THE RADIO WORLD

Wairarapa Times-Age, 30 April 1938, Page 2

THE RADIO WORLD

PEOPLE AND PROGRAMMES ON PARADE NEWS AND NOTES. HIS MAJESTY THE KING TO BROADCAST. (By “Listener-In.”) Regal and Vice-Regal. Outstanding broadcast next week will be a relay by the National stations of the opening of the Empire Exhibition at Bellahouston Park, Scotland, by his Majesty the King. The broadcast is scheduled to take place at 9.15 p.m. on Tuesday. Also to be broadcast over the National network is an address to be given from the IYA studio next Saturday night by her Excellency, Lady Galway, who will make an appeal on behalf of the Plunket Society. Wired Wireless. The sum of £200,000 has been allocated by the British Post Office for experimenting with wired wireless. Under this system “subscribers” are supplied with programmes by wire after the manner of the telephone, the only apparatus at the receiving end being a loudspeaker. One great disadvantage of this system, which has been operated for some time by private concerns, is that the listener can receive only one programme, and that one not of his own choice. Plays and an Opera. First play of the week will be a studio presentation from IYA on Monday night of Max Afford’s “Avalanche.” This will be followed (at the same station) by a recorded drama “Grandfather Clock.” Produced in'the 4YA studio at 9.5 on Monday night will be “Peace by the Derwent,” a play by John Harvey. The recorded serial feature “The Strange Adventures of Mr Penny” will commence from 3YA on Tuesday night. Another N.B.S. production, “Loyalties,” by John Galsworthy to be heard from 2YA on Wednesday night should attract the attention of a large number of listeners. “The Time Factor,” by W. Graeme Holder, the play which won first prize in the N.B.S. Radio play competition last year, is scheduled for broadcast from 3YA on Thursday night. For the opera enthusiast 3YA will broadcast tomorrow night a complete recorded of Giacomo Puccini’s pathetic but charming “La Boheme.”

“Televison Incomplete.” David Sarnoff, president of the Radio Corporation of America, the world’s biggest wireless organisation, says: “Television is today an unfinished product. Its progress up to now, and some' of the problems which still remain to be solved, are parallel in many respects to the early progress and problems of the motion picture industry. You who remember the flickering images and the crude scenes of the early films—in contrast to the technical and artistic perfection of present-day motion pictures—will understand what we are up against in getting television into shape to perform a useful public service.” When it is realised that the R.C.A. has produced an image much greater in size than anything in use in England, it is easy to see how much reliance can be placed on stories that television has arrived.

Highlights at a Glance. “Works of Contemporary Composers: English and French,” from 2YA tomorrow night“ Memorable Nights in the Theatre,” first of a series of talks by Mr L. D. Austin, 2YA, Monday night Cara Hall, 15-year-old New Zealand pianist, 3YA, Monday nightßach programme, 2YA, Tuesday night Dora Lindsay, Scottish character artist, Tuesday, Wednesday and Saturday nights, 4YArelay of public concert by Christchurch Harmonic Society, 3YA, Wednesday night “Scottish Variety of Yester-Year,” 4YA, Wednesday night Concert by Royal Auckland Choir relayed from Town Hall, IYA, Thursday night “Fifteen minutes of Songs from Past Extravaganzas,” presented by the Victoria College University Students’ Association, 2YA Thursday night Reading by Mr D’Arcy Cresswell, IYA, Friday night Port Nicholson Silver Band, 2YA, Friday night. Billy Cotton —In Brief. A big, hefty fellow with beefy shoulders is Billy Cotton, whose band is frequently heard over the air. His face is full, but not fat and he has humorous eyes and mouth. He wears horn-rimmed glasses and conducts in full tails. He is a typical Londoner in speech and believe it or not, he was once a choir boy. He still possesses a passable voice, but can never be persuaded to sing anything but comedy stuff. A Busy Department. The play department of the National Broadcasting Service appears to have been very active in the last few weeks, if one is to judge by the number of recent broadcast features which have been earmarked, “N.B.S. Production.” Heard from 3YA on Monday night was one of the biggest and best local efforts for some time, “Twentyfour Hours.” which told in dramatic fashion the sequence of events which led to the 'declaration of war in 1914. Presented as a series of brief episodes the production called for a great deal of imaginative travelling by listeners, but the story was well presented and was brought to a stirring climax.