Quality of Programmes

Sun (Auckland), Volume III, Issue 877, 22 January 1930, Page 14

Quality of Programmes

ORGANISING DIFFICULTIES

Shortage of Performers

TRANSMISSION TROUBLES AT IYA.

DURING the week there appeared in the correspondence columns of The Sun a complaint regarding the quality of the programmes from IYA. While there may be a certain amount of justification for the complaint, it must be remembered that no programme, however good, would please everybody. Tastes vary so considerably that no programme organiser could possibly arrange a programme that would appeal to all.

One listener that I know has a strong dislike to jazz, yet if no jazz irems were included in a programme there would be a host of complaints from those who enjoy them. Another friend of mine dislikes high- * lass music, and yet if this class of music were eliminated from the programme my friend and many others who hate jazz would soon voice their complaints. Then in a town the size of Auckland there is the difficulty of securing artists. The most popular performers weary listeners after a time, but as new ones are not coming to hand in sufficient numbers or quick enough to meet the insatiable appetite of listeners, programme organisers have to fall back on the talent available. Those complaining frequently say that better programmes are heard from Wellington or Christchurch. This may or may not be the case. Perhaps it is a case of “distant fields." So far as Wellington is concerned it may be that in the capital city new talent is arriving and passing through the town, and is available for broadcasting. For instance, judges in musical and elocutionary competitions from various provincial centres, who are travelling to the South, or vice versa, frequently have a night to 6pare in Wellington and are secured to appear before the microphone. These would not lie available in the same way at Auckland owing to the geographical positions. An easy way of securing a programme is available to those who possess receiving sets capable of picking up all the New Zealand stations. By perusing the programmes published each day one can select from the var-

ious stations items that appeal most. By picking one item from Auckland, the next from Wellington, another from Christchurch, and another from Dunedin, and completing a programme from the four stations one can select an excellent programme. To the above suggestion, of course, there is one unanswerable objection; it is not every one who has a set that will pick up all four stations. These unfortunates will have to be content with the fare provided by IYA until such time as they can afford something better than the humble crystal or single-valve sets. Though it is difficult to see how complaints regarding the programmes can be rectified, it appears that much could be done to improve the quality of the transmission from IYA. Complaints on the score have been very general and no improvement has taken place. The power appears to vary considerably. distortion is frequent, especially with relays, and on numerous occasions a peculiar bubbling noise is audible. It is useless to say that these faults lie with the listeners’ receiving set, as when another station is tuned in the faults referred to are not apparent. Listeners in various localities who have compared notes find the same trouble at the same time. This disposes of any argument that the receiving set is to blame. Does lYA’s transmitting plant require a complete overhaul, is it worn out and needs replacing, or what is the trouble? These are questions that many listeners would like satisfactorily answered. An expression of opinion from readers regarding the transmission of programmes from IYA is invited.