The Daily News. WEDNESDAY, MAY 10, 1922. BROADCASTING NEWS BY WIRELESS.

Taranaki Daily News, 10 May 1922, Page 4

The Daily News. WEDNESDAY, MAY 10, 1922. BROADCASTING NEWS BY WIRELESS.

It. is somewhat significant that the cabled report of Professor Eccles’ recent paper on the possibilities of wireless communications, read by him before the Dominions’ and Indian section of the Society of Arts, should have stated that the lecture was followed by a keen controversial discussion. The professorial mind is apt to be more mathematical than piaetieal, even though the subject may be one of those which are included in the term of applied or practical sciences. The enormous strides that have been made towards perfecting the system of transmission of messages by ethergrams constitutes one of the marvels of the present age, the exigencies of the Great War having given a powerful stimulus to all branches of this modern science. It must, however, be borne in mind that, while much has been accomplished by Signor Marconi and others, wireless communications are still a long way off the stage when they will convey direct to settlers in the backbloeks the news of the day. It. is an alluring prospect that Professor Eccles holds out to the Dominions and India, embracing not only supplying an organised news service from London and other centres to every newspaper throughout the Empire, but. also to eveyy settler by means of an inexpensive receiving apparatus. .Such a scheme will naturally cause the practical and sober-minded to wonder how it is going to materialise. Apparently distance is a matter of no importance, for Signor Marconi is of opinion that no range is too great to be traversed by wireless provided the proper apparatus is used, while the testimony of Sir Godfrey Isaacs is that all the world’s wireless companies are convinced that long distance communications are both efficient, and economical. With the differences of opinion among the experts as to the strength of. currents and the effects of atmospherics the public need not be concerned, nor is it likely they will give a second thought to the probability of newspapers being displaced by a wireless receiving apparatus being erected on every home. The backbloek settlers of New Zealand are far more concerned over the provision of roads, bridges and telephone service than in receiving wireless messages from all parts of the world, necessitating a day and night attendance on the receiving apparatus. Although delays and interruptions constantly mar the efficiency of the present cable service, that service has proved fairly reliable on the whole, and will probably remain in operation after any broadcast, system of news transmission by wireless has been instituted, for there are times when atmospherics practically put wireless out of gear, while it is possible for an enemy to render ethergrams chaotic. As an auxiliary to the cable service, wireless messages will be helpful, but there will always be the danger of the messages not being authentic, or being utilised for propaganda purposes. In the ease of lonely islands where the inhabitants have no means of communicating with the outer world, wireless installations should, be of great service, and they could be utilised under official control for messages to and from the backbloeks where a telephone service does not exist. Probably in years to come wireless messages will be quite a usual means of communication, but for Press purposes, where accuracy and authenticity are so essential, it is unlikely to catch on. The fact that the paper read by Professor Eccles elicited a controversial discussion shows that experts can and do differ on this as well as on other technical subjects. ft is one of those matters in which enthusiasm is prone to develop into sensationalism. While, the mass of humanity may well marvel at the wonders resulting from the development of this modern child of scwxs.ee, they, sire prepared to pati-

ently await and watch each development until the whole world is linked up by a complete chain of stations. Each step in advance will be welcomed, but it would seem inadvisable to enter into discussions on future possibilities, or to indicate a state of affairs that savors more of a fairy tale than the prosaic attainment of a practical goal.