928, Page 14

RADIO AND SATURATION

One hears sometimes that the fall-ing-off of the sales of an article such as a motor-car or a radio set is due to saturation, that is, all the people likely to buy such an article have already done so, and the sales now are merely new homes starting or replacements. To speait in such terms of radio in New Zealand is absurd when one considers he number of licences already issued and the population, a population which, by its use of the telephone and motor-car, has shown that it is one of the speediest absorbers of modern conveniences.

A recent article in the “New York Times” gave some interesting figures. An expert on foreign trade took upon himself, the task of estimating the number of radio sets in the world and his final result was 18,000,000. The population of the world was estimated at 1,748,000,000, and, assuming an average of five listeners a sec, It was estimated that 90,000,00, or nine per cent., enjoyed receiving facilities, and if broadcasting facilities were extended throughout the entire world, nearly 350,000.000 sets would be required. At this rate, New Zealand’s much-sought-for 40,000 is only a percentage of the saturation capacity for radio. The demand for sets must increase steadily whenever a new station comes on the air, and long before the world’s manufacturers of radio sets established to-day can even meet the requirements of areas at present served, old sets will require replacement and so the demand will be extended.