RADIO PROGRAMMES

Wairarapa Times-Age, 12 June 1939, Page 6

RADIO PROGRAMMES

VIEWS OF SOME MASTERTON LISTENERS. “TOO MUCH AMERICAN TRIPE.” Assuming that opinions expressed in Masterion are a fair criterion, the policy of the National Broadcasting Service in New Zealand, in compiling “mixing it” programmes in their endeavour to please all listeners in all programmes, does not appear to be succeeding as the authorities would like. In a wide inquiry on the subject of radio programmes made by a “TimesAge” reporter some very caustic remarks were made by listeners, indicating that the programmes have not as yet reached the stage of giving general satisfaction. “There's too much of that American tripe,” was the reply of one listener when asked his opinion on New Zealand programmes. “There are just the two of us at home now, and we like a little entertainment at night, but on numerous occasions we simply turn the set off, as there seems to be nothing really worth listening to from any sta-tion—-at least not a programme to which the machine can be turned and yqu can sit down and listen for a time.”

“You won’t be able to print my honest opinion,” said another resident. He was very scathing in his comments on what he called the general run of programmes. He had often wondered why he had gone to the expense of buying a set and paying £1 5s a year for a licence to hear “stuff” that was not worth listening to. “Unless I. write it down and sleep on it before 1 tell you my opinions I might say something rude,” said yet another householder. While criticising some of the programmes. another listener stated that he fully realised the wide variety of tastes for which the radio officials had to cater, but he offered a constructive suggestion. “There arc a sufficient number of stations in the Dominion, he said, for the programme directors to provide that on every evening there should be one programme of a better or more serious class of entertainment for the listener who could tune in and sit back for an hour or two without having to twist and turn at the knobs. “What I mean," he added, “is that such programmes could be alternated among the several stations, and there could bo at least one such programme in each Island every night. Those who select the programmes either underrate the cultural appreciation and requirements of their listeners or else they have a poor and inadequate range of records from which to select." “I don’t listen to New Zealand stations ver}' much,” said another. “I am a short-wave enthusiast and get much more satisfaction out of the distant overseas programmes or even those in Australia. I get opera or symphony music from Rome for breakfast and if I get homo for lunch I can hear good music from London, Berlin or Moscow. The same stations are usually quite good during the evening. If there is anything good doing in New Zealand I listen in, but as a rule I find that there is 100 much knob turning to do.” “If you put on a classical programme, people will simply turn to some other station,” was the opinion of another listener, who expressed a decided preference for light, lively and “swing music."

News sessions and topical talks found approval, but the majority of those interviewed said that they would rather read the news conveniently and at leisure in the papers.